anyone tune down a half-step?

[mahoriver]

i tune down half a step too,with a set of 12s(no capo)Find it gives more space for my voice/singing
Tried a full step,but its a bit to far for me...Malcolm holcombe tunes down a full step with a capo on the
first fret https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwWKrfUKj7w

[Earl49]

I sometimes tune down a whole step to D-D. I keep my Martin J-40 as a pseudo-baritone, because that fits my voice well for certain songs. I also like the extra low end "whomp" it gives. That guitar really likes D-D with medium strings, or even C-C with heavy (62-14).

[Brucebubs]

Started tuning my 12-string guitars 1/2 step down for tone and the slight reduction in string tension.
Liked it so much that it was just easy to tune my 6-string guitars the same.

[MikeL]

Bento

Yep - I did it for a few months but found, for my voice I was still having to capo a lot so went down a whole step and have stayed there ever since. The advantage is that the dot markers work better! But seriously, with mediums my guitar is more resonant and also more flexible. A 000-15M mahogany should be a blues box but I can can get lush, rich sounds or dig in near the bridge to get an edge.

Best of all, it's a totally free upgrade

[muzz76]

Half step down here as well.

[Mike McLenison]

Originally Posted by Emil

I do!
It matches my voice better and there's nothing like a HD35 tuned down half a step.

On my HD-35 I use 13's and tune down a whole step. The intonation is perfect and its like butter to chord. Nice low growl-tone too. I also use it to better accommodate vocals, but use a capo to bring it up to pitch on some tunes.

[flaggerphil]

All my guitars but one (my R Taylor) are tuned down a whole step. If I need to play at pitch I use a capo. I've been doing it that way about five years.

[edward993]

Yes.
Not only do I have one electric and one acoustic dedicated to Eb tuning, I have one "Eb setlist" that is in Eb for the simplest reason: those tunes are easier for me to sing (and I dont' sound strained or utterly ridiculous).

Edward

[ahorsewithnonam]

I think the question is...who doesn't tune down a 1/2 step.

[SalFromChatham]

I tune my Martin D15m down a half step... Just posted in show and tell a CHRIS Stapleton song. I not only do it accommodate my range, but also because it give my Martin D15 a larger than life quiet confident sound.

Originally Posted by ahorsewithnonam

I think the question is...who doesn't tune down a 1/2 step.

Most Bluegrass players, me, Dave. I'm sure there are others.

[jmkratt]

I keep one of my 6 strings down to Eb all the time. I like a lot of bands that play in the tuning so it's convenient to always have one around. It's also easier for me to sing with but I don't love singing so that doesn't mean much

[GBS]

Used to tune the LKSM-6 down. Also the LKSM-12 down 1 1/2, plus going with a slightly lighter custom mix. But, since I go in jags favoring one guitar over the other, I found that keeping the 6 up to standard meant retaining the hand strength better for those times when I go back to the 12.

[arm]

Originally Posted by jwayne

What kind of guitars are you playing that you are worried about neck problems with standard tuning?

Good question. My three acoustics are light, Japanese dreads hand-made/crafted in the 70s.

In fact all my main gigging guitars are about 40 years old. I once bought a new Fender and almost immediately gave it away, it sounded OK, but didn't talk to me. I prefer guitars made by luthiers, not robots.

Then again, if I could afford an Olson, or a Sexauer, I'd be in there. And if I stopped giving away my mistakes, I might be able to.

[vintageom]

In my mid-50's my voice just cannot reach the highs it once could, so I tune a couple of mine down a half-step for singing. If you go too low, the song does not sound close to as good as the originals, so I do keep pushing the upper limit of my voice.