nickurso
Gretschified
I use my corvette for open G exclusively and I'm thinking about doing a set up similar to Keith Richards and removing 6th string. Wondering if anyone has ever done this? Pros and cons
Anybody ever remove the 6th string for the Keith Richards open G set up?
- Thread starter nickurso
- Start date
Briefly. It felt weird. It helps if you play heavy handed , as you won't hit the low D by accident. On my short list is another tele set up with a humbucker or a filtertron. It's hard to beat the sound he gets. Raw, smile and cranking.
nickurso
Gretschified
Yeah my tele has a tv Jones setzer in the neck I wanted something fatter but not a humbucker
I would do it on my corvette not this guitar
nickurso
Gretschified
Yeah I learned with it on there too just wondering how it would be without it.
I do keep my plectrum banjo like that, come to think of it, its only 4 strings but its open G. Its pretty cool on that.
Gretschtim1
Country Gent
Yes - it get that low note out of the chords and makes chords sound more open & less tubby.
A must if you want to get Keith's open G tuning to sound right.
A must if you want to get Keith's open G tuning to sound right.
DrumBob
Friend of Fred
Sure, I did it and it makes total sense, as the low E is superfluous in open G tuning. Besides, I'm a big Keith fan. Try it. It's the only way to go for open G.
nickurso
Gretschified
Ok I'm gonna give it a try at practice tomorrow, I'll pull the string off on the afternoon and then take a run at it tomorrow night. Thanks
I find anything but standard 6-string tuning just does my head in these days, my brain is not atomic and I even become confused trying to remember what the guitar is actually tuned to!
I dabbled a bit with a 5-string banjo as a teenager in the 60s just so I could play Stop, Stop, Stop by the Hollies but I was never comfortable with open string tunings of any kind.
I dabbled a bit with a 5-string banjo as a teenager in the 60s just so I could play Stop, Stop, Stop by the Hollies but I was never comfortable with open string tunings of any kind.
I should have asked if you were chording or playing slide. For a stones sound I would take it off. There was a company that made a five string neck that fit into a tele pocket. But then you need to get used to a thinner neck. Start playing a ric.
englishman
Gretschified
I just realized I could turn strings 'off' on the Variax. I set the banjo model up to 'my dog has fleas' tuning and turned the E and A strings off. I'll set up a 'Keith' setting with the low D turned off and see how it goes 
Keith uses the 6th string to floss with
nickurso
Gretschified
I'm already in open G, I've been using open timings since high school.
nickurso
Gretschified
Both. With my band it's Elmore James type stuff but I'm playing both rhythm and lead with it. I also play stoned stuff at home or just goofing off with the band so the 5 string will work.
nickurso
Gretschified
I took the 6th string off last night and it was fine, the only thing I catch myself doing is trying to tune the 6th string and watching the G not change as I'm turning the wrong machine head
Random1643
Synchromatic
Be nice to hear a sound sample, Nick.
As a fingerpicker, my thumb, and occasionally forefinger, is often tasked with holding down the bass. When I'm in open G I like having the low D there for bass work. Sometimes use low D + the octave (D string) for riffs. Also as a singer, depending on the chord, I like having a fuller sound platform to support my voice. I mute strings selectively during a given song that I don't want to hear.
+1 been using open tunings since high school. Well, open D & G. Also drop D. Didn't learn C Wahine, drop A, other alt tunings until later in life. Open tunings are amazing.
As a fingerpicker, my thumb, and occasionally forefinger, is often tasked with holding down the bass. When I'm in open G I like having the low D there for bass work. Sometimes use low D + the octave (D string) for riffs. Also as a singer, depending on the chord, I like having a fuller sound platform to support my voice. I mute strings selectively during a given song that I don't want to hear.
+1 been using open tunings since high school. Well, open D & G. Also drop D. Didn't learn C Wahine, drop A, other alt tunings until later in life. Open tunings are amazing.
nickurso
Gretschified
I noticed that sometimes the chords get a little muddy in the low end with the low D in there that's why I started this. So far I like it, I'll know more tonight during practice. I don't play finger style at all I have a sloppy hybrid picking that I use but it doesn't use the alternate bass like finger style so that's not an issue for me. What I've noticed so far is like Freddie said if you are heavy handed with chords it helps a lot. I like to hit chords hard for some things and that's where the muddy bass comes in.
Andrew Griffin
Synchromatic
- Oct 22, 2015
- 815
I have a guitar tuned to open G but instead of removing the sixth string I chose to tune it to G, the same as the 5th string. I usually play in a fingerpicking style with my thumb doing an alternating base, but having the thumb bounce between the two low G strings can work to create a driving beat that I enjoy.
