Piers...I like "new standard" (not that I use it very much) for its range of C to G, the mandolin like fingerings for single note melodic stuff, the fifth tuning for double-stops, and best of all because like other non-standard tunings, IT'S NOT STANDARD! One of the chief reasons for exploring alternate tunings is to find alternate phrasing, expressions, cool chordal passages, etc which might not be as obvious, or as easily fingered, in standard. I am not a convert to new standard, just a fan.

Peace, Mooh.