When I play open G on my acoustic guitar, I use DGDGBD. When I play it on a square neck, It's GBEGBE. The higher tension is great for a square neck and the lower tension DGDGBD won't bend your round neck.

I don't know the context of which you are reading.

G-B-D-G-B-D (L-H) is by far THE dominate square neck guitar tuning used in bluegrass, country and many roots genres.

D-G-D-G-B-D (Taro Patch tuning) is often used used for blues related round neck guitars.

There are of course other tunings for both Sq/RND neck guitars. Some are pretty obscure.

hp

Then there's the open G tuning that Keith Richards plays using only 5 strings.

 G-D-G-B-D (low to high)

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Originally posted by Mooooo

When I play open G on my acoustic guitar, I use DGDGBD. When I play it on a square neck, It's GBEGBE. The higher tension is great for a square neck and the lower tension DGDGBD won't bend your round neck.

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I didn't see they typo until now. Actually, like most people, I play the GBDGBD G tuning on the square neck reso. Sorry.

For those roundneckers who haven't tried the Keith 5-string G, it's pretty cool in how it sounds without that low D. As for less tension on the cone, I didn't have any issues (though I may be an exception rather than a rule.)

I use the low-bass G {taro patch) tuning on square neck for playing alternating bass accompaniment to the melody on the treble strings.

As Howard alludes, context matters.

Outside the dobro community, most guitarists hearing “open G” will assume DGDGBD, in my experience.

Within the dobro world, GBDGBD is the standard reference point.

Personally, I call GBDGBD “dobro G tuning” or simply “G tuning”.

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Originally posted by hlpdobro

. . . G-B-D-G-B-D (L-H) is by far THE dominate square neck guitar tuning used in bluegrass, country and many roots genres.

D-G-D-G-B-D (Taro Patch tuning) is often used used for blues related round neck guitars. . . .

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Yup. I've read posts from a few people who use DGDGBD for both, but I've never heard of anyone using GBDGBD on roundneck.

You could also make it really easy and go with Lou Reed's Ostrich Tuning- D-D-D-D-d'-d'

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Originally posted by Charlie Bernstein

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Originally posted by hlpdobro

. . . G-B-D-G-B-D (L-H) is by far THE dominate square neck guitar tuning used in bluegrass, country and many roots genres.

D-G-D-G-B-D (Taro Patch tuning) is often used used for blues related round neck guitars. . . .

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Yup. I've read posts from a few people who use DGDGBD for both, but I've never heard of anyone using GBDGBD on roundneck.

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The only people even familiar with GBDGBD, "high bass" or "dobro Open G" are dobro players, and some non players who happen to be around dobro players, like fellow members of a bluegrass band who are aware of it.  

Whenever I've been around a guitar player who might be familiar with DGDGBD but they have little knowledge of the dobro I've had to explain the difference. 

Interesting sidebar: I learned about seven string Russian guitar tuning awhile back. Regular acoustic guitar with gut strings and later steel strings. It's sometimes known as gypsy guitar. The tuning was invented in the late 1700's - DGBDGBD. Our dobro tuning with an added D on the bottom. I was watching a video of top players of this style and they put on a festival in Iowa City at the University of Iowa.

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Originally posted by JC Dobro

As Howard alludes, context matters. . . .

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The context being: roundneck or squareneck?

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Originally posted by Charlie Bernstein

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Originally posted by JC Dobro

As Howard alludes, context matters. . . .

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The context being: roundneck or squareneck?

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In my eyes, yes, that's the main distinction.

And since round neck players overwhelmingly outnumber square neck players, I generally avoid saying "Open G" tuning if John Q. Public inquires at random.

My resposne is usually "it's a G Tuning - GBDGBD".

FWIW, many times that discussion thread is preceded by a "what do you call that instrument" inquiry.  Cue the "dobro vs square neck resonator/resophonic guitar" debate...LOL.

Jamie, an old friend of mine who is a good buddy of my older brother is a really good guitar player and back when I was in high school in the early 1970s he taught me some chords on the guitar. He was the first guy I  ever knew personally with a Martin, he had a D-18.

But I guess he never messed around with open tunings and just stuck with standard tuning because after not having seen him in several years we had a big jam at another friend's house and I brought my Clinesmith. I explained G dobro tuning and then we proceeded to play a song in G.  After that he asked me if I was able to play in other keys and I told him I can play in any key, though some are easier than others. And this wasn't the only time this sort of thing has come up - I've had a few other guitar players over the years ask me similar questions. 

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Originally posted by wlgiii

For those roundneckers who haven't tried the Keith 5-string G, it's pretty cool in how it sounds without that low D. As for less tension on the cone, I didn't have any issues (though I may be an exception rather than a rule.)

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It is cool. Since I mostly fingerpick, I don't have to remove the low E string.

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Originally posted by MarkinSonoma

Jamie, an old friend of mine who is a good buddy of my older brother is a really good guitar player and back when I was in high school in the early 1970s he taught me some chords on the guitar. He was the first guy I  ever knew personally with a Martin, he had a D-18.

But I guess he never messed around with open tunings and just stuck with standard tuning because after not having seen him in several years we had a big jam at another friend's house and I brought my Clinesmith. I explained G dobro tuning and then we proceeded to play a song in G.  After that he asked me if I was able to play in other keys and I told him I can play in any key, though some are easier than others. And this wasn't the only time this sort of thing has come up - I've had a few other guitar players over the years ask me similar questions. 

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Yep, I've had similar conversations with guitarists, some more informed about dobro and open tunings than others.

To add another layer of complexity, I have Hipshot DoubleShots installed on my resonators, which leads into more questions and responses :)

Unrelated to the open tuning topic.  But one of my favorite things to see during gigs is someone pointing at me and explaining to someone else (and miming) how I'm getting the sound out of a guitar played sideways with a metal bar.  The "first timer" being educated is fun to see, and they're usually very engaged.

We played at a senior center yesterday, and though we were electric the comment we most heard was "more steel!" If I had brought the dobro or tricone, they still would have been saying that.

Jamie, the classic knee jerk reaction from people - mostly guitar players, since the DoubleShot first hit the market: "Is that some kind of whammy bar?" 

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Originally posted by MarkinSonoma

Jamie, the classic knee jerk reaction from people - mostly guitar players, since the DoubleShot first hit the market: "Is that some kind of whammy bar?" 

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LOL, I've had that, yes :)

And some guitarists have a hard time wrapping their heads around the device changing different strings by different intervals.  They either  liken it to a capo, or a single string bender.  After some explanation (and a demo), all becomes clear.