The Steel Guitar Forum

I play an 11-string modified E9 tuning like the one Bob Carlucci mentioned but with an added low B on string eleven. I have the "Sacred Steel" parallel E's setup which allows for better strumming (framming), which is fun.

One huge (to me) advantage I noticed of using a 12-string guitar and just taking string 12 off instead of getting an 11-string guitar is this: When you take string 12 off, you also take off the tuner from the keyhead, and then you have a bit of extra space behind the nut where you can rest your bar hand when playing in open strings position. I often found myself bumping my hand/bar into the 12th string tuner when sliding my bar all the way down to play open strings. I had to lift my bar and hand a little, which is harder to do then just resting you hand on the strings behind the nut. For some reason, all PSGs (except some older MSAs maybe) seem to have the lowest string tuner right behind the nut. I find the little extra space helps with playing comfort when playing open strings.

Jon Voth wrote:Thanks Ian,

Being new, I'd need it to be standard E9 tuning (but with the low E added). A universal 12 has a different tuning? Maybe it could be changed to act like that-........

An Ext. E9 12 string is a standard E9 10 string with low G# and E added. Unlike the 12 string universal, the strings and pedals are exactly the same as 'standard'.

As I have already said, this is a common enough configuration that many makers offer and that can be found readily on the used market.

Sorry to have muddied the water by mentioning the universal - Jon is dead right.

The best way to find a steel you could set up the way you want the quickest, Would be go with a 12 string E9th Extended. That would give you G# on the 11th string, And a E on the 12th string. If you decide you don't want the G# on the 11th string, Move the Low E to the 11th string and re-rod it to work the way you want. If you then decide to sell the guitar you could add the 12th string back and set it up as Extended E9th, for a quicker resale.

Good Luck in this project and Happy Steelin.

Some extended E9s have the low E on 11 and something even lower on 12, such as a B or A

Bobby's suggestion is a good 'un.

This is all great.

As I progress I'd love to be in a country band on PSG. And if that band could do things from the rock genre (if there was a venue for that) that would be my dream.

Those bands have two guitars, plus all the overdubs, and when you gig you usually have one guitar. I suppose I could pick up a guitar, but it would be so cool to not to.

But as Bob Hoffnar suggests, I've got a long ways to go before I switch things up.