Buster Williams tuning ADGC

Confucius · #1 03-27-2005, 06:28 PM

I read here once that Buster Williams tunes A D G C. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this or had any comments on the pros and cons.

hdiddy · #2 03-27-2005, 06:57 PM

Doesn't Ron Carter do this too? I remember reading about this on Buster's site. Something like it lets them play a higher register, thus allowing them to lead lines a little easier.

Alexi David · #3 03-28-2005, 04:42 AM

Almost......I tune EADGC

**Francois Blais** · #4 03-28-2005, 08:43 AM

I think they use that tuning on their piccolo bass only.
(but I may be wrong of course!)

Ed Fuqua · #5 03-28-2005, 09:09 AM

I ran into Buster at Gage's, his Hawkes was tuned standard EADG. I heard him play with SPHERE, his Hawkes was tuned (I don't have perfect pitch, they just played a bunch of tunes I know and from Buster's fingering I could tell) standard EADG.

Confucius · #6 03-28-2005, 02:44 PM

Ok so I think its safe to assume this was misinformation someone posted here before.

Well its interesting to hear that Slam Stewart may have tuned like that at least. Really unique player who played these wonderful bowed solos while singing everything he played an octave above. Gonna listen to some records later tonight and see if the low E string is missed.

Major Holly had similar style to Slam Stewart -- I wonder if he also tuned that way.

Paul Warburton · #7 03-28-2005, 04:07 PM

I've worked many jazz parties with Slam and Major. Every time I heard them, they were both using standard tuning.

tzadik · #8 03-28-2005, 04:16 PM

Confucious, please let us know what you find out, if you find out.

Alexi David · #9 03-28-2005, 07:07 PM

Well, Slam Stewart endorsed the 5-string Kay with a High C - (did he actually record with it? which records?) Maybe that's what was origi meant with Slam (not ADGC 4 string)

Paul Warburton · #10 03-28-2005, 09:15 PM

Slam also did an ad for Super Sensitive Strings on a Kay four string.