Quote:
Originally Posted by chiproop
So - I'm torn. I am getting ready to get a BTO Taylor nine string, the one with the D, G B strings doubled.
Last minute comes up, and I stumbled upon another Taylor 9 String. It's a one of a kind prototype that has the g, b, e strings doubled instead.
Has anyone had experience with either, or both of these configurations? I strung my 12 string to double the d, g, b and loved it. I took off the d octave and LOVED the sound of that too... But I didn't have the high E doubled, so I wasn't sure if that would add too much high end.
Someone please give me clarity ...  |
Alvarez-Yairi used to make and market a 9 string guitar that came stock with the G, B and high E strings doubled. I've played several, but never cared for the resulting sound I got from the instrument. It gives you a pretty shimmery high end, but the octave sound on the G course only.
It isn't until you have an octave course on one but not the other that you realize how closely the D and G strings work together. If you play any sort of runs or melody work on those two strings, you're almost certain to really miss having an octave string on the D if you have one on the G.
The B string is problematic on any guitar, and if you double it you don't just double your problems, but expand them exponentially.
If you really have your heart set on making this a 9 string guitar, go ahead, but you might want to consider having the octave courses on the G and D only. I have a Larrivée guitar I converted to an 8 string, with G and D octave courses, and it gives me most of the cool 12 string jangle anyone could crave, but without the attendant 12 string hassles.
So my recommendation is that you get an 8 string configuration similar to what's on the Taylor 8 string baritone, with the middle two strings (in this case, the D and G) with octave strings.
Hope this helps.
Wade Hampton Miller