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Jan 18, 2025 - 2:19:33 AM
7 posts since 11/18/2024

Good day everyone,

I am looking into figuring out False Hearted Lover's Blues the way Dock Boggs played it. According to some sources I found (see here and here), the tuning Boggs used was the very unusual (for me, anyway) c#GDEA.

Does anyone have any advice on how to tune my banjo to this tuning? Let's take the fifth string for example. I assume Boggs just tuned it down to C. That would perhaps be a bit too loose, but I wouldn't assume Boggs used a fifth string capo? Next, should I be able to tune up the fourth string without problem? Etc, etc. You get the idea.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Jan 18, 2025 - 3:32:29 AM
Players Union Member

janolov

Sweden

43161 posts since 3/7/2006

In this instruction video Clifton Hicks says the tuning is f#DGAD (which is all strings seven frets lower, or five frets higher) than the tuning you presented) which is a kind of D modal..  However, the 1927 recording seems to be in A modal, so I think he have tuned down.

Edited by - janolov on 01/18/2025 03:45:42

Jan 18, 2025 - 3:35:28 AM
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Players Union Member

Emiel

Austria

10507 posts since 1/22/2003

We know from Mike Seeger, the later owner of Dock Boggs' banjo, that Dock Boggs used rather heavy strings, the first 0.012, the 3rd (and 4th) wound. Although being heavy, these strings were called "Gibson medium": 12-14-20-25-11.
 

Edited by - Emiel on 01/18/2025 03:35:49

Jan 18, 2025 - 9:54:32 AM

John T Chance

Hungary

7 posts since 11/18/2024

Thanks. So I gather the solution is to tune it down with light strings.. I'll try it out!

Jan 18, 2025 - 11:05:26 AM
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Players Union Member

janolov

Sweden

43161 posts since 3/7/2006

You don't get a good sound if you tune down with light strings.

Jan 18, 2025 - 3:06:13 PM
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3641 posts since 4/19/2008
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Jan 18, 2025 - 3:16:49 PM
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2613 posts since 2/9/2007

The tuning is usually written as f#CGAD, but Dock did usually tune 3-5 frets below "concert" pitch.

Jan 18, 2025 - 4:20:32 PM
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John T Chance

Hungary

7 posts since 11/18/2024

quote:
Originally posted by mmuussiiccaall

I put a tab for False Hearted here
https://www.banjohangout.org/tab/browse.asp?m=detail&v=27766


Excellent, thank you!

Jan 22, 2025 - 9:32:35 AM
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314 posts since 4/13/2007

Dock is tuned particularly low on that Lonesome Ace session, much lower than on the recordings for Brunswick or most of his later Folkways recordings.

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