Hi all,

I'm considering a new tuning for my half-fretless NS/Stick. Here are the details:

"Melody" (fretted)

1 - D down a 4th
2 - A down a 4th
3 - E down a 4th
4 - B down a 4th

"Bass" (fretless)

5 - G up a 5th
6 - D up a 5th
7 - A up a 5th
8 - E up a 5th

Please note that I'm using the "Melody" and "Bass" labels loosely here. This simply reflects the conventional naming of the fretboard sections on the NS/Stick. There is a difference in the string spacing between fretted and fretless sides. The strings on the fretted section are closer together.

Now, here's my motivation for this tuning. Up until now, my band has had the following setup: Singer, Guitars x2, NS/Stick, Drums.

Due to the absence of keyboards, I was filling in with some chord work on the high registers of the NS/Stick, so the melody side was indispensable. However, we have recently recruited a keyboard player and -within the current context- it makes more sense to have him expand on the chord work. This allows me in turn to explore elsewhere.

Since my NS/Stick has up until now been tuned in straight 4ths, I've been able to take advantage of the warm fretless tones for the bass side, but I've never been able to fully exploit the fretless option for soloing. Plus, I sometimes miss having the fretted bass side.

The tuning I am suggesting gives me a good chunk of both worlds - I have both a fretted and a fretless bass register, while the ascending 5ths on the fretless side give me enough of a high pitch to be able to solo with colour and range.

I'd really like your opinions on this. Any thoughts? What string gauges would you recommend? Would you consider altering this tuning and how?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Cedric

Hi Cedric,
very interesting. So you want to have also bass-gauges on the melody side?
I also had thought about that before but the problem might be the bridge.
You know that on the melody side the strings are closer together and also the bridge saddles are narrower and the string holes are smaller than on the bass side.
So I think you would at least have to widen up the string holes to fit for the bigger bass string ball ends......

Oliver

Hi Oliver,

That's exactly what I'm saying - bass gauge also on melody side.

I had considered the string spacing and it doesn't really worry me. What worries me is the string holes and bridge saddles, which I had NOT considered.

I've already communicated my thoughts to SE and I await their reply. We'll see what they have to say about the issue... But from what you say, it doesn't look doable


Cedric

Cedric,
well I also wouldn't care about the string spacing.
Well I only could think in open up the small string holes......
Maybe SE can do that as custom work.. when you have time....

Oliver

To be honest, custom work would be a very expensive option for me because of the shipping from and to my location. I live in Malta (Europe).

Shaun,
well, I live in Germany, so we have the same "luck".....

Oliver

I happen to have an "extra" bridge block that's been machined out for a larger end. I think it was done when a previous owner set it up for DBR or a similar tuning, so what you're talking about should be possible.

May want to check with SE and see if they'd sell you machined out blocks just for the melody side. Wouldn't be that expensive shipping for just a little air parcel if they did.

Barring that, a friendly machinist may be able to ream out your existing melody blocks for you. Not reversable, though, I don't know if that matters.

-----Bryce

Hi Bryce,

Thanks for the info. Good to know it's doable. Let's see what SE say.

Cedric