I thought when I decided to tackle the B6 side of the Universal that it made the most sense to have two groupings of G#F#E and B with the D# as the first string out of the way and lowered to C# on the E to D# knee lever. I play CBA "Day" pedals so I reversed the 4 and 5 pedals of the B6 to give me the missing D which is used with the A pedal in both E9 and B6 modes. I know there is little new "under the sun"and I'm sure other Uni"s have done this but I"m determined to place or create pedals and changes that can be used in both E9 and B6 making the Universal truly Universal! Who else has rearranged the top 3 strings? I would love to compare notes! Also, I have room for a pedal 6 and want the next most used change. Pedal 5 drops F# to F
Thanks for your input George
That's very interesting George, seems to make a lot of sense. Did it take a lot of time to get used to the difference for E9-type stuff that uses those top strings?
In my case, I where 3 finger picks and have been practicing the necessary grips to access those strings as needed on B6-type stuff. I tend to blur the lines between E9 and B6 in my playing (something Jeff Newman said you should never do -- much respect for Jeff, but I disagree strongly), makes for some fancy footwork though (I don't use the Day setup and haven't come up with a better way to arrange my pedals, just jump around a bunch).
- Slim
Chromatic Harmonica, Guitar, and Pedal Steel (Williams U12 Series 700, Emmons lap) http://slimandpenny.com
Slim Heilpern, I had little trouble getting used to the B E F# G# grouping as it is also strings 9 8 7 6 ("How Dry I Am") But I spent quite a bit of time on the Chromatic runs on top. What I understood when I bought a Uni was that "you play the top 10 strings for E9 and the bottom 10 for B6" so I surmised that by the rearrange I was getting an extra F# for the B6 or two if you count the D# to C# on the E lower. I also agree that the best of E9 and B6 can and should be exploited contrary to what Jeff and others have said. And being as they don't have the ability to on their rigs, I can even surmise why they would have that opinion. I think Pedals should be used more like chord changers for C6 music and not so with E9
I have been playing Universal with the first three strings being 1-D#, 2-G#, 3-F#, for many years.
I tune the entire tuning to Eb9/Bb9, because I like being able to slide to/from Open-E, Open-A, and all them other chords, at the first fret.
I also had a new Fretboard made so all the fret markers are where I have always had them.
This also gets me off of the Harmonic nodes in most Keys that I commonly play in.
Contrary to the opinions contrary to Mr Newman, I do think of the two tunings as separate because that's how I learnt. Of course I am aware of how they overlap, and often what I'm playing can be interpreted either way.
I have the top four strings arranged conventionally, although I tune 2 to C#. I sometimes wish it was on top and easier to hit, but I can't face changing it in case I regret it. So I practice finding it where it is
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
Pete Barak, Two groups of 4 strings being the same makes more sense to me and makes it more "Universal" and was my first change towards the ultimate uni. Did you get this from someone or think it up yourself?
George Geisser wrote:Pete Barak, Two groups of 4 strings being the same makes more sense to me and makes it more "Universal" and was my first change towards the ultimate uni. Did you get this from someone or think it up yourself?
It was a feature of Maurice Anderson's Bb6 universal tuning since at least 1975, when Anderson's copedent was published in Winnie Winston's book Pedal Steel Guitar. For more info see this thread:
In case you are not aware, the Bb6 universal works in a backwards manner from the E9 universal - that is, it starts out in the Bb6th mode with no pedals or levers engaged, and strings 4 and 8 are raised a half step to get into the Eb9th mode.
Thank you, thank you, thank you John Alexander I finally understand the difference between B6 and Bb6 . My boss at Shoji's Gene Lintner was a friend and student of Maurice's and played Bb6 Uni. When I told him I was rearranging the first three strings he told me he liked my thinking and that I was in good company. A big regret of mine is never having met Mr Universal Anderson. Great link you shared and can't wait to finish it
Probably the source of info on Reese's Bb6 would be Jr. Knight, David Wright and a couple more Dallas area pickers I can't recall the names of at the moment. Also I think Bud Carter used a modified (mini)version of that set up.
Reece drew out a copedent using interval numbers for me one time,,showing the advantage of going from 6th mode to 9th mode over going from 9th to 6th,,,made perfect sense,,but I never got around to actually setting up a guitar like that,,and now I have forgotten it.
I thought when I decided to tackle the B6 side of the Universal that it made the most sense to have two groupings of G#F#E and B with the D# as the first string out of the way and lowered to C# on the E to D# knee lever. I play CBA "Day" pedals so I reversed the 4 and 5 pedals of the B6 to give me the missing D which is used with the A pedal in both E9 and B6 modes. I know there is little new "under the sun"and I'm sure other Uni"s have done this but I"m determined to place or create pedals and changes that can be used in both E9 and B6 making the Universal truly Universal! Who else has rearranged the top 3 strings? I would love to compare notes! Also, I have room for a pedal 6 and want the next most used change. Pedal 5 drops F# to F 
