Jeff's Uni Tuning

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Well,,I've just been shown a set up chart from Jeffran of a tuning set up that is different from the one I've been using for 35+ years. Several differences but the one that stands out is that this one does NOT have the chromatic D# second string lower capability? On mine the RKR lowers 4 and 8 to Eb and 2 (D#) to C#,,,the one he showed me does not lower D#. I know Jeff really used that chromatic 9th tone in all of his C6 teaching material,,,and he always emphatically insisted that uni did not loose anything significantly from C6,,,,but to loose that chromatic 9th tone would seem pretty significant.

Mike Selecky · From: BrookPark, Ohio

When Jeff first proposed his U12 version, the 2nd string full tone lower was not included on the RKR that lowers the 4 and 8 strings. Not sure, but maybe the original C6th 1st string "G" was more prevalent at the time, so the 1st string "F#" B6th equivalent on the U12 was already available.

Not sure if this article from 1979 is readable, but it shows Jeff's thoughts on the tuning:

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

That tuning was developed by Jan Visser of the Netherlands. It was demonstrated by a friend of Jan to Jeff. Jan was one of the first pedal steel players over here and has a huge knowledge of everything about the pedal steel guitar, chord construction, music theory etc.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Johnny Cox · Posted 20 Jul 2022 11:56 am

Sonny Bennett who is the designer/ engineer at MSA is actually the 1st person to use the E9/B6th tuning. The first time Jeff used it was on a S12 MSA Classic. Jeff made several modifications to arrive at what he used for years. It was what Sonny used as an alternative to Reece Anderson's Bb6th.Both Sonny and Reece confirmed this while I worked at MSA.
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Johnny "Dumplin" Cox
"YANKIN' STRINGS & STOMPIN' PEDALS" since 1967.

Bas Kapitein · From: Holland

Marco, you have got it wrong! I am the friend you are revering to and I did show Jan’s tuning that was printed in a Dutch steel magazine to Jeff in 1977. It was very similar to the universal tuning Jeff started to promote a few years later. Jeff was interested and told me there were people he knew thinking along the same lines. He did not copy it or write it down. Jan likes to think that his brilliant idea was brought to Jeff this way, I remember it differently; Jeff was surprised that we in Europe were so close to the American developments. But that was all. Jeff, with his classes and friends knew a lot of people and heard a lot of ideas. That summer I showed Jans tuning and his magazine also to Tom Bradshaw, Maurice Anderson and DeWitt Scott. All great men trying to expand the potential of the pedal steel.
Tom was impressed with the quality of the magazine, Maurice saw a whole new market in Europe Jeff saw mostly lots of new students and DeWitt saw his steel show become international.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I have seen a couple that someone had a tuning that had a couple different pulls and claimed it was Newman's tuning.

I have Mr. Newman's tuning (Shown in Links at top of page here on the forum) on my GFI S 12U. The 2nd string lowers to C# on the RKR that lowers 4-8 to D# for the B6 sound.
Mr. Newman has the 2 string going to D on the lever that he has his 9th string to D also, His LKL.

I have another GFI S 12U I set up in March 22 to try things on. I have a LKR that I can fold up. I have 1st string to G#, 2nd to E and 6th to F#.

I am thinking of changing this lever pull to the 7th to G# instead of the 6th to F#. Just to play around with.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hi Bas, I know it was you. "Others were thinking in the same direction", ok. That doesn't make it wrong. Fact is that the tuning that Jeff published in 1979 is an exact copy of what was published by Jan 2 years before. So think about what Johnny Cox stated: Sonny Bennett played some E9/B6th tuning, Jeff changed it and developed it into the version that was shown 2 years before to him by you???

Jeff himself states in his article that he did not develop this tuning himself.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

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