The Steel Guitar Forum

As I await the delivery late this week or next week of my new old Melobar (strap-on) I am trying to tackle the question of what tuning I want to use.

The guitar has tuners for 10 strings although it is configured at the nut & bridge for 8.

I am considering making my own nut & bridge so as to get a string spacing to suit my needs. Everything will be contingent on the pickup width and my ability to get and install other pickups but just supposing that I can swing it, I am thinking of going for 9 strings.

I am leaning toward E13, 8 string, low-to-high of

D E F# G# B C# E G#.

So, what 9th string? Right now I'm thinking of adding a high F# for

D E F# G# B C# E F# G#.

But as a PSG E9 player, I wondered if anybody uses a high out of sequence string like one of the "chromatic" strings, F# or D# such as

D E F# G# B C# E G# F#

or

D E F# G# B C# E G# D#.

I suppose a standard 10 string pickup could allow me enough space to go for a full 10 strings and then I guess I could try

D E F# G# B C# E G# D# F#

and retain all my PSG familiarity.

I'm just thinking out loud here but I'm wondering if this spurs any comments or ideas?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jon Light on 28 February 2005 at 01:20 PM.]</p></FONT>

On a 10 string, non-pedal I prefer
E G# B E G# B C# E G# F#.
On a 9 string, drop the bottom E.
Adding 9ths in the lower register
muddies the sound.

I'd go with:

1 G#
2 E
3 C#
4 B
5 G#
6 E
7 F#
8 D
9 B
10 E

The seventh string would be out of sequence, but the first six strings would stay a straight E6, and you could get the low jazzy 9ths if you wanted. This would be, more or less, Don Helms E13 and Leon McAulliffes more "Westren Swing" tunings combined into one. With the low E on the 10th string, you could get that "trombone" slide, like on Herb Remington's "Boot Heel Drag".

I wouldn't use a high F#, as chromatic strings in non pedal tunings make it sound like a pedal guitar, since there are all these notes and walk ups/downs with no bar movement. You miss the smooth Hawaiian sound of moving the bar to get the right note.

Just my thoughts.

CS

Alex, thanks--I just gotta have a 7th in there. And I really have no mud problems with the straight 8 string E13, the first tuning in my post, on my Stringmaster.

Chris--that's really messed up. I was circling in on what I thought I was going to do and you threw that wrench in there. I'm going to have to spend some time studying on that. It's a pretty radical brain reset for me.
But your comment about chromatic strings and PSG sound kind of excited me--a eureka moment, maybe. I have seen you on guitar on the GOO and I've read your posts here and I'd venture a guess that I have an idea where you're coming from musically. But I think that my interest in this particular guitar will be to have something straddling both worlds. I'd like to think that between my Carter and my Stringmaster I can strap this on and bring a bit of both. May be a pipe dream but I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of straight steel's characteristics if I can achieve this compromise.
Hey, I may hate this guitar. We'll see.

Well, I hate to give away all of my trade secrets but...D E F# G# B C# E D# F# is a great way to go. I am currently using a variation of that...D E F# G# A B C# E F# D#. I can't recommend this last tuning for everyone because it is a bit awkward and difficult to get used to,not to mention it requires 10 strings. If you are setting priorities, and only have 8 strings to work with, experience has taught me that the D# on top is more useful than a G# or an F#,because of the EMaj7 and BMaj6 possibilities.
~~W.C.~~

Hi Jon.

I think it depends on what music you'll be playing on it. For country, I would add an F# as the first string. For blues or rock, I would add the low B as the 9th string. For Hawaiian, stick to 8 strings, or maybe just 7!

Click on the tunings in my sig to see what I mean.

------------------
<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)</font>

I think it's settled. I need 11 strings.

I'm really hoping this guitar will accomodate a well spaced nut & bridge so I can use all 10 tuners (I have been told that the factory 10 string spacing is pretty wicked cramped). Wayne--your post is real helpful. Thanks. And Bobby--honky tonk, swing, rock & blues although there are better blues tunings. I'd really like the low B. And I'd really like the two chromatic strings. Hence 11 (not seriously though). Seems like I add a string in my head per day. Tomorrow I'll be putting a strap on my Carter 12.
If I can make 10 work on this guitar (coming Friday) then I'll likely go low B and go high ......D#....uh, F#...no, uh, aw........

You don't need both chromatic strings, in my opinion. Remember that you have a C# in there too. If you add the high F# you'll have full pentatonic capability over the entire range. You're supposed to move the bar to get some of the notes on a lap steel, remember?!

If I were getting a new lap steel, I'd get a 7 string:
B E F# G# B C# E
I've been in a rock mindset lately...<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 02 March 2005 at 12:49 PM.]</p></FONT>