Buc McMaster Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 After a couple of years playing lights tuned down a half step I recently strung up my 200 with DR Sunbeam mediums and returned to concert pitch tuning. Not the big leap I thought it might be, the round core Sunbeams feel quite nice and make the guitar boom. I must admit the half step down was better for me vocally but I've found that I'd rather not capo to play with others. I'll be heading for the Kerrville Folk Festival in June and being tuned to pitch will make things easier around the campfires at night. So I've got a couple months to get the vocal thing worked out. Anyone else going to Kerrville this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dove Histronic Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 For 20+ years I used 13's on my electrics and tuned down half a step, then did the same thing when I went strictly acoustic a few years ago... Now it's lights (12's) tuned to standard, gotta be easier on the neck and instrument itself, as well as less stress on my hands and fingers --- the vocal adjustment wasn't the big deal I thought it would be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 Most well built guitars can withstand concert pitch with medium strings. Just needs a bit of a tweak on the truss rod to compensate. Cat Stevens even tuned his J-200 to open E for "If I Laugh" and the guitar didn't implode. But I supposed when you're rich you can take chances with your guitar 'cause you can always buy another (after giving his away decades ago I see he has a new one now). For me, I wouldn't go more with more tension than standard with mediums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dove Histronic Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 Most well built guitars can withstand concert pitch with medium strings. Agreed --- and all guitars will eventually need the neck reset, it's a question of when... I started tuning down primarily cause Jimi sometimes did, and it helped vocals... A couple decades and style changes later, I heard Doc Watson say lights had enough bark for him, so if it's good enough for Doc, well... I also have concerns about repetitive use stress, so many players on other forums are posting about carpal tunnel, numbness and pain --- nothing hurts now and I'm hoping to keep it that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkharmony Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 ... I recently strung up my 200 with DR Sunbeam mediums and returned to concert pitch tuning. I always thought it strange that I'm the odd duckling with Mediums/concert pitch. Before joining the forum(s) I never realized how many people use lights and/or tune their guitar down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 For standard tuning, I've always used medium gauge strings tuned to concert pitch on the larger-bodied guitars. (On my OM I use light gauge strings tuned to concert pitch.) This is where I find the short-scale length to be an advantage: the medium gauge strings play a bit lighter. Not to mention that with the shorter scale, when tuning down to something like open D, the light gauge strings would give me fits, both in feel and tone. Obviously this is simply a personal preference kind of thing. Buc, I have some very fond memories of the KFF. Many a great night spent under the stars and later hanging around the campfires listening to some awesome music until I could I no longer stay awake. (I'm sure I wouldn't last nearly as long these days as I did back when living in Texas.) Rod Kennedy had announced his retirement not long before we moved to the Pacific Northwest. I hope that the festival has carried on well without him — it was often a truly magical event back when I was making the annual hill country pilgrimage. I'll look forward to hearing about your experience. All the best, Guth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 After a couple of years playing lights tuned down a half step I recently strung up my 200 with DR Sunbeam mediums and returned to concert pitch tuning. Not the big leap I thought it might be' date=' the round core Sunbeams feel quite nice and make the guitar boom. I must admit the half step down was better for me vocally but I've found that I'd rather not capo to play with others. I'll be heading for the Kerrville Folk Festival in June and being tuned to pitch will make things easier around the campfires at night. So I've got a couple months to get the vocal thing worked out. Anyone else going to Kerrville this year? [/quote'] Boy, Buc. Mediums scare the heck out of me anymore. I tried to get my own string making business going about 10 yrs. back, but it was just too expensive. Some of the stress tests on various sizes and materials involved, plus the variable nature of cores and wraps were plain wide range fierce when delivered to me. The figures took me to lights exclusively now days as a consumer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I've just strung my 1966 J-45 with 13's and tuned it up to concert pitch. However, that guitar does spend a lot of it's life in DADGAD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I have one guitar with 13's, the rest with 12's....I can really feel the difference....lol.....but it sounds so good, I'm going to leave them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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