"High-Stringing" Acoustic Guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Titanship
  • Start date Start date
T

Titanship

New member
I used to "high-string" one of my acoustic guitars for a "light feel" to my recordings. Darn thing is, I can't remember what strings to use.
I know these:
(from the top E)
1. D String, tuned to E
2. ?
3. ?
4. E string, tuned to G
5. Regular B string
6. Regular E string

Any one know the others? Thanks.
 
I know there are variations but a Nashville high string is just the octave strings from a 12 string set with a regular b and e string and usually put on a parlor sized guitar.
 
Ed Gerhard link; high strung guitar

http://www.edgerhard.com/subpages/ggandt/ggt.html

Quote from one of his pages:

A high strung guitar is basically a typical six-string, with the bottom four strings an octave higher. My string gauges for the high strung vary with whatever strings I have on hand. From low to high, they are approximately .034, .024, .013, .010, .016, .013. If you have a guitar around that you don't play much anymore, try stringing it up as a high strung- it sounds very cool.
Click to expand...
 
OK, it's all coming back to me now... Thanks guys.

Yes, I have an old OVATION LEGEND that I use for high-stringing. It has a "mandolin sound" to it.

Cheers, Titan
 
I've got an old gibson 12 string that needs some work. I think I'll pull off the low strings and see how it sounds.

Johhny Mar of the Smiths used the Nashville stringing a lot and had some nice sounds with it.

Anybody ever string a 12string with all high strings?
 
Wow, great idea. I bet that would sound quite large.

By the way, how the heck do you "quote" another entry??
Peace, titan
 
Quoting another entry

You go to the "post reply" page, scroll down to the post (or go to the page) you want to quote, highlight the text with your mouse, and hit Ctrl-C. Go back to the "Post reply" window and click on "quote" just above it. Click once in the new text box to locate your cursor, then hit Ctrl-V. Presto.
 
TexRoadkill


That 12 string will probably buzz too much.

Another thing on using a high string; try capoing it up as opposed to the rhythm guitar, like if the song is in C then capo at the fifth fret and play out of G, it'll sound neat and sit in the mix better.
 
philboyd studge said:
TexRoadkill


That 12 string will probably buzz too much.

Another thing on using a high string; try capoing it up as opposed to the rhythm guitar, like if the song is in C then capo at the fifth fret and play out of G, it'll sound neat and sit in the mix better.
Click to expand...
OK, got the quote thing working. Anyway, yes Phil, I've done the capo thing, and you're right- it does sit well in the mix, and usually gives it a nice "sound."

I'd still like to experiment with the 12-string idea though. (however, i don't have a 12-string at present) For certain songs and styles, I really like multiple tracks of acoustic guitar. For instance, Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" record. The Traveling Wilbury's also used a lot of that. I think Jeff Lynne is responsible for introducing Petty to that "concept."
Peace, Titan
 
Hmmm, I've got a rosewood Taylor cutaway 12 I'd be happy to sell.
 
Here's an idea. Not a 12-string, but what the heck. Lay down a guitar track, copy it and set the second track at a very slight delay. Play 'em back and see if anything interesting develops.
 
Treeline said:
Here's an idea. Not a 12-string, but what the heck. Lay down a guitar track, copy it and set the second track at a very slight delay. Play 'em back and see if anything interesting develops.
Click to expand...


Won't that cause some serious flanging? I notice when multitracking that if two otherwise-identical tracks are offset by as little as 1 millisecond, it flanges something awful.


Tex, did Johnny Marr use high stringing on "The Queen Is Dead" album? I always wondered how he got so damn jangly.
 
Re: Quoting another entry

Treeline said:
You go to the "post reply" page, scroll down to the post (or go to the page) you want to quote, highlight the text with your mouse, and hit Ctrl-C. Go back to the "Post reply" window and click on "quote" just above it. Click once in the new text box to locate your cursor, then hit Ctrl-V. Presto.
Click to expand...

that quote tip helped me out too....thanks
 
Delaying the guitar track can be cool but there can be flanging issues to watch out for. With a picked acoustic sound I like having a 120-340ms delay and hard pan the original and delayed to opposite sides. It gives a nice stereo image to plucked and picked notes.

Mar used the Nashville stringing on a lot of stuff. I know he did it on Girlfriend in a Coma. He uses a lot of weird tunings and tunes up a full step with standard tuning so his E is F#. Either that or he always uses a Capo on the 2nd fret. He is one of the masters when it comes to guitar textures in the studio.

The sound on How Soon is Now was done with several Fender Twins using the Vibrato. The amps would go out of sync and they would have to stop and punch in every 8 secods or so.
 
I have an Ovation 12 string set up as a 6 string. I Like the feel of the neck w/ 6 on it. But, I do have to use heavier strings to offset the missing tension. Wouldnt high stringing a regular accoustic with the octave strings in a 12 string set buzz like crazy? ...without a major tweak?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top