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Topic: Lower Strings |
James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2004 5:41 pm |
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I'm playing a U-12 and have noticed on most U-12's I have played that the lower strings just don't have that punch that I'd like to have on them ....That being said, the longer scale on a D-10 Sierra that I had (25" scale ) didn't have that problem ....With the understanding that the longer scale has more tension, hence a punchier tone, and a tighter bottom end tone, not to mention better sustain
Perhaps the added tension of the longer scale prevents some builders from going to the longer scale, but is there a happy medium that can be reached to have special gauge strings just for say the 11 and 12 string on a U-12 that will allow for a punchier, more clear tone ??....Does anybody use some other gauges than what normally comes with a set of strings ???...We all have our different guages that we use for the 3rd string, and other strings for various results...I never hear mention of the lower srings ...They're the ones on the U-12's that I have been playing or hearing that need the most attention !!...Thanks, Jim |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2004 6:56 pm
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| If you don't want to go to a long scale guitar like the Excel or Sierra,another thing that helps a lot is the addition of a Wallace TrueTone pickup. It will make any guitar punchier on the low strings. I've got one on my 25.5" Excel and it's as punchy as it gets.The bass strings have a nice treble edge and clear tone without the high strings sounding shrill. That's near impossible to get with a humbucker. -MJ- |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2004 8:45 pm
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MJ,
Talking to me about Truetone pickups is a case of preaching to the choir !!..Thanks for the reply though , and I do agree with you about Jerry's pickups ....They do a lot of things very well !!. You're also right on the only 2 steels I know of with a 25" or longer scale.. Why not more ??
It sure does make a lot of difference .. I'm really surprized that more people haven't had a problem with this....Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!....Jim |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 27 Feb 2004 10:14 pm
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| James, I exchanged some e-mails with the Jagwire maker a few weeks ago. C6 players use 0.068 or 0.070 guage strings on their low C. An E9/B6 universal needs something even larger. I plotted out a string chart based on the typical strings used on E9 and C6, and it came out that a B6 needs a 0.072 or 0.074 on the 12th string. However, 0.070 is the largest string available from most pedal steel string makers, and some only have 0.068. There seems to be concern among the makers that there are too few universal players to justify making and stocking these larger strings. Also, some tuning key posts, might not have a hole big enough for these larger strings. These are all excuses. I think we uni players need to campaign for 0.072 or 0.074 for the 12th string in uni sets. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 28 Feb 2004 8:02 am
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I use a 074 or an 079 on the bottom and a 058 on 11. If you look at the GeorgeL/Buddy Emmons C6 'Tension Balance' set, it's 079 058 042 . . .
When the strings are too floppy it's hard to get them to sound good and sustain well. Another thing is to be sure to play as much as possible with the nose of the bar over the highest string you're playing and don't pick too close to the pickup -- find the 'sweet spot' for those lower notes.
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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
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