The Steel Guitar Forum

Should one's "main" tuning be on the near or far neck of a double 8 non-pedal guitar? Why?
Thanks
Jim

Hmmm.... It's kind of strange, but not really. On non-pedal my C6 neck (my main neck) is the closest to me, as it is on my pedal steels, while the E9 neck (my main neck) is farthest away. I have a Jules Ah See B11 on me away neck of my non-pedal steels.

I have just changed my set-up after thinking the same thing over. I did have C6th inside and E7th outside, but the E7th neck has become the tuning of choice lately. I swapped it to the inside because my Guyatone D-8 has twin Pickups on that neck and I wanted the widest choice of tones on that tuning.

James.

I have a double neck cut out and I too am interested in
the interested in the responses. I tend to think that the "go to neck" should be the neck farther a way from the player. I used to Play a double neck Pedal Steel and I mostly played on the outside neck which was the E9th neck.

For pedal steel players, the convention seems to be that the E9 neck on a doubleneck (the tuning they probably use most) is usually furthest from the player and those people that play a single neck on a double body, always pad the neck nearest to them and actually use the furthest.

But I have always put my most used tuning closest to me. I've done that for so long I couldn't imagine setting it up any other way but can't claim it was for any special reason.

I had a buddy move his C6 to the outside (it was a pedal guitar) since he spent so much time there. I have my C6 on the inside and my E13 on the outside... I spend more time on E13, but this is a normal way to do things, most D8 players have a 6 on the inside and a 13 on the outside, whichever one they spend more time on.

Your chosen tunings will work on ANY Neck of your choice on a non-pedal steel guitar. There is no right or wrong.

Whatever is the most comfortable for you to use is the determining factor.

That great Excel JB I purchased from you has my "main" tuning on the neck nearest to me. It is a necessity.

I'd never played a double neck and I discovered that an old left wrist injury will not allow me to flatten that wrist enough to play the far neck. So I play only on the near neck.

I guess I should have planned a bit better, huh?

It would be interesting to know why Buddy Emmons put the E9 on the outside. If were me I would put the e9 neck on the inside.