Tuning up C6 > D6 ... String Guages?

Steve Richter · Post by **Steve Richter** » 15 Jun 2006 3:10 pm

I'm considering tuning my guitar up a whole step from C6 to D6. Is there a good way to determine what the new string guages should be?

Are custom sets available at a reasonable price or would you have to buy individual strings to make a set (probably cost prohibitive)?

Thanks,

Steve

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 15 Jun 2006 4:05 pm

I did it once. The gauges I used are on this copedent chart:

You'd probably want to go bigger on the 10th string if you're lowering it to B on pedal 8. I'd use a .060 nickel wound.

I'll sell you a set of Jagwires for $12, same as the regular C6th price.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog [This message was edited by b0b on 15 June 2006 at 05:08 PM.]

Steve Richter · Post by **Steve Richter** » 15 Jun 2006 7:07 pm

Thanks b0b .. I was gonna ask why you left it behind but I saw at the bottom your doing 12-strings. And thanks for the deal on the strings. Did you come up with the guages by experimentation?

What were you looking for by tuning up? I'm thinking that if I raise the 6 string a half step it would give a nice open 4 chord and the keys of D and G might be useful for R & B kinds of things.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 15 Jun 2006 8:05 pm

I like D6th because it cuts through the mix better (IMHO), and because P5 gave me the familiar bottom E. The G dobro open positions are a bonus too (assuming you raise the middle F# to G on a lever).

I really don't use the low string on C6th very much, except when it's raised with P5. The lower notes aren't that attractive to me. If there's a bass player, you risk interfering. If there's not and you start playing bass notes, there's a big hole in the sound when you stop.

D6th was more useful to me at the time when I had that guitar. I was in a large country & western band, and my back neck parts had to cut through a lot of sound. D6th worked really well for that.

As for how I picked the gauges, all of the notes are the same as on Extended E9th, which I've been playing forever. They're just in a different order. I used the same gauges as on my S-12, without the high G# and middle E.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog [This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 15 June 2006 at 09:15 PM.]

Steve Richter · Post by **Steve Richter** » 16 Jun 2006 2:49 pm

Thanks .. I plan to put that F# to G change ( possibally another ) on a extra pedal. I just tunned that string up to G and was real pleased with the possibilities.

I'll get my order off for that set.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 16 Jun 2006 6:43 pm

Steve,were you talking about the bottom C6th neck? It seems Bob was showing dropping the e9 neck to d9.And you were referring to raising the c6 to d6.Just curious.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 16 Jun 2006 9:16 pm

No, mine raised the C6th to D6th. I've never played D9th.

There is a D6th hidden in the E9th, though, with the G#'s raised to A and the 2nd string lowered to D. I use that position to play "Steelin the Blues" in Eb at the first fret with all those hammer-ons.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 16 Jun 2006 9:42 pm

Think I'll try that Bob,Always played that tune in C sharp on the C6.

Steve Richter · Post by **Steve Richter** » 17 Jun 2006 5:40 am

Charles ... my guitar is an S-10 that I tuned to C6 and I'm considering tuning up to D6.