A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

For a couple years, my OCD insisted on having my awesome $75 Hadean 12 string tuned standard because I didn't want to hear the 'wrong' chords as I played, until...

A song stuck in my head since I was a little kid, I wanted to play "Stuck in the middle with you" by Stealer's Wheel, and playing it in D with standard tuning sounds a little bit off. I found this video with Gerry Rafferty playing in E, but we clearly hear it in D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMAIsqvTh7g

So obviously he had his 12 string tuned down a whole step like a lot of people did/do. It's an easy song, so I learned the chords to play it in E instead of D with standard tuning, and it still sounded wrong. Finally, I told my OCD to shut up, and tuned down to standard D and yes, it sounds completely right. In fact, it sounds fantastic.

So this raises some questions for the 12 string players...

Do you keep yours tuned down a half or whole step, or do you retune the whole thing, or do you keep multiple guitars, or do you live with standard tuning? Something else?

I actually learned that song for the first time last year. There was a guy on youtube showing how it was done tuned down. I tuned down but prefer to just do it in D. That said I am always 1/2 step down for easier play. You are right it does not sound quite right.

Cool song!