Heading back into the Universal Pool.

[Bill McCloskey]

Well, I can't believe it but I'm heading BACK into the Universal pool. Just bought this beautiful Mullen RP 12 string viewtopic.php?p=3252668&hilit=RP#p3252668 and am picking it up on saturday.

This will be my 3rd try. And it will also represent the fact that I'll have now owned every Mullen model: G2 D10, G2 SD10, Discovery S10, and a pre-rp D10. And now a RP 12 string universal.

My first attempt was with a Sierra 12 string. Man, I hated that that guitar, mostly because of the keyless system. I opted for a Bb6th universal which emphasized the 6th side of things rather than the 9th side of things. That guitar drove me crazy. Then I got heavily into Johnny Cox's D13 tuning. But after a while I found it MORE difficult to use than a simple D10.

But lately, I've been tuning my C6th neck to B6th which makes much more sense to me because of the way it lines up with the E9th neck. I've also been studying the Barry Harris harmony book for guitar and translating it to the B6 neck of my G2 D10. So that got me interested in Universal tunings. I took a look at the copedence on the RP 12 string and much of the stuff I'm working on with the Barry Harris stuff laid out much better on a 12 string E9/B6 tuning.

Will this be the one? Hope springs eternal.
For those interested, here is the copedent based on my conversations with the seller.

[Ian Rae]

Bill, glad you're giving it a go!
I have two related suggestions:
1. On the A pedal, rather than raising string 12 to C#, lower it to A. This gives you a root at the bottom with A&B down.
2. Similarly, on the F lever, lowering 11 to C# is much more use than raising it to F

I also got into uni by tuning the back neck down. Enjoy!

[Dennis Detweiler]

Looks good! I like Ean's suggestions. I'm currently playing around with 6 knees. I have my second string tuned to C# and raising it to D# along with the 9th string B to D on LKL. I have two LKR's. Inside LKR lowers 5th string to Bb. Outside LKR lowers strings 6 and 10 (G# to F#). LKV raises 7th string F# to G and 2nd string C# to D. E's and F's on right knees.

[Bill McCloskey]

Thanks for the suggestions. I actually don't know 100% if I have the correct copedent. I just had the seller go through each pedal and lever and tell me which strings went up or went down. Once I get it on Saturday I'll have a better idea. Thanks all for the suggestions.

[Bobby D. Jones]

I have a Mullen's E9th/B6th tuning chart, It is the same as the 1 posted for your guitar. It is close to Jeff Newman 12U tuning, With the A pedal pull to C# on the 12th string.

Welcome back to the big fun pool. I played S10 E9th for years, Then got a D10 tried C6th. Then 2017 I went to the big fun pool, S12 E9th/B6th. To me it is a lot more fun to play in the Kid's (E9th) end of the big fun pool than to play in either of the other pools.

That is not just an S12 Mullen Royal Precision, From the signature on the bottom of the guitar, Looks like its a special Herby Wallace version. So it may have some very special specs. not in a Standard Royal Precision.
In some of the Herby Wallace Signature guitars, They used the Pre Royal Precision Changer and Built the guitar on the Thicker 3/4" original body. To get the sound and tone Mr. Wallace wanted.

Happy Journey finding out the specifications on this guitar.
May want to E-mail Mullen.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

[Ian Rae]

My other suggestion is to do like Dennis and tune the 2nd string to C# and raise it to D# as required. It's a 50/50 call that might not work for everybody, but it suits me

[colin mcintosh]

I would swap the functions of the right leg levers.
If you need to use P7 with P4 or P5, it's easier to right foot it if the D# lower is moving left.

[J D Sauser]

My second PSG ever was an E9th Universal. The first setup was a screw up because I did not understand pedal-lever combinations yet. My luck was that it was a 90's Sierra and I could re-set it up easily until I basically wound up with a Jeff Newman style E9th/B6th
But as I progressed, in the spirit of Maurice Anderson's view on the whole thing, I started objecting to the redundancy of having the E9th lower D-string replacement up from the E9th B-string and the B6th P6 D off the Eb. Yes, there are "some" advantages to keep both the E9th D with an E above it. but these intervals can be found elsewhere. But I really wanted it to treat it as ONE tuning with a setup that worked "from left to right" for one cause.

I finally asked my self if I'd rather not "invert" the tuning so that I'd have B6th/E9th. For that I needed to move my P6 change to a knee lever (RKL in my case)... and the tuning "exploded" because I accidentally resolve another "knot" by removing P6 from between P5 & P7 (now together). If you play C6th you know what now happened: No more "double clutching"... no more 2 feet play! I can even play all 3 changes with just one foot and the lever. For knee lever space, I dropped my C->C# to the floor in lieu of the old P4... and now, it plays beautifully with P5... almost like A&B on E9th moving harmonies up and down the neck on set picking groups... something I had not "seen" to happen before.

Hoping not to sound patronizing I think "trying" is futile.
Just DO it... going 10 to 12 string, many claimed to have "tried" after giving up on it because they "couldn't get used" to it. Just DO it, exclusively... it's like every change in music what I call a 3-month-thing. At age 56 I added a 3rd finger pick. It was like learning to walk after again for 2 months. Today, I don't own any S10 except for 2 Rckenbacker B10's I do play. Takes me 10 minutes to "see" the string groups again on 10-string and off I go.
After 3 months of exclusive dedication you will KNOW why to stick with it or say "been there DONE that" and find the other side of the world more fitting for what you are doing or aiming to achieve.
I was one who for over a Decade swore by Universal, but when I got back into steel, I finally wound up removing the 2 "E9th" pedals and tuning up to C6th on my S12's, because I don't really play that style anymore and I me having a blast with more complex changes towards more Jazz and Neo Soul and what ever. To each his taste. I've come to accept that both systems are valid with their flaws and quirks. EVERY instrument has limitations. Sax players need to form a Club
to hit a chord!

... J-D.

[Bobby D. Jones]

To me the RKR as in your copendent, Is the best way to set up the lower E's lever.
When playing, Engaging the E's for B6th, The weight of your leg to the right, Makes it easier to hold the lever in for longer sessions of playing in B6th.