Tuning a Weissenborn to E or A

Darryl Dunmore · Post by **Darryl Dunmore** » 10 Mar 2020 2:07 am

If I use light gauge strings, maybe an .012-.052 set, on a contemporary Weissenborn, could I tune it to open E or A (low bass) without damaging the guitar?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Mar 2020 8:00 am

I have an A, high bass, tuning on mine.

Erv

Jeff Highland · Post by **Jeff Highland** » 10 Mar 2020 12:49 pm

What do you have on it at the moment and what do you have it tuned to?

Darryl Dunmore · Post by **Darryl Dunmore** » 10 Mar 2020 1:41 pm

I recently bought 2 Weissenborns secondhand; a Superior in December and a Lazy River last month (that's what I meant by "contemporary Weissenborn"). I've left the strings on that they came with and tuned them to open D until I figure out the answer to this question. When I got the Lazy River, it was tuned to high-bass G; I was horrified, and immediately tuned it down to D. The thing is, I don't sing any songs in the key of D; I mostly sing in E, G and A. So, ideally I'd like to have one tuned in E, one in low-bass G and one in low-bass A.

Darryl Dunmore · Post by **Darryl Dunmore** » 10 Mar 2020 1:44 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:I have an A, high bass, tuning on mine.
Erv

What gauge of strings are you using?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Mar 2020 1:52 pm

They're light gauge.
I bought a set of strings from overseas that were made for a Weissenborn type guitar.
They were supposed to come up to pitch with less strain on the guitar.
They could have been Newtone Aloha strings.
Erv

David Venzke · Post by **David Venzke** » 10 Mar 2020 5:30 pm

For what it's worth, I have a Superior Weissenborn with a set of D'Addario EXP16 Light strings on it (12-53) and I have it tuned to low-bass G (DGDGBD) without a problem. However, because my Superior seemed so lightly constructed I installed a bridge doctor (of my own making) as insurance against the sound board bellying up. It has worked fine for me.

Jeff Highland · Post by **Jeff Highland** » 10 Mar 2020 7:54 pm

I would be reluctant to just use a set of standard acoustic 12-52's to tune to open E on a Weissenborn because tuning up strings 3, 4 and 5 will place a lot of extra tension on the soundboard,
I'd suggest using a string tension calculator such as https://tension.stringjoy.com/ to caculate the tension for your desired tuning and strings for the 25" scale length,then play around with string guage to keep the overall tension down to 150- 160 lbs and individual strings below 26lbs

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 11 Mar 2020 4:40 am

Tune to D and buy a capo from Beard. Iâ€™ve had too many Hawaiian guitars belly up to trust the higher tunings, even with light strings. I think Bridge Drs kill the tone and sustain but they do work great.

Jeff Highland · Post by **Jeff Highland** » 11 Mar 2020 2:20 pm

It's not really about high tunings, it's a matter of using appropriate strings for the tuning not just a set for regular acoustic labelled "light"

For example a typical weissenborn open D set would be 56-14 or thereabouts

The 6th string at D with a 56 will have more tension than if you put on a 52 and tuned to E

You just need to make informed decisions about string guage.

Darryl Dunmore · Post by **Darryl Dunmore** » 11 Mar 2020 3:21 pm

@Jeff Highland - OK, here's the problem. I did some research before I asked this question (even before I joined this forum). I found that many people were using standard resonator string sets on their Weissenborns (.016-.056), even some people on this forum, and none of them are reporting any problems (yet?). According to the Stringjoy chart, they are subjecting their guitar tops to 195lbs of pressure. Of course I figured .016-.056 would be too much for an E tuning, so that's why I thought maybe .012-.052 would be OK. Fellow forumite Erv Niehaus in his post above says he is using Newtone Aloha strings on his Weissenborn and tuning to high-bass A (!) and reports no problems; the Stringjoy chart says that he is subjecting his guitar top to 264 or 267lbs of pressure (I forget which exactly). I wish some other Weissenborn players would chime in, because I am now thoroughly confused. This is a perennial problem with the interweb; whenever you ask a question, you get contradictory answers. I'm not denigrating your response, I appreciate it; I'm just pointing out some other information that I've found.
@K Maul - I have a Beard capo, and I've tried it on a Weissenborn. It completely kills the Weissenborn sound; I might as well be playing a round neck acoustic or a dobro.

Darryl Dunmore · Post by **Darryl Dunmore** » 11 Mar 2020 3:30 pm

@Jeff Highland
Jeff, I just reread your first response; by strings 3,4 and 5 do you mean low to high or high to low?

Jeff Highland · Post by **Jeff Highland** » 11 Mar 2020 4:07 pm

High to low
I may be somewhat conservative, but I do recommend trying to get the individual strings around the 25-26 lb mark both to keep the total stress down but also for balance between strings. If your guitar shows no signs of distress such as excess bridge rotation or bellying you may be able to go up a little.
Depends on the quality of the build and what it has been designed for.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Mar 2020 7:18 am

Darryl,
The reason I'm using those strings is because they are supposed to get in tune with less tension, not the figures you are showing.
A Weissenborn is built very light and that contributes to their tone. And it is also why there are so few original Weissenborn guitars around.
They simply fell apart.

Erv

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 12 Mar 2020 9:40 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:Darryl,
The reason I'm using those strings is because they are supposed to get in tune with less tension, not the figures you are showing.
A Weissenborn is built very light and that contributes to their tone. And it is also why there are so few original Weissenborn guitars around.
They simply fell apart.
Erv

I tried the Aloha strings... way too loose, I don't have the touch to use them.

When I bought my Cajunborne the top was bellied up... now I know why it sounded so good! Seriously thinking about that Bridge Doctor.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Mar 2020 9:43 am

Stephen,
What was your tuning when you tried those strings?
I just read that the original Weissenborn was designed for the A tuning, who knew?
Erv

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 12 Mar 2020 10:17 am

Why not tune to D or G and use a capo, no stress or strain on the guitar and gives a lot more options than fixed E or A.

Lee

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Mar 2020 10:25 am

Somebody noted above that the use of a capo loses the the Weissenborn sound.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 12 Mar 2020 10:49 am

It also loses it,s piano like sound when tuned up (everything becomes a little tight), so I have always tuned down and used the capo to change the dynamic when the mood dictates.

loose as a goose not high and tight like a kite....

Lee

Chris Akeley · Post by **Chris Akeley** » 16 Mar 2020 7:08 am

I have an Iseman, which I love. I use these in open D:

https://www.juststrings.com/jps-3160l.html

FWIW Iseman told me to keep it in D for the sake of the instrument