Question for Chris Scruggs

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

Hi Chris, Im a big fan of you but I live in Canada so I cant go see playing and speak to you so I hope you can answer my questions in the forum.

Its about your tunings, can you spell both and give the strings gauge please? What brand you use? And did is the same as Kayton Roberts?

Thanks!

[Brad Bechtel]

I'm not Chris, but here is a previous discussion:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=251800

And here's a discussion of string gauges:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=148733

I hope that helps!

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

Thanks Brad, it sure help!

I get is C6/A7 there http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=258207

And use it since that day and I really enjoy it! I love C13 with a low C too but this C6/A7 with a low A is really nice for juke joint swing!

[Chris Scruggs]

Hi there. Yes, I typically use the same tunings and gauges as Kayton on the same style of guitar, a Fender Dual Professional.

Inside neck, C6/A7:

E------.015
C------.018
A------.020
G------.022w
E------.030w
C#----.034w
A------.034w
A------.068w

Outside neck, F13:

F-----.015
D-----.018
A-----.020
F-----.022w
G----.030w
Ed---.034w
C----.034w
F----.056w

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

thanks a lot Chris!

[Joel Meginsky]

Chris, On your F13, is that correct that the guage of the middle f (.022) is thinner than that of the g below (.030) it, and that those two strings are out of pitch order?

[Chris Scruggs]

That is correct.

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

Chris do you tune the .34 A to C sometime? Can you tell please why you prefer having an A there?

Thanks.

[Chris Scruggs]

Sometimes I do.

The A comes in hardly if I'm doing a lot of low string playing or rhythmic type things on the A7 side of the tuning. Kayton is the master of this... It's also good for when you play in octaves, it keeps your grip on the A strings the same as when you play octaves on the E strings. If you play in octaves with the C down low, you have to modify your grip from five strings across to six strings across. Octave playing is useful for immulating electric guitar (say, on an ET song, for some reason the octaves give it an electric guitar type tone. Very useful if there is no lead guitarist on stage.) and also for immulating horn sections (very useful for Western Swing, think like Big Beaver).

Tuning that string to C is good for giving you the full six string C6 tuning, and it's nice to have that low root in the C tuning. Byrd tuned his C6/A7 with a C in there. It's nice, but I'll sometimes sacrifice having it. Steel guitar is a lead instrument so harmonically you can usually avoid having a low root in your tuning. If you just hit the high five strings you get the feel of the full chord. It all depends on the gig, really.

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

All make a lot of sens! Thanks a lot to taking the time to reply. Really appreciated!

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

I don't want to abuse but I have another question. When you mute the strings with your left hand do you have some tricks to get this tone? I try to give a good pressure but when I do it it sound dead and I cant get a good tone. Maybe its a question of guitars, pickup or just something I didn't figure out.

Thanks!

[Don McGregor]

Okay. Maybe I'm missing something, but why, on Chris' F13 neck, is the middle F strung with a smaller gauge (.022w) than the higher pitched G string, which is strung with a .030w?
I understand why the strings are out of the usual high-to-low order, just not why the lower pitched string would be of a smaller diameter. Is it because it is sometimes tuned differently? Or, is there some tonal nuance that this provides?