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Topic: Tunings for Oahu Square Neck? |
Paul Bostic
From:
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
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Posted 5 Aug 2010 1:39 pm |
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I just received an excellent vintage Oahu square neck. I started to tune it to C#m and got scared. Seemed like the neck tension was way over the top. So I tuned it to E maj instead, which seems to be OK. Does anybody know what the customary tuning for these guys are?
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60's & 70's country rock is my favorite, Martin & Taylor acoustic, Fender & Washburn electric, Rickenbacher BD 8 lap steel, violin. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 5 Aug 2010 1:50 pm
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The original tuning used in the oldest Oahu teaching materials was open A:
1. E
2. C#
3. A
4. E
5. A
6. E
If you're using a standard set of acoustic guitar strings (e.g. .012 to .053) you should have no problems.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Robert Murphy
From:
West Virginia
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Posted 5 Aug 2010 6:20 pm
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I purchased several sets of 50 year old Black
Diamond strings and open A is what it's about. |
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Paul Bostic
From:
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
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Posted 5 Aug 2010 10:01 pm
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Thanks guys! I will give open A a try. The E maj doesn't sound too bad though.
_________________
60's & 70's country rock is my favorite, Martin & Taylor acoustic, Fender & Washburn electric, Rickenbacher BD 8 lap steel, violin. |
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Travis Hillis
From:
Nashville TN, USA
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Posted 6 Aug 2010 10:38 am
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Low bass G would work great with normal guitar strings as well.
DGDGBD(low to high)
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 6 Aug 2010 11:24 am
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| I string mine with med-gage acoustic strings (0.013" to 0.056") and tune to lo-bass G, open D, or D6/Bm7. Any higher tunings with those gages will cause IMMEDIATE twisting & distortion of the top. Beware. |
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Paul Bostic
From:
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
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Posted 6 Aug 2010 4:55 pm
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Brad & Robert, I tried the Open A which worked real well. There is still a little push on the top but nowhere near the C#m I was trying. Travis & D I will tune down to the Low bass G, Open D tomorrow and give it a whirl. Thanks for the help.
_________________
60's & 70's country rock is my favorite, Martin & Taylor acoustic, Fender & Washburn electric, Rickenbacher BD 8 lap steel, violin. |
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John Bushouse
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Posted 6 Aug 2010 10:08 pm
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What C#m tuning are you using? Here are the three low-bass versions of A, E, and C#m I would use on my Oahu:
Open A (low to high)
EAEAC#E
Open E (low to high)
EBEG#BE
C#m (low to high)
EBEG#C#E
The C#m tuning uses a C# instead of a B on the second string, but that's the only difference between C#m and E. And compared to A, C#m has the 5th string a whole step higher and the 3rd string 1/2 step lower. For the most part, I use the same strings for all of these tunings with no problems.
However, I usually tune down a whole step with all of those tunings if I'm using a standard 12-53 set. I threw some heavier strings on my guitar a few months ago and noticed the top was pulling up slightly - even with open G, D, etc. Until I have a chance to do some measurements to see if there's any issues, I'm avoiding A & E. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 7 Aug 2010 9:39 am
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Something is wrong there, Paul. C#min7 involves less tension than the A tuning does. The 3rd string would be G# instead of A. Only the 5th string would be higher in pitch, from A to B. I don't understand why you're having issues with the tension.
This is the C#min7 tuning: E C# G# E B E, from high to low.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Paul Bostic
From:
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
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Posted 8 Aug 2010 4:48 pm
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I have discovered that the reason I originally freaked out about the string tension on the neck was I had not noticed how much the top was deflected. Although the instrument is in near perfect shape the top has a distinct dip in it. Someone must have wound the tuning up and left it strung that way. So I quess I will stop worrying about it. The open D tuning is a little too bass for the best tone out of this little guy. The open A, open E and C#m all have really nice tone. And yes Mike you were right about the C#m tuning. John have you tried using light gauge strings on yours? If so, how did that work out?
Thanks for all the help everyone.
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60's & 70's country rock is my favorite, Martin & Taylor acoustic, Fender & Washburn electric, Rickenbacher BD 8 lap steel, violin. |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2010 5:24 am
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| The Oahu tone is sweet, but very quiet. I have added a Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker soundhole pickup (yes, it fits that little bitty hole) wired to an endpin jack, and a Martin VTC vol/tone control that plugs into the endpin. Now I can go straight to an amp or PA, or thru a DI box & EFX pedals as needed. |
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