MCI s12 tuning chart .

[Frank Nick]

Can any of ya’ll give a copy of an mci s12 steel tuning chart? I just bought one and i dont know wether to use .extend e9 or universal tuning. Also string gauges. too. Thanks.

[Bob Carlucci]

Not sure if there is an "MCI 12 String Tuning Chart"...Its possible every MCI 12 string had a different tuning installed during assembly...It depends on what YOU want.. If you are going to play strictly E9 country type stuff with some rock/country rock mixed in, an extended E9 might be the way to go... If you plan on playing some jazzy or swing oriented music than I would consider a Universal E9/B6 tuning,, You also just have to look at the guitar... If it has 3 pedals and say 4 or 5 levers, it was probably built as an extended E9.. If it has a large number of pedals, say 7 or more, it was most likely originally a Uni... Ask the members here what they use on their 12 strings, or look at some copedents from 12 string players and see what makes sense for you personally. Lots of flexibility and range in an s12.. How to tune it depends upon what you intend to do with it, what music you plan to play with it, not so much as to what the original buyer had installed on it 40+ years ago... Think about the music you like, and then consider the tuning that best suits you... Plenty of good 12 string players here to help....

This will get you started, but search around other old threads and you'll find a lot more that may help....bob

viewtopic.php?t=399189&highlight=string+tunings

[Frank Nick]

My steel has 7 floor pedals and 5 knee levers. I just got this used and just trying to dial it in. I was just seeing what the other players used. The universal tuning sounds pretty good. Im going to try the extended e9.

[Bob Carlucci]

Your guitar was originally a Universal, no doubt about it.. If I had your guitar, I would also play it with an E9 tuning, and me personally would leave all 7 pedals and all 5 levers right where they are, and think up some cool non standard changes for them..bob

[Frank Nick]

Your guitar was originally a Universal, no doubt about it.. If I had your guitar, I would also play it with an E9 tuning, and me personally would leave all 7 pedals and all 5 levers right where they are, and think up some cool non standard changes for them..bob

For sure on the e9 extended. Those two last strings sound cool as hell. I can experiment with the other pedals. Thanks my friend!!!!

[Bob Carlucci]

If you would like, you can PM me, and I will give you a few changes that are kind of unusual, that might work well for you... Over the years I have had several single neck steels with 5+5-6+4, etc, and had to come up with changes that were not "standard", and worked very well... bob

[Frank Nick]

Pm sent!!

[Chris Brooks]

Frank, since you have "extra" pedals for an extended E9, I recommend a "Zero-pedal" which flats the G#s to the left of the ABC pedals

This will give minor chords in "no-pedals" position (e.g. a G minor on fret 3). And with the A pedal, it produces a nice minor 6 chord.

This is also a C9 chord, so it's an alternative to, say, standard C7/C9 on fret 1 using pedal B + the E to D# lower on one of your knee levers.)

[Frank Nick]

Thanks my friend.