Leon McAullife E13

[Bill Leff]

I was figuring out this tune https://youtu.be/5HQw8rjFR44?si=ucKqJr00svVK17Zu last night. Supposedly from 1938. Today I saw a photo of him with a lap steel, again from 1938. The lap steel appeared to be be a six stringer. Were 8 string lap steels available in 1938? Did Leon play a 6 string in E13? This tune is works on E13. I don’t think it’s any other tuning but I could be wrong.

[Bill Leff]

Just listened again. There’s playing on low notes at the end of the song that couldn’t be played on a 6 string E13 tuning.

And in case anyone is wondering, I can’t play a lot of this but that doesn’t stop me from trying!

[Landon Jarrel]

Hi Bill, that's a fine tune that I have never heard before! I'm pretty sure that Leon is playing his 8-string tuning on that recording, which is actually from 1949 (see here based on the label number in the video you linked: http://www.78discography.com/COL20500.htm). More likely than not, he is playing his Triple-8 Bigsby, which he received in 1948.

[Bill Leff]

Thanks Landon! And great photo. Did not know he played with 3 finger picks. That might explain a few other things for me.

[Rich Arnold]

I was figuring out this tune https://youtu.be/5HQw8rjFR44?si=ucKqJr00svVK17Zu last night. Supposedly from 1938. Today I saw a photo of him with a lap steel, again from 1938. The lap steel appeared to be be a six stringer. Were 8 string lap steels available in 1938? Did Leon play a 6 string in E13? This tune is works on E13. I don’t think it’s any other tuning but I could be wrong.

The E13 is a tuning I keep going back to and I find it's too sexy to leave it alone!

I also have my own 10 string version. (maybe some else did this too before me)
G#
E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
B
G#
E
Maybe there is a workable tuning for 6 strings. There's people on here who would know better than me but when I play the 8 string version of this tuning I always hanker for more strings.
And I use 4 picks. Not because I copied anybody. It was just a fluke. When I was learning how to play, finger picks were on sale 3 for $1. So I put on an extra pick.

[Bill Leff]

Rich,

Love watching your videos. You are a great player!