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Topic: What influences which tuning I have ? |
Michael Malone
From:
Nevada, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2019 7:15 am |
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I'm new to stringed instruments.
I read a lot from different manufacturers and forums, but dont have enough experience yet to put 2+2 together....
... so, can I just change say a C6 tuning to G by merely adjusting the 6 tuning machines ?
I am making a lap using some of my decades old ebony, I will make it 22 1/2" , although I dont know why I'm using that length as versus other standard lenghts,
... I read that varying string widths at the bridge are better for different things, OPEN as versus 6th timings,... but I dont understand that. Shouldn't the bridge string indents that I make from angle brass match the pickup that I buy?? If I get a Lollar Chicago pickup with 2 2" magnets center-to'center, I would think the bridge string cuts would have to be also 2.2" to match (?).
So, without a lot of string experience, can i merely assemble good parts together and THEN pick which turning I'll use? .... or do the individual parts and assembly lengths effect this ?
Thanks, mike |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2019 8:01 am
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Until the experts answer, I'll put in my 2 cents' worth.
In almost all cases, any steel can be set up to any tuning, depending on the string gauge.
Scale length will also affect your choices of string gauges.
However, most 6th tuning string sets are not ideal for straight major tunings as they are not gauged appropriately.
That said, a typical heavy gauge guitar string set can be tuned to tunings like:
A low bass:
E A E A C# E
this the oldest steel tuning known as far as I can tell
open E:
E B E G# B E
E7th variant:
E B D G# B E
E6 or C#m7:
E B E G# C# E
F#9:
F# A# E G# C# E
If you get a set of typical C6 , A6 or E7/E13 sets, you can tune:
C6:
C E G A C E
A6:
C# E F# A C# E
E7:
B D E G# B E
E13:
B D E G# C# E.
In my case, the music I want to play determines the tunings I choose, much less so than the instrument.
Dobro note:
Most Dobro players seem to use G high bass:
G B D G B D
So in this case I do think the instrument does determine some of the tuning - but it is also genre based. |
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Michael Malone
From:
Nevada, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2019 9:23 am
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thank you David .... that helps clarify things for me ...I will reread that a few times and it will help me, but right off the bat I'm seeing that scale length will influence string choice which will influence tuning choices ... but that my choice of music should be important factor not so much the components .
That is what I wanted to know.
Thank you ! |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 18 Jul 2019 12:43 pm
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Regarding scale lengths, the main difference is that, generally speaking short scale (22.5") instrument will make it a bit easier to do bar slants, longer scale instruments will be slightly more forgiving of inaccurate bar placement- they are easier to play in tune.
But to ne honest, these differences are slight and any of the popular scale lengths are fine. To put it in perspective, playing between the 10th and 12th frets on a short scale instrument is like playing between the 12th and 14th on a longer scale.
For what it's worth, all my steels (mostly Fenders with a couple of Gibsons thrown in) are 22.5" and I love them. I wouldn't go any shorter though.
And, as previously said, they are fine for a whole range of tunings as long as you choose appropriate string gauges.
And, yes, the style of music you want to play is really the only consideration when it comes to tunings. |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Jeff Highland
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 18 Jul 2019 3:17 pm
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Just a suggestion,
Rather than use your stock of ebony, why not make a prototype in cheap pine, make all your mistakes on that, make any changes etc then do the ebony build and transfer parts across.
Regarding tunings, yes you can do anything with the appropriate string guages, but a low D on a short scale can be a bit problematic. I don't really like strings bigger than a 56 especially on a short scale. My short scale ricky was not happy in Open D so I had it in E(sold now). My Supro and National at 23" are fine and I have a Duessenberg long scale on order. |
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Michael Malone
From:
Nevada, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2019 5:50 am
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Thank you again for the info. Really good stuff.
And the 2 links I will read a few times.
And Jeff, your suggestion to first make a pine model before the 'final' ebony reminds me of something I've certainly forgotten to do once or twice over my years ...'measure twice and cut once'
Thanks guys, Mike |
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