So, you play normally in straight fifths?


This makes a lot of sense, I was thinking about how uncomfortable it would be playing the low C & G on the first two strings. Inverted makes it easier on the 10/12 string models because they are in the middle of the fretboard.

I guess I'll give the crafty tuning that you advised BGW a try too. One last question: Does this "6 in fifths plus a minor third plus a major second" happens to make chording easier? Like making one finger chords on the three highest strings, for example.

I do not own a dedicated tap guitar, i modify 6 string bass guitars for tapping.
All-fifths (non-inverted) has been my most used tuning.

The small intervals on the top of crafty tunings probably create some interesting chord possibilities, but the origin of them is a little random and are essentially the result of fifths creating too much range for an instrument.

I recently learned (from an entry in his online diary) that Robert Fripp's half-asleep sauna vision of his 'New Standard Tuning' was actually as all-fifths CGDAEB, but B was impossible at the time on a guitar. He tried A (fourth up) but that broke often, so he chose G (minor third up), A and G both being present in the tuning already.

This approach was later extended: When a guitar had 2 strings that couldn't be tuned to the next fifth up, they were tuned to the minor third and fourth Robert tried, this was the origin of fifths - minor third - major second.

The first use of this NST variation i know of was Trey Gunn on a 12 string Warr Guitar, CGDACD on the melody side.
When he started using an 8 string single-region Warr Guitar his concept was to extend this melody tuning downwards, resulting in BbFCGDACD.

The 12 string Stick he used before the Warr Guitars was set up with 5 bass and 7 melody, i know that he used NST type tunings on that, so i suspect FCGDACD on the melody side, but i have not confirmed that.

Markus Reuter of Touch Guitars, another Fripp student, then started playing an 8 string Warr Guitar in the same tuning, then went on to design his own 8 string.