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Question About Strings

Posted by Tnfishdaddy on April 30, 2012 at 5:00pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I ordered a set of 3 open G strings from C.B. Gitty. I know the big string goes on first but I can not tell the difference ( .014 and .010) in the remaining 2 strings. How do I figure out which string goes in the middle and which goes on the bottom?  Also, on the package, it says GBD/GBE. Which is the proper tuning? I am clueless. This is the only thing left on my first build. Thanks.

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Replies

  • FretMonkey May 1, 2012 at 10:00am

    Can't wait to see / hear it :)  It takes a bit for strings to hold their tune (strings stretch).  I usually overtune my strings a half step then tune them below pitch and back up to pitch to help this process along.  (i.e. if I'm tuning my low string to G I tune it to G# then back down to Gb (or so..) and then back up to pitch G.    Just don't want you to get frustrated if you find it isn't holding the tuning right away :D

    • Tnfishdaddy > FretMonkey May 1, 2012 at 10:06am

      Finally figured it out. Having old man eyes stinks. Tuned it up last night and am having a lot of buzzing on my bridge. Used an old lag bolt I had laying around. I realized I have not drilled a sound hole in the cigar box so I am going to find a new bridge and drill a sound hole or two and it should be good to go.

      • MichaelS Country Boy Guitars > Tnfishdaddy May 1, 2012 at 5:56pm

        Good to hear you got the strings straightened out. As for the buzzing, are you sure its the bridge, unless there is a flat spot on the bolt it shouldn't buzz off the round bolt, I use threaded rod for nuts, and sometimes bridges and never had a buzz from them. Try twisting it to a different side see if it changes any. Good luck.

  • Keni Lee Burgess May 1, 2012 at 2:00am

    Holding the guitar in playing position, the thinnest string (.010) is nearest the floor. The .014 is in the middle, and the thickest nearest your head. Either tuning works. GBD is a G major chord and GBE is a 9th chord. I hope this helps. Enjoy your build, Keni Lee

    BTW: The GBD tuning is being used on my buddy, Bill's CBG during the Wild Horses video we recently posted:

     http://youtu.be/hTc9zYd8-v4 

  • Clock The Wolf May 1, 2012 at 1:21am

    I've never had any trouble telling .010 and .014 strings apart, so yah stumped me there!

    Maybe put them side by side under a magnifying glass? (no, I'm not being sarcastic)

    GBE is just the standard tuning for those strings, like when you're in standard tuning

    on a six string (EADGBE). GBD is an open G tuning (DGDGBD). Either works.

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