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Tunings- E & A strings

Posted by Avant Gardener on January 30, 2011 at 1:53pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I just found a box of vintage Gretch acoustic guitar strings from the 1920's, all E & A strings.  I don't know the gauge.  The E says #241 and the A says #239. What other string would work with these and what tuning? I would like suggestions for a good common tuning so I can learn a few chords.  Currently I have my CBG almost finished and it set up as G B D and didn't see as many chord charts for this tuning.

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Replies

  • Bad Finger (Eric) January 31, 2011 at 9:14am
    As a beginner, I am enjoying the "X"5 tunings.  I have two tuned EBE right now.  DAD and GDG are other popular tunings.  Sounds wicked awesome on my Fender Champ cranked up to 12.

    Avant Gardener said:
    I think I want to go pretty standard on this one .  I notice there is the (GBD)tuning I am using and another GDG, which would require deferent strings tham I'm currently using.  Is GDG basically the same chord shapes.  Which do you prefer?

    Henry Lowman said:
    Considering your name, don't worry about the tuning or the chord charts. IMPROVISE! LOL!!! Oh, yes, welcome to the madnessssssssssssssss that is CIGAR BOX NATION!
  • Keni Lee Burgess January 31, 2011 at 7:50am
    I don't think you really want to use those old strings. They are going to sound flat and be stiff. Enjoy.
  • Avant Gardener January 30, 2011 at 10:17pm
    I think I want to go pretty standard on this one .  I notice there is the (GBD)tuning I am using and another GDG, which would require deferent strings tham I'm currently using.  Is GDG basically the same chord shapes.  Which do you prefer?

    Henry Lowman said:
    Considering your name, don't worry about the tuning or the chord charts. IMPROVISE! LOL!!! Oh, yes, welcome to the madnessssssssssssssss that is CIGAR BOX NATION!
  • Henry Strat-o-varius Lowman January 30, 2011 at 9:37pm
    Considering your name, don't worry about the tuning or the chord charts. IMPROVISE! LOL!!! Oh, yes, welcome to the madnessssssssssssssss that is CIGAR BOX NATION!
  • Don Thompson January 30, 2011 at 4:57pm
    I realized I should have mentioned your open G tuning if barred straight across the strings will give you every  major chord as you move up the neck. That's the beauty of open tunings. In other words if you strum all the strings you have made a G major chord, if you move up two frets you make a A major chord and so on.

    Don Thompson said:

    Add a D string, crank up the distortion and learn power chords, root, fifth and an added root on the D string. Google power chords.

    Don

  • Don Thompson January 30, 2011 at 3:33pm

    Add a D string, crank up the distortion and learn power chords, root, fifth and an added root on the D string. Google power chords.

    Don

  • Outhouse Instruments January 30, 2011 at 3:01pm

    If you use those strings make sure you have eye protection.

    Really dude strings that are 90 years old?

     

    The gauge is probably .41 and .39.

     

    But really you're not considering using them?

     

     

    Matt

This reply was deleted.