The Sixth String g# - Wound or Plain?

Delbert Aldredge · From: Willis, Texas, USA

This string must be to almost perfect tune,
a single degree + or - will grossly effect total tuning. Various brand sets package either the 20 plain or 22 wound. I could be picking heavy but the 20 gage plain sounds twangie and slightly out of tune compared to the 22 gage wound (vibes smoother).

This is the only string that I must adjust my nylon tuner when alternating gage. I prefer the sound of the 22 gage wound, I'm wondering which gage do you prefer and why? Would be interested in What the pros have to say?

thanks,

[This message was edited by Delbert Aldredge on 16 April 2005 at 05:12 PM.]

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

If you only raise and lower a half step, I'd go with wound. There are some guitars that can handle a whole step lower or raise without too much throw. On others, a whole step lower on a knee lever requires a REALLY long throw with a wound sixth. Switching from a plain to a wound can also increase the travel a bit on the B pedal. Some folks don't like that.

Most people use plain sixth strings, but also agree that a wound sounds better. The pedal travel and action can become a problem for some with a wound sixth, however.

I raise AND lower the sixth a whole tone and prefer an unwound sixth. I used a wound for a couple of months and decided that I'd switch back for playability reasons. Changing the string once a month or so will minimize but not eliminate the tuning weirdness.

The reason for that weirdness is that a string requires throw INVERSELY proportional to THE CORE OF THE STRING to move a given musical interval (the bigger the core the SHORTER the throw to move a whole step, for example). A 022 plain has a 022 core (duh) and a 022W has about a 010 core (maybe even smaller -- it's one of the smallest wound strings with the smallest core). ALSO, and perhaps more importantly, the larger the core the more temperature sensitive a string is. Tune your unwound sixth (or even the fifth) 'straight up' on a tuner. Now grasp with your thumb and forefinger and move from one end to the other a couple of times, heating up the string. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED HOW FAR IT MOVES WHEN HEATED UP SLIGHTLY.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 17 April 2005 at 05:09 AM.]

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

I have always liked the plain but I do lower the 6th to an E on the verticle lever.
Hook

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www.HookMoore.com

richard burton · From: Britain

I can't use a plain sixth, the tuning instability drives me mad.
I always set my steels up with a wound sixth, and alter the leverages of the pedal/kneelever to get a standard throw.
R B

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Like everything else on a Pedal Steel, it's a "compromise". One may sound better but the other may be needed because of mechanical concerns.

The brand of string can also be an issue. There can be major differences between brands such as accuracy of the string gauge, quality of the string material, etc.

basilh · From: United Kingdom

.022" PLAIN
IMHO

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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

.024w

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

I've been using a wound 22 for a few years and it works for me. It's all what "YOU" like. Buddy uses a plain 6th , Lloyd uses a wound 6th. I use SIT strings but I use a GHS W22 boomer for the 6th which has a little less pedal travel than other wound strings I've used and I lower it a whole tone. Like I said this works for me.

Tony

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

As we know all steels have some cabinet drop some where.I use a wound on my 6th string on the 9th tuning.I like the more mellow sound.To get back on track,30 years or so ago i noticed when i raised the 6th string on my new MSA the 5th would slighty flat not much but enough to bother me.I called Reese Anderson about it and he told me to put a wound on the 6th string.I did.End of problem.I just threw this in for what it's worth.Now you can throw it back out.Tracy

KENNY KRUPNICK · From: Columbus, Ohio

.020 plain.

David Spires · From: Millersport, OH

My vote is .022" plain, because I love the tonal matching with the 5th string - .018".

I do find that the plain causes me more tuning issues, and several months ago, I tried going back to the wound for that reason - but for whatever reason - I didn't like the blend between the 5th and 6th strings.

Now, I know of several steel guitar masters that have used that .022" wound, but for my playing style, I'll put up with the tuning issues on the plain 6th string.

Wy not a .020" plain - I don't find it big or stiff enough compared to my other string selections.

Only my $0.02,

David Spires

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Steel Guitarist for Jo Dee Messina: Carter D-10 8&7 / MSA Classic D-10 8&5; Line 6 Pod XT; Jagwire Artist Series Strings; Walker Professional Players' Chair; Peterson VS-II Tuner; Goodrich Matchbro & LDR Pedal; and BJS Bars

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

.022P on 24" scale guitars. I find the .020P too twangy. For me, a wound 6th seems to give too abrupt a tonal transition from the plains to the wound - I like it better on the lower string. I also generally prefer the sound of raises and lowers on plain strings. It also requires a longer throw, as Larry points out - two of my guitars have G# to A# raises.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I have been using a 22 plain for a while now. The 6th string always drives me crazy though no matter what I put on it. Its a squirrely string no matter what I do.

Up around the 15th fret my bar is slanted one way with a plain and the other way with a wound if I want to sound in tune.

Since its always a problem anyway and I like how the 22 plain sounds so I work around its weirdness.

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Bob
intonation help

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