The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello from down under again!Is there a tuning wizz out there that may be able to help-my late 40,s early 50,s pacific 8 string has facilities to change string tuning on strings 2 & 5 (showing on String changer as B C & C#) and strings 3 & 6 ( Showing on changer as G G# & A) Popular tunings around this time would have been hawaiian and c6- I have been thru many trying to work out the benefits and how this may have worked ---but its beyond me(I,m a drummer--so that answers the question you may all be asking ) ha! ha! maybe Brad--Andy-Mike or some other talented player could help with this maths question------i,v almost cracked how string changer works and will post sketch when I,ve pulled everything to pieces-just would like to know the 3 tunings that may be avail.(major to minor maybe!) with this device--thanks for your time-regards Dave

From a quick deduction, it would make sense that the tuning is E B G E B G, from high to low. The possibilities are as follows:

E B G E B G
E B G# E B G#
E C# G# E C# G#
E C# A E C# A

E C G E C G
E C A E C A

So you can see that there is a good part of several important tunings there, from E to C# min to A maj, A min, C maj. The device also makes it kind of easy for the novice/converted guitarist to get acclimated.

I don't think that the combination of C and G# would be usable by the device's probable target audience--that would make it an E Augmented tuning.

Thankyou Mike for your rapid reply!! its 8 string so what could the other 2 strings be to complete the tuning-thanks in advance-Dave

Oh, sorry. That changes everything! Let me think on it.

Can I see a pic of it?

showing on String changer as B C & C#

The string change devices I've seen show the tunings produced by the lever, not the open string notes produced. This one seems to show the note changes, not the tuning changes? Is that correct? If so, it sounds like the tunings could be A major, and some form of E and possibly C6? I agree that a picture would be helpful.

So ...

If the tuners are set to their highest notes (C# and A), and an E is on 1 and 4, we have the following six-string options (as pointed out by Mike and Doug). And you could even set up a diminished -- although I'm not so sure how useful that would be. But, it's an 8-string guitar. So given these possibilities, what would be useful on strings 7 & 8?

THANKYOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED..REGARDS DAVID

I think the answer depends on what you consider your "primary" tuning to be and add strings that complement that. Whatever you choose, you'll have to avoid them in some configs.

An F# on string 7would be useful with both EC#A and EBG# with a low E on 8?

Dave that Steel looks pretty awesome being able to change tunings like that. I would love to see it in action.

One of these Pacific 8-string steels was discussed here on the forum in 2009. That one was in Australia too.

---click it---> http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1417502

I was wondering if there is any Patent #Info anywhere on the steel and if an Australian patent search would worth the time

I know it's a long shot, but if an owner's manual or any advertising material could be found, on line or elsewhere, the original tunings might be listed.

That lever on the guitar is a little confusing... the "Minor" on the left and "Major" on the right...? Is that just decorative or does it mean the minor tunings are on the left and the major tunings are on the right? Inquiring minds want to know.

The minor major looks like it may be a strong string change alternative

So if in A Major slide the lever halfway now you have a mix of major and minor tuned strings a quarter of the way changes the pitch on maybe 2 strings etc. The full way changes the tuning and ALL strings to minor tuning.

That sounds logical.

But hey I'm just guessing

HELLO AGAIN-just wondering if anyone can help with a suitable tuning for this beast!!-thankyou

Well, no prizes for guessing the tuning of the 2, 3, 5&6 strings and I'd put money on strings 1 and 4 being E.

As for the other 2, there aren't any that will work with every permutation (as set out by Mike Neer earlier in the thread) so strings 7 and 8 are going to be a compromie. Let us know how you will be setting the switches for your favourite/default tuning on strings 1-6 and we can probably make some suggestions for the other 2 strings.

Dave,

Which specific strings are affected by the string changer mechanism? You might be better off just ignoring the string changer and tuning the guitar to C6 and learning to play it that way.

We don't have enough information to do anything other than guess.

Brad Bechtel wrote:Dave,

Which specific strings are affected by the string changer mechanism? You might be better off just ignoring the string changer and tuning the guitar to C6 and learning to play it that way.

We don't have enough information to do anything other than guess.

All this information is contained in the thread but to summarise, the changing mechanism affects strings 2&5 and 3&6.

According to the markings on the changer, they can be set to 3 notes a semitone apart and they are marked as (strings 2&5) B, C, C# and (strings 3&6) G, G# A. Strings 1, 7 and 8 are static.

Hipshot makes a device called the "Trilogy" that sits behind a bridge and allows for three settings of each of the six, or eight, strings. Contained within all the installation and use instructions are suggestions for different ways to set it up. You have to bear in mind that the all-closed and all-open ways are not the way they'd recommend using it, but as far as theory goes this may be useful (PDF file):

https://www.hipshotproducts.com/files/a ... 46780c.pdf

Thanks everyone--will wait for tuner buttons to arrive and then experiment---by the way l forgot to mention when "pacific" arrived string #8 was a .012 which made me think a few strings could have been 'DOUBLED UP' which could have been the mystery ones that l have been querying you all about !!! thanks again everyone DAVE

You might be better off just ignoring the string changer and tuning the guitar to C6 and learning to play it that way.

I agree. I've owned three National Triplex chord changers and several lap steels with the old Stringtone changer and none of them worked very well. These devices were early attempts to change tunings mechanically... pre- pedal steel guitar... they were tried and never caught on because they were not accurate. The player had to fine tune the strings after using the lever anyway. It's faster and more accurate to retune the normal way IMO.
If I owned that guitar I would put the new buttons on the tuners, oil the tuners, and put one of the standard tunings on the guitar: C6, A6, E13, and learn to play. Forget about the changer device. It's a cool, quaint bit of history, but it won't make learning or playing any easier. It might even make it harder.