Thanks, Yeah, I doubt anyone would want to reinvent everything. This was something I thought as a kid. Afterwards, it became more of a thought exercise to imagine what would happen if everyone in the world suddenly forgot all that was known about tuning and had to start from scratch. Would they recreate the present arrangements because they are, indeed, ideal? I stacked things one side or t'other EEEAA because it seemed to produce some easier chords and a possibility of thinning the neck for the thumb. There was a variation of EAEA for guitar. E-A-E-Eoc higher-A EAEEA. The seven string version ran Eoc down-E-Aoc down-A-Eoc up-E2ocs up-Aoc up EEAAEEA or an 8 string with the high A doubled at the same octave EEAAEEAA. The high A would be a fifth lower that the high E that preceded it. Anyone want to step up? ;)