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Post new topic Nickel vs Stainless Steel Strings on GFI
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Author Topic:  Nickel vs Stainless Steel Strings on GFI
Zach Turner

 

From:
Carmel Valley, California, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 9:13 am    
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Hi everyone,
I've got a GFI Ultra which is currently strung with SIT Buddy Emmons Stainless Steel E9 strings. If I were to try SIT Buddy Emmons Nickel Wound E9 strings, would the difference in winding material necessitate adjustments to the guitar? If so, I'll just stick with the stainless steel.

Thanks
Zach
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 9:48 am    
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I've had three GFI's. An Expo S-10. an Ultra D-10 and now a new Ultra, keyless, S-10 with pad. I tried the SIT Buddy Emmons Stainless and Nickel and just some slight adjustments on the pull rod nuts but nothing major.

I didn't like either of the SIT Buddy Emmons and have settled on the SIT Sho-Bud gauges (nickel).

I used George L's Nashville gauges (same as Sho-Bud) for 36+ years on a Franklin but didn't like the SS sound on the Ultra D-10. The SIT nickel (Sho-Bud gauges) seemed to be a perfect fit - at least to me.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 10:13 am    
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You get a fuller, richer tone with nickel strings.
Also, the bar slides smoother over nickel strings. Very Happy
Erv
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 11:12 am     Re: Nickel vs Stainless Steel Strings on GFI
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Zach Turner wrote:
Hi everyone,
I've got a GFI Ultra which is currently strung with SIT Buddy Emmons Stainless Steel E9 strings. If I were to try SIT Buddy Emmons Nickel Wound E9 strings, would the difference in winding material necessitate adjustments to the guitar? If so, I'll just stick with the stainless steel.

Thanks
Zach


To address your question, yes, you will have to tweak the wound strings, but it's only 4 strings and only the pedals and lever pulls on those 4. No big deal, you have a tuning wrench and they require only slight adjustment.
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Zach Turner

 

From:
Carmel Valley, California, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 12:07 pm    
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Thanks for the replies.

If it's just the nylon tuning nuts that need to be tweaked, that's fine. One can't tune, or really play psg, if they can't adjust those!

I was only concerned if other things would need adjusting such as pedal/lever stops or crank bell hole placement.

Zach
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Larry Dering


From:
Missouri, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 12:13 pm    
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I put SIT nickel on my GFI with no issues. I use the Emmons gauge set.
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Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2022 7:47 pm    
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For near 20 years I used only Stainless Steel strings on MSA and GFI guitars. Stainless Wound was the only strings a local dealer kept in stock.
A few months ago I changed my GFI Ultra 12U Keyless from SIT Stainless Strings to SIT Nickel Wound strings, The nylon tuners done all needed to tune the Nickel strings at string change time, With no changes to bell cranks or changer pull rod holes.
The one thing I found was the nickel strings gives this Keyless Guitar a lot more sustain, Than when the guitar was strung with Stainless Strings.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin.
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Joe Krumel

 

From:
Hermitage, Tn.
Post  Posted 18 May 2022 3:36 am    
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I own a GFI and prefer nickel over SS.Just my 2 cents.
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