Tuning your E9/B6

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 5 Feb 2003 3:00 pm

What is your method for tuning the universal guitar? How do you chime tune or Just Tune this beast?

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Feb 2003 4:14 pm

Jeff Newman has an E9/B6 tuning chart on his website at: http://www.jeffran.com/tuning/tuning.htm

Alot of folks have used that as a starting point, and then tweak to taste.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 5 Feb 2003 4:44 pm

I tune the E9th/B6th Universal the SAME way I tune my D-10. And that is:

1. Tune all open strings to JI except the 9th string.

2. Tune the A, B and C pedals to JI.

3. Tune the E and F levers to JI.

4. Tune the 2nd string half stop and the 9th string so it is a perfect 5th with the 3rd and 6th strings with the B pedal engaged.

5. Tune the 2nd string C# to JI.

6. Tune the first string G to ET.

7. Tune the 6th string G# to F# so it is JI with the 5th string.

9. Tune all open strings on C6th to JI.

10. Tune pedals 4, 7 and 8 to JI.

11. Tune pedal 5 as follows:

A. Tune 1st and 10th strings for JI

B. Tune 5th and 9th strings very close to ET.

12. Tune 6th pedal as follows:

A. Tune 4th string to JI

B. Tune 6th string to ET.

13. Tune C to B change for JI.

14. Tune A to Bb change to ET.

15. Tune A to Ab to JI

16. Tune C to C# change for JI.

Since my E9th/B6th has all the above open strings and changes, I do exactly the same. I do have compensators on the 1st and 7th strings to lower them to JI when the A pedal is engaged. I also lower 1 and 7 when the B to C knee lever is engaged to make the 8th pedal "7th sound" more in tune. That is, make the F#'s ET respectively.

carl

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 6 Feb 2003 8:27 am

I tune the 4th string with A+B depressed. Since most of my guitars have about 4-5 cents detuning, that means the E comes out about 441 when the A+B are released. I tune everything but the G#'s, C#'s, and F's to 441, the G#'s about 4-6 cents flat and the C#'s 6-8 cents flat. The F's end up about 10-12 cents flat. All the B6 changes are between 440 and 441 and I only have to fudge the A+F position up slightly, instead of 1/3 of a fret with Just Intonation.

That said, I will tweak by ear somewhat as well, but that combination of tones is pretty tolerable to my ear, it's easy to remember and I don't have to read a chart onstage.

Works4Me

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 10 Feb 2003 2:09 pm

Larry so you tune the fourth string with the pedals down and you tune it to 441. Or do you tune it to 440 with A and B pedals down.

Ed Mooney · Post by **Ed Mooney** » 10 Feb 2003 2:19 pm

I use Jeffs' chart. Tuning by harmonics makes the guitar sound out of tune to me now.
Ed

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 12 Feb 2003 11:10 am

Hi Bob,
I tune the E's and A's to 440 with A+B depressed.
When released, the E's end up about 441 or 441.5, depending on the guitar.

So the open A chord is dead on 440 and the root of the E chord is slightly sharp, but barely noticeable.

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro