| Author |
Topic: reso strings for blues tone |
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 13 Sep 2003 10:33 pm |
|
I am wondering what type of strings give the most bluesey tone on a reso in E tuning.
like phosphor bronze, nickel, stainless, blued cryonic. half rounds??????????????? Gad theres a lot of possibilities.
the low and high Es, is 52-12 good, or 56-13 or???
Best regards,
CF |
|
|
 |
Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
|
Posted 15 Sep 2003 11:16 am
|
|
Chuck,
I was waiting for others to respond, but here goes. I assume you are talking about a squareneck. IF so, the gauges you are considering are kinda light. If playing a roundneck, the gauges look ok.
For that down and gritty scratchy sound use nickel round wound strings. GHS is a good choice.
Hope this helps.
------------------
Stringmaster T8, Benoit 8, National Tricone, MSA U12
|
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 15 Sep 2003 12:11 pm
|
|
| Rusty strings! |
|
|
|
Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
|
Posted 15 Sep 2003 1:48 pm
|
|
| You might try some Jamaican Ginger Extract for them old Jake Leg Blues. The drink is cheap but the price is steep. |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 7:28 am
|
|
Well, I gotta say the '27 National my buddy loaned me had that amazing growl, it had really old corroded strings, hell I'm scared to change them.
To add some clarity, I am having a short-scale 23" spider-bridge reso guitar made. It will be set up as an E tuning. It will have a Quarterman cone. It is a squareneck, w 8 strings, the high and low strings are Es.
The question is Am I thinking too light-guage? And what of these different materials? I dont want the guitar too bright, I'm a blues-rock type of guy.
how how how (should I string this thing?)
CF |
|
|
|
Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 8:30 am
|
|
Chuck
The more strings, at normal tension, the more pressure on the cone. Shorter scale usually calls for slightly heavier strings to achieve the same tension as longer scale.
The luthier should know the gauges for your tuning and the guitar.
Once the gauges are known, round wound strings for gritty raspy sound. Experiment between phosphor bronze and nickel. Strings are cheap compared to a custom built guitar.
Try a different set every day til it sounds good.
Lots of interactions going on between the strings, picks, pick attack, type of bar, bar action, string material, type of winding... Half the fun is getting there.
RR |
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 8:35 am
|
|
My old National Style has a bluesy roar that I attribute to its having a steel top and sides and only the back made of brass, and of course the old rusty strings on the thing.
Call National Resophonic and that SLO repair guy for Nationals that advertises in Vintage Guitar (Shoenberger or something like that?). I would think that National Resophonic would have tried every brand of strings to determine how they impact the sound of their instruments. b0b has National Resophinic in the Links section.
Myself,I use pretty light strings -- 12's -- either the old McCabe's packaged strings (local shop) or the Martin silk wrapped acoustic. I need lighter strings because I have no truss rod in relatively thin-necked National and I really like the look of the red silk wraps covering the ball end wraps.
My experience, however, is that that the individual guitar, slide material and your fingers have more influence on the tone than string brand. If you are looking at bottleneck stuff, try a nickel silver slide, or socket wrench, or heavy brass (machined from those short double threaded things you find in the local plumbing department.)
Chris |
|
|
|
David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 8:48 am
|
|
| Heavier strings will play louder, and of course have better low response. Lighter strings will have more sustain, especially up the neck. Stainless steel strings will last longer and sound a little brighter (the wound ones, the unwound ones are all stainless steel). Nickles are a little warmer and get dull quicker. I think Phosphours are in between. If you're playing bottle-neck and use the frets, then you'll have to keep the guages light enough to do that with your level of comfort. I don't know what you mean by a blues tone on a reso - they all have it. The above factors might be as important as the tone differences between strings. [This message was edited by David Doggett on 16 September 2003 at 09:49 AM.] |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 8:51 am
|
|
We are curious as to what exactly the 23 " scale will do, other than enable me to play it, as I have a disability that limits my reach. I play electric lap steels and the 56-13 is adequate, the Gibsons sound good 52-12 E but I have no reso experience. And I guess 8 strings means lower guages or you tension cone too much and mute it?
BTW I use a solid stainless bar, heavy.
regards,
CF |
|
|
|
Jesse Pearson
From:
San Diego , CA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2003 12:02 pm
|
|
| I use GHS Acoustics Phosphor Bronze 14 - 58. They last a long time and I can still fret chords in open tunings. |
|
|
|
Milo Deering
From:
Dallas,TX 75229
|
Posted 17 Sep 2003 12:28 pm
|
|
Hi Chuck.
I've been using the Dobro brand strings on my guitar. It's a Dobro 'Duolian' wood guitar with a round neck. The strings work great for me. I like to take the raised nut off and play it without the bar sometimes. The strings are light enough to do that but not so light that I can't get a good tone with the strings raised. Also I find it much easier to play in tune with a slightly heavier set of strings.
Milo
Milo |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 18 Sep 2003 12:14 pm
|
|
Milo,
Your guitar has nice tone on the recording, do you happen to know the guages? Those are nickel, right?
regards,
CF |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 22 Sep 2003 1:00 pm
|
|
| Is anyone using the Pearse nickel reso strings with the big-ass .59 low string to play E tuning ??? Or are they too heavy for that? |
|
|
|
Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 22 Sep 2003 3:36 pm
|
|
 This a some goofy artwork I did a while ago. Couldn't resist putting it here.
 |
|
|
|
Danny Hullihen
From:
Harrison, Michigan
|
Posted 30 Sep 2003 9:27 am
|
|
Try this set. This is what Gary Morse and others use, and they love them.
 |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 30 Sep 2003 9:45 am
|
|
I wonder which tuning they use on these Jagwire 56-18 they seem heavy in the treble side to be used on an E tuning
Thanks for the suggestion, this brand has a good reputation.[This message was edited by Chuck Fisher on 30 September 2003 at 10:46 AM.] |
|
|
|
Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
|
Posted 30 Sep 2003 10:09 am
|
|
The most common tuning for the gauges in that set is high bass G. On a 25" squareneck. The right tension and thickness to play loud.
D
B
G
D
B
G
When will your 8 string short scale be ready? I am curious about it.
------------------
Stringmaster T8, Benoit 8, National Tricone, MSA U12
|
|
|
|
Danny Hullihen
From:
Harrison, Michigan
|
Posted 30 Sep 2003 11:48 am
|
|
| Ron. You are absolutely right. It's for the G tuning. |
|
|
|
Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 10:22 pm
|
|
The short scale 22.8" scale 8 Benoit will be done in Dec or Jan, I use a Low E in my extended E tuning, Im thinking either a 56 or a 58 on that, maybe a 14 or 15 on the high E. Nickle wound seems good.
Has anybody tried half-round wounds ? |
|
|
|
