anyone here converted a guitar to a 9 string ala Big Joe?

[Deleted]

I have toyed with the idea of converting an old guitar to a 9 stringer as per Big Joe Williams. Seems like an easy do. I think he just doubled the 5,4 and 3 strings to an octive, though not sure. Anybody here try that or has anyone played or recorded with one? Something is making me think that Mick Abrahms played something similar at some time...?

[snakehips]

Hi there !

I think BJW doubled up his 1st, 2nd and 4th strings

[mikenewport]

Am I right in thinking he played i Open G (spanish) tuning. At one time I thought about taking some strings of a twelve string. There was an informative thread about this very subject back last year I believe. I will have a search.

Mike


...here it is fredcapo

michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/4759/9-string-guitars

[snakehips]

Hi again !

Yes, Open G.
For some tunes, he tuned the 6th string, way down. Not sure what not to though.

[slide496]

Here's some info on his tunings from wikipedia in 2 places, but I don't know how accurate it is

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Joe_Williams
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-string_guitar

Here's a jpg from this link which is in French www.aupaysdublues.com/t714p15-big-joe-williams




Sounds like an exciting project - good luck if you decide to undertake it. You might be able to pick up the model he used on ebay and I know Rivington Street Guitars carries some vintage archtops in the city. www.rivingtonguitars.com/website/

Harriet

[Deleted]

Thanks all for the info. I did not think it would be as widely documented. One article also mentioned Mick Abrahams. I was sure he used the 9 or something close on Dear Jill and other early tunes. I would ordinarily find it painful to modify a decent guitar but think this will be a good project. Open G sounds like the way to go. Have been thinking recently about digging out my old Rick 12 and tuning to open G...never previously considered playing some slide on the Byrds jangle box...

[AlanB]

FWIW scrolling down to the the end of Stefan Wirz's amazing BJW discography there are half a dozen close-ups which can be further zoomed in on.

www.wirz.de/music/willjfrm.htm

[snakehips]

Hi again !

Well, looking at the photos from Stefan Wirz's website, it looks to me more like the 1st, 3rd and 4th strings are doubled up.
The nut and bridge saddle look like 3 extra slots have been squeezed onto an already existing nut+saddle - because if I were going to do the best job possible, I would cut a new nut and saddle and get the string spacing better !

[Michael Messer]

I have seen a guitar converted to a Big Joe style 9 string. It works fine, but is a tight squeeze.

I have had an MM resonator guitar converted to a 7 string like Spider John Koerner's National was. It was done for musician and editor of fRoots magazine, Ian Anderson, and was a great success.

The easier way to do it would be to remove three strings from a 12 string guitar.

Shine On
Michael

[blueshome]

I've done it by taking the appropriate 3 strings off my Harmony Stella 12-string, sounds fine but it doesn't give you Big Joe's sense of time.

[Deleted]

Interesting re Snakehips observation...I looked at photos a while ago and, though was going from recollection, didn't think both the 1 and 2 strings were doubled... especially since I don't hear it as such. (Big Joe did not seem to worry about staying in tune also...) Point well taken about using a 12, though usually a cheapo donor twelve would probably haven bowed neck.

[oldpicker]

I converted a 6-string with a wide neck to a 9 back in 1967, by using 3 banjo pegs across the top of the headstock. Doubled up top 3 strings: G (octave), B & E (unison), using strings from a light 12-string set and the E, A & D from a heavy 6-string set. Made a new bone nut and used a 12-string tailpiece. It sounded, to my ears, amazing!
I took it out to Singapore and in the tropical humidity & heat the glue softened and it came apart. Stuck it back together with Araldite and used it on the beach and anywhere I didn't want to risk using my best guitar (the Yamaha FG-180 in the photo alongside). Eventually sold to a drunken Aussie in Bugis Street for 100 Singapore dollars! Sadly no photos survived. Memories ........!

[Deleted]

Thinking more about what I hear as dissonance in many Big Joe recordings...I wonder if he cross-tuned any of the string pairs...or s that even possible/playable...?

[Deleted]

Well clearly shown are 1, 2 and 4 doubled in this clip...

[Tymus]