The Steel Guitar Forum

Dan Fries wrote:Great ideas Bob! This is a nice one - but somehow my D lever when pressed 1/2 way lowers the second string to D, but the 9th string stays on D as well - it isn't until I press the D lever all the way that 9 goes down - but then both 2 and 9 get lowered to C# - is this set up atypically?

That's the way most pedal steels are set up. I don't use the half-stop - I have the simpler system of lowering strings 2 and 9 a half-step together. I put my 2nd string C# on a pedal. I found that I use the D note a lot more than the C#, and wanted a firmer stop.

Whether you want to change your copedent for this or not is a personal choice.

The C6th tuning with its lower range is better for all extended chords. The pedals and levers on it are designed for things like this.

So Bob are your 2nd and 9th strings both tuned to D when open?

I guess I'd better look into C6 tuning. Any insight on a universal vs. double neck? Or would they be more or less similar?

Tom has been kind enough to let me test drive this E9 before buying it, so it may be I'll want to shift my focus on getting something with more harmonic possibilities.

On my E9th, the D lever lowers string 2 D# to D and string 9 D to C#. I never use those two strings together. This is atypical - most people have a half-stop to match up the tones in the octaves.

The philosophy behind E9th pedals and levers is to move octaves together. The philosophy behind C6th is to not do that, but instead to move different notes in each octave. Also, the C6th goes an octave lower than E9th. To do that, it starts with a lower high note (E instead of G#) and then uses wider intervals in the middle octave. I've never played a U-12 so I won't comment on it.

My main guitar is tuned to D6th - a hybrid. You probably don't want to go down that path, as there is no instructional material for it.

Dan Fries wrote: ...
Any insight on a universal vs. double neck? Or would they be more or less similar?
...

I think the short answer (based on my own experience so far) is that a standard universal (12 string) can give you most of what you get with a double neck but with some limitations. The limitations are related to the number of lowers and raises per string as well as the number of splits per string. In my case I'm happy with my U12 setup, but more experienced double-neck players that have the full compliment of pedals and levers probably wouldn't want to give up the few changes they'd have to lose to go to U12.

- Slim

Don't forget Extended E9. With that nice full lower range E7 chord on the bottom, all you need to do is raise the two upper register E's for your 7b9 chord.

1---------
2---------
3---------
4---8(R)--
5---8(a)--
6---8-----
7---------
8---------
9---8-----
10--------

Hi - Rookie Jeff here again. This thread is the closest I saw to answering my question, which is:

If the band is going to play a song with a pervasive Dominant 7 like “Born On The Bayou” or something like it. How would you go about riding the Dom 7 the whole song without leaning on the LKR for most of ten minutes?

I saw where Bob had mentioned half stepping the A pedal. Are there other solutions to letting you roll long with the groove yet still leave you a little freedom to comp in your tasty bits and left hand piano chops along the way?

Or, do you just get in shape to lean on the knee the whole song? Or, switch on the C6 neck?

Thanks in advance. I’m trying not to learn things the hard way.

Jeffrey Beers wrote:If the band is going to play a song with a pervasive Dominant 7 like “Born On The Bayou” or something like it. How would you go about riding the Dom 7 the whole song without leaning on the LKR for most of ten minutes?

If you don't need the b9 note, there are lots of positions for dom7 chords. You shouldn't stay in one position for a whole song.

Thanks bOb. I think you got what I was asking and answered my question.

There are ways to get the Dom 7 besides camping on the knee lever. I’ll study some more stuff.

What an awesome instrument. This is fun.