Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The title of this topic says it all: How do you keep your guitars tuned?

Some people (Roger McGuinn) like to keep their guitars tuned down a half-step from concert pitch. Others (Tom Petty, Mike Campbell) keep some of their guitars tuned a half-step up from concert pitch. Most everyone, though, keeps his guitars in concert pitch.

I, like everyone, keep my guitars in concert pitch...always.

Huh?

I plug it into a tuner and twist the little knobs at the end of the neck until the lights turn green on the tuner.

My air guitar is concert pitch also Jake.

JakeK wrote: I, like everyone, keep my guitars in concert pitch...always.

Well then, looks like this thread was over before it started.

sloop_john_b wrote:

JakeK wrote: I, like everyone, keep my guitars in concert pitch...always.

Well then, looks like this thread was over before it started.

I keep mine at concert pitch.

Some folks keep theirs in alternate tunings. I went to see Dave Wakeling from the English Beat last Friday and judging from the way he was fretting chords, his guitar was tuned to an open E or open D chord. It definitely made playing chords less work while he was singing.

All at concert pitch except my 12 string acoustic. It's down a 1/2 step.

I heard Rickenbackers don't stay in tune...what's the point?

sloop_john_b wrote:

JakeK wrote: I, like everyone, keep my guitars in concert pitch...always.

Well then, looks like this thread was over before it started.

You caught me in another episode of "I Meant to Say..."

In today's episode, I meant to say, "Like most people"

Worry not, Jake. College will turn you into a consummate proofreader. Or, you'll gain 50 pounds and a serious addiction to Milwaukee's Best.

OK, what's the point of Petty & Co. tuning up a half step?

"Free Fallin", "Don't Come Around Here No More", "You Wreck Me". All written in "F"

JakeK wrote:"Free Fallin", "Don't Come Around Here No More", "You Wreck Me". All written in "F"

Vari-speed? Capo?

I very very rarely use alternate tunings, but in my band we use capos on a lot of our songs. We do wacky things with them too, like just cover some of the strings, turn them backwards, upside down, etc. Also, when using capos on both guitars at once, we place them in different spots to get nice thick voicings.

There is a song on our second (unreleased) album where Matt uses a capo turned upside down (to utilize the little back piece of the capo that only covers the A, D, and G strings) on his Alvarez 6-string acoustic on the fourth fret, and fingers chords in C, to sound concert E.

On the 730L/12 I use a capo turned backwards on the second fret, covering all strings except the low E, and finger D chords, also to sound concert E. This is somewhat tricky now that I've added bass pedals, which I leave at concert pitch, as the tuning knob don't work so well.

So, for example, while I'm playing a D chord with my fingers, I have to step on an E on the bass pedals, and then sing verse-backups and chorus-lead on top of that. It takes a little practice. Get your prog on. Word to your moms.

No capo

Many of the singer/songwriters and guitarist around my town use alternate tunings. So many, in fact, that I probably sound fresh and original, just by using standard concert pitch.

First position, cowboy chords or whatever you want to call them, big, fat open chords just sound best to me.