Expanding 6-string to 8 ?

Tony Harris · From: England

I've playing 6-string C6 for a couple of years now (jazz standards, western swing, country). Everybody tells me I'll want to expand to 8-string so I've bought one. Now maybe some of you old hands could help me - should I add one string below (A?) and one on top (G or D like the C6 neck of a PEDAL steel?). Or should I add two strings underneath, so that the top strings are the same as my 6, making switching between them easier?
Thanks.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I'd add the strings this way (showing the tuning from bass string to treble):
A C E G A C E G
But there are many many variations.

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Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I prefer (low to high)
C, Bb, C, E, G, A, C, E

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Tony, I make this decision according to the kind of music I play. On my guitar (8-string) I use for Hawaiian, I like for the first string to be E.

I use the tuning with the high G as first string on the guitar I use for all other kinds of music,___country,etc.

Rick

[This message was edited by Rick Collins on 04 February 2002 at 05:48 PM.]

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I tend to agree with Andy, especially since you listed jazz and swing first and second on your list. The Bb gives you a dominant 7th chord, and the tuning itself would be C13 (C, E, G, A, Bb or 1, 3, 5, 6 {or 13}, b7). There are a number of ways to set up the tuning.

Another 8 string option is Jerry Byrd's C6/A7 tuning. You'll get a lot of chords from this one:



1. E


2. C


3. A


4. G


5. E


6. C#


7. C


8. A

This is a nice combination tuning. Leave out the C's (don't pick them) and you've got a full A7 chord. Leave out the C# and you've got a full C6 chord. I've got this tuning on my D-8 and triple 8 and I really like it. Now you need a double 8 so you can add E13! You'll feel right at home on E13 if you already play standard guitar or E9 PSG.

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George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

If you are going with C6th, I'm inclined to agree with Andy. I seldom use C6th, prefering E9 and A9 tunings for Hawaiian music, both using E on top. This also co-incides with the regular standard guitar. If you double on regular guitar, you may desire E on top also.....makes life much less complicated. JMHO.

nick allen · From: France

Another alternative (did you REALLY want all these choices?

) is similar to Andy Volk's version but with a G on the bottom - in a C tuning, it's exactly the same intervals as the Don Helms/Roy Wiggins etc E13 tuning.
Then there's FACEGACE low to high (which is the interval layout that Don Helms *actually* used...!)
You may have already done this, but a search through the past 3 years or so of No Peddlers provides a wealth of information AND enjoyment...
Nick

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I play a lot of C6th 8 string. I keep an E on the 1st string. Mostly out of habit, I guess. That's the way I learned songs on a 6th string guitar. I sure so like those 2 lower strings though!

Erv

Don McClellan · From: California/Thailand

The 8 string tuning I'm using is (from hi to lo)
B
E
C
A
G
E
C#
C

John Kavanagh · From: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.

While you're still experimenting, and thinking of those two new strings as "extra", you might consider adding a string from the middle of the range on the bottom, like a b string as #8, but between 3 and 2 in pitch, or even a b and d.

I think that the smaller group you play in, the more you'll use bass strings, but if you're in a 5-piece group or more, you're more likely to stay high, because everybody else is in the middle.

[This message was edited by John Kavanagh on 10 February 2002 at 11:14 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I add an A on the bottom, and a D on top. Everything from the 6 string tuning still applies, and I'm given more options at both ends of the tuning. It also retunes to A6th very easily when the song requires A6th.

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 06 February 2002 at 11:03 AM.]

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