The Steel Guitar Forum

I started on a S-10 and bought me a U-12 through this forum in 2008. Best thing I could do! I´m more than happy with twelve strings.

Switching was no problem at all. It requires just a little adaption of your muscle memory, much less than switching from a slightly narrower string spacing (Carter) to a larger grip (Sho~Bud).

The missind D-string can be easily found in the neighborhood, as stated before.

To me, the fact of having less available tab literature for Uni tunings is no valid argument:
Tabs are just a crutch to walk you through a song or melody, if you stick with that crutch, you will always limp and never dance.
Once you`ve got that lick down, start changing and experimenting with it, that`s the moment when you learn to play. Don`t get me wrong, tabs are very valuable or showing ONE way to play a certain lick or tune, but don`t stick to just copypasting it.

I started learning on an MSA Classic 12 String that had extended E9th. Jeff Newman came to California a couple of times (Thanks to Tom Bradshaw) and it made learning the steel easy at first. The change to E9/B6 Universal was pretty easy because Jeff had tab for the "C6th Sound" from back then. Really loved the addition of the 6th pedals. I like the Universal a lot and have added the Franklin Pedal just to test my resolve to use it. It is really fun when you switch to B6th and start pushing it with various 6th combinations.
What I'd like to see is a way to learn to read music for the pedal steel. Has anyone mastered this? As one begins to push pedals, the fretboard changes, sometimes radically, and reading for the instrument seems to become nearly impossible.
It would be so great to just write out what you want to hear and then be able to play it as easily as it is on 6 string.

Norm Fletcher wrote:
What I'd like to see is a way to learn to read music for the pedal steel.

I have written an article on how to do it, which I will send for free to anybody who E-mails me requesting it. Please E-mail me rather than sending me a PM.

I use a copedant with a lock-lever that allows me to have a 9th string "D' when playing E9th and locking it our when playing B6th.Despite the fact that the lock-lever has 4 changes (blue), it is easy to operate.

Any E9th tab can be used, the only difference is 2 additional bass strings (11 & 12).

I like the s12 string spacing better than the s10 and having strings 8 (E) and 10 (B) next to each other is another great feature. Now, the 9th string raise is just another lever movement for me. Also, consider how pretty another tunging for the s12 is below. Loverly. Also check out Maurice Anderson's article in the second link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sp40mIA ... re=related

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/future1.htm

I have to tell you guys.. this is some great stuff.. obviously some of it over my head, and a lot of options.. but I think U-12 is going to be the way I go.. after my Super Pro gets back from Bill Rudolph all cleaned and tuned, you just may see it up for trade!

The biggest difference is in learning to find the string you want from an array of 12 instead of 10. Some people just can't get past that because their brains aren't wired that way. Just having 10 strings to deal with is enough to scare away a lot of people. 12 is really intimidating to people who are nervous about 10 strings.

If sitting behind an S-12 doesn't scare you, I say go for it.

Thanks b0b! Coming from a guy who has "because EIGHT IS ENOUGH" in his signature does give me pause though!

I`ve played a D 10 for my entire steel life. I wish I had started with a U-12, but was told by Bud Carter that the only way to change was put the D10 away , and play only the U-12.
I couldn`t afford to stop playing gigs on my D-10, as well as not wanting to re-learn anything.
I play C6 as much as E9 on my jobs, U-12 would have made alot of sense. It`s not just the weight, for me, when I play the E9, my right arm drags across the C6 neck and the crud and sweat deadens those strings quickly. That`s huge to me, the difference in tone from fresh clean strings is a factor. My set up is unconventional, as I play both necks during the course of a song, and need knee levers to act on both necks. I can`t be flipping levers up and down,so...some of my knees pull on both necks. Extra tension on the knees, extra stress bending strings not being played. This would be avoided on a U-12.
If I could do it all over, I would pick U-12.

Hal Braun wrote:Thanks b0b! Coming from a guy who has "because EIGHT IS ENOUGH" in his signature does give me pause though!

I played 12-string E9th for 30 years, the last few years on a D-12 with a 12-string C6th as well. I distilled about 75% of what I could play on those 24 strings into my little 8-string copedent. It's plenty enough for the gigs I'm playing now, where nobody expects me to play like anyone but myself.

If you're interested in the potential of my 8 strings, listen to these:

http://b0blee.bandcamp.com/album/cowboy ... -revisited

http://soundcloud.com/b0b/sets/wine-country-swing/

I haven't recorded any blues or rock on it yet, but that's in the pipeline.

b0b,

Since pedal 8's are kind of rare birds.. do you think you could distill a little less and do it on a S-10? Would you be really shorting your self?

Thanks for the links.. looking forward to the blues stuff!