Chris Scruggs tuning?

[Andy Schick]

Does anyone know the tunings used by Chris Scruggs?

Thank you

[Dennis Smith]

In this Mel Bay interview, lesson he has C6 on neck one.
http://youtu.be/QuAchSYA6Xo

[Jeff Mead]

Here's a reply from him from a few years back on one of the forums but he does post here sometimes so we may even get a definitive answer from him on what he's using currently.


"I tune the inside to C6/a7:

E
C
A
G
E
C#
A
A (bass note)

Sometimes I drop the fourth string from G down to F#, and play it as a D9 tuning.


I tune the outside to E13:

E
C#
G#
F#
E
D
B
E

[Jeff Mead]

I just spoke to Chris on Facebook and he says he's using the exact same tunings as Kayton Roberts. C6/A7th and F13th.

F13
F
D
A
F
G
Eb
C
F

C6th+A7
E
C
A
G
E
C#
A
A (Low bass)

[Paul McEvoy]

In the C6 Tuning, is the low string an octave below the next string? What gauge would work for this? And what does it give you? Is it mostly for show/effect or does it offer something significant in harmony?

Thanks!
Paul

[Scott Thomas]

In the C6 Tuning, is the low string an octave below the next string? What gauge would work for this? And what does it give you? Is it mostly for show/effect or does it offer something significant in harmony?

Thanks!
Paul

It's an octave below. .68-.72 gauge. Jerry Byrd (which is where Kayton got it from) mostly used it for a thumpy bass effect when needed.

[Jim Newberry]

I guess Kayton got asked a lot....

[Steven Cummings]

That's just kinda cool...

[Paul McEvoy]

Amazing.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah, but it's a little early for April Fools!

[Jim Newberry]

No April's Fool joke there. That's really Kayton's headstone....

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, the back!

duh.


That is indeed very

[Pete Burak]

I love this Kayton vid of Opryland Swing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkFjGDh2bB4

Check out this version!
Herb and Kayton playing Opryland Swing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH9zNlOxOaM

[John Goux]

That headstone is hilarious.
Has anyone pointed out the tuning listed on the gravestone is written incorrectly, according to Kayton? There is no D in the F13 tuning, as the 2nd string would be. Either the gravestone photo is bogus, or Kayton had even more of a sense of humor by having the wrong notes written on his gravestone.

John

[John Goux]

Kayton’s real gravestone, RIP.

[Jim Newberry]

The tunings are on the back of the headstone. I have it on the authority on one of his good friends. She says it’s in Greenbrier cemetery in Greenbrier, TN, and I think she sent me the photo originally.

[Jim Mckay]

Has anyone pointed out the tuning listed on the gravestone is wrong? There is no D in the F13 tuning, as the 2nd string would be.

John

Hi John.
On another post Chris Scruggs explained Kayton sometimes dropped the D to a C for the E9th sound but up half a step. Eg. F9th.
Thats how he got that pedal steel sound on "The Waltz You Saved For Me" And of course with string pulls.
Hope that's helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uZ_wlu ... B&index=22

[Jim Newberry]

Here’s a picture the front of the headstone from my friend.

[Allan Revich]

That headstone is hilarious.
Has anyone pointed out the tuning listed on the gravestone is wrong? There is no D in the F13 tuning, as the 2nd string would be. Either the gravestone photo is bogus, or Kayton had even more of a sense of humor by having the wrong notes written on his gravestone.

John

The tunings are not named on the gravestone. A sequence of notes for someone’s tuning can’t be “wrong”. Those were his tunings. I think it’s cool as heck that he decided to share them with us even after he moved on.

[Nic Neufeld]

In the C6 Tuning, is the low string an octave below the next string? What gauge would work for this? And what does it give you? Is it mostly for show/effect or does it offer something significant in harmony?

Thanks!
Paul

It's an octave below. .68-.72 gauge. Jerry Byrd (which is where Kayton got it from) mostly used it for a thumpy bass effect when needed.

It's quite similar to the Jules Ah See low C on the C13...it can of course be used for the thumpy bass effects but it does have a nice deep smooth bass addition to chords. When I retune my C13 neck to C6/A7, I do the same...6th string up to C#, 7th down a halfstep to A, 8th string down to A. I generally use a 68-70 gauge there (optimizing for C but it works for A as well).

[Paul Strojan]

If we translate Kayton's top neck down a half step, we get E9 (E, B, G#, E, F#, D, B, E) or C# minor. (E, C#, G#, E, F#, D, B, E). What is the logic for the middle root being positioned higher than the ninth?

[John Goux]

I love Kayton’s playing and attitude. I’m a big fan of Chris, too.

Here is the master himself from a 1993 interview in Steel Guitar World magazine:

“ KR: Yes, it’s a 1951 Fender...it’s my only steel. That steel is 41 years old. I had another one time that burnt up in a fire.

SGW: I see you’re still using your old DeArmond foot pedal.

KR: Yes, Shot Jackson rebuilt that for me before he passed on and it keeps going. I just can’t seem to wear it out.

SGW: How about your tunings, can you share those with us?

KR: Well, my main tuning is C6th, that’s my bread and butter neck. It has a little variation. Staring with the first string on the small end: E, C, A, G, E, C#, A, A (an octave lower). You will notice that I have two A’s together...the second is real low for that boom effect. It’s almost like a big third more than anything else. I use it only occasionally when I’m doing some thump style. Getting back to that C#, normally if you’re playing this C6th tuning and you rake across it, it will sound out of tune. But, if you rake across the strings and leave the second string out, then you’ve got a whole new tuning...and you see that second string there, the C, if you pull that a half step, it will fall right in tune with that tuning. You can really play some jazzy sounding stuff with it. It makes a whole new ball game. It’s like having a dual tuning. And on the other neck I’ve got a special tuning...it’s for rides and special things. The first string is F, D, A, F, G, Eb, C, F, but I couldn’t remember these if I didn’t right them down. I keep a list at home in case someone calls and wants to know. Don’t mind sharing these cause I don’t have any secrets. Of course, Hank doesn’t like notes played on the high register, so I’m usually limited to playing on the lower end.”

[Jeff Mead]

A sequence of notes for someone’s tuning can’t be “wrong”. Those were his tunings. I think it’s cool as heck that he decided to share them with us even after he moved on.

The tuning is "wrong" in the sense that it is not the tuning that Kayton always said he used.

Whenever he was asked, he would say the F tuning started with F D A F. On the gravestone it starts with F C A F,

[Allan Revich]

A sequence of notes for someone’s tuning can’t be “wrong”. Those were his tunings. I think it’s cool as heck that he decided to share them with us even after he moved on.

The tuning is "wrong" in the sense that it is not the tuning that Kayton always said he used.

Whenever he was asked, he would say the F tuning started with F D A F. On the gravestone it starts with F C A F,

LOL! OK, I get it now.

[John Goux]

Thanks Jeff. J