Michael's Gear
After experiencing Elixer strings, it’s hard to go back to the old way of life. www.elixerstrings.com
Intellitouch Tuners....no wires,
microphones or pickups.
For more information visit: http://www.tuners.com/default.asp
- DeCava 9 string guitar gallery
Guitars:
AER compact 60
Yamaha Soldano T100C
Strings and Tunings:
- Hydra - D·G·D·g·c· C· f·a d
- Standard
E· A·-·-·-------D·g·b·e
now, imagine :. - without tuning the hydra 1 step lower,
- you have a normal 6 string with the 3 extras between the 4th and 5th being
- 5th=d, same note as 3rd fret 2nd string
- 6th=a, same note as 2nd fret 3rd string
- 7th=e, same note as 2nd fret 4th string
On the archtop guitar, i am now tuning 2 whole steps below normal guitar pitch C-F-C-F-Bb-Bb-Eb-G-C
back to the "D" tuning most of the time unless the tendonitis flares up.
I use this only on solo gigs. It is much easier on the hands. I've only beefed up the 3rd and 2nd strings (.22 and .18 instead of .18 and .15).
Playing in a trio with the late master pianist John Mehegan inspired Mike
to want to push beyond the known technical boundaries of the guitar.
In an attempt to achieve those same tightly-voiced chords and pedaled
legato phrases used by contemporary jazz keyboardists, Mike
developed the concept of the 8-string guitar. His idea
centered on adding 2 inner strings, rather than bass or
treble side strings, and had never before been utilized.
Mike first met master luthier Jim DeCava of Stratford, Connecticut
in 1985 when he brought Jim a Gibson L5 that needed repair. As
their acquaintance grew, Mike shared some of his ideas for a guitar
that could produce the chordal voicings and tones he wanted to achieve.
Based on Mike's design, Jim created the first 8-string guitar ever to
utilize the inner strings as tuning variables.
Jim DeCava eventually built three 8-string guitars for Mike. While
he was pleased with the unique phrasing and chords these instruments
enabled him to produce, Mike wanted to take the concept of inner string
tuning even further. He commissioned Jim to produce a guitar with
nine strings, another innovation unheard of in guitar design.
This "Hydra" was followed by two more nine strings, a semi-hollow and a classical cutaway, both also constructed by James DeCava