Doubt with guitar lowered one tone

[David Lee Jones]

Hello forum!

 

For some time now, in addition to playing, I've been singing and, just as I sometimes use the capo to transpose songs by raising the pitch, I have the need to lower it. Usually a tone, and sometimes a tone and a half.

 

What I usually do when lowering it is just to transpose it directly. But, of course, that implies certain limitations that are out of the question. So I have thought about having a guitar (acoustic) that is always lowered one tone with respect to the standard tuning. That is to say, that the sixth string is in D and not in E.

 

With this context, I would like to read opinions and advice from people who have opted for this possibility and who can recommend me things like the length of the neck, the body of the guitar, the thickness (and even brand) of the strings. And also, if relevant, also some specific brand or model.

 

My most usual styles with the acoustic are blues, folk, rock and pop.

 

I hope I'm not overlooking anything. Any information you see missing and necessary, just let me know and I'll include it. Thank you very much in advance.

 

Regards!

[Dad3353]

You may be over-thinking this, I feel. It's not at all unusual for guitars (acoustic or electric...) to have different tunings, and they cope with these variations very well, regardless of their construction or string choice. It's even a 'standard' procedure, for some acoustic 12-strings, to tune down a tone and use a capo at the second fret, to reduce tension on the bridge, which sometimes have a tendency to 'belly', warping the table. That's an extreme example; tuning down a tone or so will have no effect on the guitar that an eventual tweak of the truss-rod can't cope with. Tune it as you think fit, and choose any strings that you're happy playing with, for feel, tone, longevity etc. Down-tuning is not an issue, whatever the guitar, in my opinion and experience. Hope this helps. 

Disclaimer : subject to completion, correction and/or contradiction from others. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Dad3353

[ezbass]

Both of my acoustics are currently tuned in different types of open C to play a couple of Led Zep songs. Even though I prefer a light gauge set of strings, there is no appreciable difference (other than the sound) to the feel or playability of the guitars. Both are 24.75” scale. Open tunings for acoustic guitar has been very much a thing for players for ages and they just retune their standard guitars. If you are going to keep one a whole tone lower than standard all the time, you might want to try a slightly heavier gauge next time you change strings, but other than that (and maybe a truss rod tweak, nothing drastic), just crack on as you are.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Dad3353
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[EdwardMarlowe]

I've heard of folks favouring a slightly heavier string for this (more a thing with electric rather than acoustics), but yeah, I can't see it being an issue. I once tuned by ear and played a full step down for a week or so before I realised - nothing different than the norm. 

 

(As an aside, for years I felt that I was cheating by using a capo until the penny dropped that it's no different than using an alternate tuning. I particularly liked playing d chord shapes with the capo on 1 - basically playing in e flat, but with a much brighter tone than down tuning half a step and playing E shapes. AFAIK it's how Dylan recorded Blowin' In The Wind.)

[David Lee Jones]

Thank you all for sharing your expertise and point of view. I appreciate it!