The Steel Guitar Forum

What would be the “standard “ C6 set up ?

https://b0b.com/tunings/stars.html#C6jd
Check out Jimmy Day's very basic C6 setup. Buddy Emmons used a D on the first string and more changes. I would consider either as standard. Some modern players have 5 or so knee levers for C6 and very different pedal/KL arrangements...it's just what you want and get used to IMO.

I think Jimmy Day's setup might be the place to start and then change/expand as desired.

The Buddy Emmons set up with the D on top which opens up the single note possibilities... I urge everyone to start there....Its simple and to the point. Once you understand the brilliance of that arrangement you can intellectually decide what to change and where to place the changes....
Paul

The "Day" setup mentioned above has long been considered by most to be the "standard" C6 setup... But in reality it is not. Most high-profile players who use their C6 neck often have deviated from it to some extent, most notably with the D on top. And, alternately, most players who still have it set exactly like that probably don't play much C6 (or only play stock licks and don't improvise much).

With that said, the Day setup details (from Strings 2-10, and excluding Pedal 4) are pretty much common to at least 90% of C6 players (as a portion of their copedant). If there has to be a "standard" designated, then that would likely be as close as you could get.

I'm quick to defer to Paul Franklin. I know of no one who is more in touch or has more insight into modern pedal steel tunings than he.

The 'Day' and 'Emmons' set ups are very similar but, for me at least, the 'D' on the first string really opens it up for single-line stuff. Raising and lowering the C string was another 'link' to E9 - far more familiar territory for me.

As I play 'Day' E9, lowering my C string to the left and raising to the right almost feels like being on my front neck!

Thanks, Paul, for contributing here. It's comforting - and confirming - to have input from the best.

Having a D on top does make the tuning re-entrant.

I was late to C6 and adopted the D on top as the most common tuning. I wouldn't change now. That said, I scratched my head for a long time trying to find some bluesy licks by Jimmy Day and Buddy Charleton until i realized they utilized the G on top. Wish I could grab those; I guess it will force me to stop mimicking and create by some licks of my own ....

Here is a primitive sampling of what you can do with the D on top. I also raise it a half tone.

There are a ton more ways to use it.

http://picosong.com/werKB/

Regards,
Ron Hogan

Dan,

If you raise both C's to C# in conjunction with Pedal 5, you will have the entire "G on top" tuning (minus the low C) if you go up three frets.

This is what Buddy meant in the audio track of his Basic C6 course when he said something to the effect of 'it helps to regain the harmony that was lost when the high G was removed' (paraphrased). I think the full scope of that man's genius has yet to be fully discovered...

Not sure if this thread was intended to be a 'G vs D' discussion... but, I would vote D on top.

Jeff has it exactly right about what Buddy meant. If this is a Day v. Emmons discussion then it's also a G v. D one, and even before Paul Franklin settled it I would have regarded Emmons as the best place to start.

The original query was in regard to 'standard C6' so 'D vs. G' is surely a vital part of the discussion.

I think that Jimmy Day was probably the first steel guitarist to whom I was - albeit unwittingly - exposed. We didn't hear much steel in Britain in the 1950s and I, at least, had no clue they even existed. But there on a number of Everly Brothers tracks was an intriguing sound that I couldn't get close to replicating on my six-string! Then in 1960 he played that blinding solo on their 'Lucille' and I was completely dazzled.

Yes, C-C# is probably my second most used change on C6. In fact, I use it so much along with pedal 5 to get the "three-frets-up" position, that I put it on a pedal and moved pedal 6 to a knee lever. But I don;t think the lick I'm talking about is accessible in this position.

Dan Beller-McKenna wrote:...In fact, I use it so much along with pedal 5 to get the "three-frets-up" position, that I put it on a pedal and moved pedal 6 to a knee lever...

I did the same thing!

Now that you mention it... I still haven't found an ideal way to play the original Buddy Charleton version of "Almost To Tulsa" without the high G...

Almost to Tulsa I have. What part are you missing? There is one spot in the bridge that’s a little tricky but does work with the three frets up position.

Dan,

We'll take this to email to avoid hijacking the thread...

I've always liked the Buddy Emmons C6th setup, also with the extra two center knee levers.

I also like the D on top, but many times that high G is needed, for some song, or tab (Herby Wallace tab for instance). I used to put on the high G, then tune it down manually if I wanted the D.

Now I got me a 12 string, so I've got both! Just have to remember which one is which!


F 1st string
D
G
E
C
A
G
E
C
A
F
C 12th string

I also use a 12 string C6th like Mike except I have an F# on string 1, LKR lowers it to F. An interesting 10 string C6th tuning utilized by Chuck Rich is as follows from 1 to 10: D,G,E,C,A,G,E,C,A,F. Gives you the best of both just sacrificing the low C. I would definitely use that for a 10 string C6th. It keeps the beautiful symmetry of the tuning while adding the D.

Dan Beller-McKenna wrote:Yes, C-C# is probably my second most used change on C6. In fact, I use it so much along with pedal 5 to get the "three-frets-up" position, that I put it on a pedal and moved pedal 6 to a knee lever. But I don;t think the lick I'm talking about is accessible in this position.

I have P5 on a knee, and I raise 3 and 7 (but not 10) to C# on my actual 8th pedal (with P5 on a knee, P6-8 moved one slot to the left, but are still called 6 through

One addition to the somewhat common 4th string drop (to Ab) that I made, at the suggestion of Mike Auldridge, is to drop 8 to G on the same knee.