Keni Lee walking base line string selection.

I have been plucking away at the Keni Lee walking base line from his CD, also on YouTube.

I have a 21 1/2' scale with some super soft martin acustic brass wound strings, although I used some super slinky steel strings on one build. I have followed the instructions of 3,4,5 string tuned to GDG. Good so far, but when I play, the higher G string < the finer diamter one, string # 1 it is much louder than the other 2 so it seems to overpower the sound of the other strings.

I just finished a Reso and was hot to try it out and I love the extra twang of the reso and makes the slide sound even better. BUT that high #1 G string is now even mor pronounced, the reso is much louder and that string is even more pronunced. I have done about 3 builds and this is the same thing, same scale same strings diferent boxes. All with maple necks, diferent fret boards, maple, ash and oak.

Any ideas of why this is happening. Maybe a this is a better topic for the build section but I thought I would try you playing dudes first. Cheers Ron.

I think the scale length is the problem, it's quite short and the shorter the scale the less tention there is on the strings so a string that is supposed to be tuned to the A pitch is allready lowered in tunnig a whole step (to low G) with a short scale is not going to have enough tention to ring out correctly.

There are no rules in Cigarbox guitars but strings sure do have them, they are made to be tuned to a pitch at a certain scale length (usualy 25,5 inches) so if your going to go shorter you will have to raise pitch to suit your scale or go with thicker strings to compensate.

Your high G string endures about 22.64 lbs with a 21,5 inch scale (assuming you use a pack of 13's)and you low A string tuned to G only has 18 lbs on that scale so that's why it's not as loud as the high string.

I'd take string 6 (low e) from a pack of exta light 10's if i where you and tune that 3 steps up to G, that would result in 24.68 lbs of tention on your scale length.

Btw, i got the tention numbers from here http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html , just enter a scale and the note you want on a string and it will calculate your string tention.

Hope this helps and good luck on your build.
Frans

Replies

Mungo Park November 8, 2010 at 11:01pm

Well the fix was/is spot on, thanks so much for sharing your wisdom, I bunged on the other string as suggested and it worked a treat. Cheers Ron.
Mungo Park November 8, 2010 at 4:26pm

Do you think mandolin strings would be closer to the scale or are they the same strings just tighter just like you suggested. Cheers Ron.
Mungo Park November 8, 2010 at 4:01pm

Well thank you very much, this will give me something to work with.
Cheers Ron
Bluesdog November 8, 2010 at 3:11am

I think the scale length is the problem, it's quite short and the shorter the scale the less tention there is on the strings so a string that is supposed to be tuned to the A pitch is allready lowered in tunnig a whole step (to low G) with a short scale is not going to have enough tention to ring out correctly.

There are no rules in Cigarbox guitars but strings sure do have them, they are made to be tuned to a pitch at a certain scale length (usualy 25,5 inches) so if your going to go shorter you will have to raise pitch to suit your scale or go with thicker strings to compensate.

Your high G string endures about 22.64 lbs with a 21,5 inch scale (assuming you use a pack of 13's)and you low A string tuned to G only has 18 lbs on that scale so that's why it's not as loud as the high string.

I'd take string 6 (low e) from a pack of exta light 10's if i where you and tune that 3 steps up to G, that would result in 24.68 lbs of tention on your scale length.

Btw, i got the tention numbers from here http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html , just enter a scale and the note you want on a string and it will calculate your string tention.

Hope this helps and good luck on your build.
Frans

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