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Topic: String Gauge Questions |
Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2018 11:15 am |
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I'm used to "standard" pedal steel strings. They seem right and normal on my Sho~Bud Professional.
I have an older Sho~Bud Crossover that I'm playing as a D-10 non-pedal and I'm playing my Gibson Console Grande.
The two non-pedal steels are 23" scale. I end up making my own sets because of the tunings I use...they are "non-standard" but not radical. I use a string gauge chart to choose strings.
How will heavier strings affect the sound and feel?
Conversely, how would lighter strings affect them?
Is there a wisdom about why heavier or lighter might be used to achieve some desired tone or feel change?
Or, is that all too vague?
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Wakarusa 5e3 clone
1953 Stromberg-Carlson AU-35 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2018 11:50 am
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I like to go with slightly heavier strings.
It feels like I get a fuller, richer tone. 
Erv |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 10:20 am
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Heavier strings will have more tension on the same scale neck and the same tuning as lighter guage strings. It will feel stiffer when you pick. It might be easier to control your picking hand dynamics.
The jury is out on the tone/sustain issue. The tighter strings won’t vibrate as widely as looser ones, but they might actually hold the sound a little longer. The greater mass may deepen the tone. Depends on how the pickup reacts. The magnetism increases slightly with the mass, and could cut the vibration a little shorter.
It would be nice if there was an “all things being equal†type of comparison chart. I don’t know if such an experiment is even possible. At this point I think it is still a “your mileage may vary†kind of thing. Give it a try. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 12:35 pm
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Scotty's music used to have many different tunings and string gauges on their web site. Haven't checked for a long time to see if they still have that.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 4:26 pm
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I definitely get the "heavier equals" theory. I tend towards that too.
I wonder if there are folks who would argue the opposite. Or, if maybe certain player's tone depends on one way or the other? What about the legends of non-pedal? Did they leave any evidence of how they strung their guitars up?
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Wakarusa 5e3 clone
1953 Stromberg-Carlson AU-35 |
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Jerry Wagner
From:
California, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 5:50 pm
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I've never played pedal, but it must have an impact on string gauges, needing to be lighter due to mechanical "abuse." So I agree with others' advice to "experiment & go heavier" non-pedal. I use an uncommon 7-string tuning on a 24" scale Ric bakelite, and have found that I like .013 gauge for my high G string. And then there's the question about where do you switch from plain to wound strings? I use 24 wound, but Jack Byrd & Ray Montee say that Jerry Byrd used a plain 24 for the (lower) G string in C6th:
https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/003330.html |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2018 8:36 am
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I know that Buddy Emmons preferred heavier strings.
Whenever you see a Buddy Emmons set of strings advertised some strings are heavier than a normal set. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2018 9:08 am
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This is from the D’Addario website dissertation on string tension. Apparently they have done the experiment I was pondering:
String tension is determined by vibrating length, mass, and pitch. The string diameter alone does not determine a string’s tension. By using different raw materials (nickelplated steel or phosphor bronze, etc.) or by varying the ratio between the core and the wrap wire, two strings with the same diameter, tuned to the same pitch, could have two different tensions.
There are many factors other than string gauge that determine the actual and perceived string tension on your instrument:
• Scale length, or the distance between the nut and the saddle. The longer the scale, the higher the tension is for the same string tuned to the same pitch – for example, a standard Fender™ guitar at 25½†scale has more string tension and will feel stiffer than a standard Gibson™ 24¾†scale guitar, even if both are tuned to the same standard pitch.Some players adjust for this by using slightly heavier gauges on shorter scale guitar than on longer scale guitars.
The article is here: http://www.daddario.com/DAstringtensionguide.Page?sid=ebc52104-5c91-44bc-b563-fa85f9969165 |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 9 Mar 2018 6:17 pm
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| I've used heavier gauge strings for the 1st & 2nd, but not the others.. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2018 11:30 am
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| Another consideration for choosing heavier strings is bendability. If you do behind-the-bar bends, forget it. |
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Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2018 12:03 am It's Not JUST gauge!
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I agree with everyone: slightly heavier strings sound better. Although Fred is right: if you're doing those schmancy behind the string bends, then you'll need lighter gauge strings.
But it's not just how heavy--it's the kind of strings you use as well. After a lot of experimenting, I've come to really like the Scotty's Semi-flat wound strings. They're bright enough and they're nice and quiet--especially with my new Clinesmith bar.
For 8-string C6, the gauges I use are as follows: 016, 018, 022, 024, 030, 036, 042, 054
The Scotty's pack starts with an 015, but I like my highest string a tad fatter. Hope that helps some.
_________________
Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:35 am
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I really appreciate the conversation here. I have experimented with a bunch of different strings over the years, but have wondered what rationale others have for choosing the strings they use.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Wakarusa 5e3 clone
1953 Stromberg-Carlson AU-35 |
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