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Topic: New discoveries (for me) Plain vs wound 6th |
Neal Vosberg
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2018 6:51 pm |
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So this is the first time I've had a plain 6th on any steel I've owned. I know a lot of people have complaints about it having a plonky, weak sound, but I was most surprised by the lack of definition on my particular guitar (Expo) when rocking onto a closed position. It's lost to my ears and find myself rexamining my playing to see if I missed picking it. Also a lot softer action on my B pedal.
I also thought I could take advantage of finally trying to tune my G#->F# lower. I did everything by the book but couldn't get it to stick. It actually shot down to F#, which I could never achieve with a wound string, but once it bounced back neutral and raise tones were totally gone. It's a tough change to tune and ultimately decided to live without it.
On another note, my first string raise can't seem to endure a pull anymore. Shoots right out of tune. String is seated in the finger fine, nothing different other than being a new string. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Jul 2018 7:30 pm Re: New discoveries (for me) Plain vs wound 6th
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| Neal Vosberg wrote: |
... my first string raise can't seem to endure a pull anymore. Shoots right out of tune. String is seated in the finger fine, nothing different other than being a new string. |
First, make sure the fingers are returning to the stop! After that is checked, I'd recommend you have at least 6 or 7 wraps at the tuning keys on all the fine strings when you change strings, to prevent any slipping. |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 3 Jul 2018 9:44 pm
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The plonky 20p on my 6th string is one of the main reasons I switched from lowering 6 to raising 7 a whole tone. The 22w sings way better, plus the movements that you get from a 6 lower are almost all there on the 7 raise, but they sound a tad different...which I like.
JMHO, of course... |
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mtulbert
From:
Plano, Texas 75023
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 3:56 am
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i from a plain string to a wound and love it. I was able to get the 6th string drop and split without a problem but the throw on the knee lever is longer for sure. But not that bad.
the difference is definitely worth it IMHO. No more problem with F lever tuning the drop on the 6th and the tone of the notes blends much better with the other strings.
I have the drop on a lever. The way I tuned it was to almost overtune the drop from the tuning nut, back off a couple of turns and adjust the travel to tune the string.
regards,
_________________
Mark T
Rittenberry Laquer D10, Rittenberry Prestige SD10, Revelation Preamp,Revelation Octal Preamp,Lexicon PCM 92 Reverb, Furlong Cabinet |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 4:19 am
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I've always used a plain .020 on the 6th string. With my first pedal steel, a Fender 2000, to a 71 D-10 PP Emmons to my current Franklin. The instruction sheet that came with the Franklin said to use the "Nashville gauges" strings which are basically the Sho-Bud gauges and that is a plain .020. I lower the 6th string a full tone (and split with the B pedal). I'm currently using the D'Addario NYXL strings which have a .020 for 6th string.
_________________
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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Greg Lambert
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 8:18 am
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One main disadvantage to a plain on the 6th , especially with my Derby D10.
With the A& B pedals down and the E's lowered with the Knee , the 6th string will go flat about 6 to 8 cents. this is really noticeable up the the neck.
With a wound 6th the problem is gone. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 8:18 am
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Some pedal steels require a plain 6th string, the changer will not make a full tone lower.
Erv |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 8:42 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| Some pedal steels require a plain 6th string, the changer will not make a full tone lower. |
Th GFI is one of those that won't lower a wound 6th far enough without minor modifications. I managed to modify and adjust an Ultra keyless to lower a wound 6th (Jagwire .022W) to F# and split to G. But, the Expo is keyed which makes the total length of the 6th longer – more changer movement required, and I'm not sure if a wound 6th can be made to work on it no matter what. |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2018 11:29 am
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I just got tired of tuning instability with a plain string. Problem solved with a wound 6th.
With some quick re-rodding, it drops to F#.
I'm surprised that a plain seems to be the people's choice, but matters of tone come down to individual taste. In my world, any tonal advantage suddenly washes away if the string is out of tune most of the time. But I'm nitpicky about tuning... |
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Duane Dunard
From:
Troy, MO. U.S.A.
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 4:48 am
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| My exact thoughts as Tucker Jackson's. I've been using a .022w 6th string for years and lowering it easily to F# on my MSA Millennium. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 5:37 am
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Different strokes. That's why they make different gauges. I've used a .020 plain for years on all my steels, but just recently went to heavier strings on 4, 5 & 6 (15, 18, 22P) on the MCI. A bit meatier tone. I don't have any problems at all with the balance with the plain strings as opposed to a wound there and I like the sound just fine.
I personally like the feel and sound of the plain string better against the other higher pitched strings 1-5, and if there is any detuning that is caused by the stiffer plain string, it's easily cured by the addition of a simple compensator rod in 5 mins.
Listen to some of Emmons, Jeff Newman's et al tone on the 6th string. Sounds big and full enough to me.
But, long as you're happy with the wound string, that's what matters. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 6:58 am
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Jerry,
I also use a .022 plain on the 6th.
Erv |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 7:21 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| I've always used a plain .020 on the 6th string. |
Me too. I also have always used a .010 on the 3rd string. That's how the "Emmons Stereotone String" sets were configured back in the day. Sounded good on my '73 Emmons. Those gauges worked for me then; they work for me now. For any shortcomings in my sound, string gauge discrepancies of one or two thousandths of an inch are low on the list of causes. |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 8:47 am
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Lowering a wound 6th string a whole tone from G# to F# is NOT where the problem with using a wound string is. It is the lowering from the A note(with the B pedal down) to the G note. It can be done....but there are a few variations to apply. But most pedal steels will NOT lower a wound 6th string from A to G with B pedal down.
I of course use a wound 6th string; but I lower it only a half anyway...and Raise my 7th a whole tone on another knee. But yes I cannot deal with the over tone and tuning instability of a plain 6th string and got rid of that 20 years ago....yeeeehaaaa. But I work on Steel guitars for 100's of folks for the last 25 years and always try to talk them out of plain 6th strings...ha.....and I have actually found out how to lower a "Wound" 6th from A to G with split tuning ability...on many steels.
Ricky
Ricky
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 9:07 am
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Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string?
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 9:45 am
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| Lee Baucum wrote: |
| Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string? |
Yes. Jagwire "Ricky Davis" set does. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 9:53 am
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| Lee Baucum wrote: |
| Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string? |
Jagwire - Lloyd Green, E9th, Stainless
I use these gauges as basis whenever, and from whoever, I order strings. Prefer Jagwire LG Series and/or LSS Custom Nickel, as they both require short throw on changer, are very stable, and perform almost identical – and they last long. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 9:55 am
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I've tried several times to convert from a plain sixth to a wound sixth. The wound sixth has a much longer travel to reach pitch, which balances better with the third string raise, so the B pedal feels smoother. And the wound sixth string detunes much less than the plain sixth when you play the A pedal along.
But every time I've made this conversion I've gone back to a plain sixth within an hour, or less. I prefer the brilliance of the plain sixth. It seems to blend in better with all the strings above it.
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It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 5 Jul 2018 9:58 am
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| Lee Baucum wrote: |
| Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string? |
I use the Jagwire " Lloyd Green" sets. Stainless with a wound 6th string. I don't think that a plain or wounded string sounds better or worse, just different.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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