MurkyMark - Posted - 03/11/2010:  10:54:44

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Hi, my name is Mark - long time guitar player, total newbie to lap/reso...

I'm in the research phase of buying my 1st square neck and I've noticed that 8-string units aren't too rare or expensive to consider.

That's set me to wondering if there are advantages and/or disadvantages to just starting out with an 8-string (and how they're normally strung/tuned). Open tuning is new for me already, so why not add two strings while I'm at it?

otbreso - Posted - 03/11/2010:  11:54:03

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Mostly the 8's are used for swing type music in a 9th type tuning (which I like) but I still got a way to go with the 6's. To hear some great 8 string, check out the Mike Auldridge album "eight string swing". Kinda lets a guy know what can be done with an 8.

Stringnut - Posted - 03/11/2010:  18:00:20

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You know Mark, I've been thinking along those lines, too. I've played pedal steel for about 30 years and a couple of years ago I picked up a reso with 6 strings and got hooked. But I love western swing and would love to own an 8 string reso for that reason. Beard just came out with a low cost 8 string in the Gold Tone line and I am really tempted. You can still play 6 string stuff the same way as on an 8 string, just skip the 4th and 8th strings (usually tuned to E) for bluegrass. Just takes a little adjustment in your technique I would think. So, yeah, why not?

Dan

MurkyMark - Posted - 03/11/2010:  19:22:07

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You can still play 6 string stuff the same way as on an 8 string, just skip the 4th and 8th strings (usually tuned to E) for bluegrass. Just takes a little adjustment in your technique I would think.

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No problem -- especially seeing how I don't *have* any technique yet!

You also hit a couple of my hot buttons with your response: I would love to play me some western swing, and I figure if I get half decent on a squareneck my next new instrument will likely be a pedal steel...

So is there a special place to go (or books to read) for 8-stringers, or is it a matter of scouring all the boards for random posts?

Am I correct in assuming that the 'standard' 8-string tuning is EGBDEGBD? That's adding 6ths; do you just change the Es to As for 9th tuning?

Stringnut - Posted - 03/11/2010:  20:31:22

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I had to dig around the internet to find an old interview with Mike Auldridge where he revealed his 8 string tuning and yes, that's where he mentioned the EGBDEGBD tuning he uses. He said he also uses a C6 tuning like ACEGACE with either a high or low string D to fill out the 8 strings. Check out his website for 8 string instructional material and I think Cindy Cashdollar has an 8/6 string steel guitar DVD that may be of some help in understanding the western swing style that could also be applied to the resonator. I don't know of anything else out there that applies directly to 8 string resonator. You might check YouTube videos of a guy named Greg Booth. He uses a 6 string tuning which is EBDGBD in a lot of his arrangements and he does a really fine job on a couple of swing tunes. That low E comes in pretty handy. You might check out the Steel Guitar Forum, too. They have a steel without pedals section where you will find a lot of discussion of different tunings that you could try.Google, Google, Google until you can't Google no more! There is a lot of information out there to stumble upon. It's a fun ride Mark. I started out as a guitar player about 40 years ago and it looks like you've been playing a while,too. Those skills will help a lot. The technique is all related.

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Edited by - Stringnut on 03/11/2010 20:33:27

MurkyMark - Posted - 03/11/2010:  22:27:12

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Wow -- thanks for the tips. I get the Google, of course, but I've always found that it helps to start with asking about what you should be searching for...

Dean Upson - Posted - 03/12/2010:  03:48:57

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Greg Booth uses a low E (E-B-D-G-B-D) tuning on his six string and it sounds fantastic.

Edit: I just noticed that this tuning is mentioned in another post resohangout.com/topic/13019/#183615

Dean

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Edited by - Dean Upson on 03/12/2010 03:55:08

Brad Bechtel - Posted - 03/12/2010:  06:58:53

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I'm currently in Dallas at the Texas Steel Guitar Association Jamboree, and while here I got a chance to play the newly introduced eight string Gold Tone resonator guitar. It's just like the other Paul Beard models that Gold Tone sells (i.e. high quality at a low price) but with eight strings.

The strings are closer together than six string, which is to be expected. The sound is very fine, and I believe they should sell a lot of these for the price (well under $1000 USD).
They have it tuned to G6, bass to treble E G B D E G B D. It's not too hard to get used to that E in between the standard G tuning.

I don't know when these will be available widely, but I'd certainly check them out when they are available.

kimmattis123 - Posted - 03/17/2010:  08:43:46

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I have an 8 and have used it for years. Its a really great instrument.- but the technique is a bit different. [ not much] the extra string to minor [ E in a G tuning] takes a while to get. and the scales are a bit different. If you are a strictly bluegrass guy- keep the 6. I notice great players like use both on different occasions. I can only afford one. So I have the 8.

MurkyMark - Posted - 03/17/2010:  10:20:12

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Originally posted by kimmattis123
I have an 8 and have used it for years. Its a really great instrument.- but the technique is a bit different. [ not much] the extra string to minor [ E in a G tuning] takes a while to get. and the scales are a bit different. If you are a strictly bluegrass guy- keep the 6. I notice great players like use both on different occasions. I can only afford one. So I have the 8.

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Like I said above, I don't have *any* 6-string experience (other than what little I've picked up re-tuning my regular acoustic guitar the last few weeks).

It's looking like the real difficulty is going to be finding instructional materials. Any pointers? Maybe a site with more than 2 EGBDEGBD tabs? And if I'm working with 6-string books, are they gonna teach me techniques (as opposed to riffs) that don't translate to 8-string?

Strictly bluegrass? I'll be surprised if I end up playing bluegrass even 25% of the time on it. All the players I hang with have eclectic tastes, and I'm actually looking forward to the challenge of learning how to resonate with all different kinds of music.

And that only affording one reso is a big point, too...

MurkyMark - Posted - 04/06/2010:  23:51:26

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Whoopie! My new McKenna 8-string arrived today! (picture on my home page)

I don't have much direct experience to compare it to (I've tried out a couple of U.S. Beard squarenecks in a shop a month or two ago), but it sounds wonderful to me. Even without any particular chops I can make it sound crisp & punchy or ring like a bell, and the tonal balance is nearly perfect, IMHO.

I've done a little woodworking, but I can't imagine finishing anything as well as this guitar, and the stain job is way above my grade, too. Style-wise, it's ultra simple, which is just the way I like it.

I am glad I jumped straight to the 8-string. Now that I've had it in my lap & explored a little I think the G6 tuning is going to be a lot more useful for the range of music I expect to be playing (as I've said elsewhere, bluegrass isn't likely to be more than 25%).

Dang! Getting too late to play...

-- Mark

Stringnut - Posted - 04/07/2010:  03:39:07

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Way to go Mark! Congratulations! I'd love to hear some sound bytes down the road after you've had a chance to break her in. Now quit reading this and get back to playing.

Dan

Grizz - Posted - 04/07/2010:  06:48:00

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Hey Mark, what Dan said....................Congratulations. Get the camera and video recorder out now.

Mike

MurkyMark - Posted - 04/08/2010:  15:31:07

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...Congratulations. Get the camera and video recorder out now.

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I'll try for some good pix this weekend, if I'm home enough during daylight to do it justice.

As for video, you've got the wrong guy! I may be a Silicon Valley engineer <yawn>, but I'm also the kind of Luddite who has no use for webcams (even the ones we make!). Then there's the playing problem: I've got a lot of work to do before I'll be worth listening to for more than 30 seconds at a time...

-- Mark

P.S.: Did I mention that going from my 3/4-size Martin LX-1 (tuned to G for practice while waiting) to a real 8-string reso was approximately like going from having a couple of feet of 2x4 in your lap to something more like a railroad tie? This baby has a massive neck!

Grizz - Posted - 04/08/2010:  16:09:01

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That's cool Mark. When you can though I would like to see some pics. I know what you mean about photos that do them justice. I am a amateur/semi pro photographer and I do not like indoor pictures unless you have a studio set up and I don't. The ones on my homepage are not very good. I'm going to take all the instruments outside for photos, I think it lends itself to a more realistic true to life picture. I don't think you will be getting rid of it anytime soon so when you can.

Mike