Regular guitar strings on a pedal steel

[Marc Weller]

While waiting for my strings (Jagwires) to arrive from bOb I ran out to the music store and bought some GHS .011's. After tuning the string (3rd) to pitch it snapped the first time I applied the B pedal. This happened three additional times. I have used Dean Markley electric guitar .011's on my steel in a pinch and they seemed to work OK but these GHS's simply would not take the half step stretch. My instrument is very easy on strings (Williams 400 Series). How do regular electric guitar strings differ from strings intended for pedal steel.

[David Mullis]

As far as I know there shouldn't be a difference? With the exception of a few string companies that have a longer twist on the .011's. Did you work the pedal as you were bringing the string up to pitch or did you just bring it up to pitch and then hit the B pedal? I made that mistake with the first steel I ever had. I went through several .011's before a friend told me what I was doing wrong.
Then again, it could just be a bad run of strings. Just a month or so ago, I had 3 brand new sets of strings (the brand will remain nameless), and the .013 broke on EVERY set just as I got them up to pitch. I robbed .013's out of each of the 3 packs. They all broke. I finally took a .013 out of an older set that I had and it worked fine. By the way, all 3 strings broke where the loop goes around the ball end.

[SveinungL]

I must admit that I belive all brands are more or less the same, hiding under different names. I always buy single regular guitar strings - Dynamite Alloys from GHS and they never fail me. ( www.juststrings.com )

Of course that's my impression....

Some of the GHS (0.11 and 0.17) comes are called "specials for Pedal Guitar" and they have been "stress tested" to handle more bends than the others....

It sounded strange that you broke several strings in a row. Are you sure there wasn't any sharp edges anywhere?


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Thanks Sveinung Lilleheier
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Kentucky Riders

[Roger Snively]

A lot of the wire drawing mills buy their steel rod, from a number of different suppliers (price being a major factor), can cause string breaking problemd. Some of the rod from the steel mills, is a better quality than some others (Sweden is, or at least was) very good quality. Also the wire drawing factories have different drawing equipment and different drawing methods. Consequently, differnt grades of music wire, even though they are graded the same on the market, are different in quality.

[Jody Carver]

Hey guys..they are all the same,electric guitar or steel,the quality of the string during manufacture is the key. Other than
that "no difference" and dont let anyone tell you different.

I sold and tried them all..I have seen the manufacturing process over the years,of most
all,,no difference,the Jagwire strings sold here on the Forum may be of better quality and thats the key.

Looks like a string,sounds like a string,must be a string. QUALITY makes the difference.

[BobG]

You have to be very careful which .011 you put on a Williams.. If it's not a "short wound" string the "twist" of the string will bear all the pressure at the changer instead of the string and cause it to break prematurely. I had the same problem with the Cobra Coil .011.

[Lloyd Karenke]

I have been using .0115 for the 3rd string and it helps but I don't know if I am doing the right thing. Is there a reason others aren't using them?
Lloyd
GFI Ultra

[Marc Weller]

Bob G nailed it. The twist length was the problem. Just got a handful of Jagwire .011's from bOb and I am no longer having any breakage.

[chas smith R.I.P.]

I buy handfuls of GHS for my Sho-Buds, Bigsbys, Emmons, as well as George L's, and I have always gotten a reasonable amount of usage from them.