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Post by fatfingerjohn on Dec 29, 2021 17:51:01 GMT
I've got a fantastic Auden 12-string, the nicest by far I've ever played. I have it conventionally tuned as a 12er except down half a step.
It superceded my Crafter 12 string which I never really liked (but still have it); a bit too harsh and twangy for me although better with lighter strings. And to be fair I largely play a 12er the same way as a 6er so don't really play 12-string guitar as such if you know what I mean.
Anyway, I came across a video today of a 9 string and it got me thinking.
--I guess I could simply remove 3 of the bottom strings on my Crafter and then I've got a 9-er??? --Easier then to fingerpick the bass notes? --Or is it not as simple as that? --And, if any of you guys actually play a 9er, how do you tune it i.e. conventional with just 3 strings removed, or do you use a totally different tuning?
Before I start taking strings off to try it, any experienced input would be useful. Below is a video of a Fursch 9er and on YouTube; you can find a few more from different manufacturers including Taylor, Alvarez.
FFJ
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Dec 29, 2021 22:03:33 GMT
My totally not from experience answer would be - give it a go!
Or, better still IMHO would be to use the Crafter with heftier strings tuned down to C-c and get some old style growl going..
or, as another thought, why not remove the lower E,A,D,G and one B and one E to give yourself a hi-strung (Nashville tuning I think it's called) guitar. These sound lovely strummed or fingerpicked, esp in the company of other guitars.
Have fun!
Keith
... fingerpicking a 12er is a lot easier with a thunmbpick than bare thumb.
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Post by fatfingerjohn on Dec 30, 2021 17:14:02 GMT
My totally not from experience answer would be - give it a go! Or, better still IMHO would be to use the Crafter with heftier strings tuned down to C-c and get some old style growl going.. or, as another thought, why not remove the lower E,A,D,G and one B and one E to give yourself a hi-strung (Nashville tuning I think it's called) guitar. These sound lovely strummed or fingerpicked, esp in the company of other guitars. Have fun! Keith ... fingerpicking a 12er is a lot easier with a thunmbpick than bare thumb. Thanks for this interesting reply Keith. I've heard of Nashville tuning but never explored it. I've just watched an excellent starter video on it (below) which explains it very clearly and talks about the options for which string gauges to use and what type of guitar. He also shows some examples of songs where a Nashville tuned guitar adds another dimension. Very interesting. The video is obviously using a 6-string guitar tuned in Nashville rather than a 12 string with 6 strings taken off (which of course would leave a pretty wide neck). But its worth trying on my old 12-er. Lots of food for thought. (I've tried using a thumb pick but didn't get on with it. Perhaps too old to change old habits now....).
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Post by fred7 on Dec 30, 2021 20:52:31 GMT
I have a guitar half finished at the moment which is destined to be a 9 string which I have wanted to do for some time now. Reason being is that I like to fingerpick my 12 string but my thumb nail doesn't agree with two strings on the bass side. As you suggest, I feel the overall sound is too jangly at the expense of the bass notes so a 12 string setup with the octave strings removed from the bottom 3 strings seems ideal. Of course, a purpose built 9 string would have a more even string spacing but starting with 12 minus 3 is the obvious way to try.
If it's good enough for Furch to make a 9 string guitar it must be a good idea.
It won't hurt to take 3 strings off or you could buy a new set of 12 strings and just put 9 on, then decide if you want to put the other three on. Nothing to lose.
As for the Nashville tuning, I have often thought of taking a 12 set and splitting them between two 6 string guitars for a duet with a friend (if I had one). I never knew doing this had a name so I've learned something today, thanks.
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Post by stringdriventhing on Dec 31, 2021 0:04:00 GMT
I tried one of the Furch 9 string guitars a few years back... it was an interesting hybrid and it sounded pretty cool. I could see how it would be good for fingerpicking if you didn’t like picking the bass strings on a 12 string. Nashville tuning is great... it sounds really good recorded over a regular guitar.
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Post by PistolPete on Dec 31, 2021 13:30:05 GMT
Big Joe Williams famously played homemade 9-strings. He either used to take three strings off a 12, or add three tuners across the top of the headstock on a six-string. Apparently, he used a variation of open G tuned D G DD G BB DD.
A guy I used to know did a lot of slide work on a 12 with three strings removed and a soundhole pickup - I would guess he was inspired by Big Joe.
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