Members slide_blues Posted January 29, 2004 Members Share Posted January 29, 2004 *Also posted in Acoustic Guitar's Gear Forum: I don't know if this is just another case of GAS, but I just bought another acoustic guitar to use for various open tunings - set up with medium gauge strings. Thing is, my regular acoustic has been set up with lights in standard tuning with *perfect* action. As soon as I tune down to open D, G, or C, there is some buzzing, especially if I "dig in" on the lowered strings. Also, the lowered strings feel too floppy in general, and the volume and punch is lacking on those strings. I know many players don't mind the lowered tension, and may even prefer it... Taken to extremes, one could own many acoustics and get a perfect set up for a guitar in G, another in D, another in C, another in DADGAD, etc. Talk about GAS. Anyway, anyone else have different acoustics set up with a dedicated tuning(s)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carle Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 No, but I just tried tuning 1/2 tone down and I like the sound of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 54merk Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 slide_blues, I keep my metal bodied reso in open G (mediums) and my old Ovation 12 string (lights) in open D. Open D should be the least prone to buzzing since it's closest to standard tuning. Heavier strings will lessen the likelihood of buzzing, or sometimes it can be helped with a bit more tension on the truss rod to increase the bow. I do not think open G would work on that guitar without raising the saddle, at the least. All the more reason to buy more guitars so you can keep a different one in every tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FingerBone Bill Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by slide_blues *Also posted in Acoustic Guitar's Gear Forum: I don't know if this is just another case of GAS, but I just bought another acoustic guitar to use for various open tunings - set up with medium gauge strings..... This is not called GAS - what you are describing is an EXCUSE. Well, an excuse FOR GAS! I've kidded myself that I needed this or that guitar for this or that tuning but in the end once you start getting into alternate tuning you just can't resist changing the tuning on all your guitars. Best thing you can do is get yourself a really good tuner and always buy the best strings (they seem to resist breaking caused by metal fatigue from constant retuning). I've got a Strat that is normally (but not exclusively) in Standard Tuning. A Dread that is normally (but not exclusively) in DADGAD. An Electrocoustic that is normally (but not exclusively) in Drop D. And a Resonator that is normally (but not exclusively) in Open G. No wonder I seem confused! :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carle Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Daggone FingerBone, your normally not tuned in anything particular but mostly tuned in something:eek: . That must keep you grinning all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FingerBone Bill Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by Carle Daggone FingerBone, your normally not tuned in anything particular but mostly tuned in something:eek: . That must keep you grinning all the time. Finely tuned & Highly strung - that's me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members S~R~O Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill Finely tuned & Highly strung - that's me! *TWANG* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OlsonYairiLust Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by slide_blues*Also posted in Acoustic Guitar's Gear Forum:Anyway, anyone else have different acoustics set up with a dedicated tuning(s)? I would say that use of different guitars for different alternate tunings is very common. I use my 315ce for standard E-440 with lights and use my LKSM 6 for droped DADGAD or severly droped Drop D with medium strings. I recently started playing a baritone guitar again for way way low DADGAD with strings that almost work on a bass. Different tunings often require different tonal response from the guitar to sound right. I find that Jumbos are the greatest for low tunings as they have greater bass projection. I would never play a low strung DADGAD on my 510 because the guitars natural sound was just not made to project that. I would love an Olson SJ but would never be able to use it for anything other than dropped tunings, they just dont sound right strung to E-440. Its all in the ear of the beholder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slide_blues Posted January 30, 2004 Author Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Good points, OlsonYairiLust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howard Emerson Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Hi Slide,I have several guitars that I keep in different tunings, but what primarily drives that is how the particular instrument sounds in a given tuning. For instance I have a 1927 Gibson L-5 that I keep exclusively in open D. I play all fingerstyle/bottleneck with it; That is to say that my compositions all have fretting and slide within them. I very often 'barre' all 6 strings with my bottleneck. I use standard light gauge wound strings, with .017 & .013 plains. On my 1920's Sovereign Concert guitar, I have a standard light gauge set, and it is almost always kept in open C tuning, though I've written songs on it in open G, and some of those songs just beg to be played on that guitar. It's a ladder braced instrument that weights nothing, practically. My Flammang El Majestic, Martin OM-18V and 1935 Gibson L-00 are kept in various tunings, though mostly open D or G. The Flammang has a short scale, the Martin is a long scale, and the Gibson is in between ( 25 & 1/4" ), but they're all strung with light wounds and medium plain. All my instrument have fairly high action so I can rip into the strings or do bottleneck. Take care,Howard Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members irpacynot Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 From what I understand, back in the early days of CSN, Stills used to (and probably still does) have about 20some guitars kept out on stands all over his studio, all tuned differently. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Michael Hedges, who though had a few guitars, mainly used just Barbara (his Martin D28) for many different tunings. Me personally, I like just two. One usually stays in standard, and the other goes all over the place. But this is more for back-up reasons. It saves time during a gig if I break a string, I can just grab the other guitar, and it's one less tuning I have to fool with. More than two guitars for me though would be a waste. They're like children to me, and I don't think I'd be able to give them the attention they'd require . Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpoonyJank Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by OlsonYairiLust I would say that use of different guitars for different alternate tunings is very common. I use my 315ce for standard E-440 with lights and use my LKSM 6 for droped DADGAD or severly droped Drop D with medium strings. I recently started playing a baritone guitar again for way way low DADGAD with strings that almost work on a bass. Different tunings often require different tonal response from the guitar to sound right. I find that Jumbos are the greatest for low tunings as they have greater bass projection. I would never play a low strung DADGAD on my 510 because the guitars natural sound was just not made to project that. I would love an Olson SJ but would never be able to use it for anything other than dropped tunings, they just dont sound right strung to E-440. Its all in the ear of the beholder. how many octaves is bass actually lower than guitar? do you drop your baritone a whole octave? I've heard cedar tops and can also be helpful for slack tunings; along with long scale and fat strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JohnnyD Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 Originally posted by Carle No, but I just tried tuning 1/2 tone down and I like the sound of it. i was trying to play along with an Eddie Lang song last night and discovered that it's either tuned down a whole tone, or in some kind of D tuning. either way, it does sound nice. also Lonnie Johnson seems to tune down a bit too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted January 30, 2004 Members Share Posted January 30, 2004 *Also posted in Acoustic Guitar's Gear Forum: I do this and I make up special sets of strings for each...my DADF#AD/DADGAD guitar has medium guages for the 1st, 2nd, & 6th strings with lights for the rest, my DGDGBD guitar has mediums for the 1st, 5th and 6ths strings with lights for the rest, etc... Gives me a more consistent feel, plus it makes it easier (to me, anyway) when I'm playing "bottleneck". And it saves a lot of time not having to retune between songs while on stage, 'specially as I mostly use 12-string guitars for my "tuning guitars". (I know "Big Fish" have folks who retune their guitars for them, but I'm a "small frog" ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mystillwater Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 i have an old vega dread that has a little bit of a high action. i like to keep this guy in dadgad. not only does it sound fantastic but it keeps some tension on the neck. the rest i keep in standard. i don't do too much in alternate tunings but it's been a great excuse to hang on to that old vega. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilHippy Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by irpacynot From what I understand, back in the early days of CSN, Stills used to (and probably still does) have about 20some guitars kept out on stands all over his studio, all tuned differently. I'm actually in the process of reading "Shakey", Neil Young's biography and another book, the biography of Crosby,Stills, and Nash right now. I read today about some stuff.People would say that Stephen Stills and Neil Young would duel and stuff on stage with their guitars(on electric)... stills would always have multiple stacks of marshalls and Neil had an old '59 Fender Deluxe with oversized tubes and two guitars, his Gretsch White Falcon and Old Black, his '53 Les Paul goldtop painted black with a firebird and a P-90 pickup and still do just as good or better and be louder than Stills and Stills would have a whole bunch of guitars. Stills would have all his guitars on one side of the studio and Neil would keep his on the other side. One time... I can't remember who, but this guy walked in there and was talking to Stills, and he said "Neil has a Washburn just like that" and Stills would say "I know...but mine is older".... it's interesting how they would compete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OlsonYairiLust Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by SpoonyJank how many octaves is bass actually lower than guitar? do you drop your baritone a whole octave? I've heard cedar tops and can also be helpful for slack tunings; along with long scale and fat strings. I dont know about bass anything so I could not answer you there, but you could easily tune a baritone an octave low if you wanted to. It just depends on the strings you use. I have seen baritone 6 ans 12 players use bass strings regularly but finding bronze strings for acoustic bass in the right guage is somewhat painfull. I use custom built sets from my local guitar shop that were originally lighter acoustic bass sets seperated to get the right guages for my ear. On a side note, Leo Kottke uses heavy guage 12 string sets on the LKSM 12 sometimes tuned as low as 3 steps below standard. That guitar makes furniture in the room rattle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I really want and NEED another good guitar to keep in an open tuning. Yeah, I do! It's kind of like being able to leave a guitar on a stand vs. in the case. I'd be more likely to explore and expand my ability if I had another guitar. I actually want one specifically for alternate tunings. I think a Ryan would do nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 54merk Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by SpoonyJank how many octaves is bass actually lower than guitar? do you drop your baritone a whole octave? I've heard cedar tops and can also be helpful for slack tunings; along with long scale and fat strings. http://www.santacruzguitar.com/scgc_cat_bb.htm The SC Baritone is made to be tuned 2 or 3 half steps down. But then again, there are no hard and fast rules about open tunings. Heavier strings can be tuned even lower, as Leo Kotke has shown. Of course, you're limited by whether your fingers can handle cable width strings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OlsonYairiLust Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by 54merk http://www.santacruzguitar.com/scgc_cat_bb.htm Heavier strings can be tuned even lower, as Leo Kotke has shown. Of course, you're limited by whether your fingers can handle cable width strings! Have you seen his hands and forearms? Then imagine hammering harmonics on that beast! Pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 You know, I'll bet there will be a guitar in the future that sets aside the aesthetics of the headstock for a bulkier headstock complete with little servos and a tiny pushbutton panel that will automatically tune your guitar to the selected tuning when you pluck the strings. Sounds far-fetched but I've seen weirder things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slide_blues Posted February 1, 2004 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Originally posted by Unk You know, I'll bet there will be a guitar in the future that sets aside the aesthetics of the headstock for a bulkier headstock complete with little servos and a tiny pushbutton panel that will automatically tune your guitar to the selected tuning when you pluck the strings. Sounds far-fetched but I've seen weirder things. Check this out, only $14,500 or so: http://www.kleinguitars.com/transperformance.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Holy smokes!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FingerBone Bill Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Originally posted by slide_blues Check this out, only $14,500 or so: http://www.kleinguitars.com/transperformance.htm Hah, - just program in the chord changes and you'll never have to learn another song, ever. The guitar will just *tune* itself to the appropriate chord! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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