Cheers

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

I spend a lot of my time in open D or one of its variants. Yep, lots of nice chords to be had. Keep up the Aussie slang, mate

From Pete:
Although G tuning (GBDGBD low to high) is popular with players of country and bluegrass (it seems to be "required" in bluegrass), I think you'll find that D tuning (D A D F# A D)--just like your E tuning but a whole step low--is far more versatile for country and even better for a lot of fiddle tunes in bluegrass.
For one thing, you have access to a harmonized scale in 6ths on the first and third strings with a combination of a straight bar and a forward slant of one fret (forward slant being that the nose of the bar is higer than the back of the bar). To get the same scale on G tuning you use a forward slant of one fret and a forward slant of two frets. I play far fewer two-fret slants, just 'cause they're so tricky to play in tune.

A nice thing about G tuning is that you have a sequential chord (135135) with no chord tones missing. This is also a drawback, because the overall range of the tuning is an octave and a fifth, while your tuning and D tuning have a range of two octaves (151351). I get far more use out of having the root on the first string. I hardly ever miss having a 3rd way down in the bass range. As a matter of fact, not having it is more of an advantage. Having 151 on the bottom gives me the ability to more easily fake a minor chord--or play one of the 3 minor chords possible by using an open string for the third of the chord (Bmi, F#mi, and Ebmi).

I have experimented with tuning droping the D first to a C# making a Dma7 tuning (please correct me if I am wrong)Pinched this tuning from a Harry Manx song. Also I have apart from the 6th string droped the other two D s to C and have come up with a dominant 7th tuning. Sometimes I just drop the 1st string to a C and that works great as you still have the power cords on the bass and that bluesy tone on the other three strings. I have tried the D minor flattening the 3rd or third string. I haven't been able to get much from that tuning yet. AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

This is all good fun. Can not wait for my weissenborn to be finished. Lucky I'm a patient man as it has been five months in the making. It will be worth it as my Luthier is a very particular with his work.

I guess my little Oahu Lap Slide is going to be neglected soon!!!

Thank you all again for your input.

Just out of curiousity, what Weissenborn copy are you getting? I am in the same playing-old-Oahu-while-awaiting-Weissenborn situation, just a substantial step behind you (I can't afford to commission the Weissenborn yet! ).

I'm leaning towards a baritone - either Celtic Cross or Lazy River.

Cheers,

Fred.

[This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 16 January 2006 at 06:38 AM.]

I actually bought the Weissenborn plans from MMIF in the USA. Just do a search MMIF Weissenborn plans and you will find the site. I was going to have a go at building a Weiss myself. I have been doing stringed instrument repairs and setups for years. I took one look at the plans and thought, this is well out of my league. So I asked my friend and local Luthier about June last year was he interested in building one from the plan for me. He too has never build a Weissenborn before. So I left it with him for sometime and he bent up the sides and made the back from New Guinea Rosewood. He has made the top out of White cedar which he had stocks of. Once I seen the progress results I quickly put down a deposit for the instrument. It is a style 2 copy. So when it is finished I will send you a photo if you wish.

Enjoy your lap playing.

Cheers

I'd love to see a photo of the Weissenborn when it's finished - thanks! Keep up the patience and take care!

Sorry!!! Search for MIMF Weissenborn Plans. Not MMIF as first posted.

Cheers