The Steel Guitar Forum

i don't think this question has been asked before this way at least,so here goes :
does it matter which strings you use depending on the type of music you play?? in other words does stainless steel sound better for classic country or would nickel ??? also what about the string size

my best guess would be it is really more on your style & note selection than anything else.

i was thinking that maybe the s.s. might lend themselves to one type more so than the other because they seem to have a brighter sound..just wondering what others might think about it

Calvin,

My own opinion is that's it's a matter of choice, and prefference.
I prefer the SS for the brighter sound I seem to get, but then that's just my opinion.

I can't really see where SS, or nickel, would be better, or worse for differnt types of music.

Larry

i have also noticed that on some sets the 6th has a 20 gage string and on others it has a 22 gage why the difference

Calvin, again a matter of prefference, I prefer the .22 myself. I'm also of the opinion that the amount of pulls on the string would also be a detererming factor for the string gauge. Where are all the steel techs. when ya need them?

Larry

The .020 plain is what comes in the "Nashville" gauge sets from George L's. GHS and most other brands. The .022 plain does come in some "tension balanced" sets (whatever tension balanced is).

The .022 wound is not rare but it's not usually found on stnadard steel guitar sets. If you are both raising and lowering the 6th string you want a plain string.

I use the .020 plain on my Franklin as the "Nashville" gauges was what I was told to use by Franklin Guitar Co and what they had found to be the best gauges.

I'm from the old school and like the heavier gauge strings: 13 for the 1st, 12 for the 4th, 22(plain) for the 6th and 38 for the 10th.
I use nickel strings for the same reason, a fuller, richer sound.
I also try to avoid using the 3rd, G# string, as much as possible.

well it just goes to show that nothing on the steel guitar is simple ...even buying strings is complicated haha

just don't use Nylon strings

Calvin, find a string you are happy with the LIFE and the PRICE.

you're dun.

Calvin, I agree with Tony. Buy strings, put 'em on, and play.

You can worry yourself to death about hundreds of different aspects of this instrument.

Or...you can can accept things for what they are and just go ahead and play the durn thing.

I've heard players who couldn't do a decent job on "Bud's Bounce" or "Release Me" who are in a quandry and wring their hands over what pickup or what speaker to use!!!

HELLO???



If you don't really know how to drive, the type of engine you have in your car is pretty unimportant.

Donny, how about those that comment on tone, equipment, & top professionals... and yet admit to not changing strings for a couple years because they haven't broken one.

Good one, Bo!

Another good one I've heard is the players that swear that all bellcranks should have at least 13 holes, for timing perciseness. Then, they tell you that the best steel they've ever heard was a p/p.

It's always easier to blame something other than ourselves.

"It was raining real hard, and my car just skidded off the road!"

Sorry pal, you were going too fast, and you made the car slide off the road. The rain was just a convenient excuse.

Calvin Walley wrote:i don't think this question has been asked before this way at least,so here goes :
does it matter which strings you use depending on the type of music you play?? in other words does stainless steel sound better for classic country or would nickel ??? also what about the string size

No, it doesn't matter at all. Tommy White plays nickel wound. John Hughey plays stainless. They are both masters of classic country music. Their string gauges are also different.

b0b you ruin everything. You come on and give a good answer to the question and then what can we say?

Calvin the gauge is the least of the worries.

Calvin I have noted in your last topic that you had your mullen for 2 years and just now changed strings?

You have got to change them alot more!

I would like to change my strings every 2 weeks, but I am guilty of pushing it, but 2 years?

That idea of I liked the way the strings felt is not good.

I don't know if paul franklin still has his article on strings but check it out on his web.

I have been out of town.

If you do still decide to change every 2 years then I would change them as the mold would grow.

Calvin - Was the green stuff growing only on the north side of the strings?

just don't use Nylon strings

...which leads me to wonder whether anyone has actually tried that? Seriously...
.

Jack Stoner wrote:The .020 plain is what comes in the "Nashville" gauge sets from George L's. GHS and most other brands. The .022 plain does come in some "tension balanced" sets (whatever tension balanced is).
The .022 wound is not rare but it's not usually found on standard steel guitar sets.

When I lived in Spain, I had trouble locating 20's and 22's for some reason; I tried a wound 18 and found that it worked great.