The Steel Guitar Forum

First off, I just want to say that I “play” pedal steel because I like it, not because I am good. Now, is there any difference in the sound/tone of stainless-steel strings vs nickel strings? To my tin ear, I don’t think I would be able to tell the difference. What do you prefer?

I like them both. I used George L's for 35 years and they are SS. George L's have been discontinued and I now use SIT Nickel.

I used George L Stainless on a S10 for years. Bought them from a local source. They only carried George L 10 string stainless in E9th and C6th.
In 2017 I went to a S12 Uni. I ordered two sets of SIT stainless and 2 sets of nickel to check out. The nickel strings to my ear sustain better, Nickel is all I play now.

Nickel Live Steel Strings for many years now.

I've never liked stainless; I've tried them a couple of times just to be sure but I've always found them too bright and 'thin', somehow.

It's hard to describe.

Not a fan of how stainless strings feel or sound. 100% Nickel user here.

I've tried the stainless steels, also, and as was mentioned, they were too bright sounding. But some do use SS strings....

I have used nickel string, too, but still did not sound right. But some use nickel strings....

I have settled on NYXL strings, BUT also had modified the amp I'm using. FINALLY! It sounds like it should!

But that had to include amp-modifying. So the way it sounds has so many variables, that one answer may not fit all............10% string brand, 10% amp used, 80% personal opinion? (Stated percentages may vary... )

.........Pat

Are the plain strings ss or nickel in a nickel string set ?

If you use a stainless bar, it will have friction with stainless strings. And yeah, the nickel sounds a bit more mellow, which is good, right?

Gary Watkins wrote:Now, is there any difference in the sound/tone of stainless-steel strings vs nickel strings?To my tin ear, I don’t think I would be able to tell the difference.

You, me or just about all but those with bat ears.

I'd like to hear someone post an audio comparison between nickel and stainless on the same guitar and see who can tell which is which.

Of course if you're playing them, there's the visual reference...nickel's yellow hue against stainless' whiteish hue.

Taking an E9th set for instance, the first 5 strings, maybe 6, are all the same in either set. It's only the last 4 or 5 that are wound with different alloys.

I can't see any problem or even indication of an excess of bright tone from the 7th string on down?

The complaint re: stainless strings being sticky or sticky against a stainless bar...well, maybe for the speed demons.

Oh yeah, I voted stainless because that's what I started with, set up my guitars with and never found any good reason to change.

Everybody has a reason to use what they do and that's the way it should be. It's good to have choices.

Always thought Stainless sounded better after they had some time on them.

Nickel always sounded perfect when new but didn't seem to last very long.

Enter D'Addario NYXL's ... sound perfect when new, and keep that "new car smell" for an unreal amount of time. To my ear the best string I've played.

Larry Hobson wrote:Are the plain strings ss or nickel in a nickel string set ?

All the plain strings, as well as the cores of the wound strings, are regular steel music wire. Only the wrappings on the wound strings in stainless steel sets are stainless steel, or nickel (in the case of nickel-wound strings).

Donny, Your post affirmed what I suspected. So then any discussion comparing trebel response between
a nickel string set and a stainless string set would apply only to the wound strings since the plain strings are not defined as either. If this is the case then the trebel aspect of the comparison would apply to the four bottom wrapped strings. In saying this I realize some sets may have brighter sounding plain strings to begin with due to other factors (alloy,brand ect). When discussing trebel I am usually thinking about smaller plain strings (why? Just do). Usually define the tone of larger wound strings as a level of bright or mellow.

Larry, my old ears can't hear any significant difference between the plain strings in nickel and stainless sets. But I'd imagine that the tonal difference on plain strings, if any, could be explained by the alloy used, the coating on the strings, the age of the strings, and of course, the gauges.

The stainless wound strings do sound "twangier", and they keep that twang longer. But they have a rougher texture I really don't care for, which also makes them noisier when using certain bars.

The stainless steel wound strings have a rough feel to me and drag on the bar.
When I was using George L SS strings. Changing strings, I got in a habit of pulling the plain and wound strings through a pad of 0000 steel wool 5 times from core wire to end ball. Cuts bar drag and roughness on the strings.

Now using nickel strings, I still use 0000 steel wool, Makes for a smoother bar slide.

GHS nickel rollerwound..

Nickel wound, all the time.

I think pick-up choice factors in too.
I have a GFI 2 on the back neck of my ultra and it has a somewhat mellow, dark tone that could probably accommodate SS wounds better than a brighter sounding pick up could.