Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by turtlehead on March 16, 2014 at 1:33pm

You are using the correct strings.  I haven't used Guitar Tuna, but it looks like you are doing it right.

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on March 16, 2014 at 2:31pm

Another G tuning is GBD, which you can do with 36 (A), 13 (B), 10 (e) strings...and then by tuning the A string down to G and the e down to d, you get more variations with three notes than the power chord tuning of GDg.

String it & make it sing...for sure. Cheers

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 16, 2014 at 2:38pm

This will put your g an octave + a major third below the b string! (16 frets worth) is a hellava gap there...

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 16, 2014 at 2:36pm

It may or may not be the best strings to use, difficult to say when you don't specify your scale length....

I like the lowest three, that way I can do another three string guitar with the high three. I do my necks a little shorter scale than fenders etc tho around 23.5"

With electronic tuners (or app etc) you really want a CHROMATIC tuner IMHO. This is one which tells you which note you're closest to as well as wether you a little flat or sharp. Rather than manually selecting a note. This because you're not using standard guitar tuning

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on March 16, 2014 at 3:03pm

great online tuner at

http://www.get-tuned.com/online_guitar_tuner.php

you can select/adjust note string by string...

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Permalink Reply by Mel Ristau on March 16, 2014 at 3:20pm

OK, I used a 25.5" scale length and placed frets as listed by a fret calculator I found online.

Minus the pickup, the guitar is built and I’m just wanting to test to see if the frets were accurately placed. So, I’ll use strings 46,36,26. I understand that top string is tuned to G but the Tuna app reads “G2” middle string “D2” and bottom G2. Just doesn’t sound right. 

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on March 16, 2014 at 3:50pm

If you used the 46, that's normally an E string for a 25.5" scale length. Tuning that up to G is possible, but puts quite a strain on the neck. With 46-36-26 ( a strangely top heavy young lady I'll call E-A-D), you could easily achieve this tuning: E-A-E, by tuning that D string up to an E. You then would have an E5 power chord, that uses the same fingerings as G-D-G, but in the key of E. Alternatively, you could use the 36-26-17 (A-D-G), and tune to either G-D-G by tuning the A up to G, or even more useful, tune the A-D-G to A-D-F#, which allows for a movable chord system similar to that used on regular six string gits, as popularized by Keni Lee Burgess. Or as was said above, you can approximated 4-string banjo tuning, by using the 26-17-13, which is D-G-B (much easier and more balanced than the 36-17-10), or get even more jangly and high pitched by using the top 3 strings, 17-13-10, or G-B-E, and tune the E up to D, thus giving G-B-D.

As you can see, there's more than one way to go here; depends what tone you are looking for.

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Permalink Reply by Mel Ristau on March 16, 2014 at 5:50pm

> use the 36-26-17 (A-D-G), and tune to either G-D-G by tuning the A up to G

OK, Is the bottom G an octave higher than top G? (Trying to understand the app’s notation before I go snap a string.) drawing attached.

Attachments:

• 6to3String.gif, 44 KB

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on March 17, 2014 at 1:22am

Does anyone else find that slackening the A down to G makes it lose some of it's "omph" - I think I'm going to try two D's and tune one up to G - any suggestions before I lose an eye??

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on March 17, 2014 at 1:39am

Perhaps a little, but depends on scale length and string gauge, I suppose.  I tend to use medium resonator (nickel) strings lately and seems to have plenty of push tuned GDG.

I like Pitchlab (free) tuner on my android phone.  

There are at least a half dozen visualizations for tuning including chromatic display and you can set up custom quick tunings as well.  There is even a continuous chromatic tuner that I use to get my ear trained to sing the same note as I'm playing with along with the guitar.

Presently, my favorite tuning is a 4 string using EADG strings tuned DGdg.  I can select to mute the low D with my thumb when strumming and just finger chords on the Gdg strings, or use the low D as a bass.  Great tuning for rhythm and bass.  Not so much for playing strong leads.

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on March 17, 2014 at 2:00am

safety glasses, for starters, hehe

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Permalink Reply by The Capo Kid on March 17, 2014 at 2:48am

I've used the same strings from a set of  10-46  , tune the (36) from A down to G and the other 2 as a normal 6 string guitar tuning  , so it 'll be G4 (36) , d3 (27) and g3 (17) on the tuner , hope this is clear , download Witchita Sams tuner , select open G which is DGDGBD  and just use the GDG to tune yours i'll be spot on .

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