stainless or nickel

Hugh Jackson · From: Dunn North Carolina

who likes stainless strings better than nickel and is the tone that much better.

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John Daugherty · From: Rolla, Missouri, USA

Hugh, It is my understanding that stainless steel strings ARE nickel/steel. Stainless steel is used only for the winding on the wound strings.
I now use stainless strings and like them. I think the stainless wound strings are a little brighter, tinnier or however you want to describe it. It seems to me that the stainless strings keep their "new" sound longer.

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www.home.earthlink.net/~johnd37

Webb Kline · From: Bloomsburg, PA

I definitely think the stainless sounds better on my GFI and ZB's. It may depend on the guitar, but the nickel strings sound darker to me and I agree about the longevity of the tone as well. The stainless hold their tone for a long time.

If your guitar has a lot of natural high end to it, then maybe the nickel would be better.

In any case there is a difference and all the steelers I've talked to around here agree with that--even those who prefer the nickel.

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

John, you are right on the winding being the only stainless part of the string. I use S.I.T. strings and prefer the stainless over the nickel, I call it, that extra snap in the lower strings.

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Fred Justice,
Fred's Music www.fredjusticemusic.com
Rains Steel Guitars

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

Hugh, I tried both on the Emmons shorty I had, and I liked the stainless better. I do beleive they last longer also.

I'm using Nickel on The Mullen I bought from you, but I plan on trying stainless
just to see which sound better on the RP.

Terry

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Mullen RP D10 /8x5 / Nashville 112/ American Strat Highway 1 model
pickin for Jesus

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I was afraid that the stainless would wear out my guitar string bearing surfaces a little quicker. I have no idea if the extra wear is any kind of concern. Any how I tried them on my old Sho-Bud and now on my new MSA and wouldn't buy anything else now! The lower wound strings ring just like a piano and stay that way for weeks. The wound strings do have a crisper sound but that, to me, just makes them more balanced with the non-wound strings.

Greg

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Stainless.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I recently bought 4 sets of Jagwires from b0b
- 2 nickel - 2 stainless. I have one of the SS sets now on my U-12. They sound great, and resonate and ring out with clarity.

But, some folks, who are a lot more advanced than I am prefer the nickels.

I would like to get their bent on why they prefer 'nicks' over 'ss's'.

I love the SS's; they are now starting to "go", "tho", and I will be putting on one of the NICK sets this time around. I wish some nickel players would step up and say why they prefer NICKS over SS's.

C'mon you guises, let's have it.

[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 29 April 2006 at 10:52 PM.]

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Apples or Oranges??

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Ya got it Ricky,, lol..

I've been using nickel and have preffered the slightly darker tone.

An older steel player that I really respect told me Frid. nite that the bottom end of this U12 was was pretty muddy. So if I can't EQ that out the way I want I may try a set of S/S Jaqwires.

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Webb Kline · From: Bloomsburg, PA

I'm no string authority, but I think the wound strings are the ones that are either stainless or nickel. I think the plain strings are all the same. Correct me if I'm wrong.

David Doggett · Posted 30 Apr 2006 12:25 pm

I think the plain strings and cores of the wound strings are all stainless. Only the wrapping of the wound strings is nickle in a nickle string set. I'm lazy, and I have to change strings less often with stainless wounds. I also like the better definition on the bottom strings of my uni. Some day I would like to try nickles for a darker jazz tone. But since I play all kinds of music on the one guitar, this may not be practical.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

'Darker'...

That's a good description of the nickel strings.

I recently changed over to Jagwire, and I chose stainless initially; I'd previously been using Emmons nickel-wound.

I enjoyed the consistent quality of the Jagwires but, after a couple of months, I had Danny change my stainless 'stock' for nickel-wound. I'm still delighted with the Jagwires, but have to say that I actually like the 'darkness' of the nickels.

I'm also really happy with the same strings on my Telecasters, by the way.

So, after a brief flirtation with stainless, it's nickel-wound for me, but they must be Jagwires!

RR

[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 30 April 2006 at 02:08 PM.]

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

My Franklin came with Lawrence SS strings and I used Lawrence then later George L's, which are SS. I've tried other brands and go back to George L's.

I used Emmons (nickel) strings on my old PP and was happy with them. But, after using SS for almost 25 years the Nickel strings sound dead to me.

SS strings do not cause changer finger damage as some say or think. Again, after almost 25 years of use on my Franklin there is virtually no wear.

There are also the composition strings including Franklin and Bobbe Seymour's "Cobra" strings.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

"Darker"...ha...I don't know; does this sound dark to ya'll??.
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/todayistarted.mp3
I would say nickle is warmer(less bright/ping): but darker or brighter to me is what guitar; what amp; what pickup; how you pick; and how you set your amp and so on.
Ricky

David Doggett · Posted 30 Apr 2006 5:37 pm

I think most of those wound string marks on nut rollers come from turning the guitar upside down to work on it and not protecting the nut. That also marks the changer. I'd be surprised if stainless strings ever damaged nut rollers or changers with proper use.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

I like the semi-flat wound nickel from Frenchy,s Pedal Steel Guitar Shop. They are called the Silent Series and are available in nickel or stainless. Jody.

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Two identical guitars, with identical pickups, played by the same person through the same amp for the same number of hours each day - one with nickel strings, one with SS. What's our sample size?

What do the oscilloscopes and frequency analyzers have to say about "darkness", "brightness" and longevity?

Anecdotal evidence is so, like, anecdotal... susceptable to prejudging, expectations etc.

There's probably a reason nickel strings OR stainless strings haven't gone away by now, but I sure don't know it.

Larry Chung · From: San Francisco, CA, USA

Here's a slightly different angle on all of this... I find that my bar has a much smoother feel over nickel strings. I agree that stainless strings last a bit longer, but I could never get used to the 'tacky' feeling of the bar (I use BJS chrome-plated) on stainless. A stainless bar, too, does the same thing for me, i.e., seems to stick a little too much to the strings. And anyhow, a more mellow sound is OK by me with my ZBs... (:

ZBest,
LC

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Ricky....

What's in a word? 'Darker' works for me, but I'd accept 'warmer', too. I just can't stand 'brittle'!

Larry - I totally agree! I tried the SIT stainless many years ago and they were off my guitar again within 24 hours just because of that tackiness. They were much more irritating to me on my electric guitar, and I took those off an hour later! Playing electric, as I do, with no picks, that tackiness affected both my hands. I didn't give the stainless strings much of a tone-evaluation back then because of the discomfort I felt playing them.

RR

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Stainless strings require less (about 30% ?) changer movement for a given pitch change, compared to nickel. At first I thought this was a advantage for stainless. But then I realized that this means stainless is more susceptible to unwanted pitch changes, such as cabinet drop, or inaccurate pulls or returns. So maybe you should use nickel for that reason.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

I have not used a set of Nickel strings yet as I have been happy with S.S. strings...This being said , if the NIckel strings give off a darker tone, maybe they could be used for those wanting a warmer tone to their steel WITHOUT having to mess with EQ ... I for one have an Excel that is pretty brite in tone ....I'll try a Nickel string to see how it sounds on my steel ... It might be the string I'm looking for on certain applications .... What I'm wondering is which string is more quiet when sliding up the neck ? ...
Thanks , Jim

Larry Robbins · From: Fort Edward, New York

I tried the Jagwire Nickle on my Bud and Liked them but for me they allways go Flat=dead=Blatty in a few days(although I wipe them off when I am through) The Jag SS Are a little Too bright for the first day or so for my taste but, after that sound great and seem to last a long, long time,
tone wise for my style and type of playing.( two hours or so most everyday and one or two gigs per wk/sometimes month) and I dont break very many!

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73 PROII,8&4, Steelking, Hilton pedal, USA Tele, Fender Twin,Peterson tuner,Tut Taylor Reso's and Twang to the Bone!!

Chris Erbacher · From: Sausalito, California, USA

i agree with larry on the stickiness, and i like the sound of nickel with my zb. this may be a question of a wooden necked guitar versus metal neck with regards to tone.

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