Strings and Tunings
Over the past quarter of a century or so. I have tried and become a devotee of many different
manufacturers of strings, and doubtless there will be many more in the future. Currently I use a phosphor bronze strings
on my six string guitars and on my resonator guitar, and favour a set with a top string gauge of .012 and for the resonator
guitar I uses a heavy gauge set with top string gauge .016
But on my
12 string guitars, I still use the same brand that I discovered back in the 1960s. For a number of years I did not have
a 12 string guitar, but when I finally got another, I searched out a supplier of La Bella Silk and Steel 12 strings.
They have a beautiful resonance, and due to the wrapping of silk and steel They tend to have a lower tension
than other types of string. This is an important consideration with 12 string guitars. This is especially important
when using strings of as heavy gauge as I use. Players like Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell tuned their guitars very low
Leadbelly often tuned the bass down to A#, and Blind Willie McTell sometimes tuned his bass string as low as G.
(A note on 12 string guitars)
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Mk53 Gibson: D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass set EJ19. Generally in standard tuning, or open D tuning.
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Antoria J200: D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass set EJ19.Genrally in standard tuning or open D tuning.
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Shaftsbury Resonator: D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Dobro set EJ42. Generally in open G tuning or open D tuning.
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Lakewood D18/12 12 string: La Bella Silk & Steel Heavy Gauge set 71012H the top strings are .014 which is very heavy.
As a consequence the guitar is tuned a long way below concert pitch. The bottom "E" string is never tuned above A#
and the others are tuned relative to it. To tune any higher could cause serious damage to the guitar. Almost invariably
tuned to the standard interval so that when I hold down an E chord, I am in fact playing A#.
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Avalon L32/12 12 string: La Bella silk & steel Light Gauge set 71012L the top string gauge .011. Generally in
standard tuning or open D tuning. Rarely open G.
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