Difference between a 22 Wound and a 22 plain?

Tom Rhodes · From: Missouri, USA

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all:
Simple question of the group: What's the difference between a 22 wound string and a 22 plain steel string? Sure, one’s wound and the other isn’t. Anyone have a convincing answer for this one? Doug Earnest recommends a 22w on his Stage One’s. Just curious!

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Weeeelllll..ha....
A "wound" String is a certain gauge Plain string with a certain gauge wire, wounded around it. So the wound string will stretch and recoil "SLOWER" than a certain gauge "Plain" String.
The certain gauge plain string used at that string Tone placement; is usually a fairly bigger diameter than the other plain strings and so it will move very fast and with tend to have a "Overtone" to it when picked(overtone is another vibrating tone over the top of the original ringing Tone; and that overtone can give a weird tuning flaw to other strings ringing and ALSO since it being a bigger gauge; when NOT stretched and other string around it are stretched; that big gauge will tend to drop a little in pitch; even up to 10 cents or more and is harder to be in tune consistent with other strings. But just like the pitch consistency with a Pedal Steel that is constantly moving string pitches around; there is a compensation that can be made for many of the inconsistencies. I would say the Best Compensation is to "TRAIN/TUNE YOUR EAR" and the better your ear gets; the better your Tuning/Tone> and Consistency in playing/progressing will happen through the years.
Ricky
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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Tuning stability on string 6 of the Stage One guitar is important because the changer mechanism is a type of Pull-Release. If I understand the issue involved with changing from a wound string to a plain string, it throws off the tuning and the length of the throw on the pedal or lever for that string, which is not that big of a deal on an All-Pull guitar. But on the Stage One (Pull-Release), I believe it would also effect the tuning on strings 2-4-8 when they are lowered a half-step, requiring retuning as well as a change to the release point on the fingers for those strings. That means that the red tuning nuts on those strings, you know the ones that the manual says “Do not touch the red tuning nuts EVER”, have to be adjusted. It will give you fits, but I suppose if you are Doug Earnest or anybody else who actually knows what they’re doing with this type of changer, it can be done.

Stick with the wound 6th. It’s in the middle - the stabilizer of a really nice pedal steel guitar.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Most manufactures on a .022 string has a core diameter of .012 With a winding of .005 X 2 for diameter of .022.

Raise and lower travel distance is determined by the diameter of the plain string, Or the core diameter of wire.

Comparing a .022 solid to a .022 wound string with .012 core. The .022 plain will not have to be pulled as far to reach the G# to A. The .022W with .012 core will have to pull farther, To obtain the G# to A raise.

When a guitar B pedal is setup for the 6th string. You must select Plain or Wound 6th string for proper G# to A tuning on the 3rd and 6th strings.

If the 6th string is changed from Plain to Wound, Or from Wound to Plain. Someone will have to go under the guitar and shorten or lengthen of the 6th string pull.

THE 6th STRING WOUND OR PLAIN, Is why many steel players buy 6 or more sets of strings at a time. So their sound will not change. And will not have to go under guitar and adjust the 6th string pull, When changing strings.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

The bellcranks look permanently attached -- but the pull rods look to be moveable to a diffent hole if someone really wanted to change the leverage. Maybe Doug will weigh in.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

When I played a D10 I loved the sound of the wound 6th, especially on the 6-8-10 voicing.
When I went to a uni, I found that it didn't fit in as the 4th string of the B6 tuning, so I had to go plain, with a little sadness.
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Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

With using a .011 or .012 for the 3rd string, And using a Wound 6th string with a .012 core wire. Would make both G#'s pull very close the same distance. Sounds like they set it up for wound .022 6th. That would be the the only string that would tune up proper.

Made for easier production and setup.
Bean counter state of mind.

Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

Interestingly enough, the windings on a wound string participate in the length of the stretch- raising or lowering- as well as the tension required for a desired pitch. Consequently it is not the same travel for the core of the wound string as it is for the wound string. I have used wound 6th strings when I've wanted to decrease the amount of cabinet drop as it usually lessens by several cents over using a plain string. The caveat is that it requires longer travel which can be a problem if the string is lowered to an F#.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I just tried it and couldn't get the B pedal to reach an A. Then I remembered I also raise the 6th to A#(!!) on LKV; that pull, too, wouldn't even struggle up to an A.

I admit I didn't flip the guitar and change ratios.

If I decide to try again, should I use a wound .022", or does it require a different gauge? And the pull? On the outer extreme of the bell-crank and further from the axle at the changer?
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Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

I'm not sure if anyone has emphasized this but --

One of the single most important things you must know is that whatever is currently on the guitar, whether plain or wound, if you substitute the other option, you WILL need to mess with the tuning of the pedal. Probably involving changing the rodding, pedal stop.....

If the change is tactical and you know what you are doing, great. If the change is random, there may well be consequences.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I knew that at the outset, jon, but shied away from hoisting up my Emmons due to my recent trigger-thumb operation. It went well, but there's some discomfort still.

As for the proper placing of the rod on the bell-crank and changer, I still can't get the mantra locked in my head. Wherever it is now (once I flip the steel) will provide a clue as to where it should be.

Thanks for all your advice these last few years.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Doug

I already have that change on LKV (G#-A#) and it makes it easily - with the plain string, of course.

I've been toying with tuning everything 'straight up' (including 3 and 6). I don't find it displeasing. I started by researching compensator, but found no appreciable drop on the 6th when pushing the A pedal.

Even the A/F position is less troublesome with everything tuned 'straight'.

Maybe, when I go back to my guitar later on, my ears will tell me something else. We'll see.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

The feel of the pedal and getting pedals to travel so that they arrive at the changed notes at the same time and how fast the changes happen, is more of a priority for me than the sound of a wound or an unwound strung.
I usually prefer unwound strings on a lap/Hawaiian steel, if I can, because the bar scraping sound on unwound strings is less. Sometimes that scraping can bring the sounded notes into the mix faster.
There's also the high breakage factor with such a small core.
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