12 string as 9 string?

esiegel · #1 09-26-2017, 05:02 PM

Hello, all:

I have looked around and not seen any info on using a 12 string guitar as a 9 string. Basically, I want to keep the highest pitch strings as double courses, and make the lowest three single course with the original pitches of the guitar.

My thought is that this would make the bass lines clearer while still capturing some of the higher string shimmer.

I think I recall reading that some famous 12 string player (maybe Rev Gary Davis) did this.

Is it as simple as only putting on the strings that I want or do I have to do something with the nut and bridge.

Thanks for any insights!

Long Jon · #2 09-26-2017, 05:05 PM

Well it won't cost much to take 3 off.
If that makes it sound like you're hoping for, but perhaps feels a bit funny, , ,
THEN maybe get a new nut made to space 'em better ?

PiousDevil · #3 09-26-2017, 05:06 PM

Kazuo Yairi is well known for his 9 string DY58. Dont know how many are still around.

Jambi · #4 09-26-2017, 05:09 PM

I had a thought about this same idea when I heard Richard Barrett and his 8 string Taylor baritone.

Brucebubs · #5 09-26-2017, 05:12 PM

The Ibanez AEL is an 8 string acoustic but the 'double-up' is on the 'D' and 'G' courses.

JMFingerstyle · #6 09-26-2017, 05:58 PM

I had the same idea after seeing an ad for a Michael Kelly 10 String, basically a 12 with no high courses on the E and A strings.

I had an old Yamaha 12 lying around that's not worth fixing (needs a neck reset and bridge reglue) so I took the high strings off the E & A and tried it out a few months ago. It was easy enough to adapt to the string spacing, and sounds ok, but doesn't develop enough thump in the bass to overcome the heavy bracing.

It's cheap and easy enough to try, especially if you're up for a string change anyway. It's likely you won't get the hearty bass line you're hoping for, at least not without throwing heavier gauge strings on the bass end...but then you're getting into mixing string sets and calculating tension.

Athens · #7 09-26-2017, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

Kazuo Yairi is well known for his 9 string DY58. Dont know how many are still around.

I saw one of those at a guitar show about 3 years ago. Quite the attention getter.

KenL · #8 09-27-2017, 05:57 AM

Alvarez made one as well, a less-expensive version of the Yairi.

There is one for sale somewhere, just saw it- Reverb, maybe?

zombywoof · #9 09-27-2017, 06:42 AM

Never heard of Rev. Davis in his later years playing a 9 string. Big Joe Williams though immediately comes to mind. I believe John Mayall did as well. Spider John Koerner played a 7 string adding an G octave.

In the early 1920s Lyon & Healy produced a stock 9 string guitar.

I am guessing many of us who play blues have removed 2 or 3 strings from a 12 string at one time or the other just to see what it would sound like. I always ended up going back to all 12.

Earl49 · #10 09-27-2017, 12:40 PM

In about 2008 or so (?) Taylor came out with a limited edition nine string, with no octaves on the three bass strings. That was the inspiration for their eight string baritone. I've played a couple of those Taylor nine's in stores. It does make the bass strings clearer and is not a bad alternative to a true 12-string. IMO, it makes less difference if the "D" course is doubled or not. Try it both ways.

You can easily remove the octaves from courses 6, 5, 4 and try it. If you decide to convert permanently, making a new nut is best to get good string alignment. I always keep the original nut unaltered (even when doing a new set-up) so it is easy to restore the factory condition. And you will likely need to use the bass strings from a medium gauge set to approximate the tension of the pairs -- and to drive the top a bit harder for the bass notes.