The Steel Guitar Forum

It's a bit off-topic but what would be the right 6th string guage for a push-pull and would it be wound or plain? I have a plain .020 on there now. If I wanted to go with a wound what guage? I ask because at times that string doesn't sound quite right.

I use a 24 wound on my push-pull.

I lower it a full tone, and it's a whole different ball game when you do that on a push-pull.

I also raise the first string a half-tone on the same lever that I lower the sixth, and I had the devil of a job to get it to work, as the sixth string finger movement is much greater than with a plain sixth.

This meant that, if I wanted a 7th chord, with pedals A+B pressed + the first string raised a half tone, it was tricky to stop the
sixth string lowering push-rod from fouling on the finger before the first string had raised a half-tone.

I managed to find a way round it

Fellow push-pull mechanics will know what I'm on about, all-pullers will be lost

Edited because I've even confused myself <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by richard burton on 05 February 2006 at 11:25 AM.]</p></FONT>

On my MSA's, I use a .024w as that seems to work best on the lower. It also doesn't have that "boingy" sound of the plain string. One great thing about the MSA's is the lowering cabilities of the changer. I have no problem getting 1 to 2 full tone lowers, and they'll even lower an .010 third string a full tone with no problem, once they have the right return spring.

I am one of those rare players that don't lower that string at all. I raise string 7 only a half step and don't raise string one at all.

Ricky Davis has been helping me restore an old S10 Professional with the barrel and basket mechanism and says that it will only work right with a wound 6th (i.e.: stay in tune). I have no opinion on this myself but Ricky is a pretty savvy guy, IMHO.

Well - contrary to most people's opinion here, I use a 0.22p. I know the the issues of sensitivity to body flex or cabinet drop whatever you want to call it. I just prefer the sustain and the little overtones that come out of the plain 6th. Plus of course I lower it, but for me the sound of the string is why I prefer it. I can live with the instability bit as I have put a compensator on my Pro 111 to reduce this.

Yeah Dave Z..... how did you end up going on this one? Inquiring minds want to know



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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

Still using the plain just because I don't time to be adjusting my guitars at the moment. I will probably experiment with it and give it a try with the wound. Seems the plain is not as stable with the tuning.

DZ

Put a .024 wound on my push-pull and it works great.

I've always used a 22 wound on every shobud I've ever had and I've had a few of them. Right now I have an LDG and I use a 22 wound on it and I lower it to an F# and have no problem in doing that either, I also lower my B's a whole tone with no problem.
GB

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If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!

I tried a 22w on my GFI SD10, and I got the pedal to raise to A, but I couldn't get the changer to lower to an F#. The rod was too tight, and the tuning was really touchy. Went back to the 22p til I get some more knowledge. It's like it needs a longer bellcrank.

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David.C. Wright
GFI SD10 Dynacomp RV-3 Evans SE200 Strats POD Fender Deluxe Reverb