The Steel Guitar Forum

After drooling over this 8-string George Board that was offered on eBay at only $700, for two days, I couldn't hold myself anymore. I bought it.



Now, I've never had an 8-string before, and usually play in straight major tunings. But lately I've been fooling around with the E6/C#m7 on my 6-string, and found it quite attractive since it already has the basic open E 'embedded'. This GB lap steel comes with three instructional DVD's for the C6 tuning,- what would I gain by almost starting all over again with the C6 compared to sticking with the E6 (guess that would be E13 on the 8-string) that already feels quite familiar to me? Is it worth it?

Me thinks congratulations are in order.


Steinar


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www.gregertsen.com

Congratulations Steinar!

GB

Congratulations! What are the DVDs?

That is one beautiful guitar. I have a 6 string lap & a 10 string console. 6 strings is not enough and 10 is too many, atleast for a newbie like me. I play c6 only and never played anything else so I can't input on that question.
Oh, what are those little black things that the middle strings go through on the head?

We should all treat ourselves so well on our birthdays -- happy 45th, Steinar!

John,- GB offers a variety of instructional DVD's on his website, don't know which three I get since the eBay add only said "three free DVD's". But all his DVD's are in the C6 tuning.

Wayne,- those are 'string trees' to make sure the strings get enough down pressure behind the nut. Increases sustain and helps avoid unwanted overtones.

I hope I get it within the end of the week, I paid $200 for '2-3 days shipping abroad' but so close to Christmas one never knows..

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

<SMALL>happy 45th, Steinar!</SMALL>

Ooops,- thanks Russ!

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Congratulations and Happy Birthday. If this is the birthday self-purchase celebration, what are your plans for holidays coming up?

Dwight

Hey, nice guitar!

Since you said you're a straight up, major chord guy, I have a tuning you might like.

It is almost Don Helms' tuning which he played with Hank, but it has all the swampy low string stuff you major chord guys like.

The notes followed by a hyphen are the notes that are not in a six string open E.

1.G#-
2.E
3.C#-
4.B
5.G#
6.E
7.B
8.E

I suggested this to a frind of mine who plays 6 string open E lap steel in a rock band, and he likes it ALOT. It's really logical, too. The high third is SO useful, and the C# gives you the old timey sound, and is also a good passing note from B to E.

The only difference from Don Helms'tuning, is the seventh string is a D, and the eighth string is a B.

If you want to get a country/hawaiian option, but still want all your open major chord rawness, this is the tuning for you(in my humble opinion).

Starting all over in C6 wouldn't be bad(my main tuning is C6), but everything they teach you in C6 on the DVD can be transposed to E6(whatever they do on C6, you can do in E6, keeping in mind there is a 4 fret difference, so if they are playing in G, you are in B!).

One of the greatest things about the steel is the diversity as far as tunings and styles go, there are enough of us C6er's around here, we need more A6 and E6 guys!

Chris S.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chris Scruggs on 14 December 2003 at 10:49 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chris Scruggs on 14 December 2003 at 10:51 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for the suggestion Chris, I'll give it a try, it looks sensible to me. What I had planned to do was to keep the E on top and add a D in the low register, between the middle E and the B, going: E-B-D-E-G#-B-C#-E.
But I see the advantage of having a third on top, so I'll give it a try.

What would you guys call a tuning with the added 6th and 7th? It's no 'pure' E6th tuning and certainly no C#m7 (because of the 'D'), and it can't be a full E13 either since it lacks the F#.

Dwight,- I think I'll have to settle for a thumbpick and that high G# string for Christmans.......

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 15 December 2003 at 02:34 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 15 December 2003 at 03:50 AM.]</p></FONT>

Hello Steinar ...
the tuning YOU suggest with the "E" AS THE TOP NOTE is the real Hawaiian E13th as used by so many of the "Authentic" players...
That's the way to go...
Baz www.waikiki-islanders.com
BTW. A 13 DOESN'T need the 9th to qualify as a 13th neither does it need the 11th... some would argue the point but the 9th and 11 are impractical....whether or not they are correct "Theoretically" is realy beside the point.. as playability is "ALL"..



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

http://www.waikiki-islanders.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by basilh on 15 December 2003 at 04:37 AM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>That's the way to go...</SMALL>

Wow! Do you mean I finally got something RIGHT? All by myself?
Thanks Basil.

Steinar


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www.gregertsen.com

Hi Steinar!
Congratulations! Very nice instrument, I know that you will be happy with it.
Christer

Looks beautiful!
I'll throw in another tuning suggestion... whatever key you like (I lean towards G) with the intervals, low to high:
1 3 5 6 1 3 5 1
The top 4 strings are the same as your open E tuning (safe place to run to )... The bottom 6 strings are the same intervals as the most common C6 tuning - or the bottom 7 are the C6 or A6 with the 5th note on top...
I've switched around a lot, but settled on this for my 8 string - it pretty much covers my not-too-sophisticated needs... (You can also tune the "6" note (5th string) up a semitone for a 7th tuning).
Nick

Thanks Nick,- that's an intersting tuning.

When I started looking into more advanced tuning than the open E and G voicings, I was looking for a way to bridge the gap between the 5 and the 1 on the top two strings (of course, in G there was no 1 on top). So I started tuning my 2nd string up to a 6th, which only moved the problem one string down. And then I started looking into the E6/13 with the 3-5-6-1 on top.

I guess that 30 years of regular and bottlenck guitar playing has made it difficult for me to give up that low E, and I like having the same two-octave range between the high and low strings, so that's how I ended up with 'my' E13.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Steinar ... many would say that the G# on top is essential..... not so if your also a "normal" guitarist (As you are.)
You can relate quite closely to your already learned positions.
Plus , in my opinion the sixth chord with the third on top is more C/W rather than Hawaiian.
E-mail me your address and I'll send you some tab for the E13 as YOU know it.
Baz

Okay, I'll admit I also had an impulsive eBay purchase to celebrate Steinar's birthday.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2366255429&category=2385&rd=1

The question is, will I ever figure out how to string this thing up and tune it... I suppose I won't get as many replies to a post requesting tuning suggestions on a Mohan Veena - but I could be wrong...
Has Harry Manx joined the forum yet?

Dwight

Steinar, Dwight, I now hate you more than ever.

-Travis

Well, Steinar and I are both working on our next CD, does that mean if we record using these instruments, you won't buy one of our CDs? I just want clarification on "hate".

Dwight

Dwight, you should add a "Tone Poems"-style booklet featuring many of those beautiful instruments that you own. I'd definitely buy it ... I might even listen to it!

And I'll listen to it but there's no way I'm gonna buy it!!

(Sorry, I've been out clerebating my birthday?)


Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 15 December 2003 at 06:52 PM.]</p></FONT>

Okay, Mr. www.steino-Wino.com. Are we really supposed to believe you've been out partying up on your birthday if you're responding so quickly to your emails.

For those of you looking for a booklet - I highly suggest Gregg Miner's Christmas CDs. He chooses a set of vintage instruments of different stringed families for each song, and since you're familiar with the song, you can listen for the uniqueness of the instruments. And he includes a great booklet with photos of the instruments used on each song. The booklet and photos are really well done and the price is great.
http://home.earthlink.net/~minermusic/

Russ - I do plan on having a booklet with pictures of the instruments used, but the number of instruments I'm using is diminishing now. I thought I'd have a bigger mix of slide and mandolin style instruments, but the songs aren't falling as I thought they would. However, I now have hopes for one addition - a Mohan Veena...

Happy Holidays! Everyone should celebrate Steinar's Birthday and go on ebay and make and impulse stringed instrument purchase!!!

Dwight

Steinar, will you stop hijacking my thread!!

Ok,- seriously now.. Dwight, do you find that when you find a new instrument like that, you want to shoot your recording project into the future because you want to include the new instrument, and need to get to know it first?

I have that feeling now regarding my 8-string; Here's lots of new opportunities and I want to learn how to take advantage of the extra strings and the new tuning.. I'm afraid that if I record using my old guitars I might miss out on that one chance to present my tune in the best possible way.
Like a 'premature' recording, if you get my point (ok, I HAVE been celebrating tonight).

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 15 December 2003 at 07:36 PM.]</p></FONT>

I actually bought a vintage Islander Uke off of eBay yesterday.

Happy Birthday Steiner!

<SMALL>I actually bought a vintage Islander Uke off of eBay yesterday.</SMALL>

Was it a squareneck?

<SMALL>Happy Birthday Steiner!</SMALL>

Thanks John!

Steinar

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