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Rich_Smith
Lokahi
USA
242 Posts |
 Posted - 11/23/2008 : 6:01:29 PM
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I'll soon be finished my Beamer style guitar based on the Martin 000 plan. It will be short scale (24.9"). I'm curious to know what your favorite strings are for slack key especially if you have a short scale.
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Rich Smith |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2008 : 7:42:14 PM
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Depends on so many variables that just naming a brand or gauge or alloy doesn't mean much. I play a half-dozen different guitars with some regularity, and there's no easy way of predicting which strings will work with any given instrument beyond recognizing that, say, my 1920 Martin really should have light ones and my Goodall Standard and Guild D-40 can take mediums (though I string both lighter to save my hands). On the whole I favor phosphor bronze, and I haven't noticed a lot of difference across the major brands (I tend toward GHS, D'Addario, and John Pearse but have used other brands when they're cheap). For my light-built instruments, I like silk & bronze lights (49-11, GHS or Pearse), and on the Martin it's Argentine extra lights (solid-core copper-wrapped, designed for Maccaferri-style guitars). But for sound and playability, you're best off experimenting--the guitar, your ears, and your hands will tell you what works.
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basilking
Lokahi
124 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2008 : 8:24:39 PM
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Russell Letson's caveats are wise and thorough. On my '20 0-18K[always left in C wahine] it's a different deal, but on my '50 000-28 it's D'Add mediums with an .059 big E substituted for the stock .056 one [that's reserved for gtrs that need lights, so I can bump up the big E by "one guage" there too]. The .059 holds well for me down to C, remainder of "std" med set seems to accept the ups and downs of most common "slack" tunings on the gtr in question. My version of Russell's wise words is:
"it's always individual to the guitar-in-hand and the hands-ears on the guitar". |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2008 : 04:09:51 AM
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A Grimes? I would ask the Luthier for an opinion on that one.
String noise is an important diff between strings and
I'll bet that your Grimes is going to like using quiet strings.
Some have larger diameter wrap and smaller core, and others are smaller wrap with larger core. Not sure what really causes it but you will find a diff in finger noise and squeaks. Reject the noisy ones.
If noise does not bother you, try strings that have a lot of variations like from Martin or GHS. They both have selections from very bright to mellow.
I have tried many many other strings but always go back to Elixir Nano Webs.
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Bob |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2008 : 05:19:53 AM
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| Was a neat show on Discovery Channel "How Its Made" showing how wound strings are made. Very interesting, and surprises me that strings don't cost more than they do, what with all the technology going into making them. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2169 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2008 : 10:40:41 AM
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| Rich, I use D'Addario light phosphor bronze. I've found that individual body chemistry can affect strings. Back in my Bluegrass days, I knew a guy that liked the d'Addario "Reds", with a larger amount of copper. They really lasted for him. He had the chemistry that if he touched your guitar, the strings went dead. I do the same to nickel wound strings. One tune and they're dead. Homework is required. |
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