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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on June 15, 2014 at 2:09am

It's not particularly helpful to just refer to string gauges as 3,4,5 etc, you really need to get to grips with the actual string gauges (usually quoted as thousandths of an inch). There's a huge variation in stock sizes, a 3rd or "G" from a 6 string set being anything from as light as a plain .014 to as heavy as a wound .027.

For magnetic pickups, nickel wound are generally considered most suitable, for piezo pickup, bronze or nickelwound.

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Permalink Reply by JIm Trussler on June 15, 2014 at 2:29am

As the majority of posts I have read refer to the strings by number I used that. I also asked for the preffered gauge. Having been playing for a number of years I am conversant with the actual string nomleclature.

The posts usally refer to useing A, D, G strings or ADB. I was wondering what the consensus was on the best combination and the gauges for amplified versus acoustic.

I have tried both electric and acoustic strings on a CBG with a piezo pickup. I am currently building one with a humbucker in it. Your advice is noted and nicklewound it shall be.

cheers

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Permalink Reply by JIm Trussler on June 15, 2014 at 2:56am

Wayfinder. Open hole CBG with a piezo pickup. I am tuned to GDG and have been useing the D string from an electric set and have experimented with the accoustic strings as well as the leftovers..... What I have been using is the A, D, G strings mostly from various sets.

My issue is that the D string from a 9 or a 10 gauge set sounds dead.  I havent found anything that brings it to life. I even tried other tunings. 

As you said this is the question of the day.......lol thanks for the  reccomendations.

So Lets simplify it for my current build. Humbucker CBG, tuned GDG fretless for slide.  Whats everybodys preference.?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 15, 2014 at 3:23am

I mess around with strings a lot, on all my gits, both CBG and commercial. I tend to prefer heavier gauge strings on my gits, because I like deep tones, and grindy slide. I also started playing on acoustic dreadnoughts, so my ear favors medium phosphor bronzes ( first Martins, and now D'Addarios and Elixirs). I have a heavy right hand, and like warm booming tones with clear mids and highs (rosewood junkie). My scale lengths tend to be Srat sized, 25.5 or 25". I play 12's on my Strat, having worked up to them; 8's or 9s feel like rubber bands, and I tend to break em.

Yes, I can bend em; I have strong fingers from playing every day for over 35 years.


So, I tend to like the middle strings of a medium phosphor bronze set, A-D-G, tuned either G-D-G or A-D-F# on the 3-stringers, and G-D-G-B or Bb-F-Bb-D on the 4-stringers. I use phosphor bronzes for both acoustic and electric, piezos, humbuckers, and Flatpups, through relatively small, low wattage amps.

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on June 15, 2014 at 3:34am

Hey Oily - what do you mean by "12's" - I also prefer 25.5" scale and I'm still on the hunt!!

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Permalink Reply by robert jones on June 15, 2014 at 3:55am

I got this one.

string set - .012 gauge high e

(needs calluses to go along with strong fingers for bending) ; )

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 15, 2014 at 3:58am

Electric players tend to refer to the string sets by the diameter of the high E string.

12's refer to the diameter of the smallest E string: .012 " diameter.,which means the low E string is normally .052-.054". That's for electric strings, which are typically called medium-lights or mediums.

For acoustic phosphor bronzes, mediums are normally .013" for the high E, and .056 or .058" diameter for the low E.

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Permalink Reply by JIm Trussler on June 15, 2014 at 4:19am

Oily, 12s are too thick for me... Having played electric ( mostly metal in the distant past) I stuck with 9's or 10's. Never lost my devotion to GHS bomers..... Having moved onto blues a couple of decades ago maybe its time to revisit string gauge.....lol

I cant imagine playing 12s....made me think of the really thick strings SRV used......puts you in good company :-)

Scale length is Strat is 25.5 on my CBG, s

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 15, 2014 at 6:53am

SRV used 13's and could bend the hell out of em, even though he detuned a half step. That and a Dumble will get you an approximation of his tone.

Bending a 12 is like playing barbed wire without gloves. >:-E

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Permalink Reply by Jim_N on June 15, 2014 at 11:25am

On his excellent “Understanding Three String Blues and Slide Cigar Box Guitar” DVD, John McNair @ reddogguitars.com recommends using medium acoustic strings (13’s). He says he prefers ‘em because of the volume they produce when the cbg isn’t plugged in, and because “they sound much better than electric guitar strings even if I have an electric guitar pickup.”

As always, YMMV.  ^^

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on June 15, 2014 at 3:31am

Hey Jim - Hey, another C'najun!! I still fight with this thing. I seem to buy the 3 string sets from CB Gitty but then tune them completely different. I also don't like to tune down the "thick" string - it goes dead. I'm building a little one (20") for my granddaughter now that I'm going to fool around with nylon uke strings. She's almost three and I built her one with one string but she tries to play it and she brings it to me and tells me it's "broke" with just one string.

If I ever find the perfect combination I'll be one happy builder!!!  :-)

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Permalink Reply by JIm Trussler on June 15, 2014 at 4:25am

Greetings fellow canuck! Nice to see other Canadians here. Sounds like you have experienced the same dead string issue. Good luck with the next build.

An off topic question, do you find it hard to get/locate cigar boxes?I built my first 2 from a box I got from an Antique dealer and the next from a garage sale..... I have since had a bunch given to me but large boxes are hard to find.

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