8 string C6th tuning dilemma

Bill Atwood · Post by **Bill Atwood** » 13 Apr 2001 6:39 am

I have just switched from 6 to 8 strings (am less than a year into steel). I first strung C6th, I believe more accurately, C13th with a third C (low) in the #8 position. I then got some tab that uses a G in the first or top position but at the expense of the low C.
Which tuning is prefered? I fully expect contradictory opinions on this so would appreciate your reasons.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Bill Atwood

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 13 Apr 2001 9:08 am

Bill,

If you play "other than Hawaiian", I'd opt for the high G on top for an eight-string C6th tuning. Most of the melody is done on the finer strings and unless you need a lot of bottom chords, the fine G will give you more versatility.

If I play Hawaiian I like my first string to be E on the C6th.

Rick

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 13 Apr 2001 2:08 pm

Prior to 10 string PSG's it was rare to see a high G on top using a C6 tuning. The standard C6 tuning for 8 string steels for many years was:

E
C
A
G
E
C
A
F

Which is of course, strings 2 thru 9 on a D-10 PSG, in most cases. The low C and the High G did not come along until the advent of the PSG. There were a few isolated cases of a player having a G on top before 10 string pedals. But most had an E on top.

I have had a G on top ever since my first 10 string PSG. If I went back to an 8 string, I would have to sacrifice that G. The F on the 8th string is just too valuable to do with out in my opinion. This excludes Hawaiian music where many tuned C6 to C13th meaning there was a Bb somewhere near the bottom.

God bless you all,

carl

Cliff Swanson · Post by **Cliff Swanson** » 13 Apr 2001 4:41 pm

I've had this C13 tuning on the front neck of my D-8 Stringmaster for a couple of years now, and I really like it. Notice the first string...Great for melody picking.

D
E
C
A
G
E
C
Bb

Cat

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 13 Apr 2001 4:46 pm

I use that same tuning on my lap steel, Cliff, only moved up a step to D to get a brighter timbre.

Paul Crawford · Post by **Paul Crawford** » 14 Apr 2001 12:51 pm

For those Golden Years swing songs, including Western Swing, I let the bass guitar take care of the bottom end and go with Rick on that top G with the Byrd 7 string tuning for the rest:

G
E
C
A
G
E
C#
C

It seems to get me the best of most worlds.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 24 Apr 2001 7:42 am

I've tried all these tunings and keep coming back to the one in Carl's post- besides the inherent C6 and Am7 in the upper voicing, from the bottom string up you have a beautiful 4maj9 chord. And the Scale possibilities from the low F are really nice.

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro

Bill Atwood · Post by **Bill Atwood** » 24 Apr 2001 8:50 am

Thanks to all for the good advice, as you might expect, I'm now playing standard C6th with A & G in the 7-8 position!
This one can be shut down. Much appreciated.