The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey Guys: Looking for some advice in finding out why my 5th B string sounds so dead in comparison to all others? The strings are only 45 days old, They're Ernie Ball Custom Guage Pedal Steel strings for E9. The B string in question is an 18P. As I progress on my Carter Starter of course I'm noticing more and more little issues that are really taking some enjoyment away out of playing this thing and this dead string which is a pretty important one is really annoying! Any help is welcome, Thanks!

Rick

Use only jagwire or d'addario and never have that inconsistency between strings.
Ricky

Do you think this is a string issue and not a guitar issue?

You might prefer a .017 anyway

I've quit buying Ernie Balls. At least on 6 string they turn my fingers black and go dead quickly. D'addario, DR, and GHS haven't had the same problem.

Locally, on Vancouver Island, these Ernie Ball strings were the only pedal steels that Long and McQuade carry. I'm guessing that the instrument is not hugely popular around these parts. I'll just have to order online next but I was desperate at the time.

When ordering other brands of strings, may be wise to check the string gauges in the set(s) that you are considering. Most notably; unlike the Ernie Ball sets, many feature an .011 for the third, .017 for the fifth, and a .020 unwound for the sixth. Differing gauges sometimes requires retuning pedals and levers to a degree that your 'Carter Starter' system may not be capable of performing (especially when changing from a wound to an unwound string).

"They're Ernie Ball Custom Guage Pedal Steel strings for E9"

That could be your problem right there. Never had luck with EB or D's. Wrong guages in the package, rusty strings out of the gate, and they don't last. OK for guitar, but for PS you need PS strings for best results. Just like you can't use a guitar volume pedal for steel very effectively.

Buy GHS, or pedal steel specialty strings online.

Is there a recommended guage set for a Carter Starter? These EB's are: .013, .015, .010, .014, .018p, .022w, .026, .030, .034, .038.
Thanks

I have owners manuals on my computer for a few brands of steels and found this. The strings you are using now are close enough to the recommended gauges to not cause any problem. If you do buy another brand, be SURE they have a wound 6th (or buy an extra single wound 0.22W string if the set you are getting has a plain 6th, as most sets out there do).

Rich Upright wrote:"They're Ernie Ball Custom Guage Pedal Steel strings for E9"

That could be your problem right there. Never had luck with EB or D's. Wrong guages in the package, rusty strings out of the gate, and they don't last. OK for guitar, but for PS you need PS strings for best results. Just like you can't use a guitar volume pedal for steel very effectively.

Buy GHS, or pedal steel specialty strings online.

Is there an actual manufacturing difference in a .011 guitar string and .011 pedal steel string? In today's world of consolidate, consolidate, I would have assumed there was no difference in how they are manufactured.

Andy Vance wrote:

Rich Upright wrote:"They're Ernie Ball Custom Guage Pedal Steel strings for E9"

That could be your problem right there. Never had luck with EB or D's. Wrong guages in the package, rusty strings out of the gate, and they don't last. OK for guitar, but for PS you need PS strings for best results. Just like you can't use a guitar volume pedal for steel very effectively.

Buy GHS, or pedal steel specialty strings online.

Is there an actual manufacturing difference in a .011 guitar string and .011 pedal steel string? In today's world of consolidate, consolidate, I would have assumed there was no difference in how they are manufactured.

Some, I think Jagwire or Live Steel Strings (not positive on who did these days) have a shorter winding at the ball end so that it doesn't take the end of the winding over the top of the finger where the pressure would cause grooves in the finger.

Rick..After viewing the posted chart for recommended 'Carter Starter' string gauges, the closest that I know of would be the S.I.T. 'Buddy Emmons' set (but as suggested, would substitute the unwound 6th string with a wound .022).

This forum is awesome! It’s so cool to be able to draw on such a knowledge base.