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Any one play in open A tuning on a 4 string?

I have been playing in a band for the last 3 months and started with the slandered open G but have switched open A and really like it. I am still using the middle 4 strings from a 6 string pack of 10's I find I can get some real metal sound out of "Janet" my guitar as well as some blues sounds as well. So my question is this anyone else playing this tuning out there or am I the only freak out there.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 10, 2015 at 6:52am

Front of Janet

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on March 10, 2015 at 11:45am

I've made and set up 4 stringers with the same strings. But I tune them ADF#B, wnich is D6 or an alternate uke tuning.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 10, 2015 at 1:13pm

Cool that's one I will try when the singer is late. Lol

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on March 10, 2015 at 4:14pm

I use that one, too, along with GDGB, and BbF#BbD.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 10, 2015 at 4:38pm

That last one is filled with B. Lol no all joking aside really what the last one called?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on March 11, 2015 at 7:42am

I mistyped the F#, should be F...would it make more sense if I told you the lower case B's are flats? So Bb = B flat...or you can write it as sharps: A# - F - A# - D

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 11, 2015 at 11:07am

I was pulling your chain Ron on the too many B comment sorry if you took that to heart. The F makes more sense. From a tonal point that should be higher than what I use now and I am pushing my singer to his braking point. Insert evil laugh here.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on March 13, 2015 at 5:03pm

No, I knew dat. I just like to B clear.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 10, 2015 at 3:25pm

So looks like I am the only one doing this tuning. I am a freak

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Permalink Reply by TN Twang on March 11, 2015 at 4:47am

If memory serves, A-E-a-c# is one of the tunings Justin Johnson uses on his tutorial on (4-string) slide guitar. Likewise--as best I can recall--Keni Lee Burgess uses G'-D-G-b--which is the same thing, only a whole step lower. I'd say you're in pretty impressive company. (Justin implies that he learned the tuning by listening to some guy called Muddy Waters?)

If you're playing a hand-made CBG with no truss rod, I might lean towards Keni's slightly lower G tuning instead of open A just to reduce the tension on the neck. On the other hand, the A tuning probably gives you a tone with more "bite."

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on March 11, 2015 at 11:18am

I run it on a maple neck with a Purple Heart wood fingerboard attached to a solid body so I do not think the tensions to much ( been working with no tuning issues since December). I hardly have to tune Janet at all ( that's my main ax) maybe up or down a 1/4 turn she seams more stable than my Gibson witch is always flat even in standard tuning. Lol Yah on a CBG it may be to much as you said. The tone is great ice and pretty on cleans and metal on distortion. I found the open G to be a bit weak for solos it's better for rhythm parts though. My singer has a hard time cutting over me lol.