I've been playing my new NS/Stick tuned with 8-strings in "bass 4ths" and I love it so much. I really dug the fifths tuning on the bass side of my first two Sticks (Rosewood and Railboard), but several prominent Stickists rock mirror 4ths tuning on their 12-string Grands. Everybody says you can't do the straight 4ths tuning on only 10 strings without giving up chords and the like.

Then I noticed that my favorite Russian Stickist, Valery Rovinskii--who I've posted several Bach videos of his here done on the NS/Stick and his homemade NS/Stick (he has both)--has his latest rocking tune done on his 10-string Stick. That is tuned in fourths. I believe all the way across (although he could be rocking an extended guitar tuning on it and I can't exactly tell).

Video


2-hand, traditional Stick pose (10 strings)


10 Strings Fat to Thin, No Obvious Redundancy, No Bass or Melody Side


Closer View


But the way it seems to work is to not have a "bass side" and a "melody side" with redundant strings, or overlapping range. There's no redundant keys or overlapping keys on a piano (and lots of other differences of course). But just strings tuned in 4ths all the way across. Like a 10-string bass or a Harpeijji or ...that's all I got. (adds: LinnStrument!)

He can obviously play 2-handed counterpoint and full accompaniment. I don't know what his upper and lower ranges are, but he's obviously rocking out what anyone else does with the classic tuning(s).

Listen, people are different. 10 people: 10 colors, "We all have our rocks in the stream down from Stick Mountain." Your mileage will vary. Vegemite and/or nattou are just delicious, thank you (both are foul, foul, foul, but again, different strokes...)

For me, it's incredibly awesome because both hands have exactly the same fingerings, with the left hand reaching around the Stick. A minor third on the 4th fret is that on either hand. That's something that I DON'T have on piano. A major scale in both hands is fingered completely differently, even when playing identical parts. Let me say that instantly rocking two hands playing simultaneous leads as fast as I can play with either hand was an incredible adrenaline feeling of awesomeness (I'm downplaying it a bit.) So, it works for me.

My Questions:

1. What's this "called" and...

2. Can I convert either my 10-string Rosewood or (harder probably) my Railboard to do "straight 4ths" (my term)? The Railboard has those dugout frets, so I would think it's harder. The Rosewood, then?

3. Can I order such a set of "straight 4th" strings in a set from Stick and maybe closely related..

4. Is this a mod I can do myself or is it best suited in SE's hands back at the shop?

5. Yeah, I know: order a 12-string grand new and just get it made that way! I just bought an NS--no new sticks for Stevie Paigan for a while. But maybe a major mod on my oldest one...?

I appreciate the thoughts and opinions from the Stick and Tapping community, and from SE if anyone has the time or opinion (expertise!) to offer.

Cheers,
Mad props to the Fifths!
But also, Use The Fourths!
Stevie Paigan

I believe the answer is... overlapping or redundant strings. It looks from the photo you posted like strings 5 and 6 are the same.

You can't get 10 strings in 4ths all the way across. 9, yes, but not 10..

You know, the thing I really hated about my 9string guitar was that the Low strings were a bit of a pain to get to; I vowed to never go past 8 on a guitar... plus, that lowest string was bloody unintelligible... hehe a big middle finger to Ibanez...

That Russian guy is amazing, really really good. Not anywhere the calibre of Adam Fulara or Stanley Jordan, but then again, who is?

I personally have gotten really accustomed to that lowest string being in the middle on the Stick, in my humble opinion I feel like that is one of the defining qualities of the Stick, regardless of the tuning. The repeating notes on either side make for some really interesting possibilities; Steve Adelson really takes advantage of this quality via "thumb attack"... (It's on his CD's) sometimes subtle other times "in your face"...

But I bet you could do a "Low to high" thing on the bass side BEADG or something, and EADGC low to high on the treble side ( not sure what the best actual tuning would be) I dunno, maybe talk to Emmett?

I was totally in love with my Low C on the Stick for the longest time, but I found over time that anything below E didn't seem to cut that well for what I do, y'know made everything pretty muddy haha I mean, it was fun sometimes for a meaty bass note...

Anyways, whatever helps you make music, man! Good luck, dude!

You could pull that type of tuning with your Rosewood, but the Railboard is hardcoded to have the bass notes towards the center of the instrument. There are CDC cuts towards the more central frets (in and around the 12th) that scoop out a little bit, allowing the larger strings to do their thing.

I envy people that can play in multiple tunings like that. I have one tuning. And one Stick for that matter. Fun post, great to see this guy play!

Neat, almost looks like a 10 string Stick Bass. Crazy talented dude.