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Topic: Proper String Gauges--how is it determined?? |
James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Dec 2010 11:22 am |
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Ever wonder how they determine what string gauges to use and pair up to make string sets? Here's an article from Bill Lawrence sources, which considers six strings. What about pedal steel? Anyone have some deepwer insight?
"The String Dilemma: Tension vs Stiffness
The relationship of tension and stiffness has always been a major consideration in design of musical instrument strings. This became especially problematic for the electric guitar when very light gauge string sets with bare wire G strings became widely available in the 1950's. A combination of low tension with high stiffness results in a loss of upper harmonics. A .017 inch bare wire B string used on an acoustic guitar has 58.87 percent higher tension at pitch than the same string used as a G string on an electric guitar. Since B is four halftones from G, this can be calculated based on the fact that doubling the string's diameter is the equivalent of a fourfold increase in string mass, but we must also factor in the decrease of diameter from whatever stretching occurs at pitch which can be quite a bit.
The ideal for guitar strings is for each string to exert equal tension at pitch which requires an increase in mass as pitch decreases. For the three bare wire strings in a typical modern electric guitar set, this can be simplified via the 4 times mass = 2 times diameter rule with the following results:
E .009 .010 .011
B .012 .0134 .0147
G .015 .0168 .0185
With wound strings, the calculation has to take into account that such strings are not solid cylinders, and therefore, a simple mass-diameter ratio does not apply. We can generalize, however, that increased string stiffness reduces the harmonic content of a note. The further up the neck a string is fingered, the shorter and stiffer it becomes. One can play an open E string, then E on the fifth fret of the B string, or on the ninth fret of the G string -- offering the very same pitch but each fingering has a different timbre due to decreasing harmonic content. A savvy player can make use of this effect by deliberately controlling timbre through fingering choices.
To give myself a full range of such choices -- on my long scale and light-weight solid-body guitars, I normally use a .009-.042 string set to avoid a stiff, large diameter bare wire G string. By way of contrast, on my D'Angelico, I used a .016-.074 set which delivered a well-balanced timbre selection on that guitar; while on my L-4, it took a .012-.056 set to do the job. Plainly, each guitar requires a different set of strings for optimum timbre balance and to match the resonance of the guitar.
The string industry could help with the bare G string problem by researching and adopting certain annealed steels to reduce stiffness. I often wonder – what are they waiting for?
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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bill dearmore
From:
Belton,Tx.,USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2010 12:53 pm
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| I agree totally... even different steel guitar brands like different gauge strings. My Zum likes .013,.015,013,015,019.022 for the first six strings. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Dec 2010 3:03 am
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When I got my Franklin, in late 81, Mr Franklin told me to use the "Nashville Gauges". He told me years of experimentation at Sho-Bud determined these were the best fit for pedal steel.
On a 6 string guitar there are other factors. For example, on my 61 Gretsch Chet Atkins, I had to use a heavier gauge string because of the spring used in the Bigsby tailpiece. I used the Gretsch Chet Atkins strings which included a wound 3rd. On my Tele, I use 9's and on my Les Paul I use 10's. I tried the 9's on the Lest Paul and it didn't sound right. |
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Brad Issendorf
From:
Lake City, Minnesota
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Posted 26 Dec 2010 6:13 am
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Jack, please enlighten me as to what the "Nashville guages" would be. Is it a certain brand's packaged set? I'm curious.
Brad |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Dec 2010 8:00 am
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Not brand specific, many of the steel guitar brands use the "Nashville" gauges as their standard sets.
The George L's Nashville Gauges (what I use) and the GHS Super Steel's sold on the forum are:
E9th
.013 .015 .011 .014 .017 .020p .026w .030 .034 .036
C6th (High G):
012 .014 .017 .020p .024w .030 .036 .042 .054 .070 |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Dec 2010 8:34 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| He told me years of experimentation at Sho-Bud determined these were the best fit for pedal steel. |
Beyond "Shobud said so", how did they come to those conclusions? What's the "meat" of that sort of research?
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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Patrick Laffrat
From:
Gemenos, France
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2010 9:59 am
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The science of pitch vs. tension is well understood. You can run the numbers yourself with Arto's String Calculator:
http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/wikla/mus/Calcs/wwwscalc.html
It's interesting that the "Nashville gauges" are lighter on several strings than what Paul Franklin uses. They were developed when strings were not as strong as they are today and full-step lower changes were not as common.
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 8:45 am
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| b0b wrote: |
| They were developed when strings were not as strong as they are today and full-step lower changes were not as common. |
Very true.
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 9:10 am
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Great info, Patrick.
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 1 Jan 2011 5:18 pm
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Patrick Laffrat -
EXCELLENT references. Everyone should stick their noses into them - at least once. I've used Mottola's site for quite some time and it would be invaluable if one is gonna tinker with string diameters.
Richard |
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Mike Wheeler
From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
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Posted 1 Jan 2011 7:45 pm
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Remember when choosing a string gauge, to pick the gauge that matches your highest note to which that the string will be raised. Otherwise there is a higher risk of it breaking prematurely.
Having said that, there is some wiggle room to experiment in, especially with the improved string formulations used nowadays. A slightly heavier, or lighter, gauge will produce slightly different tonal responses....like the tonal difference between a high G# note using an 0.011, and a 0.012.
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Best regards,
Mike |
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