Who Plays Spanish Guitar with a Slide Bar

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Jun 2016 11:46 am

Just a nylon-strung classical guitar with the tuners inverted, a high nut and bridge. It has a sweet tone totally unlike a Dobro or a Weissenborn. You should try it. Any classical guitar can be converted, and the conversion back to its original state takes less time than changing strings. In fact you can change the set-up without even changing the strings. Just disconnect them at the machine head and reconnect them after the tuners have been turned round. The tuners go straight back into their original holes and even the screw holes line up.

Jim Mckay · Post by **Jim Mckay** » 2 Jun 2016 12:08 pm

Hi Alan.
Like to hear how it sounds. Are you playing a 6th tuning with it? I've always liked the sound of nylon strings.

Jim

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Jun 2016 1:35 pm

I have it tuned to C6 at the moment. I must record a few clips. Actually, I've used it on several of my recordings, so I'll have to go back through my recording logs and pull one out.

Preston Briggs · Post by **Preston Briggs** » 2 Jun 2016 2:51 pm

Why turn the tuners "upside down"?

At least for experiments, it would seem like you can leave them in place.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Jun 2016 2:53 pm

Http://picosong.com/5tC5
http://picosong.com/4Mk8
Okay, here are two examples. I'm in my cowboy song mood. They're multiple track recordings done in my home studio, with me playing all the instruments. I have to warn you that I'm no Johnny Cash or Marty Robbins.

I was just so surprised when I looked at the logs at how long ago this was. Time has been flying by lately.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Jun 2016 3:28 pm

Preston Briggs wrote:Why turn the tuners "upside down"?
At least for experiments, it would seem like you can leave them in place.

Yes, you can. There's no absolute need to. It's not like a pedal steel where turning the instrument upside-down is inconvenient. Why bother to turn the tuners upside down? Well, why have the tuners turned upside-down on any guitar that you play on your lap? It's just convenience. I have several nylon-strung guitars, and since I intend to leave this one strung up to be played with a tone bar, I went to the trouble of moving them round. It only takes a few minutes.

Here's a conundrem to mull over. Since there's nothing made of steel on the guitar, and I'm playing it with a ceramic bar, is it still a "steel guitar"?

Preston Briggs · Post by **Preston Briggs** » 2 Jun 2016 3:54 pm

Alan Brookes wrote:
Preston Briggs wrote:Why turn the tuners "upside down"?
At least for experiments, it would seem like you can leave them in place.
Yes, you can. There's no absolute need to. It's not like a pedal steel where turning the instrument upside-down is inconvenient. Why bother to turn the tuners upside down? Well, why have the tuners turned upside-down on any guitar that you play on your lap? It's just convenience. I have several nylon-strung guitars, and since I intend to leave this one strung up to be played with a tone bar, I went to the trouble of moving them round. It only takes a few minutes.

Thanks. I was just wondering if there was deeper reason I wasn't seeing.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 5 Jun 2016 5:11 am

Alan Brookes wrote:
Here's a conundrem to mull over. Since there's nothing made of steel on the guitar, and I'm playing it with a ceramic bar, is it still a "steel guitar"?

Meh. People still call the center of a pencil "lead" even though it's graphite.

Miles Lang · Post by **Miles Lang** » 6 Jun 2016 11:43 am

I played ukulele with a slide bar at the show yesterday, flipped up flat like a dobro. Does that count?

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 6 Jun 2016 11:13 pm

Blokes,

Here's the news. ordinary six string guitar can be played with a bar.

Strings 1, 2 and 3 give minors, with the root on the first string.

Strings 2, 3 and 4 give majors but three frets lower than normal. Root on the 3rd.

Only problem is that one cant play slide well with the lowered strings, or one cant fret normal with raised strings.

The games are open.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 7 Jun 2016 11:39 am

The guitar in the photograph has raised nut and bridge, Jan, and it's tuned in C6.

I wasn't advocating playing a regular guitar in standard guitar tuning, without raising the strings. You need a spare guitar which is never going to be played against the frets. It would be too much of a hassle to keep raising and lowering the strings.

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 7 Jun 2016 11:53 am

Jip Alan, I agree.

Greetings.