old" 8-string tuning help

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 29 Sep 2004 7:43 am

I have an 8 string Marlen steel (listed for sale on the Forum) and I'm trying to suss out the original setup and tuning. It has 3 pedals and no knees... it's probably from the 50's... not before my time, but certainly before I was playing any steel!

The pedals function thusly: "A" pedal raises strings 2 and 3. "B" pedal raises 1 and 4. "C" pedal raises 3 and 8.

Also accepting ideas on proper string gauges for this guitar.

Any input is appreciated... especially "informed" input

Rick<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 29 September 2004 at 08:45 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 29 Sep 2004 8:25 am

Informed hmm, hopefully so

, but that looks to me like a Jimmy Day E9 set up without the chromatic strings ( your guitar was probably built before Buddy came up with them )from high to low:
1.G#
2.E
3.B
4.G#
5.F#
6.E
7.D
8.B

So your first pedal is the usual C-pedal, second pedal is the B-pedal like on the Emmons set up, and the third pedal is the A-pedal. The usual E9 string gauges will do fine unless the scale is longer than on the modern guitars. In that case you might break the first string alot. Tuning to D9 solves that problem.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 29 Sep 2004 9:38 am

That sounds right, Jussi. You know what? This is a lefty steel (wow), so everything's "backwards". Taking that into account, would this be called the "Emmons" or "Day" setup? Gets squirrely, doesn't it?

Thanks!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Sep 2004 12:46 pm

On left-handed pedal steels, everything is backwards, so the setups aren't usually called "Emmons" or "Day", they're called "Snomme" or "Yad".

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 29 Sep 2004 2:35 pm

Yeah Donny:
And you are a ynnuf ratuig rekcip
Old Bud

Jim Florence · Post by **Jim Florence** » 29 Sep 2004 3:26 pm

spell ratiug again. It should ryme with ramot

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 29 Sep 2004 8:57 pm

And the original owner was probably Eddie Bummons!!!

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 9 Oct 2004 9:51 pm

Ha Ha Ha Ha Way to go Jussi. I think this belongs in the "HUMOR" section.

Roger

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 10 Oct 2004 9:22 am

Best laugh I've had all week. Thanks, Donny!

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 10 Oct 2004 11:43 am

I appreciate Jussi answering my question before this thread got "inverted".

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 10 Oct 2004 9:41 pm

Rick, you're most welcome

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 11 Oct 2004 9:45 am

I would tune it as Jussi described, but not include the C pedal. Instead, I would put the F lever changes on a pedal, and arrange them FAB (or BAF if you prefer). I've always found the F lever change more useful than the C pedal.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 11 Oct 2004 10:17 pm

b0b, that's somewhat similar what I had on my nine string ShoBud; with the C-pedal I was raising the high E to F ( I assume that's what you mean with an F-lever ). I didn't have the lower E-F change though, since it was a permanent changer Sho Bud and I could get that change by slanting the bar.