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Author
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Topic: string gauges for E-C#-A-E-A-E (hi>low) tuning?
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John Pelz
Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA
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posted 16 June 2004 04:22 PM
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I've got a Ray Kinney music-book, "Collection of Native Hawaiian Songs" from 1938. The tuning indicated in this book is in "A" tuning: E-C#-A-E-A-E (high to low). I was wondering what gauge strings would be appropriate, so I consulted this page at John Ely's website. I concluded that the following gauges would work -- .014 - .017 - .021 - .030W - .042W - .056W Am I "barking up the right tree" with these gauges, or am I perhaps missing something? (ie - do these gauges look right for this tuning?) Thanks in advance for any advice/help! |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 16 June 2004 04:41 PM
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Sounds right to me. You could get away with using a standard electric guitar medium gauge set (I'm thinking .013 to .056) if you didn't want to buy custom strings. |
Rick Alexander
Member From: Florida, USA
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posted 16 June 2004 04:48 PM
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Of course it depends on what type of guitar and what the neck scale is - but I when play old Fender and Rickenbacker laps that mostly have a 22 1/2" scale, I find that using a 56 for low E etc. makes the strings a little sloppy. I like a
.072 for low E
.050 for B,
.036 for E,
.024 for A,
.018 for C#,
.014 for E.
Then you have nice fat strings with a lot of tension. Now I don't pretend to know even 1% of what John Ely knows, but that's what works for me. Maybe somewhere in between would be right for you. It's important for the tension to be consistent for all the strings, so you don't get those 'unwanted' sounds.
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C Dixon
Member From: Duluth, GA USA
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posted 16 June 2004 05:01 PM
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Yes I agree with the gauges you listed John. Also, using those gauges will permit quite a wide variable for other tunings you may wish to try. If you have ever had the honor pleasure of seeing Jerry Byrd play, you no doubt notice how often he retunes to different tunings between given songs. Sometimes he may only change ONE string, yet others half or more of 'em will change. And rarely walks thru them more than once or twice. Makes no difference to him, it is though he played the same tuning, because his brain is on auto pilot steering his mind no matter what tuning he uses. Truly the master of all time. Good luck, carl |
John Pelz
Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA
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posted 16 June 2004 05:23 PM
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Brad -- thanks for the advice about the possibility of using electric guitar strings. Steel guitar is new to me, and I'd never thought of that economic (read: cheaper) option. I do very much enjoy your Page of Steel.Rick -- yeah, I suppose I should have mentioned that this would be for my 22.5" Ricky 59. Thanks for the tip re: .056 VS .072 for the low E -- I'll have to think about that... Carl -- As usual, yours is a very perceptive post. I've never had the pleasure of seeing Jerry play in person, I sure have been listening to a lot of his recordings lately! |
Al Marcus
Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA
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posted 16 June 2004 07:41 PM
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Carl always knows and he is a great asset to this Forum.When he mentions Jerry Byrd changing tuning between songs to suit the song. This is very important for non peddlers to think about , to expand their playing. Back in 1936 when I was 15 and Jerry was 17 in Ohio. One of the tunings I used was an A6th tuning.
Then by changing a couple of strings made it E7 "or change a string or two and made it C#minor.
I used that for some hawaiian tunes, like Paradise Isle. You had to use some slants on that one too.
I never liked those gadgets that changed tunings with a lever, in those days.
I could change a tuning just as fast and be more in tune too......al  . ------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/ |
Ron Randall
Member From: Dallas, Texas, USA
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posted 17 June 2004 08:52 PM
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John,
I should have read your post a little closer. On short scale instruments, lean a little to the big side on gauges.
This may help. I use this info all the time.
Thank you John Ely. http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.html Ron[This message was edited by Ron Randall on 17 June 2004 at 08:57 PM.] |
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