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Topic: Selecting Strings |
Mathew Peluso
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 1:54 pm |
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| I've noticed while going through the single strings offered in the SGF Store that certain gauges say "for Electric Guitar" and some specifically say "for Pedal Steel". Now this may be a dumb question but are the unwound strings on a pedal steel the same as unwound electric guitar strings? Trying to put together a couple of sets of GHS Steels that match the Stage One setup specs. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 2:06 pm
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Many people swear by pedal steel strings.
Many people say that the the difference is minor.
The biggest difference is that the pedal steel strings use a shorter lock twist to make sure that the lock twist doesn't get near the arced part of the finger.
I don't pay attention and just buy strings.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Carl Mesrobian
From:
Salem, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 3:12 pm
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I would try to match string tensions and gauges to what is on there, at least until you get to the point of knowing more about how it all works.
_________________
--carl
"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 3:41 pm
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The GHS singles that say "for pedal guitar" are the specially made, high tension plain strings .011PG and .017PG. They are made that way to reduce breakage on the 3rd and 5th strings of E9th. They sound the same as regular electric guitar strings.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Mathew Peluso
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 3:57 pm
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| I see. So other than having higher tension specifically for pedal steel there is no major difference from the strings that say for electric guitar? If I were to order a custom set from the forum store that was mostly noted as "for electric guitar" I'd be good? |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Apr 2016 4:00 pm
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D'Addario, Curt Mangan, Ernie Ball all just sell sets of guitar strings in the gauges we use.
Guitar sets will be fine. Some say they'll break more often at strings 3 and 5. I've never had that problem, and I used to use a lot of both D'Addario and Curt Mangan.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 19 Apr 2016 9:11 am
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| Nickle or Stainless Steel is probably a more important choice. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 19 Apr 2016 11:26 am
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| Pete Burak wrote: |
| Nickle or Stainless Steel is probably a more important choice. |
I always thought that being nickel or stainless had no bearing on the unwound strings, which the OP asked about. Aren't the unwound strings just steel plated with zinc or tin?
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 19 Apr 2016 1:23 pm
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'Just assumed he would be ordering new sets soon enough.
I like the Tone of a Nickle set, myself. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 19 Apr 2016 2:13 pm Re: Selecting Strings
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| Mathew Peluso wrote: |
| I've noticed while going through the single strings offered in the SGF Store that certain gauges say "for Electric Guitar" and some specifically say "for Pedal Steel". Now this may be a dumb question but are the unwound strings on a pedal steel the same as unwound electric guitar strings? Trying to put together a couple of sets of GHS Steels that match the Stage One setup specs. |
basically, yes!
now you can disregard all the other answers. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 19 Apr 2016 4:11 pm
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| Mathew Peluso wrote: |
| I see. So other than having higher tension specifically for pedal steel there is no major difference from the strings that say for electric guitar? If I were to order a custom set from the forum store that was mostly noted as "for electric guitar" I'd be good? |
That is correct. The plain singles are the same ones that GHS uses in all of their pedal steel sets.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 20 Apr 2016 10:59 am
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I will say this about the singles, I bought a set from B0b for my lap steel E7 tuning, and they have stayed in tune much better than anything I have had on it.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2016 7:00 pm
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| Quote: |
| Nickle or Stainless Steel is probably a more important choice. |
yep - on wound strings. But plain steel is plain steel.
SOME single plain strings have a better ball-end winding/lock system, preventing them from unwinding. You can usually find that on the maker's website.
But do some searching first, and you'll find there are only a few actual string winders in the world. And of those, even fewer draw their own wire (example - Fender strings are D'Addario).
There used to be many more makers, but quite a few decided it just wasn't cost effective, and it made more sense to just have private-label strings made by one of the "big boys". A *few* make special runs for a brand, but for the most part they're the same. And some coated strings are big name strings coated somewhere else and private-labeled.
Some of this info has been around for a while, but part of my family is in the wire business and like most specialty industries everybody knows everybody....
except for special instruments like banjo, mandolin and Gypsy Jazz guitars (loop end) and bass I generally buy D'Addario nickel-wound and plain strings in bulk for electric, acoustic and pedal steel. They work fine on all of 'em. Periodically I buy flat wounds, half-rounds or coated strings to experiment (or if on sale!)
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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