Dobro Tunings

[Austin Tripp]

Just bought a 1991 Gibson Houndog Dobro. I havent recieved it yet but I have a few questions about dobro tunings. What is the most common tuning used on a dobro? The dobro I purchased has a standard open "G" tuning, is there a different tuning I could use to get more chord voicings? I am new to the dobro so help me out Also does anyone have any tips on how to get me started?? Thanks everyone!!!!

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Well, classic Dobro is tuned ( lo to hi; G-B-D-G-B-D). But as a Dobro is a type of guitar, given the proper strings/gauges, the sky is the limit as to what tuning you can play on it. Depends on what your style of music is that you want to play. I like blues, so I would use:
Open G ( lo to hi; D-G-D-G-B-D) and;
Open E ( lo to hi; E-B-E-G#-B-E)

[Austin Tripp]

Thanks Mr. Abruzzo! I guess I will just have to 'spearmint when I get my dobro. Another dumb question though, what kind and what brand of strings do I need to use? I use Jagwire strings on my pedal steel but could I use just bronze acoustic guitar strings or do I need dobro strings? Sorry for all the "newbie" questions

[Ben Hoare]

Hi Austin dobro strings are better cause they will more likely be the right gauges eg 16-56
Id start with the traditional tuning gbdgbd and once comfortable find others to get into I think you can find a way to get most things out of gbdgbd tuning if your prepared to substitute a few chords, the only down side I think is its nice to get those low notes sometimes ,then D or the like is good.As far as strings go Dr Ducks are cost effective and not bad sounding IMO .There are more expensive brands but depends on what your after.Good luck with it ,its a great instrument.Have fun
Ben

[Ned McIntosh]

Hi Austin,

D'Addario EFT13s are a string set especially for slide and resophonic guitars. They sound great on my LKS Dobro and the luthier who built it recommends them highly.

Worth a try.

As for tunings, most players start with the GBDGBD Bluegrass/country tuning, but there's no reason you couldn't try open C, Open E, Open D or variations such as E7th or A6th, just depends on the gauges of the string you use. Each tuning has a different sound or "flavour". I just whang away in GBDGBD - works for me!

For classic Dobro sounds, anything by Mike Auldridge is pure gold (and almost all of it is GBDGBD tuning too). Jerry Douglas does some good instructional material. An internet search will likely turn up all sorts of stuff. A great instrument and lots of fun! The Gibson Houndog should serve you well for a very long time.

[Steve Hamill]

You may want to check out reso-nation.org and resohangout.com

[Mark Eaton]

For standard, high bass open G dobro tuning I think you will find that a .013 first string will sound too "thin."

No need to start from scratch with a string discussion, here is a thread on dobro strings that began May 11:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=158412

[Jerry Hayes]

Hey Austin, I have two Dobros, one is in stadard G tuning just for Bluegrass but I have another which I keep in a form of G6th tuning which is far more versatile. It's tuned B D E G B D (low to high) Basically you just move strings 4 and 5 to the 5 and sixth slots and add an E string in the 4th slot. I have Keith/Scruggs banjo tuners on strings 1 and 3. The 1st string tuner raises it to E and the 3rd one raises it to G#. This way I still have the majority of the Bluegrass licks available but I can get an E7th tuning just by raising the pitch of those two strings. This makes for a very useful Dobro in all situations, especially more jazzy and swing voicings, all with that one E string in the middle! You might check out Gary Morse's CD "Rosophonic Rodeo", I think it might have been recorded with a tuning like this!.....JH in Va.

[John Drury]

Austin,

I have five Dobros now, for the longest time I had only one tuned to C6 with an E on top. Started in on the Cindy Cashdollar courses and needed a G tuning, rather than tune up and down to G/G6 so I could play the various material I just bought a second and third reso, then a fourth for her E tuning wich I also have on a vintage Stella like she uses, great tone out of the Stella!

I stumbled up on an old round neck Gibson wich I tune to standard guitar tunning and sometimes retune to low D for slide.

They are not all that expensive, I don't think you can have too many Dobro's around the house.

Check Cindy's website for tunings and gauges.

cindycashdollar.com