The Steel Guitar Forum

b0b wrote:
[*]A heavy 8-string stand-up for recording or gigs in my preferred tuning[/list]

What's your preferred tuning, b0b?

b0b wrote:

• A heavy 8-string stand-up for recording or gigs in my preferred tuning

Mark Helm wrote:What's your preferred tuning, b0b?

6-string G B D F# A D
8-string G B D F# A B D F#

What do you CALL that tuning?

Steven Paris wrote:

Doug Beaumier wrote:I've bought and sold many over the years, but I currently have two 6-string lap steels, one 8-string, one D-8, and one pedal steel guitar.

Doug, what brands are your steels? You sure do make 'em sound good!

Thanks Steve, the only steels I have now: Gibson Century 6, Airline 6-string, Fender Deluxe 8, Guyatone D-8, and an Emmons S-10. A couple of years ago I decided it was time to sell the guitars and amps that I rarely play.

Jack Hanson wrote:

I like that control cover on the BR9. A LOT. A definite improvement over the original; pickup adjustment is much simplified and can be done without de-tuning or scarring the face with the pot bodies, and string damping over the bridge ("popcorn chicken") becomes possible.

Steven Paris wrote:What do you CALL that tuning?

Proper names
6-string G B D F# A D
Guh-bad-Fushad

8-string G B D F# A B D F#
Guh-bad-Fush-ab-du-fush

Seriously though D6/Gmaj7?

Is that a version of your PSG tuning Bob?

Mike Schway wrote:I like that control cover on the BR9. A LOT. A definite improvement over the original; pickup adjustment is much simplified and can be done without de-tuning or scarring the face with the pot bodies, and string damping over the bridge ("popcorn chicken") becomes possible.

Agree 100%. Most postwar Gibson lap steels sound and play great, but the fancy molded Plexiglas pickup/bridge covers have always hindered my playing. On many models, the cover is removable. But not on a stock BR-9. The control mounting plate was relatively simple to fabricate, once I made a suitable routing template. The template took a little longer.

Paul McEvoy wrote:Seriously though D6/Gmaj7?

Is that a version of your PSG tuning Bob?

Yes. It's the middle 8 strings of my pedal steel. I call it D6/G, pronounced "D6th over G". Easier to remember than "Guh-bad-Fush-ab-du-fush".

So it's like C6/F which is not uncommon I think?

I'm not playing much of any kind of steel these days but I was always fascinated by the D6 tuning you were or are using. Someday if I figure out all of the 18 things I'm working on at the time maybe I can try that too.

To the original question - right now, many. Every one of them 65+ years old except for a cast aluminum long-scale Clinesmith 8-string with Bigsby-style pickup, and an 8-string McKenna resonator. Vintage lap and console steels are so inexpensive in comparison to comparable vintage guitars that sometimes I forget myself. At a guitar show, I traded a totally garden-variety recent HD-28 that I got in a trade for a ca. 55 quad Stringmaster, one of the coolest consoles ever made.

8-string G B D F# A B D F#

So it's like C6/F which is not uncommon I think?

This is just strings 2-9 of the standard 10-string pedal steel C6 tuning (C F A C E G A C E G/D), except tuned up one whole tone. I've never seen anybody in the pedal steel world call that standard C6 anything but C6. But in the nonpedal world where people seem to make more distinctions, I guess I'd call b0b's tuning D6/Gmaj9 to acknowledge the maj9 function of the A note. Not that it matters - the tuning is comprised of the individual notes. A name is just one person's interpretation.

Paul McEvoy wrote:Seriously though D6/Gmaj7?

Is that a version of your PSG tuning Bob?

Bob’s tuning can also be called Gmaj9. My preferred tuning is very close, G9
GBDFAD for 6 string, gGBDFAD for 7 string.

I own 7 lap steel guitars and one dobro. I consider myself a player, with a small collection

I have an SX, Gretsch, Dues and a Supro. I’m always lookin. I guess cause I like the history along with playing them. They do all sound a little different.

I dont like to have too many because I end up not giving them much attention but I cant resist buying something unique if it comes along. That being said 3 is about my limit.

I have seven or so electric Lap steels with two being in construction or repair. Too many but I find each one takes you somewhere else, some stay in cases and a couple are always to hand . I will try to assemble the family for a photo when the wife is not around as it is all smoke and mirrors with regards the numbers.

Lee

Bob

I was just wondering, do you feel like your tuning bridges the gap between a 6th tuning and a triadic open tuning (like open D)? Can it function as both?

I've been interested in playing some more rock oriented music and was wondering about trying open D but was just wondering if your tuning splits the difference in some way.

Also interested in what gauges your using for the 8 string.

Paul,

The basic advantage D/G is that you have 2 major chord positions at every fret. One is a low voicing and the other is high. You don't have to jump 5 or 7 frets to go from I to IV. Also, it makes it easy to play a melody in the high register for one verse and in the low register for another, a technique I used often in Stella.

The m7 and M9 chords are icing on the cake.

Here are all of my string gauges. For 8-string D6th, I use the middle 8 of my D6th pedal steel gauges. I use nickel wound strings.
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Thanks Bob. I'm going to try it on 6 string. I appreciate it.

Bill Groner wrote:You may wish you had a boat soon. I hope you ride out the storm and stay safe!

You can always use a lap steel as a canoe paddle.

I have three. My favorite is one I made. I also have a 1950 Supro Comet, and a 1963 Fender Champ.
I have a "Tremoloa" from the 30s I believe.

Lap steels and ukuleles are very sneaky. If you don’t stop them, they just keep breeding. Heck! Mine have even interbred, producing a beautiful little baritone ukulele lap steel.

Allan Revich wrote:Mine have even interbred, producing a beautiful little baritone ukulele lap steel.

What do you call that thing, Allan? A BR-.9? It's cool!

Jack Hanson wrote:

Allan Revich wrote:Mine have even interbred, producing a beautiful little baritone ukulele lap steel.

What do you call that thing, Allan? A BR-.9? It's cool!

I call it a lap steel ukulele. But you’re correct. The builder, Brian Fanner, modelled it on my Gibson BR9.

https://reverb.com/shop/fannerguitarworks links to Brian’s Reverb page. He also does custom work at very reasonable prices.

Since the title subject of this discussion is, “One Steel or Many”, is there anyone on this board who makes do with only one lap steel?

Allan Revich wrote:Since the title subject of this discussion is, “One Steel or Many”, is there anyone on this board who makes do with only one lap steel?

While I have several, there is only one that I play in public. I could make do without all the others. I love this little guitar.