Stringing a Martin for Dobro w/out Damaging It

Adam Ollendorff · Post by **Adam Ollendorff** » 19 Jul 2006 6:47 am

While I'm waiting to find the right Weissenborn, I want to put a nut-raiser on my Martin DM and play in Dobro tuning.

I'm concerned about damaging the guitar (particularly the bridge) by putting strings that are too heavy on it, then stringing it up that high.

I think I read somewhere that I shouldn't go over mediums on a DM.

Any thoughts about string guages or anything else on this topic?

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 19 Jul 2006 8:18 am

Adam,

Here is a thread that you might find useful:

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/009041.html

I ended up ordering custom gauge Newtone Alohas. I can't remember the exact gauges off the top of my head, but I could find out if you want. I use FACFAC tuning, and a Beard capo by the second fret for GBDGBD. I think the Oahu squareneck I strung like this sounds better in open D, but this works fine for exploring the possibilities of the dobro tuning, which is what I wanted to do.

Cheers,

Fred.

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D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 19 Jul 2006 10:27 am

Medium gage strings and lo-bass G tuning (DGDGBD)should work just fine on a Martin. I've done that on occasion for an "emergency" Dobro at a jam session -- with the nut extender and bar I keep hidden in the case.

For true bluegrass hi-bass G tuning (GBDGBD), I would use the four highest strings from a medium set and the "A" string for the low G and purchase an in-between gage for the low "B" -- something in the range of 0.040".

FWIW, I think that lo-bass G and D and related tunings are "just right" for a D-sized guitar and bring out the tone very nicely.

Matt Lange · Post by **Matt Lange** » 19 Jul 2006 10:41 am

i wouldn't try to put the Martin in high bass G "dobro" tuning no matter what strings you put on it. The neck isn't made for high tunings like that and will likely warp. You can easily put on a pair of medium gague acoustic strings for low bass G (low to high DGDGBD) or open D. And you can actually play a good ammount of bluegrass with that low bass G, if that's what you're looking to do

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Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 19 Jul 2006 12:58 pm

dont do this, the Martin is too weak and too nice. BTW, Superiors are cheap and sound nice.

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 19 Jul 2006 6:46 pm

Didn't Lew Childre play a Martin with the raised nut?

As said above just watch that you do not get too heavy of a gauge string on the bottom. Try some light guage strings and tune to open E (L - H) E B E G# B E

Thanx,
Jim

Mitch Druckman · Post by **Mitch Druckman** » 19 Jul 2006 9:29 pm

About a year ago I put an extender nut on an Alvarez solid top guitar. It was tuned to C6 with tight string gauges. The bridge started to pull up, the neck has pulled loose from the dovetail, and the top has warped. I'm in the process of putting it back together and am installing a Stew-Mac Bridge Doctor among other things. It's not big of a loss because it was never that great of a guitar to begin with. It sounds great as a lap steel but I'm not thrilled about all of the repairs. Knowing what I know now I would never risk putting an extender nut on a Martin.

Colby Tipton · Post by **Colby Tipton** » 28 Jul 2006 8:08 pm

Do not put a raised nut on it, just tune to open E or open G, it will handle the tuning. If the action is close just dont get down to hard on the bar /slide. I forgot to add use some lighter gauge strings, i.e. Slinky lights.[This message was edited by Colby Tipton on 28 July 2006 at 09:10 PM.]

Eugene Cole · Post by **Eugene Cole** » 30 Jul 2006 8:23 pm

With a Martin DM you should be able to make a nut that will give you a 1/4" action @ the first fret which is enough to play with a bar without buzzing but is lower than the standard Dobro nut height. This should be fine for learning the style. The saddle radius on the DM is long enough that you should be OK. If you are going to use GBDGBD tuning use light gauge strings.

Unless you have a particularly nice DM; the DM is a reasonable starting place for this purpose. They are inexpensive (though not really cheap), warranteed, and easily replacable.

You could also just get a used, cheap, and over-built Harmony, Stella, Takamine, Hondo, Oahu, or some other inherently mediocre acoustic so you do not have to worry about damaging the instrument.

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Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 31 Jul 2006 2:15 pm

I just decided to use my D28 for D tuning, so I calculated the tension using the D'Addario chart.

In standard guitar tuning with medium strings (.013 /.017 /.026w /.035w /.045w /.056w) the tension is 188.8 lbs. In D tuning and replacing the first two strings with a .016 and an .018, and the sixth string with a .059w, the tension is 184.3 lbs.

Lynn [This message was edited by Lynn Oliver on 31 July 2006 at 03:20 PM.]