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[Doug Beaumier]

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[Andy Volk]

Sounds nice, Doug.

I did this one a few years back on Dobro using the C6th intervals tuned down to G.

https://picosong.com/wuVwm/

Reminds me that I should revisit the 6th sound on Dobro.

[Ed Baker]

Nice.

Just curious ... What made you choose the stevens bar instead of your normal bullet bar?

[L. Bogue Sandberg]

This is a slippery slope and you'd better stop it right now! Pretty soon you'll start using your bullet bar to snag those reverse and split slants easier. Then you'll start playing Hawaiian and swing at the expense of bluegrass. And if that's not bad enough, you'll start looking for a 7 or 8 string. I know, because it happened to me and there's no cure.

Seriously, it sounds great. I only wish my old arthritic fingers were as nimble as yours.

[Doug Beaumier]

The bar is a Shubb SP1. It was in the case when I bought the dobro, so I tried it and I like it so far. One end is slightly rounded, unlike a Stevens bar, and that round end is what's needed to play split slants. So in answer to the question, the SP1 was there and I was too lazy to find my Dunlop bar so I used the Shubb.

The string gauges I'm using:

E .014
C .017
A .022p
G .026w bronze
E .035w bronze
C .045w bronze

The .045 is kinda tight so I'll probably go with a .044 next time.

[Jack Hanson]

I recently put C6 tuning on my dobro and I’m having some fun with it.

I did this one a few years back on Dobro using the C6th intervals tuned down to G.

I have an early eighties OMI that I would consider setting up in a 6th tuning. Can anyone compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of C6 versus G6?

[Andy Volk]

When I used G6 it was because I'm lazy. I didn't feel like changing strings so I tuned a standard set of Dobro strings down to G to deal with the 6th tuning string tension. It wasn't ideal but it worked as a short term solution for what I wanted to do. Whether C6th, A6th or G6th, if I was thinking of leaving a guitar in that tuning I would pay attention to proper string gauges for each note in the tuning. With a standard set of Dobro strings meant for open G you can tune to open D and raise string #2 a whole step to B and have a D6th tuning - but admittedly, not the same voicing as the C6th intervals. If you're used to playing Dobro in open G, tuning to G6th (using the C6th intervals) might seem familiar as the I, IV, V will be on the usual frets for each key.

[L. Bogue Sandberg]

I feel the choice of C6 vs G6, etc. is pretty much based what you're used to and what keys your band plays in.

Past threads have indicated string gages smaller than about .014 sound pretty thin on a resonator guitar. I've never tried anything that small myself. I do know gages in the .058 to .060 range start to sound pretty thud-like if they're not super fresh. Those could be practical limits on tuning choices.

Ninety plus percent of the time, I'm playing an 8 string reso tuned to G13, the common 8 string G6 with the bottom raised to F. If I take a 6 string for some reason, it will be tuned G6, hi->lo D B G E D B so the old dog doesn't have to learn new tricks. I'd miss having the high 5th more than the low root. But you can easily retune to a Bb6, much like going from high A6 to traditional C6.

[Joel Bloom]

Sounds great! I use G6 on reso+lapsteel high to low D, B, G, D, G, E (6th string E is a 32 gauge string-tuned a tone up from the 4th string D). This gives a 6th sound when needed and 'strumming' is still possible without a 6th sound, + full major and minor chords are available, as is all of your dobro'y hammers on/off etc.
Fun

[Kirk Francis]

check out a CD called HAWAIIAN TOUCH by barney isaacs and george kuo--it's ono-licious to the ears!
barney plays a dobro in C6/Am7 throughout, george plays slack key, and the whole thing is beautifully recorded.

[Mark Eaton]

Very nice Doug! I've never been a fan of C6th on the dobro because I think with the light gauges it can sound a little weak. But for the mellower, pretty music that tends more toward the Hawaiian sound it seems to work fine.

I would never consider the tuning for the more "high octane" resonator sound from the likes of Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes, and I'm not just talking bluegrass - I'm talking everything they do. For example in Rob's current duo with guitar wizard and fine singer Trey Hensley, they do a killer acoustic version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's Pride and Joy. Even if Rob knew his way around C6th on dobro, a song like that just wouldn't fly on his Scheerhorn with the light string gauges.

check out a CD called HAWAIIAN TOUCH by barney isaacs and george kuo--it's ono-licious to the ears!

What a coincidence Kirk - I discovered this album just last week. It's phenomenal! I had on loan from the library a slack key guitar compilation from George Winston's Dancing Cat Records, and one of the tracks from the Barney Isaacs/George Kuo album was included, so I began chasing down that album - the entire thing is on YouTube.

My early 1930s Dobro does a lot of case time since my Clinesmith gets the vast majority of the playing time, but I think with the historic Dobro sound and the lug cone in the old guitar it might sound really nice in C6th. Hearing Barney on that record has inspired me to order the appropriate strings and I'm going to give it a whirl.

[Doug Beaumier]

I've never been a fan of C6th on the dobro because I think with the light gauges it can sound a little weak

True, but you'll notice that I went quite a bit thicker on strings 5 and 6. I normally use .030 and .036 on lap steel. For dobro (C6) I used .035 and .045. String 6 is really tight, but the thick string is needed for the right tone. I do agree that a standard C6 set sounds weak on dobro.

[Mark Eaton]

Yeah, I noticed the gauges - even wrote 'em down.

I was thinking maybe .042w for the 6th string.

And .016 for the 1st string. I tune the .016 on my GBDGBD tuned Clinesmith up to E every so often. .014 to me seems like it could lack "cojones."

[Doug Beaumier]

I might try a .044.

[Mark Eaton]

I might try a .044.

I saw that comment earlier as well. I was thinking .044 might not give the tightness of the .045 much in the way of relief, so that's why I was considering .042