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Topic: Need Tunings For 8 String Fender 400 That Lower's |
Dave A. Burley
From:
Franklin, In. USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2010 6:28 pm |
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Back in about 68 I had just finished a 3 year, five day a week gig on tv. I was tired of the music I was playing on my Fender Stratocaster so I traded it for a Fender 400. I had played around in a friends garage on his Fender 400 so I had a little knowledge about it. This friend played opposite of the typical Nashville push steel playing. When he pressed a pedal he was actually lowering so when playing you work off the lowered pedals and when lifting it would be the same as mashing on a normal setup.
I need some help on tunings. I want to have the E9th chromatic on the top four strings and some wild combination on the lower four which will enable me to play some jazz chords. Any ideas out there? It's been 41 years and I have totally forgot the tunings I used to use.
Thanks,
Dave A. Burley |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2010 6:58 pm
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| On a Fender, I think it's much easier to raise than to lower. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 24 Dec 2010 9:23 am
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Hey Dave, on a Fender 400 if you have the top four strings like a standard E9 then that doesn't leave much room for any jazz chords. I think a better substitute would be to drop the normal E9 first and second strings and go with a G# on string one ala Ralph Mooney. You know how much stuff ol' Ralph played without the "chromatics".
Then you might think of something like a Don Helms E13th which is a great tuning for an 8 string guitar. Top to bottom it would be G# E C# B G# E D (or C#) B........ This would give you basically most of the E9 things and you'd have a sixth type tuning to work out some jazz changes.
Do you have the standard four pedals and no knee levers typical of a "400"?....JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Dave A. Burley
From:
Franklin, In. USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2010 3:19 pm Fender 400
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Jerry, Thanks for the info. I haven't had the guitar set up yet but I was told by the previous owner that it has three on the floor and the possibility of three knees. When I played back in the sixties, I had just four on the floor and no knees. I will try your tunings just to see what happens but I really like the chromatic on the top end.
Thanks,
Dave A. Burley |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2010 8:10 pm
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| Earnest Bovine wrote: |
| On a Fender, I think it's much easier to raise than to lower. |
Must respectfully disagree Ernest. Perhaps the older 400 model non roller Fenders had some trouble, but my 1965 Fender 800 had 5 lower changes on it.. 2 on knees, 3 on pedals. Only the E's were 1/2 tone... The other 4 changes were all full tone including the 2nd string which I lowered 1/2 tone and then a full tone with a feel stop.. The action rivaled many modern guitars. It was as good as anything built in its day, and better than most. It pulled down beautifully, with precision, and NEVER went out of tune. Lower pulls were not long or hard either. They were light,accurate and smooth.
The only lower I wanted that I could not achieve was the 3rd string G#-F# which most guitars can't get anyway.
Only MSA and Carter can get that pull easily. Most others won't make it, so I was not surprised when my 800 couldn't. Maybe mine was a freak, but I had great luck with lower pulls on a Fender. Better than some "high tech" steels I have owned... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2010 8:28 pm
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I think the 800 and 2000 models had adjustable lower spring tension. The older 400 and 1000 with silver pedals didn't had adjustable spring tension and they used real stiff springs. Some guys change them out with lighter springs.
I agree with Bob. My Fender 2000 is a great sounding/playing instrument that never goes out of tune. Only bummer is the dern thang is friggin HEAVY!! 
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Dave Zirbel-
Sierra S-10 (Built by Ross Shafer),ZB, Fender 400 guitars, various tube and SS amps |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2010 9:50 am
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| Bob Carlucci wrote: |
| Earnest Bovine wrote: |
| On a Fender, I think it's much easier to raise than to lower. |
Must respectfully disagree Ernest. ... my 1965 Fender 800... Lower pulls were not long or hard either. They were light,accurate and smooth.
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Thanks, that is good to know. The ones I've seen must have had extra stiff return springs. |
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