Dilemma: you can only take one lap steel for the jam -- what

Todd Weger · Post by **Todd Weger** » 14 Jan 2001 10:05 am

Hi gang -- I'm a fairly new player who's been really getting into the 8-string non-pedal guitars lately. I currently use a Fender D-8, with the lower neck tuned to C6 (GECAGECA, h-l), and the upper neck tuned to E13(EC#BG#EDBG#, h-l). I find that from westernswing, honky-tonk and Hawaiian, to rockabilly, jazz and blues, these two tunings give me what I want. Unfortunately, sometimes I can only bring one 8-string lap (due to set-up time constraints, or cramped stage, etc..)

My question is: if you're taking a single 8-string neck with you to a jam, or for some reason, you can only bring your lap steel with you, and you need to cover a very wide variety of styles, what tuning do you use? Is there a great "all-purpose" one that could cover BOTH the westernswing AND the rockabilly/blues stuff?

Or, if that's hard to achieve, is there a neat tuning that, with just the twist of a tuner (or perhaps two), you've got a fairly "universal" tuning option?

Thanks!
TJW

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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
www.franchise-yourself.com
1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6)

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 14 Jan 2001 11:37 am

If I could only take a single 8 lapsteel, my tuning would have to be:

E
C
A
G
E
C#
C
A (LOW A)

Jerry Byrd has used this for 40 yrs. While it "aint" necessarily "country", just a whole lot of country and mucho other stuff can be done on it.

God bless you,

carl

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 14 Jan 2001 11:59 am

I'd use C6(really C13) but, L-H, BbCEGACEG,with the middle strings you have straight C6 but that High G gives you a Major right on top for an Old time sound,and the Bb makes 7th chords easy... and I find it's great for Hawaiian and like Hank Williams tunes...

Maurie Junod · Post by **Maurie Junod** » 14 Jan 2001 12:21 pm

And,to add to Mikey's post. On stage you can
easily lower the fifth string G to Gb thereby
allowing you to play stuff that is suitable
to a B11 tuning. I did this very thing at
last year's HSGA convention.

Maurie

Todd Weger · Post by **Todd Weger** » 19 Jan 2001 1:46 pm

Thanks, guys -- I appreciate the info. I'm in the market for a single 8 lap for taking with me to jams. I don't mind setting up my D-8 for most things, but there are times when it just isn't practical or possible.

Your suggestions help me out a lot!

TJW

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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
www.franchise-yourself.com
1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6)

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 20 Jan 2001 3:33 pm

I designed my D13th just to handle that dilemma. It's midway in timbre between C6th and E13th, so I can pretty much play the same parts that I play of the D-8. I have to stay on my toes to remember what key I'm in, though. <font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>E
F#
D
B
A
F#
D
C </pre></font>If a tune's in a minor key, I often return the low string down to B. The second string (F#) is the highest, and the E is real handy for fast licks on the high strings.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, A6)