New discoveries (for me) Plain vs wound 6th

[Neal Vosberg]

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.

[Donny Hinson]

... 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.

[Skip Edwards]

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...

[mtulbert]

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,

[Jack Stoner]

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.

[Greg Lambert]

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.

[Erv Niehaus]

Some pedal steels require a plain 6th string, the changer will not make a full tone lower.
Erv

[Tucker Jackson]

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...

[Duane Dunard]

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.

[Jerry Overstreet]

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.

[Erv Niehaus]

Jerry,
I also use a .022 plain on the 6th.
Erv

[Jack Hanson]

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.

[Ricky Davis]

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

[Lee Baucum]

Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string?

[Tucker Jackson]

Do any E9 sets come with a wound 6th string?

Yes. Jagwire "Ricky Davis" set does.

[Paul Sutherland]

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.

[Marco Schouten]

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.