tuning your D8 stringmaster?

[Steven Wilson]

Can anyone give me tips on best tunings and tuner devices for my newly acquired Stringmaster D8? I'm a dobro and lapsteel guy and have always been able to use clip on tuners. I don't see any way they can work with this thick set of boards. I have a tuner in a Fishman pedal I was able to use, but it's designed for accoustic instruments. The D8 came set up with A6 and E13 tunings. These are unfamiliar to me but I can make them work. Any other suggestions for someone with minimal experience would be appreciated! I did a search and found some info on the tunings, but not tuning devices......

[Noah Miller]

Clip-on tuners usually work when clipped to tuner buttons, though they can be unreliable this way and of course you have to move the tuner when it's time to tune that string.

I often use a tuner with a mic and 1/4" input like the Korg GA Custom for steels. It's often good enough to use the built-in mic even with the steel unplugged, but you can always plug directy into it as well.

[Brad Bechtel]

I'm a big fan of the Boss Tu-3W tuning pedal.

[Paul Seager]

Since I added a pedal steel to my armoury, I was advised and indeed invested in a Peterson StroboPlus HDC. It contains sweetened ( temperament) tunings for a great many instruments including dobro, lap and pedal steels.

At about 200€ here in Germany, it's expensive, considering 'phones, tablets, multiFX and amps, often have built-in tuners but I find the sweeteners make a difference.

I use sweeteners for open D,G & A, A6 and E9 and use the default setting for B11. I use it also for upright bass.

[Joe A. Roberts]

A6th and E13th (either E C# B G# F# D B G# or E C# B G# F# D G# E)
is the most “classic” pairing for western swing.

For Hawaiian its perhaps:
C13th (E C A G E C Bb C)
and B11th
(E C# A F# D# C# A B, or E C# A F# D# B F# B)

You of course can play any style of music on any tuning though!
On a D8, A6th and E13th would be my choice too, though.
Experiment, retune to as many tunings as you can stand and go with what you like the sound of most.
Instructional material for C6th is exponentially more common than other tunings.
A6th is great if you have dobro experience because a lot of that skill transfers right over.
Also has a huskier sound than C6th, very nice. Try tuning the low F# up to G!

As for the act of tuning, a tuner pedal will be very helpful. I use a TC polytune.
A volume pedal is also very useful and can be really eye opening, or at least for me it was.

[Stephen Cowell]

I like the Peterson iPhone app... works very nicely, through the mic. I lower my maj3rds 12c or so for sweetness. There are lots and lots of rack/floor tuner options... you could try clipping your clip-on to the bridge bar.

[Mike Harris]

After years of tuning only by ear, I've recently started using a Boss TU-2. I'm satisfied with the results, and it's much quicker than what I did before.

[Steven Wilson]

Thanks everyone; very helpful!