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36, 26, 17 strings & A, D, and G strings?

Posted by Mel Ristau on March 16, 2014 at 8:08pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

couple of very basic questions related to first tuning of my CBG…

I bought a set of electric guitar strings that are labeled 46, 36, 26, 17, 13 10 and understand that for a 3-string I’m supposed to use the A, D, and G strings. So, for the strings I bought is that strings 36, 28 & 17?
And, does anyone use the Guitar Tuna app? Selecting the Open G tuning, do I tune to these three tuners of a 6-string? (image attached)

stringSize.jpg

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Replies

  • Wichita Sam March 17, 2014 at 9:37am

    slackening a string 2 1/2 steps usually doesnt impact performance.  if you are only playing acoustic, maybe... tuning up the E string is a little drastic.  if it's over tensioned, can cause bend in neck and need to tension up all strings, make the thin strings more vulnerable to breakage.  suggest you try the A string first.  if not satisfied, go to guitar shop and get a single string just a little thicker.....

  • Mel Ristau March 16, 2014 at 10:20pm
    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. 

    • Mel Ristau > Mel Ristau March 17, 2014 at 11:53am
      Most helpful CapoKid. Got it now. Tuned and sounds good! Can someone point me to notes on how to test fret placement? Thanks for all replies.
    • Ron "Oily" Sprague > Mel Ristau March 16, 2014 at 10:50pm
      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.
      • Mel Ristau > Ron "Oily" Sprague March 17, 2014 at 12:50am

        > 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.

        6to3String.gif

        • The Capo Kid > Mel Ristau March 17, 2014 at 9:48am

          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 .

        • jawbone > Mel Ristau March 17, 2014 at 8:22am

          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??

          • Scott aka Farmer Ted > jawbone March 17, 2014 at 9:00am

            safety glasses, for starters, hehe

          • Bad Finger (Eric) > jawbone March 17, 2014 at 8:39am

            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.

  • Wichita Sam March 16, 2014 at 10:03pm

    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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