Hey, nice guitar!
Since you said you're a straight up, major chord guy, I have a tuning you might like.
It is almost Don Helms' tuning which he played with Hank, but it has all the swampy low string stuff you major chord guys like.
The notes followed by a hyphen are the notes that are not in a six string open E.
1.G#-
2.E
3.C#-
4.B
5.G#
6.E
7.B
8.E
I suggested this to a frind of mine who plays 6 string open E lap steel in a rock band, and he likes it ALOT. It's really logical, too. The high third is SO useful, and the C# gives you the old timey sound, and is also a good passing note from B to E.
The only difference from Don Helms'tuning, is the seventh string is a D, and the eighth string is a B.
If you want to get a country/hawaiian option, but still want all your open major chord rawness, this is the tuning for you(in my humble opinion).
Starting all over in C6 wouldn't be bad(my main tuning is C6), but everything they teach you in C6 on the DVD can be transposed to E6(whatever they do on C6, you can do in E6, keeping in mind there is a 4 fret difference, so if they are playing in G, you are in B!).
One of the greatest things about the steel is the diversity as far as tunings and styles go, there are enough of us C6er's around here, we need more A6 and E6 guys!
Chris S.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chris Scruggs on 14 December 2003 at 10:49 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chris Scruggs on 14 December 2003 at 10:51 PM.]</p></FONT>
)... The bottom 6 strings are the same intervals as the most common C6 tuning - or the bottom 7 are the C6 or A6 with the 5th note on top...