The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a good friend, and mentor, who was gifted an old Fender 400. 8 string, 4 pedal.
This fella has played six string C6 (or some variant) lap steel for MANY years.
He has asked me to help him set up this Fender. And has asked me for tuning/copedant suggestions.
I immediately thought of Al Marcus' "lean & mean" articles.
(O.k. here's the question)
What would ya'll recommend to a seasoned "straight" steel player moving from six string (currently, low-high, F E G A C E) to eight string + 4 pedals?
Thank you.

Rev.LaBeau

Years ago I played a fender 400. I ordered it with six pedals. I found that they broke strings too easily jwith E or D tunings, so I tuned it to C6 and got good results with it. you might try the following tuning from top to bottom, D G E C A G E C.
Pedal 1 lower 6th G to F# & raise 8th C to D
Pedal 2 raise 3rd E to F and lower 7th to Eb
Pedal 3 raise 4th C to D and raise 5th A to B
Pedal 4 raise 1st D to Eb and raise 7th E to F
These should get you good diversity and a simulation of some country sounds, but mainly good chord structure.
Good luck
The old 400's had good tone.

IMHO...

Tune the guitar (low to high):
F A C E G A C E

Pedal 1 raises s.3 and 8 a whole tone A-B
or...
Pedal 1 raises s.3 1/2 tone A-Bb
or...
Pedal 1 raises s.2 and s.7 1/2 tone C-C#
then...
Pedal 2 lowers s.4 1/2 ton G-F#, raises s.8 1/2 tone F-F#
Pedal 3 raises s.1 1/2 tone E-F, lowers s.5 1/2 tone E-Eb
Pedal 4 raises s.2 whole tone C-D, and s.3 whole tone A-B

Each of the options of pedal 1 offers some usage with pedals 2 and 3, depending on the style/preferences of the player.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 07 February 2005 at 12:34 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 07 February 2005 at 12:36 PM.]</p></FONT>

Here's how I have mine set up:
E9/B6
From low to high: B, E, F#, G#, B, E, F#, G#.
P1 = E's to F
P2 = A Pedal
P3 = B pedal
P4 = E's to Eb
Lower E's (P4) to play in open B6th.

The one I have has the Cam style changer fingers and roller style Nut.
I use Fender Super Bullets because they string through the holes in the changer fingers and seat nicely (no ball-end windings).

tune low to high G-A-C#-E-G-A-C#-E
Pedal 1 G's to G# (A maj7)
pedal 2 A's to B (Emin6-or A9)
Pedal 3 C#s to C (C6)
Pedal 4 G's to F# (A6)

Pedals 1+2 = E6
Pedals 3+4 = D9 or Emin6
Pedals 2+3 = Cmaj7

You have the three basic inversions of a maj chord
E6 (Root on top)
C6 (3rd on top)
A6 (5th on top)
Plus usable 9ths (Minor 6ths) and Major sevenths..
That's what I use
Plus a change to take my second and first strings up to D# and F#.

Baz



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<SMALL>Steel players do it without fretting</SMALL>

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