I searched for but didn't find any mention (even from David's lessons) about tuning a 12-string a half-step below concert pitch to reduce strain on the neck. I've used a capo on the first fret of my old Yamaha from the time I first got it, and just wondered what others' preference was on the subject.
I s'pose it does make learning a little more interesting, too: "Uh, *third* fret? Oh, okay, that's *that* one now."
BTW, I was reading the Newsletter Archives and saw a reference to David's "Double Your Pleasure" article. Any of you who have a "twelver" and haven't read that yet should check it out. < https://www.guitarnoise.com/print_article.php?id=75 > is the printer-friendly version.
I'm waiting for 02/01, when the MP3s come back from Capistrano. 8)
--
Doug C.
"My chromatic tuner is my friend."
It's up to you, but I'd go 1/2 a step. I have a Martin D-12-20 that I just tune to standard.
i tune my yamaha 12 string down a whole step; but its up to you. Tuning that high g string to concert pitch freaks me out :shock:
later,
~ghost~ :shock:
"Colour made the grass less green..." 3000 miles, Tracy Chapman
I leave my Ovation in standard, but Ovation 12 strings seem to be espeically durable.
The king of rock, some say lives
the lizard king, is surely dead
the king of France, lost his head
the King of Kings... bled
( email me at esherman@wideopenwest.(com). I almost never check my hotmailaccount.
i tune my yamaha 12 string down a whole step; but its up to you. Tuning that high g string to concert pitch freaks me out :shock:
I hear ya. Takes the fun out of it when a string lets go; somebody could lose an eye or somethin'. :wink:
I finally printed (and actually finished reading) David's "Double Your Pleasure" article. On the last couple of pages, he does mention tuning down to reduce strain on the neck, but says he's not too concerned about it. A braver man than I . . .
I just peeked inside mine with a flashlight, and saw that it's an FG-230. I've had it since maybe 1975, and hope to use it for at least another 30 years. All the lessons and stuff I'm finding on GN could keep me occupied for about that long. :)
Thanks for the input so far.
--
Doug C.
I leave my Ovation in standard, but Ovation 12 strings seem to be espeically durable.
The guy who was my ambulance crew partner and guitar mentor in Rome NY all those years ago played a Yamaha in those days, and that's what interested me in it. I loved the sound. I got the half-step-below idea from Mike, too.
Later on, Mike got an Ovation, and I think that's what he's still using today. (Had pics of it, with him and by itself, on the front and back of his "Turning Point" CD.) He was pretty impressed with the construction of it.
But in between the Yamaha and the Ovation, he tried an Applause. It looked like the Ovation, but the stuff on the back of the body (phenolic?) rubbed off on his shirt during the course of a gig. Blech. :P
I have a Seagull M12, and I always had it tuned down a half step to ease the tension on the neck, and also because when I got it, my hands weren't strong enough to use barre chords very effectively when it was in standard tuning. I keep it tuned to concert pitch now though, I find it sounds better and plays better. I am careful to watch for signs of warping though.
If the question is whether to tune it down a half-step or whole step, I would tune it down a half-step just because so many songs are written in this tuning nowadays.
And welcome to GuitarNoise Doug and Damient!
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
