Popular Non-pedal Steel Guitar Tunings

6 String Steel Tunings

Miscellaneous 6 String Non Pedal Tunings

Dobro G

1 - D 016
2 - B 020
3 - G N28w
4 - D N36w
5 - B N36w
6 - G N56w

A
(High Bass)

1 - E 014
2 - C# 017
3 - A 022
4 - E 030w
5 - C# 034w
6 - A 042w

C# Minor 7th

1 - E 014
2 - C# 017
3 - G# 024
4 - E 030w
5 - B 038w
6 - E 056w

E
(Low Bass)

1 - E 015
2 - B 020
3 - G# 024
4 - E 030w
5 - B 038w
6 - E 056w

C6

1 - E 014
2 - C 018
3 - A 022
4 - G 024w
5 - E 030w
6 - C 036w

C6 With Added 7th

1 - E 014
2 - C 018
3 - A 022
4 - G 024w
5 - E 030w
6 - C# 036w

 

E7

1 - E 015
2 - B 020
3 - G# 024
4 - E 030w
5 - D 034w
6 - E 056w

 

C# Minor 7th

1 - E 014
2 - C# 017
3 - G# 024w
4 - E 030w
5 - D 032w
6 - B 038w

 

8 String Steel Tunings

Miscellaneous 8 String Non Pedal Tunings

C 6TH

1 - E 014
2 - C 018
3 - A 022
4 - G 024w
5 - E 030w
6 - C# 034w
7 - C 036w
8 - A 042w

A Major 6TH

1 - E 015
2 - C# 017
3 - A 022
4 - F# 026w
5 - E 030w
6 - C# 034w
7 - A 042w
8 - E 056w

E7TH

1 - E 015
2 - B 020
3 - G# 024
4 - E 030w
5 - D 032w
6 - B 038w
7 - G# 046w
8 - E 056w

B 11TH

1 - E 014
2 - C# 017
3 - A 022
4 - F# 026w
5 - D# 032w
6 - B 038w
7 - F# 050w
8 - B 056w

D 9TH

1 - E 014
2 - C 018
3 - A 022
4 - F# 026w
5 - D 034w
6 - C 036w
7 - A 042w
8 - F# 050w

E 7TH
(HIGH G#)

1 - G# 010
2 - E 014
3 - B 020
4 - G# 024w
5 - E 026w
6 - D 032w
7 - B 038w
8 - G# 056w

E13TH

1 - E 014
2 - C# 017
3 - B 020
4 - G# 024w
5 - E 030w
6 - D 034w
7 - B 038w
8 - G# 046w

E9TH

1 - E 014
2 - B 017
3 - G# 024
4 - F# 026w
5 - D 032w
6 - B 038w
7 - G# 046w
8 - E 056w

E 9TH

1 - E 014
2 - B 020
3 - G# 024
4 - F# 026w
5 - E 030w
6 - D 032w
7 - B 038w
8 - G# 046w

C 13TH

1 - E 014
2 - C 018
3 - A 022
4 - G 024
5 - E 030w
6 - C 036w
7 - Bb 040w
8 - G 048w

    


Tunings for Various Top Notch Steel Guitar Players
Top is 1st (or thinnest) string!

Jules Ah See
E13th C13th B11th
E E E
C# C C#
G# A A
F# G F#
D E D#
B C B
G# Bb F#
E C B
Alan Akaka
C13th B11th
E E
C C#
A A
G F#
E D#
C B
Bb F#
C B
Barney Isaacs Jr.
C13th B11th E13th A13th
E E E E
C C# C# B
A A G# A
G F# F# G
E D# D E
C B B C
Bb F# G# G
C B E C

* Here you can listen to Barney Isaacs Jr. playing some awesome steel guitar on C13th and then b11th for the latter half of the song.

Bobby Black
C6th+A7
E
C
A
G
E
C#
A
B

 
Cindy Cashdollar
A6th C6th E13th
E G E
C# E C#
A C B
F# A G#
E G F#
C# E D
A C G#
F# A E

 
George de Fretes
D6th
D
B
A
F#
D
B
A
F#
John Ely
C13th B11th A Diatonic D9th E13th
E E E E E
C C# C# C C#
A A B A B
G F# A F# G#
E D# G# E F#
C C# F# C D
Bb A F A G#
C B D D E

 
Ken Emerson
G6th
D
B
G
E
B
G
 
Herbert Hanawahine
C13th E7th A11th A11th (2nd tuning)
E G# F# F#
C E D D
A B B B
G G# G G
E E E E
C D C# C#
Bb B A G
C E A A
Rudy Wairata
D6th
D
B
A
F#
D
B
A
F#
Don Helms
E6th B11th E13th E13th
G# E G# G#
E C# E E
C# A C# C#
B F# B B
G# D# G# G#
E B E E
C# A D D
A F# B E

 

Keaau Waugh

C6th
G
E
C
A
E
C

 
Sol Hoopii
C# Minor F#9th A Major C# Minor 7
E E E E
C# C# C# C#
G# G# A G#
E E E E
B A# C# D
E F# A B

 
David Kelii
G11th C6th D9th
E E E
C C C
A A A
F G F#
D E E
B C C

 
Leon McAuliffe
A6th E13th ? Bass Tuning
E E E D
C# C# C# B
A B A G
F# G# F# E
E F# F D
C# D Eb C
A

G#

 Ab (High) B
F# E D A
Ralph Kolsiana
E13th
G#
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
B

 
Joaquin Murphey
C6th+A7 C6th+D9th
E E
C C
A A
G G
E E
C# C
A A
B F#

 
Dick McIntire
F#9th
E
C#
G#
E
A#
F#

 
Greg Sardinha
C13th B11th
E E
C C#
A A
G F#
E D#
C C#
Bb B
C  

 
Herb Remington
A6th F#13th
E E
C# C#
A G#
F# E
E A#
C# F#
A D# (High)
A (Low) F# (High)

 
Dick Sanft
Cmaj9th#11 C13th
F# E
E C
D A
B G
G E
E C
G Bb
C C
Benny Rogers
D13th
F#
D
B
A
F#
C

 
 
David J. Stewart
B11th C6th+A7 C13th C6th Low
E E E E
C# C C C
A A A A
F# G G G
D# E E E
C# C# C C (Low bass)
F#   Bb  
B   C (Low)  
Frans van Oirschot
D6th
D
B
A
F#
D
B
A
F#
Kayton Roberts
??? C6th+A7
F E
D C
A A
F G
G E
Eb C#
C A
F A (Low bass)

 
Bud Tutmarc
C#m
E
C#
G#
E
B
E (double low E)
E (same as string 6)
Henry Allen
C6th+A7
E
C
A
G
E
C
Bb
G

*In my opinion Henry Allen best demonstrates the musical beauty of using a Bb on the C6th. It defines his steel playing as he really makes extensive use of the Bb in his recordings. Great musicianship!
Don Helms
E13th
G#
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
B or E
Bobby Lee
E13 A6th C6th *** E6
F# E E E G#
G# C# C D E
E A A C# C#
C# F# G A B
B E E F# G#
G# C# C D E

E

 A A B D
D F# G A B

***Bob calls this his “new Hawaiian” tuning. Very interesting!

Billy Robinson
Extended C6th
D
G
E
C
A
G
E
C
A
F
Vance Terry
A6th
E
C#
A
F#
E
C#
“Feet” Rogers
D Major
F#
D
A
F#
D
D (Low)

 
Casey Olsen
C6th B11th
E E
C C#
A A
G F#
E D#
C C#
Bb B
C
Sammy Mitchell
E13th
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
B
E
Bill Leavitt
C9 + A7 C9 + A7 C9 + A7
D G B
C Eb D
Bb D C
G C Bb
E Bb G
C# G E
  E C
  C# E
Bobby Koefer
A6+F#7 C Minor 6th E13th
E G E
C# Eb C#
A C B
F# A G#
E G F#
C# Eb D
A# A G#
    E
Hanalei DeWilligen
D13th
D
B
A
F#
D
C
David Kelii
G11th C6th D9th
E E E
C C C
A A A
F G F#
D E E
B C C

 
Junior Brown
C13th
G
E
C
A
G
E
C
Bb
Roger Filberto
E7th
E
B
G#
E
D
B
Harry Brooker
E13th
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
B
E
Eddie Alkire
E Harp
E
C#
B
A
G#
G
F#
F
E
C#
Jerry Byrd's Tunings
C6th+A7 C Diatonic B11th C6th+A7 E9th F#min9 E13th
E E E E E E E
C C C# C B C# C#
A B A A G# G# B
G A F# G F# E G#
E G D# E E A E
C# F C# C# D F# D
C E B   B B G#
A (Low)   B (Low)   E G# B

Billy Robinson's Extended C6th Tuning

The following YouTube video is by a wonderful gentleman named Billy Robinson, a legendary steel guitarist, whom I had the privilege of meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee back in 1992 at a steel guitar convention. I first heard him play the song, Candy Kisses, a classic. Anyway, the following video is nothing less than amazing. Billy is using a 10-string, non-pedal, extended C6th tuning [ (D-G-E-C-A-G-E-C-A-F) ... D being the 1st string (highest on top) and F the 10th, or lowest string on bottom.

D - G - E - C - A - G - E - C - A - F

Billy Robinson's  Extended C6th Tuning

String No.

C6th Tuning

Billy's String Size

Standard String Size

1st

D

.017 P

.017 P

2nd

G

.012 P

.015 P

3rd

E

.015 P

.016 P

4th

C

.016 P

.017 P

5th

A

.018 P

.020 P

6th

G

.024 W

.030 W

7th

E

.028 W

.035 W

8th

C

.036 W

.040 W

9th

A

.042 W

.045 W
10th F .050 W .055 W
Billy never pulls the 2nd string to raise it, but he does the 1st
Tune both “A” notes a little flat.

I've never seen such incredible bar slants like he does in here. He uses a 12 string bar I believe. The song is named, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS ME, a classic steel guitar favorite. This'll make the dogs howl for sure! Enjoy!) More Billy Robinson Videos. This is real music folks.

Maurice Anderson's Extended C6th Tuning

Here's Maurice Anderson from Texas performing, Tiny Bubbles. Reece is playing a 12-string non-pedal steel guitar.

The following is Maurice Anderson's 12-string Extended C6th tuning...

12 String C6th

Kayton Robert's C6th Tuning With Low A

Here below is one of my favorite steel guitar artists, Kayton Roberts playing a 1941 Dual 8-string Fender along with his loyal wife playing a Wurlitzer organ, performing the Hawaiian classic, Mapuana, in an up-tempo arrangement. Here's Kayton's own words about his tunings...

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.

...In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, he gave man so many good things to enjoy. He gave us a steel guitar to play if we choose to. This to me, is the most expressive instrument in the world. It fulfills a special hunger in my life and it won’t hurt you, as a lot of bad things in this world will. I met my wife Iva Lee while playing the steel guitar, our children followed, altogether they are my most treasured possessions!

SOURCE: Steel Guitar World magazine, January/February 1993 issue

Kayton is using the C6th Tuning, which he tunes [High to low: E, C, A, G, E, C#, A, A (low bass)]