Converting a stock 6 string Regal ® Dobro ®
to a custom 7 string Regal ® Dobro ®

For G6 / C6 Western Swing / Jazz / Hawaiian Tuning
 

"The difference between Open G tuning on Dobro vs. Bb6th ( or C6th w/ a capo ),
is like the difference between playing Checkers vs. Chess. Both are fun" - RJ

For those guitars that really shouldn't be altered, or for just experimenting,
some good G6th, C6th, A6th or E13th six string tunings are:

6 string G6th Tunings  - low to high
E - B - D - G - B - D
or
G - D - E - G - B - D

6 string C6th ( w/ high G ) Tuning  - low to high
E - G - A - C - E - G

6 string C6th Tuning  - low to high
C - E - G - A - C - E

6 string Bill Leavitt ( Bbdim9th ) Tuning  - low to high
C# - E - G - Bb - C - D


>> 6 string "LUGAN" ( Bb6th ) Tuning  - low to high <<
A# - D - F - G - A# - D
 
Bb6th becomes C6th w/ capo on 2nd fret, and yet still retains that "old-timey" Dobro tone.
Standard Dobro strings can be used, & just add a .34 or .32 gauge for the F,
and use the usual lower B string for the A#. YouTube Demo below.

"LUGAN" Tuning Demonstration

"Last Train Home" on YouTube

6 string A6th Tuning  - low to high
A - C# - E - F# - A - C#

6 string E13th Tuning  - low to high
E - G# - B - C# - E - G#

JB's 6 string F#9th Tuning  - low to high
F# - A# - E - G# - C# - E

Replace Spider Inserts with one piece Insert
This one I bought from Paul Beard Guitars
and trimmed to fit.
Since the resophonic cone was already adjusted, I did not
need access to spider screw. Beard Guitars does offer
a special offset spider for those who feel the need to.
Remember to pencil mark cone position
to coverplate screwhole before removing!
Be Careful -
 

Remember to drill hole for Tuning Peg screws
or wood may split.
Note - small mounting plates for Tuning Pegs.
 

The 7 String tailpiece was bought from Beard Guitars.

Rodeo Joe also uses Slick50 ® on his Stevens bar ( बट्टा ),
steel strings, & metal slides. Watch his YouTube Video.

( This endorsement is not-for-profit )

Converted 6 String Regal ® to 7 string
for Western Swing, Bluegrass, & Hawaiian Music


Flinthill ® squarenecks are also high quality resonators
with similar headstocks

The process worked well for me.
Use these ideas, but at your own risk.
Enjoy !!!

SEVEN STRING
Resophonic G6 / C6 Tunings
 

G6 Tuning  - low to high ( L 2 H )
G - B - D - E - G - B - D

or

C6/A7 Tuning  - low to high
C - C# - E - G - A - C - E

C6 ( /w high G ) Tuning  - low to high
C - E - G - A - C - E - G

C6 ( /w high D ! ) Tuning  - low to high
E - G - A - C - E - G - D

For some very good Bluegrass 7 string G6th Dobro music,
check out the legendary Robert Murphy of the Piper Road Spring Band
on their classic ( and still available ) "Kettle Moraine" CD
 

Or listen online to
HAWAIIAN STEEL GUITAR TUNES BY GERALD ROSS

SEVEN STRING
Resophonic A13th Tuning for Blues & Rockabilly

A13th Tuning  - low to high
G - A - C# - E - F# - A - C#

( an easy re-tuning of the above 7-string G6th )

The 7 string resonator can also be tuned to a "Bakersfield"  E9 tuning.
Mike Neer has a great resource website.

The above headstock alteration lends itself to affordable electric lap steels as well.

__________________________________________

For those guitars that really shouldn't be altered -
or for some "Jazzy" experimenting,
good G6th, C6th, A6th or E13th six string tunings are:

6 string G6th Tunings  - low to high
E - B - D - G - B - D
or
G - D - E - G - B - D

6 string C6th Tunings  - low to high
E - G - A - C - E - G
or
C - E - G - A - C - E

>> 6 string "LUGAN" ( Bb6th ) Tuning  - low to high <<
A# - D - F - G - A# - D
 
Bb6th becomes C6th w/ a capo on 2nd fret, and still retains that "old-timey" Dobro tone.
Standard Dobro strings can be used, & just add a .34 or .32 gauge for the F,
and use the usual lower B string for the A#.

6 string A6th Tuning  - low to high
A - C# - E - F# - A - C#

6 string E13th Tuning  - low to high
E - G# - B - C# - E - G#

6 string Bill Leavitt ( Bbdim9th ) Tuning  - low to high
C# - E - G - Bb - C - D

and check out Greg Booth on YouTube
_______________________________________

John Ely's Generic Chord Locator is highly recommended as a resource.

For other tunings, including C6th & E13th, w/ string gauges,
see Scotty's Music Tunings webpage.

_____________________________________________________________

Jerry Byrd played a seven string steel guitar - and developed the C6th tuning.
J.B. played on the Hank Williams' MGM 78 classic "I'm so lonesome I could cry".

The iconic Mike Auldridge had a wonderful instruction resource center website.

Professional Cindy Cashdollar has instructional DVDs for Western Swing Steel.

L.T. Zinn sold top shelf C6th and E9th 8 string sets

Scotty's Music, Inc., is a steel guitar paradise.

Ukrainian eBay seller " volkovroman75 " has 7 string guitars & tuners available.
The guitars are under $200, and the tuners are good quality.
 

some photos from Scotty's I.S.G.C. 2009, including Jerry Byrd's Frying Pan,
and a 7 string Sho-Bro resonator made by Shot Jackson,
and the late, great Dewitt Scott himself.
 

Below is pictured a 1930's seven string Dobro ®
showing the same headstock design from the factory
70 years ago !

EARLY HISTORY
चित्रवीणा
The earliest reference to a seven stringed instrument
played with fingers and a cylindrical pestle ( बट्टा ) is a Chitravīṇā,
in Bharata's Nāṭya Śāstra, ( नाट्य शास्त्र ) more than 2000 years ago.
It is sometimes referred to as a Gotuvadyam ( w/ 21 strings ).
The musician is called a vainika ( वैणिक ).

कः नस् अजानीम ?
 

Pass it on

Joseph Kekuku - Inventor of the Steel Guitar