Transitioning from single to double...

Levi Gemmell · From: New Zealand

Hi all! I've just pulled the trigger on a '50s Stringmaster, double eight, short scale.

I will be using either C6th with the third on top or A6th, on one neck.

Which tuning do YOU prefer on your second neck, and why?

In addition, do you have the C6th closer or further from you?

Let's assume the majority of work will be done on the C6th neck, and the other neck will be used for selected songs, or for comping.
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Mick Hearn · From: United Kingdom

My main tuning is C6 and prefer to have this on the rear neck right up close. The far neck is E13 and used only for selected songs where the tuning fits nicely. This is on my National D8.

I also have a Rickenbacker 8-10-8 and as such the C6 is the ten stringer in the middle. The far neck is A6 and nearest is E13. Out of the 2 guitars I prefer the National with the C6 up close.
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Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

If I can ever get what I want to do done (marry two Rogue lap steels), that will have these tunings...

Close neck, E6, high to low:
E
B
Ab
E
Db
B

Far neck, A6, high to low:
A
E
Db
A
Gb
E
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Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

I've got a T-8 SM, med scale. I originally wanted a double, but this one just came along, and now I'm glad I've got the third neck.

C13 on the front neck, basically C6 with a low bass C and either a A or a Bb on the 7th string depending if I'm feeling too lazy to avoid the b7 for wide strums. My main tuning at this point.

Second neck, B11. A very useful tuning although I'm not really fluent in it yet, I like it for a few songs...an interesting hybrid, really, it's like a conjoined B9 (strings 8-2) and A6 (strings 4-1). My teacher says a lot of folks put that one on the far neck, I just knew at the time I wanted C6 and B11 so I left the third neck as the "hotel neck" to try out different things.

I had A6 on it for a while. Which you are already planning for your front neck (or high G C6 which in my opinion is sort of like a relative A6, same string patterns basically but with an imaginary 3rd fret capo). But the problem is, both C6 and B11 retune so easily to A6 it wasn't a particularly useful tuning.

So now I'm at E13. My particular version goes...E C# G# F# E D B E. Really lush, lovely sound. Do I know what to do with it aside from exotic sounding intro's ala Hawaii Calls? Nope, not yet, but I'll learn...

Anyway, not sure of what type of music you play, and our opinions are much less valuable than what tunings you actually use and enjoy, but with something like A6 or C6 on one neck, having the other neck outfitted with an 9th/11th/13th tuning would be my preference, giving you more options there to get more complex harmonies and chords. Which one is entirely up to you of course!
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Steffen Gunter · From: Munich, Germany

I have C6th on the far neck and B11th on the near neck. B11th (Sand, Rainbows Over Paradise) is easily changed to C#m9th (Paradise Isle).

Perhaps someday I'll go for a single neck steel and then do A6th because this could easily be retuned to B11th or C#m9th and the difference A6th/C6th isn't too big.
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Frank Welsh · From: Upstate New York, USA

B11th on my second neck. Not only Hawaiian tunes but lots of standards like "Moonlight in Vermont," "Just One More Chance," "Girl From Ipanima," "Prisoner of Love," "Nuages" and many other non-Hawaiian tunes. For me it compliments the C6th tuning perfectly for my repertoire which is Hawaiian, light jazz, and pop standards mostly from the past.

I'm trapped...I'm now completely dependent on having those two tunings available making me double neck dependent!

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

This exact situation does not apply to me, since the only double-neck in my possession is a D-10 pedal steel.

I often play two single-neck 6-strings in a double-stand, however. My usual set-up is C6 on the inside neck, and B11 on the outside neck. On occasion I will substitute an instrument tuned to high-bass G, low D, or a 7-strng tuned to A6.

By utilizing a double stand, an ABY box, and a volume pedal, it's quick and easy substitute different instruments on the fly.

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

I use A6 and E13. I like it because the 6th and the 13th have different flavours (the 13th being a bit more jazzy/bluesy).

I find that the relationship between an A and an E based tuning makes more sense to me than C and E.

I have the A6 on the neck closest to me.

Tom Cooper · From: Orlando, Fl

I always had E13(Don Helms plus F#) and A6. A was beefy and certain keys just lay so good in it. I still have D8 but have retired it. Am now using S10 non pedal E13/9 for everything. Went the other way, I need to be able to move quick, fly with steel, etc. But for all the classic stuff, those 2 will cover ton of ground. Outer neck was E13, inner A6. I use E13 for everything now. It's bright, snappy, cuts through in live battle conditions with loud band in noisy barroom.

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