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Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

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  • Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

    Hipshot sells this thing that's basically a D-Tuna for the headstock. I'm thinking about putting one on my Taylor as I'm buying new tuning keys anyway, but I haven't learned too many acoustic songs, so I was wondering if there were even that many that used drop d tuning.

  • #2
    Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

    Hipshot has made that since the 80's, and it's WAY better than a D-tuna.
    aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

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    • #3
      Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

      I've heard that, but I guess I'm asking if there's any practical use for it on an acoustic. I'm definitely considering one for my shred stick, but I don't know I'd need it as much on an acoustic, given I don't have a good perspective on how much drop d is used in the acoustic world.

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      • #4
        Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

        Originally posted by Driver Blues View Post
        I'm definitely considering one for my shred stick
        D-Tunas aren't great, but they'll work with a locking nut while an extender key won't. When I read "shred stick" I think locking vibrato/tremolo, so feel free to disregard if your guitar doesn't have a locking nut.

        I've never used an extender key on guitar, but the bass version is indispensable.
        Originally posted by crusty philtrum
        And that's probably because most people with electric guitars seem more interested in their own performance rather than the effect on the listener ... in fact i don't think many people who own electric guitars even give a poop about the effect on a listener. Which is why many people play electric guitars but very very few of them are actually musicians.

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        • #5
          Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

          I would think it would be pretty cool on an acoustic. I say go for it.

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          • #6
            Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

            Originally posted by dystrust View Post
            D-Tunas aren't great, but they'll work with a locking nut while an extender key won't. When I read "shred stick" I think locking vibrato/tremolo, so feel free to disregard if your guitar doesn't have a locking nut.

            I've never used an extender key on guitar, but the bass version is indispensable.
            I was saying that I already made the order on 1 for the electric, I just don't know if I'll want one for acoustic. I guess another way to phrase my question is "are there a lot of acoustic songs in Drop D"?

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            • #7
              Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

              "are there a lot of acoustic songs in Drop D"?
              I don't know, but you could write some.
              aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

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              • #8
                Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

                Uh...no. D-Tuna makes a thing that is basically a Hipshot for a Floyd! Hipshot has been making detuners of various types for longer than you must have been alive.

                The entire advantage of the Hipshot is speed. If you don't need to drop tune and re-tune live, then you don't need the lever; you just retune. It's expensive and heavy. You don't want to bother with it unless you need the speed for playing live.

                And yes, I play acoustic in double drop D often – far more so than electric.

                FWIW, these basic ideas are not new. Downtuning has been "a thing" since at least the days of classical music, especially on the bass instruments. I played an uprite bass once that had a very cool mechanism called the Stenholm device. It kept the low string tuned to C, but it did it via a fingerboard extension below the nut. In other words, the low string had two steps longer of a scale length than the other strings. But it had metal levers located by the nut which would fret the lower notes for you, so you didn't have to fret extremely awkwardly. And you could lock any of those levers down to keep the low string tuned to typical E, or whichever note you wanted from C to E.

                It was one of these babies. Crazy ****, man.

                Click image for larger version

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                Last edited by ItsaBass; 01-14-2020, 08:41 PM.
                Originally posted by LesStrat
                Yogi Berra was correct.
                Originally posted by JOLLY
                I do a few chord things, some crappy lead stuff, and then some rhythm stuff.

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                • #9
                  Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

                  Having one on the high and low E would be pretty useful. That would make it possible to add Everlong and Going To California (two acoustic songs everyone should know) to your repertoire without constant tuning. You could also use the bass E to play a 6 string open D chord with a flick of the tuner, and then quickly change it back if the mood struck you.
                  You will never understand How it feels to live your life With no meaning or control And with nowhere left to go You are amazed that they exist And they burn so bright
                  Whilst you can only wonder why

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                  • #10
                    Re: Should I buy a Hipshot Extender?

                    Guitarist Adrian Legg has 6 banjo tuners installed so he can do quick changes throughout the middle of songs. It is really wonderful to listen to, and unlike anything I had heard. My main acoustic is a Variax Acoustic, which allows me to store different tunings electronically.
                    Administrator of the SDUGF

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