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Bob Hoffnar


From:
Austin, Tx
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2007 11:10 pm    
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I have been messing around with this site tonight. It doesn't work quite right for steels but with a little futzing I got all the information I was wondering about. Interesting stuff.

http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html
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Bob
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Mike Phillips


From:
Brooklyn, NY
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 7:29 am    
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I need one of these for my head...

plug in stressors (car needs repair, co-worker's a jerk, cheeseburger's too well done) and see at what point I might snap.

(ps: thanks, this is an interesting find, Bob)

(pps: you're an interesting find, too, Bob)

Mike
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Neil Getz

 

From:
Berkeley, California, USA
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 7:49 am    
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Here is another string tension calculator that I have found very useful.

http://www.pacificsites.net/~dog/StringTensionApplet.html
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richard burton


From:
Britain
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 7:53 am    
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I find this one more user-friendly for steel players
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Dean Cavill

 

From:
Toronto
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 9:24 am    
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If I'm building an instrument from scratch and need to determine string tension so the whole thing won't collapse, I can see how this would be handy.

Aside from that... what's the point of this calculator from the standpoint of a "normal" steeler on a day-to-day basis ?
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Steelin' for the Dark Side
Fulawka-U12, a Bar, and some Picks
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Scott Swartz


From:
St. Louis, MO
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 9:35 am    
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Here is another one that has data for both nickel and stainless wound strings

http://www.greenmanhumming.com/html/StringCalc/Multistringcalc.html#the%20applet
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Scott Swartz
Steeltronics - Steel Guitar Pickups
www.steeltronics.com
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Tom Mnich


From:
Woodland Park, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 9:58 am    
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Dean, here's an example how these calculators can be useful.
I recently used one of these to figure out if the strings I already had on hand could be used to tune my dobro to C6. I wanted to have reasonably balanced string tension across the set. So I compared the gauges I had at the pitch I wanted against gauges and tensions on my normal G-tuned dobro set to get in the ballpark. Worked out fine. Got a reasonably playable set. Played the party acoustically, which was the goal. Very Happy
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Dean Cavill

 

From:
Toronto
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 10:24 am    
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AH HA!

Sounds like "balanced" is the operative word.
A friend recently told me her 6-string lapsteel G6 tuning, but was unclear on gauges.

So this is to ensure some strings don't "feel" to floppy or tight compared
to their neighbors when tuned to the correct pitch... right ?

If so... thanks... this is just what I was looking for.
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Steelin' for the Dark Side
Fulawka-U12, a Bar, and some Picks
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Bob Hoffnar


From:
Austin, Tx
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 11:01 am    
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I wanted to know why I have ended up with the gauges I use for the different types and brands of steels I play. I have done everything by changing a string because it feels funny until I find one I like. It turns out that every string that feels right to me comes in at about 28lbs. Now I can skip the trial and error part and figure out the right strings to order ahead of time. Mostly it comes in handy with different lap steels.
For E9 pedalsteel I use pretty much the same set as
Weldon:

http://steelguitarmusic.com/strings/E9.html#wm

I've always heard those gauges reffered to as the "Emmons" set.
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Bob
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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 5:15 pm    
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An Excel Spreadsheet would be more useful, as it could be tailored to one's own use. Does anyone know of one ?
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Michael Barone


From:
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Post  Posted 14 Dec 2007 7:19 pm    
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Alan, about a year ago a forum member offered an Excel version in this topic:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=871813&highlight=#871813

Mike
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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 15 Dec 2007 1:02 pm    
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Thanks Mike. I've emailed him a request, so let's see what turns up. Very Happy
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Hans Holzherr


From:
Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland
Post  Posted 15 Dec 2007 2:01 pm    
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My own calculator can be downloaded from here: http://homepage.hispeed.ch/updowncat/string_tension.zip

Hans
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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 15 Dec 2007 7:15 pm    
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Thanks Hans, that is very useful. Very Happy
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