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Post by kristo on Dec 16, 2018 20:23:52 GMT
I’m going to be getting my National set up in January and I’m not entirely sure which way to go.....
I play 80% of the time in standard EADGBE tuning, both jazz style comping and fingerpicking. The other 20% is opening tuning fingerpicking with a little bit of slide.
I can’t decide whether to go with 12-54s which are great for the standard tuning stuff but means I’m tuning up to open E or A, or 13-56s which are harder for the standard stuff but work nicely for the open stuff. Jazz comping for long periods of time on 13-56s gives my left forearm a bit of grief so I’m swaying to the lighter strings.
Is it ok to keep tuning 12-54s up to open E and A then back to standard? Or is it better to go heavy and tune down? Any advice or experience would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Post by snakehips on Dec 16, 2018 21:27:22 GMT
Hi there !
There is a simple way around this predicament.
Have TWO Nationals !!
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 16, 2018 22:00:27 GMT
Hi Kristo,
My advice to you is to get the guitar and try different sets of strings. There are no rules, you can do any of the combinations you have talked about with either gauge of strings. No matter how much advice is offered, you have to try things and form your own preferences. So to finish what I am saying, my advice is to get your guitar from DK with his or NRP's standard setup and string gauges, and start with that.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by lonelyjelly on Dec 17, 2018 0:25:20 GMT
Hey Kris
You could tune down to open D and open G etc using 12-54’s and just pop a 13,14 or 15 on the top string if you’re worried about slide.
Alternatively you could go with 56-13 (or 15) tuned in standard but down a step and capo at the 2nd. I tend to do that, making it easier on the left hand with the heavier strings.
Glad you’re getting your NRP back :-)
Cheers
Lew
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Post by Kris on Dec 17, 2018 0:31:17 GMT
Is it ok to keep tuning 12-54s up to open E and A then back to standard? Or is it better to go heavy and tune down? Any advice or experience would be appreciated. Thanks. This was something I did wonder myself Kristo and, from my Google searches, it is something a lot of people do worry about. National do recommend tuning down as a matter of course after playing in open E/A, and using light strings if you are going to use these tunings. This may be erring on the side of caution more than anything but I do get paranoid about putting undue stress on the neck as well as constant retuning. You can find this stated on their FAQ or in the paperwork that comes with a guitar. Because my vocal range likes open E but I prefer the swampier sound of open D/G with heavier strings, having just one guitar just wasn’t an option. Snakehips is quite right! Various guitars for various tunings ends up being an inevitable must, it’s not just an addiction, I swear  haha |
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Post by leeophonic on Dec 17, 2018 6:19:25 GMT
Split the set of strings, just think Dolly Parton heavy on top light on bottom!!!
Lee
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 17, 2018 8:39:40 GMT
Is it ok to keep tuning 12-54s up to open E and A then back to standard? Or is it better to go heavy and tune down? Any advice or experience would be appreciated. Thanks. This was something I did wonder myself Kristo and, from my Google searches, it is something a lot of people do worry about. National do recommend tuning down as a matter of course after playing in open E/A, and using light strings if you are going to use these tunings. This may be erring on the side of caution more than anything but I do get paranoid about putting undue stress on the neck as well as constant retuning. You can find this stated on their FAQ or in the paperwork that comes with a guitar. Because my vocal range likes open E but I prefer the swampier sound of open D/G with heavier strings, having just one guitar just wasn’t an option. Snakehips is quite right! Various guitars for various tunings ends up being an inevitable must, it’s not just an addiction, I swear haha I have been gigging with National and National-style guitars for nearly 40 years. All the Nationals I have owned are and were original Nationals without truss rods. I can only explain this as being like learning to drive a manual car - you just feel when it is time to change gear. This is the same as tuning up strings - you can feel and sense when you are beginning to choke the sound and put unnecessary tension on the neck. The neck of an NRP guitar is extremely strong and will easily take any amount of tension. But that can only be judged by the guitar's owner, because you get to know what it can take. If the guitar has a low break angle from tailpiece to bridge saddle, which I am sure it will coming from DK's hands, you have no need to worry about pressure on the cone. I have tuned National and National-style guitars up, down and every which way with light, medium and heavy strings. I have flown to gigs and gone from freezing outside temperatures to being under hot lights and played all night, and so far....so good. Treated with respect, with "cone awareness' and "neck awareness", you can put a National or National-style guitar through some serious paces. The weird thing about that is the importance of cone and neck awareness, because 5 minutes in the hands of the wrong player will do more damage than airport baggage handlers and heavy strings could ever do. Shine On Michael |
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Post by Kris on Dec 17, 2018 9:27:33 GMT
That is very good to know. Thank you Michael. I suppose National are just covering themselves by stressing that information, easy to get paranoid if you don't know better.
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Post by kristo on Dec 17, 2018 9:31:27 GMT
Thanks everyone, great help.
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Post by creolian on Dec 17, 2018 12:51:34 GMT
Hi Kristo, My advice to you is to get the guitar and try different sets of strings. There are no rules, you can do any of the combinations you have talked about with either gauge of strings. No matter how much advice is offered, you have to try things and form your own preferences. So to finish what I am saying, my advice is to get your guitar from DK with his or NRP's standard setup and string gauges, and start with that. Shine On Michael IMo, This should be number #1 in the manual... Multiple thumbs up ! Jeff |
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Post by Kris on Dec 17, 2018 18:50:12 GMT
The weird thing about that is the importance of cone and neck awareness, because 5 minutes in the hands of the wrong player will do more damage than airport baggage handlers and heavy strings could ever do. This has kept ringing in my head today, it’s always fascinating hearing what you have to say Michael. I’ve searched the forum and found other very interesting threads where you touch on the topic. Not to hijack this thread but could you kindly elaborate on the issues you have seen occur from a well meaning player with the wrong hands have a brief play? |
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 17, 2018 19:56:42 GMT
Hi Kris, Thank you for your kind words. Happy to write about that. How about you start a new thread asking that question and I will babble on about it. Also, maybe you could put links to other threads you have found on here that touch on that subject. Is that a deal?  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Kris on Dec 17, 2018 20:47:01 GMT
Absolutely Michael, thank you!
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Post by gaucho on Dec 17, 2018 23:09:11 GMT
I recently stumbled across a 1935 Duolian that was strung up with what ever was on hand at the time. That apparently happened to be a set of electric guitar strings, Slinkys in the purple pack 11-54 with a plain 18g 3rd. I would have never put those strings on any of my guitars, but this thing had "the tone" I had been looking for! As a bonus, it fretted fantastically and was still perfectly slide-able with the right touch. Of course I had to buy it (and it was a great deal!). I've recently been putting that string set on some of my other Nationals, and I'm really liking it! Like Michael said... No Rules!
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haha 
