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Thread: Tuning Experiments

  1. #1

    Default Tuning Experiments

    Hello, all! A couple of questions for the group:

    • What tunings have you all tried on your tenors?
    • Of those, what worked/didn't work/surprised you?
    • Has anyone tried tuning a tenor down to cello range? (Obviously heavier strings would be required and one would need to pay careful attention to tension.) How did it work out?


    I just picked up some heavier strings today (.020, .030, .045, .060, all PB) to try tuning my BR-40T down to cello range. I think the .060" string I got for the C is probably still going to be too light/floppy (I was hoping to get closer to a .070", but went with the heaviest the store could give me right away), but I figured it would be close enough to see what sort of tone I could get. (I'm also aware that I'll need to spring for a new nut and saddle if I want to really commit to this.) I know a 23" scale would be pretty short for a mandocello. I struggle with the stretches required for a 25" scale, though, and don't have the space or funds to add another instrument to the herd right now, so I figured this might be a more economical way to see if it's something I want to invest in at some point in the future.

    All that to say, I'm curious what other tuning experiments folks have done, and their results. I look forward to your stories!

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  3. #2
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuning Experiments

    Tuning the C up to a D and fingerpicking "Morning Blues" works for me.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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  5. #3
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    Default Re: Tuning Experiments

    For what it's worth, I normally play guitar tuned in all fourths (EADGCF), so my version of Chicago tuning on a tenor is DGCF instead of DGBE.

    The tunings I've tried on tenor, the guitars, and a comment on each are -

    CGDA Kay Kraft 23" scale - fun to play, but not ideal for longer single note parts at this scale. I love it for chordal parts and songwriting, and sometimes it serves as my fake mandolin/fake terz for recording purposes.

    CGDA SS Stewart 21" scale - only tried it briefly, guitar is about to get some work done, seems very promising so far for single notes and 4 part harmony sort of like what you can do on a uke; for some reason only having the 4 strings lets you think about the individual voices in a more compositional way compared to a 6 string guitar

    EADG and DGCF Gibson ETG-150 - fun to play for a while, and it sounded great, but the short scale (relative to this tuning) kept it from being something I felt I could use regularly. I would rather just play a 6 string with a longer scale, if I'm not going to use a 5ths tuning.

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  7. #4

    Default Re: Tuning Experiments

    I generally use CGDA, CGDG, and CGCG. In the last year I've switched to a six string tuning of FCGDGA, which I've just written about on the six string thread.

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  9. #5

    Default Re: Tuning Experiments

    An update on my little experiment: the intonation on the C string is pretty far off (the other three aren't perfect, but they're closer), but it's not as floppy as I was afraid it would be, and I am liking the general sound enough that I emailed the local repair guy I've gone to in the past for an estimate on a new nut/saddle. I'll be sure to post an update (and, hopefully, a sound clip) once it's properly set up!

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