I'm poking at a clawhammer version of a tune with a base melody that runs an octave plus up to the fourth note of the next octave, trying to figure out which key and tuning works best. When I try it in a low key like D, the melody notes land from the open fourth string up to the third fret of the first string and there's some nice high harmony available for brushing. When I transpose higher like A, the melody runs from the open third string to the 10th fret on the first string and the fourth string is free for some nice bass thumbing. Of course I want it all, but there's not enough strings for that 
What would you do?