The 30

 

I collaborated with Emerald Guitars for the first time in 2011.  This was the first instrument in the Kevin Kastning Signature Series: the 30-string Contra-Alto guitar.  Since it arrived in 2011, I've had the Contra side tuned to Contra E, and the Alto side tuned to alto A.  About six months ago, I tried putting the Contra side into Subcontra D tuning, and I really love it.

This week, I've moved the A alto tuning register to G alto.  I finally figured out the string gauges for this register, which proved to be a lot of work.  The scale length on the Alto side is 24 inches, and sometimes string gauges react pretty differently in a shorter scale. Completing this change of register now moves the entire instrument, both Contra and Alto sides, one whole step lower.  The G alto tuning will be a better counterpart to the D Subcontra tuning as well.  I moved the register on the Contra side from E (contra) to D (sub-contra) about a year ago.

Making this move also required some work on the nut; five of the slots required cutting about .003" deeper.

Another option for Alto G tuning is that I can capo it at the 6th fret and that will put it in soprano D tuning, which is two octaves above the Subcontra D tuning on the Contra side.  That could make for some new and interesting harmonic environments.

-kk