The Steel Guitar Forum

I know several good players tune down from C6th tuning, but why? More low range, better tone, easier to play in horn keys, etc.? All opinions welcomed, before I do something drastic and have to retune all my pedals and knees.

My reasons are practical.
Many songs are in key of C and I don't like playing at the nut or 12th fret. Lots of harmonics up there.
I play a U12 and I have the same deal with key of E. Lots of songs are in E.

By tuning open to Bb6/Eb9 I always have good position on the neck.

My non pedal necks are also tuned Bb6, Eb6, Eb13.

IMHO....2c....your mileage may vary...must be over 18.

Some people tune to B6th so that they can do E9th licks with a high G# string.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

I have tuned to Bb for 33 years now, you mean you can tune a steel to something elese????

I know Crowbear tunes up to D6. For a brighter sound and the shifting of fretting options.
I am thinking of trying that too.
And even also trying D9 on the E9 neck. Everything in D
I wonder what that does for cabinet drop?
Were Sho-Buds just built, or built for the standard tunings string tensions also?

I have D6 on the back neck of my Williams, for the brighter tone.

Reece says that even pros can't tell if he's playing B6 vs. Bb6 by the timbre. I'm sure most steelers would notice that my back neck is tuned high, though. It's significantly brighter.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Bobby- If you are using D6 on the back neck, you probably are using D9 on the front neck. Right?

Way to go, no more high G# string to worry about for you

I use E6 and that is even brighter, and the bar positions are the same as E9.."Lean and Mean" all on one neck....al

No, I don't play D9, Al. I like E for the front neck.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

When I was using a T-10 Marlen, I had E9th, Bb6th and C6th on those necks, in that order.
When I went to a D-10 I had to give one of them up. My thinking was it would be easiest to split the difference and that was a mistake because now I misfretted in two directions instead of one.

But I stayed with the B6th because I could get boths necks closer in tune and the mistake period only took a short while to adjust to.

When I got a D-12 I added two lower strings to E9th and two higher ones to B6th. Those higher strings were a G# as b0b mentioned, but I also had an A in the first string position. There's a lot of stuff out there on those two strings but it's non-pedal because I couldn't do any raises with strings that small.

Regards, Paul