Ab Db Ab Db Gb Bb

Wow, I've never seen that one. Can I ask what you want it for, or where you saw it. That would require some major retuning, with some strings going up or down three whole steps. If you tune up, that would put a lot of stress on the strings/neck of the guitar. If you tune down, the strings would get awfully loose.

The way I see it, you would want to do the following (but I wouldn't do it until someone else who knows better chimes in):

E: up 2 or down 4
A: up 2 or down 4
D: up or down 3
G: up or down 3
B: up 3.5 or down 2.5
e: up or down 3

hi slydog, it's called drop A i believe and i'm wanting it to use on 4 staind songs that i'm in the process of trying to learn right now. so i imagine that all the strings would drop, well they'd have to. i sort have an ideal but i wanted to make sure i am on it.

like what i was thinking is drop the 6th string to match the A on the 5th string.

then drop the high e to match the B and then the B string to match the G.

then come back and drop the 3rd and 5th strings into D and then finally match the last one to the low A.

droping them to the flat from there is no problem at all.

So do you think that would work.

if only i knew which frets to fret which strings i could do it that way as well, lol

Hiya,

From bottom to top:

E - standard
A - standard
E - tune up one tone
A - tune up one tone
D - tune up one and a half-tones
F# - tune up one tone

then slam a capo on the 4th fret.

Best,

A :-)

Hiya,

From bottom to top:

E - standard
A - standard
E - tune up one tone
A - tune up one tone
D - tune up one and a half-tones
F# - tune up one tone

then slam a capo on the 4th fret.

Best,

A :-)

ok are you saying to tune up then slap a capo on then do a standard tuning then take the capo back off again? I want to tune down, and play without a capo. it'd get in my way lol

E - standard
A - standard
E - tune up one tone
A - tune up one tone
D - tune up one and a half-tones
F# - tune up one tone

then slam a capo on the 4th fret.

If you are going to do that, why not:

E - down 1
A - down 1
D - leave alone
G - leave alone
D - up a half-tones
E - leave alone

then slam a capo on the 5th fret.

See, I told you to wait until someone who knows what they're talking about shows up. :)

See, I told you to wait until someone who knows what they're talking about shows up. :)
thats not what i had in mind. i want to TUNE the guitar down, not UP and slamming capos halfway up the neck. thanks anyway

You'll probably need a baritone guitar if you want to do that.

IMHO - if you tune that far down, your strings are going to flap around on the neck. If you tune up the strings will likely break.

Alternatively, go for a seven string:

Thickest to thinnest:

Ab - tune down a tone and a half from B
Db - tune down a tone and a half from E
Ab - tune down half a tone from A
Db - tune down half a tone from D
Gb - tune down half a tone from G
Bb - tune down half a tone from B

remove the top E string, I guess, as it doesn't seem to be used

I like Nick's idea, too

What song are you playing, Pup?

Best,

A :-)

You'll probably need a baritone guitar if you want to do that.

Whats a Baritone guitar? what do they look like?

From what ive heard its like a halfway step in between a Bass and a Guitar. Its got a longer scale length and uses thicker strings or something. I really dont remember that much about them.

Yamaha has a drop 6 guitar that has a longer scale length. so that probably a baritone then. ok i think i know what they are now. you just don't hear about them very much.

A baritone is often tuned BEADF#B, (F#?!?) much like Alan's 7-string with the high e thrown away. This seems the perfect guitar for this application (AbEbAbDbGbBb, is right next door) and probably what was used originally.
I've screwed around with a baritone Tele at GC (at first, I couldn't figure out why the neck was so long, 28" I think, and why my scales sounded so wierd), and Rondo's got one for about $300. Pointy headstock, HSH, and all.