What tuning is this?

Terry Huval · Post by **Terry Huval** » 26 Mar 2001 6:09 pm

Being an addicted 1940's and 50's country music buff, I am fascinated with the intensity of the steel guitar from that era. I bid for, and bought, a set of Fender steel guitar strings allegedly from the 1950's. The color of the string envelopes is lavender...no sign of the date, or the tuning of the string set, anywhere. I do not know musical theory, but I figured one of you guys (or gals) could tell me what tuning this is by me telling what are the notes of each string. Here they go from smallest to largest:

1st - E plain
2nd - C# plain
3rd - A plain
4th - G wound
5th - E wound
6th - C wound
7th - A wound
8th - G wound

Oh, by the way, can any of you "verify" in what year these strings may have been made?

Thanks for your help.

Terry

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Mar 2001 8:19 pm

Looks like C6/A7 to me, although the inversion of it is not too common, IMHO. I use C6/A7 on my 8 string Rick tuned as follows:

<pre>
1) G
2) E
3) C
4) A
5) G
6) E
7) C#

C
</pre>

Jerry Byrd's 8 string tuning is as follows:

<pre>
1) E
2) C
3) A
4) G
5) E
6) C#
7) C

A
</pre>

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www.dougbsteel.com

Paul Crawford · Post by **Paul Crawford** » 27 Mar 2001 12:38 pm

Doug: I've just "discovered" C6/A7 in an 8 string tuning, having worked with the Jerry Byrd course on a 6 string. I just love this tuning and the more I work with it the more committed I become to it. The only difference between our tunings is the order of the C and C# on strings 7 & 8. I was just wondering why you prefer the C# on the 7th string instead of the C. I kept the C# on the bottom since I use the two fingers to pick strings 5 & 6 for the A7th, never needing a strum for those three strings. That also leaves a full strum C6th on my upper 7 strings.

Being new to this tuning, I'm wondering if I'm giving something up with my string order that I don't even know about. I'm not so set in my ways that I couldn't change if I had a reason. Just wondering what the logic of the embedded C# is.

Thanks, Paul

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Mar 2001 8:46 pm

Paul,

I wanted a high G on string 1. That's how I ended up with my current 8 string tuning. I must confess that although I have been playing pedal steel for 30 years, I am a recent convert to 8 string lap steel. I'm still experimenting with various 8 string tunings. I like the C6/A7 tuning because it offers so many chord types without slants. Fortunately I have a double 8 Rickenbacker, so I can do twice as much experimenting!

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www.dougbsteel.com

[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 27 March 2001 at 08:48 PM.]

John Kavanagh · Post by **John Kavanagh** » 28 Mar 2001 10:44 am

I use that tuning, but with both c's natural.

Even though it says "c#" on the envelope for the second string, chances are that it was expected that the player would change strings 2 and 6 back and forth between c and c# as needed. Sets are still made for this "low C6" tuning. GACE, in either octave, is a C6 chord, or an Am7 chord (same pitches, usually with a different bass). GAC#E is an A7 chord.

Terry Huval · Post by **Terry Huval** » 28 Mar 2001 6:27 pm

Doug, Paul and John, thanks for your replies. It is nice to get help and information like this.

Terry