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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 7, 2015 at 12:14pm

A bit of room between the frets is very nice to explore the quarter tones like Muddy or Ry Cooder, but too much 'fib room' makes things like these C6 Hawaiian tricks really difficult ...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WZnklqaGVzA

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on March 6, 2015 at 12:43pm

Let me go the complete opposite direction here and say that the instruments I've built were generally 17" scale, and 19" scale, and 21" scale was really pushing it for me.

But you can make them any size you want.  Once you decide on the tuning you think you'd like (say GDg), you go here:

http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.htm

and for each string, put in your desired open tuning note and the scale length of your instrument and it tells you what string to use.  Then to to Gitty's string page and pick out a set of strings that comes pretty close.  

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Permalink Reply by TN Twang on March 7, 2015 at 3:11am

Great! Many thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on March 9, 2015 at 8:32am

Diane,

Thanks for posting and the link. I am not sure being a newbie I totally understand how it works. Where they say select open tuning am I to say open g if I am planning on gdg or do I need to select each string individually? Also for the strings on cbgitty I noticed they say for 24 to 26 inch range. Do they also sell for shorter lengths and I am just missing it?

Thanks again!
Mike

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on March 15, 2015 at 12:02pm

Sorry so long to reply.

Each string, one at at a time and get the calculation of the string you need for the open tuning you desire.  Remember that they use a notation system that indicates octaves.  For example G and g are an octave apart, as are g and g'.  Thus the tuning Gdg is how they would describe the standard CBG tuning we around here often call GDG.  Right now I cannot recall what this notation system is called, but there is a great wikipedia article about it, if only I could remember the search terms to use.

Then buy a set that is pretty close to the three numbers you got from the calculator.  The length of the actual string is unimportant.  If you build small, like me, you end up cutting off a whole lot.

FWIW, I have found that shorter instruments tend to be louder if you go with higher open tunings.  My favorites have been AEA, but you'll end up playing alone because who plays in A?  Only crazy old-time Appalachian fiddlers.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on March 15, 2015 at 1:31pm

Excellent thank you that helps a lot. I appreciate it. I am trying to get a handle on all of this. Thank you again!
Mike

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Permalink Reply by TN Twang on March 16, 2015 at 3:34am

...and mandolins and Irish tenor banjo players. (All tuned and fingered about the same.) A and D seem to be their best open keys.

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Permalink Reply by Reeds Taylor on March 8, 2015 at 5:56pm

I began on a 25.5 scale...and because of short stubby fingers...all my personal built guits are 24" scale now a days.....I find them easier for myself....I generally use a lower gauged set of strings...so to get closer sound to a 25.5 scale guit. 

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