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Topic: Planar Strings - (top of strings all even): |
Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 11:10 am |
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I saw this pic and thought it could be done on Pedal Steel.
Often time folks complain that they have to push the bar down on the strings to get them to all touch the bar evenly (due to the various string gauges), especially at the first fret.
With a method like this the tops of all strings are all Planar, at the same level, and the bar should touch all strings evenly with little pressure (at the first fret or any fret).
Last edited by Pete Burak on 5 Dec 2018 8:19 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 3:52 pm
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| Fouke industrial guitars are doing some very cool things. Saw this a while back and have been super impressed with their guitars since. |
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Clyde Lane
From:
Glasgow, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 9:06 pm
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It would be hard to slide off and on at the nut.
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Clyde Lane |
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Chris Reesor
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 10:02 pm
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I suspect that this might worsen hysteresis issues (on a pedal guitar) as well as having the drawback Clyde mentions.
Properly gauged nut rollers are probably better, and cheaper. They get the job done simply, elegantly.
_________________
Excel Superb U12, MIJ Squier tele, modified Deluxe Reverb RI, Cube 80XL, self built acoustics & mandolins |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 10:04 pm
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| Pete, after review I see what you mean about the strings being level. On the other hand, the additional roller still presents an obstacle to slide offs and doubles the number of friction points through which the string passes at the nut. |
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2018 11:24 pm
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| Looks cool however besides the likely increased hysteresis that has been mentioned on a pedal steel I'd also suspect greater string breakage. Gauged rollers obviate the need for this. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 3:52 am
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I was pretty impressed when he posted this a couple of months ago.
It makes me wonder (and I ought to ask Christopher Fouke):
Do you put your bar on this and immediately say "oh man, what a difference!"
or do you play for a bit and say "hmm, I guess uneven string tops aren't such a big deal....I'm using the same bar pressure...there's not much diff." ?
I'd like to try it.
Another view.
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 8:25 am
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I think the advantage of Planer Strings would be very noticeable on an S12U, ranging typically from an 11-gauge high-G# to 68-gauge string-12-B.
Fret-1 can get a bit choppy without gauged rollers, or some other method, TBD. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 8:51 am
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My Franklin D-10 (all Franklin's) do not have gauged rollers and I've never had a problem or given it a thought. Nothing special to play at the first fret.
On the C6th neck string gauges go from .012 (high G on 1st string) to a .070 for the 10th string (C). |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 9:03 am
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I have never owned a D10 in 40 years of playing Steel.
Good to know some players don't give it a thought.
I believe it was Carl Dixon who originally posted about Planar Strings, several years back.
I hope he sees this thread 
Fwiw, I play tons of stuff at the first fret on 9th and 6th tunings. Off the top of my head, if a song is in G, C, or D, I play G7, C7, and D7 chord inversions all at Fret-1.
On S12U, the most basic open C6th chord is on Fret-1.
'Love the tone of Fret-1. It really growls |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 9:14 am
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| Pete Burak wrote: |
......11-gauge high-G# to 68-gauge string-12-B.
Fret-1 can get a bit choppy without gauged rollers, or some other method, TBD. |
Agreed. Never been a deal breaker but improvement is improvement. |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 9:22 am
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One of the best sounding A-minor chords there is, is at Fret-1 with E's lowered. On S12U it's an Am in both E9th and B6th.
You can play it as a hammer-on, and it really sounds spooky. |
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Dave Hepworth
From:
West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 10:52 am
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Am I missing something here?That secondary roller is in effect just another " nut " .The strings go under unaffected and so their different diameters are still not compensated for ,giving same problem .....or have I genuinely missed / not understood something regarding that secondary piece.
Regards Dave |
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Dave Hepworth
From:
West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 11:01 am
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Wow,
Penny just dropped ......! Yes will be level .Just worked it out whilst stairing at my fire mantel shelf and imagined strings of different diameter going underneath it lol |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 4:26 pm
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| Thanks, Dave. You are not the first to completely change their mind after looking/thinking about it for a while . |
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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2018 4:44 pm
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Yep...level as a piece of window-pane glass!
The "tail" view gives a better visual perspective. |
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Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 6 Dec 2018 3:15 am
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I always thought of adjustable rollers, which can individually be adjusted in height. For now my gauged rollers are ok.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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Chris Willingham
From:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Posted 6 Dec 2018 11:24 am
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Jim Palenscar makes some very nice gauged rollers. Strings are totally even.
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Fiddle, banjo and steel for Tennessee Jet, Blaine Bailey
2021 MSA Legend XL S10 5X6 brown burst
Beard Josh Swift Sig, the purple one
Lap King Rodeo
Milkman 1/2&1/2 and a bunch of fiddles |
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