How did Gibson Get it so Wrong?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 22 Aug 2005 11:10 am

Their description of the strings as High BASE?
I always understood it to be because the lower strings were "Higher" than the normal A tuning the Reference was to the BASS strings..

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Steel players do it without fretting

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Aug 2005 11:25 am

It's correct, Baz, if E is string #1. It should, however, read 'bass' not base.

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 22 Aug 2005 11:25 am

To my understanding that is correct for high bass. Hi to low E,C#,A,E,C#,A

Low bass Hi to low is E,C#,A,E,A,E

Regards,
Danny

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 22 Aug 2005 11:39 am

Maybe my first post wasn't punctuated correctly..
I'm not questioning the string configuration, I'm talking about their spelling of BASE ? shouldn't it be BASS ?
The fact that they apparently didn't know the difference ..or the reasons why[This message was edited by basilh on 22 August 2005 at 12:57 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Aug 2005 12:02 pm

Yes, of course is should say BASS, not BASE. I think they did that deliberately, just to see if you were paying attention. Remember that Americans are a well-educated people. I don't think that anybody with bad grammar, or who advocates teaching primitive superstition instead of basic science, could rise to an important position such as designing guitar labels in this great nation.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 22 Aug 2005 2:24 pm

Perhaps they were referring to the lowest string as the "base" or "foundation" of the tuning.

Lee, from South Texas

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 22 Aug 2005 2:39 pm

Lee .,.Yes I thought of that, but I'd prefer to think they just plain got it wrong

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 22 Aug 2005 5:17 pm

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Craig Stenseth · Post by **Craig Stenseth** » 22 Aug 2005 5:19 pm

I thought bass was low? I'm new.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 22 Aug 2005 5:21 pm

Did Gibson even make those strings? Or did Gibson commission a generic string company to produce "Gibson" brand strings?


"daddy sang bass, mama sang treble, me and little brother would add a bit a reverb..."

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 22 August 2005 at 06:30 PM.]

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Aug 2005 6:28 pm

Mamma sang base daddy sang tenyr.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 22 Aug 2005 6:39 pm

Earnest, I just caught the meaning of your comment after a second reading. Boy, did it make me laugh! Thanks, steve t

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 22 Aug 2005 7:01 pm

BAZ...If you have a box of GIBSON Hawaiian Guitar strings in an original GIBSON box, you have a collectable. I am not aware of Hawaiian Guitar Strings being available as a set these days...one has to order them singly by gauges. Go into any music store and ask for a set of Hawaiian Guitar strings and just watch the clerks expression !

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 22 Aug 2005 10:33 pm

i hear you can find altered scales more easily on a high bass

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Aug 2005 12:15 am

"Scales" on a "Bass" sounds a bit fishy to me..
Oh yes, George I have an Un-Opened box of Gibson "Electra-harp" strings, no when I say a Box, maybe I should say a carton of 12 sets .. I bought them to ad a little colour to my 1954 "Multi-Harp" when it's on display..
I'll post a picture of the strings later.[This message was edited by basilh on 23 August 2005 at 01:53 AM.]

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Aug 2005 12:53 am

Here they are..

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 23 Aug 2005 7:27 am

Earnest - one of the funniest posts I've seen in a while.[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 23 August 2005 at 08:27 AM.]

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 23 Aug 2005 9:58 am

BAZ...Neat! I have never seen Electraharp strings in cartons. That's a by-gone era !

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 23 Aug 2005 11:01 am

My intentions were to be helpful.

Sorry I misunderstood the question.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Aug 2005 11:02 am

Well I've just measured them...INTERESTING..

.014"-.0165"-.021" All Plain..

-032"(WOUND).0325"W-.038"W -.044"W -.054"W.

Now the thought occurs to me as to what tuning(S) these strings were intended for..It looks like the .032 and the .0325 were intended as the strings a whole step apart..So as .032" on a 23" scale = E with a high of F# ..it would seem that the intend open tuning is Probably A6.. Any thoughts from the "Gurus"
I have NEVER seen a Recommended tuning chart for a six pedal Gibson..

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Aug 2005 11:17 am

Taking the usual tensions and gauges I think this could be the intended ranges...

The first 3 strings would seem to be for the ranges E-F#...C-D# and A-B
The forth is F#-G# and the fifth is E-F#
the sixth B-C# the seventh G-A and the Eighth probably anywhere between D to F#

So... What on earth were the tunings available on the six pedals ?
How many usable ones are there?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Aug 2005 11:21 am

Mr. Brad Bechtel Sir !!!
I know that this is now in the realms of "Pedal" steel .. But those guys over there wouldn't know much about this ancient machine.. anyway the pedals were just a substitute for extra necks..
Leave it here with us "Ancients" like myself and Ernest and George !!!
PLEASE[This message was edited by basilh on 23 August 2005 at 12:42 PM.]

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 23 Aug 2005 12:53 pm

Well I will stick my neck out again---Here are tunings and string dia's. that I use for a 6 string ( 6pedal or equivelant of 7 neck lap steel ) Multi-Kord.
Many of these tunings will work for a 6 string lap steel as I sometimes depress one pedal and play the song all the way through without releasing it.
(low bass)
1st .016
2nd .017
3rd .022
4th .030 -W
5th .038 -W
6th .050 -W

High to low
A tuning -----------E,C#,A,E,A,E
A6th tuning---- ----E,C#,A,F#,A,E
D7th added 9th -----E,C,A,F#,A,D
C6th----------------E,C,A,G,A,E
EMi.----------------E,B,G,E,B,E
E ------------------E,B,G#,E,B,E
C#mi.7th------------E,C#,G#,E,B,E

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 1 Sep 2005 2:24 pm

Gibson strings for the most part were manufactured by Squire. however when CBS purchased Fender Squire was part of the CBS Fender aquisition ,Gibson went elsewhere to have their strings manufactured. Squire was located in Michigan a stone's throw from Gibson.

From that time on Gibson contracted with various string manufacturers to get a cost efficient price.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 02 September 2005 at 08:10 AM.]