Extended E9th 12 string

[David Doggett]

Charlie, Buddy Emmons' classic C6 knee levers have the raises intuitively going to the right, and the lowers to the left. On E9, in order to use the knee levers with the appropriate pedals, it just doesn't work out that way, unless you have a Day setup on the pedals (CBA).

By the way, I tried extended E9 when I first got a 12-string. I didn't like it, and immediately switched as soon as I tried a uni E9/B6. I was never a big user of the D string on E9, so I am happy with it on a lever, where it doubles as the traditional pedal 6 of C6, which is as important as the AB pedals of E9, because it takes you from the I6 to the IV9 chord. Although I was use to skipping the D string on 10-string E9, the grips just got too complicated for me at the bottom of extended E9, and all that cleared up instantly when I tried a uni. Most importantly, a uni has the 12th string low root of the A pedal minor chord, which is a mainstay of my playing in blues, rock, jazz and classical music. For all the above reasons, I would prefer the uni tuning, even with only three pedals. But on top of all the above you get the entire 6th neck tuning as a free bonus, without having to schlepp around a big heavy double neck instrument. Lots of people prefer extended E9; but for me the uni was a no-brainer - it fit like a glove and opened up tons of possibilities for me for minors and the 6th neck.