4 th string lower to D! (E 9th)

rhcarden · Post by **rhcarden** » 30 Jun 2003 9:32 pm

Does any one do this? I'd like to thy this change but my BMI will just barely make D#. I use the D6 tuning that you get with the B pedal a lot and having a D on the 4th would be nice. I know it's there on the 2nd string, but thats a little far to reach.

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Bob Carden 66 Emmons P/P 8/9
BMI 13 string 7/7

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 30 Jun 2003 9:38 pm

Julian Tharpe had that on a knee lever, and he used it a lot.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 30 Jun 2003 9:46 pm

You could try thicker string guage.
But on a BMI...
If you look at that piece of metal that the E string changer finger bottoms out on when you lower it as far as it will go (by pushing the lower finger all the way in with a screwdriver, or disconnectiong the lower return spring), a machinist with the right gear can mill (or simply Drill on a press) that hard stop out a bit, and it will give you the clearance needed to drop to D.
I'd contact Don Fritchee of BMI before doing anything that drastic.

'Nice change to have on either/or both E's (4 &

.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 30 June 2003 at 10:56 PM.]</p></FONT>

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 1 Jul 2003 7:04 am

I wanted to do it for years. Then when I ordered my U-12, I had them lower the 4th string all the way down to a C# with a pedal. Yes a C#! I use this for special affects while playing in the E9th mode.

Since my RKR raises the 4th sting to an F (it is the equivalent 6th pedal on C6), I "split" it with the above pedal to make it a D note. With the D note on the 8th string, I have a blues chord where I can alternate octave D notes with different gappings.

This allows me to play tunes like "Steelin the Blues" at ANY fret. After 3 years with it, I wonder how I EVER got along without it. I just love it.

Incidently, I also raise the 11th string to an F# with this 4th string lower to a C# pedal. Absolutely a great change. Especially with the oforementioned RKR. In either the E9th mode OR B6th mode it works great. And then with the ability to "split" on demand, it makes for a really great change.

carl

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 1 Jul 2003 7:25 am

RH-Great Idea. I think Zane Beck"s tuning had the pull on it. I have always thought about it as it is very effective many times....al

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 1 Jul 2003 12:36 pm

I got it on my Sierra and my Excel,both U-12s. I have it on a 2nd left knee vertical which also lowers the 8th string to D. I use it all the time - especially the 8th string lower for walking bass lines and gospel turnarounds,etc.Lately I've been getting more adept at grabbing the 4th string note on the 2nd string because on my Excel,the half-stop is so stable.Still there are a few things I couldn't do without the 4th string lower to D. -MJ-

rhcarden · Post by **rhcarden** » 1 Jul 2003 7:55 pm

Thanks all!

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Bob Carden 66 Emmons P/P 8/9
BMI 13 string 7/7

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 1 Jul 2003 8:12 pm

I played standard E9 setup for a lot of years. Then,one day,I threw away the 9th string and added to the bottom end of the tuning (nowadays its called "Expanded E9"). It all worked so well I started thinking of other ways to "improve" the tuning. I tried, over and over, to lower that little E to C#,but it wouldn't even make it down to D on the steel I had at that time. That,in turn,got me started searching for alternative pulls and changes. That was about 12 years ago,and I haven't been the same since.

The moral is:alternatives are great,just beware of where they take you! Sometimes the journey becomes the destination!

Back to the original post; I think it is a great idea if you and your steel can handle it.
~~W.C.~~

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 2 Jul 2003 11:59 am

The E to D is a wonderful change.

Carl,
We're thinking alike. I raise the Eb to E and lower it a 1/2 and a whole tone. If I want the smooth E to C# I make the move from the raise to the complete lower. When I want the E to D I go from the raise to the half step lower. Basically I can stop at every semitone between E and C#.

Glad your feeling better,

Paul