Does anyone use Nashville tuning?

[Jeeves]

I guess you use the high strings from a 12-string set in place of strings 1-4 (low E, A, D, G) and then the regular guage strings on the high E and B.

I'm curious if anyone uses this or if there are any recordings I could check out? I have a Breedlove S series sitting around that I don't play much and think I may try this just for fun...

[gtrnstuff]

Originally Posted by Jeeves

I guess you use the high strings from a 12-string set in place of strings 1-4 (low E, A, D, G) and then the regular guage strings on the high E and B.

I'm curious if anyone uses this or if there are any recordings I could check out? I have a Breedlove S series sitting around that I don't play much and think I may try this just for fun...

Occasionally. I used to get requests for it. All the shimmer, none of the mud.

[Old Tele man]

...sorta like single-string mandolin meets banjo twang!

[billv]

I don't have a recording, however, I've got an old '40s Orpheum guitar Nashville strung, and its pretty cool. Worth a try!

[59 Deluxe]

i've played with it a little before, and it is fun. as far as recordings, and if you already know this i apologize, but the stones use it quite a bit on 'sticky fingers'. on 'wild horses' for instance.

[Jeeves]

Originally Posted by 59 Deluxe

the stones use it quite a bit on 'sticky fingers'. on 'wild horses' for instance.

I didn't know that - thanks, I'll have a listen. I think James Taylor uses it as an overdub on his track "Runaway Boy" from the Never Die Young CD. I'm not positive but there is something funky going on there...

[Realfi]

"Even the Sweet Things Die" which you can listen to via my myspace link below features a Nashville tuned Martin 00018 doubling the Electric guitar rhythm part and the solo.

I love using Nashville strung guitars for this sort of layered thing. You can get all the sparkle where a 12-string would be a bit too dense.

[Chops]

Would a smaller-body acoustic, e.g., 00-, 000-, or OM, work out best for the Nashville tuning?

[Realfi]

Originally Posted by Chops

Would a smaller-body acoustic, e.g., 00-, 000-, or OM, work out best for the Nashville tuning?

I've found that to be the case...at least in the textural way that I use it.

The Martin 00018 that I used was just magic in that tuning-fairy dust!

[Brett Valentine]

Had a Martin 0001 that I put into Nashville tuning, and it had a nice, live tone that was warm at the same time. Tried Nashville tuning on my Taylor 612C and it was very bright and present, but lacked a bit of the warmth and "beauty" (for lack of a better word) the Martin gave it.

Brett

[Tim Bowen]

I cuts tracks with high-strung tuning pretty regularly. I use an old Epiphone acoustic and an Epiphone SG Jr with a single P90. When I cut Rickenbacker 360/12 parts, I like to double with the SG Jr, just to make sure the high end stuff is articulate. Most of my "twelve string" parts anymore are a combo of standard and high-strung acoustic or electric guitars. I like having them separate, as it allows more flexibility as to stereo panning, and EQ. Not to mention, it's also easier to play some of the parts with this approach.

One trick about Nashville tuning is that the high E and B strings tend to ring a bit louder than the lower four strings. With an electric guitar, you can compensate somewhat by backing off the pickup height, but it's still an issue. Along these lines, some limiting and compression can be your good friend, and if you're tracking, I would recommend printing compression as you track, as opposed to superimposing after the fact. Roger McGuinn has long been a proponent of compression with electric twelve string guitars.

I've only been screwing around with high-strung tuning over the last year or so. All of the tracks that I've cut are for a record that's ready to mix, which I'm not at liberty to post.

It's a really cool sound, enjoy.

[Brett Valentine]

One thing I'm looking forward to trying is recording Nashville tuning against my bari-acoustic. That should make an interesting spread.

Brett

[DANOCASTER]

I use the hi-strung acoustic ALL the time in the studio

a favorite trick that I highly recommend is to play it w/ a "Jellyfish" pick. Absolutely unbelivable harpsicord-type sounds.. Everyone always asks about it - it's VERY cool

Try it - you'll like it

[James]

I love high-string/Nashville tuning and find it very useful for recording. I'll share an idea I came up with years ago. Some might not dig it, but I love it: I use a Martin Backpacker in high-strung/Nashville tuning. There's no bass on that guitar anyway, so you really bring out the mandolin-y/banjo-ish aspects of the tuning. I've used it live and people always come up and ask me what the heck it is, because they don't know if it's a guitar or what...

Danocaster, that JellyFish idea sounds cool...

James

[Realfi]

Originally Posted by James

I love high-string/Nashville tuning and find it very useful for recording. I'll share an idea I came up with years ago. Some might not dig it, but I love it: I use a Martin Backpacker in high-strung/Nashville tuning.
James

Cool idea! I've overdubbed with backpackers for other things but never thought of that...