I purchased a set of the recommended strings from C.B. Gitty here
http://www.cbgitty.com/cigar-box-guitar-parts/strings-sets/3-string...
They are the set
LMH - Low G, Middle D, High G
Last night I decided to string them up and when I got to the High G it seems very thin and feels like it could snap. For some odd reason when I try to tune the High G it feels like a lot of pressure and would hate for it to snap if I go too far. Anyone know why?
Tags:
couple of things come to mind here,1st,it seems you have the .oo9 g string,so it is going to get tight,what tuning are you registering as it becomes taught?scale length can be an issue also,longer the scale ,the more tension required to reach the tuning,i know i've not helped much,but give a bit more detail ,and others with more knowledge than me might jump in
by my best calcs,you are looking for about 18.5 lb tension,should be ok with that i'd think,when you reach f sharp is it extremely tight? stupid as it may sound,are you reaching an octave high? that's unlikely as i'm sure your string would fail b4 fsharp
The .009 should be able to handle a G right below the normal E for that string at that scale. So, what G are you trying to get? If your tuning for the G that is higher than the normal high E, it would be real tight and close to snapping.
Hi Eric.
Its normal, don't panic. Fact is, that high G (G4) is a very high note for guitar scale length, as anyone with a 12 string will tell you, its about as high as you can go. It may benefit to tune up to F# for a couple of days, play the strings in, and then crank it up a notch.
A couple of things to consider.
1. guitar strings sound at their best when they are close to breaking point.
Although it is more work on your hands there is a definite tone payoff.
2. guitar strings break all the time. And they're cheap. So we carry spares.
you might consider going an octave lower next time, (G2 D3 G3) use the fat (wound) ones from a light set of guitar strings and the unwound ones for this one here.
I'm with Paul. I think it is supposed to be tuned "slack" of e (1st string in standard guitar), not above it.
It won't sound mate theres no way. That string will be a floppy noodle below d4. Look at a set of 12strings. What gauge is the octave partner to G ?
It is a good bit down from the e, but I don't think it'll be floppy. That little string will probably be tight enough. Tuning down to F# then working up to that higher G would work too.
If neither of those options work for you, then I would use a B string tuned down to G.
I strung up a new guitar tonight and decided to mess around with all the leftover strings I have laying around.
24.5 scale - I got a .009 up to G# without breaking. Didn't want to try to go for A. I worked a .008 up to a little over A before it broke. I tried that LMH configuration with the .009 for a while and it's pretty cool for slide, but the huge leap between the middle and high strings had me fumbling all over the place when I was fretting.
I also tuned it down below E and have to say it was way too floppy.
My general rule is , 2 notes up and 1 note down. Any stretch or slack on the string sucks!
thats a pretty good rule of thumb at guitar scale length or thereabouts.. although mine is more like 2 semitones (frets) down or 3 up..
as the scale length decreases so too does the range that a given string might be tuned to.
An equal and opposite way to look at it, how wide a range of string gauges might be used to tune to pitch X?
Take E4 for example, the highest open string on a guitar. You can buy sets that supply anything from 0.0085 to 0.014 inch for this pitch. But if you look at options for mandolin strings for example you'll find almost no difference between 'heavy' and 'light' sets, and no intermediate sets in between at all.
+ thanks Turtle, hope you're happy and well fella :) I'm sure any of us who've actually strung up a guitar or two know a 0.009 is not doing G3 at 25". Best
my two engineer cents: the gauge of light/medium/heavy strings (just the 3,4,5 we often use)
light 23/30/39
medium 28/35/45
heavy 30/42/54
Note the 30 gauge can be used as a standard D (4th string) in a light tension set or tightened up and used as the G (3rd string) in a heavy tension set, that is 6 semitones higher, a major 4th, from 25# to about 40# of tension.
make friends with the string tension guide: http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf and note that it shows tension for a whole octave of tuning options for a given gauge string.
I would stay out of the 'heavy tension' range, but medium, light, or ultra light tensions work fine.
Started by Rich Butters in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Crazed Fandango 8 hours ago. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by BrianQ. 12 hours ago. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods on Saturday. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods on Wednesday. 7 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Moritz Voegeli in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 14. 6 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Tom T in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 9. 9 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 4. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Timothy Hunter in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 27. 1 Reply 2 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 10. 1 Reply 3 Likes
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by BrianQ. Mar 9. 4 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies 1 Like
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Ken I in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Brian partington Mar 8. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 6. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 5. 4 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Carl Floyd Mar 1. 15 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Joe in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Carl Floyd Feb 29. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Chance in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 22. 12 Replies 1 Like
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies 4 Likes
Posted by Vlad on March 31, 2024 at 11:48pm 0 Comments 1 Like
Posted by Vlad on March 6, 2024 at 2:32am 5 Comments 2 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 28, 2024 at 2:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 17, 2024 at 11:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by Vlad on February 11, 2024 at 1:06am 1 Comment 1 Like
May 11, 2024 from 11am to 8pm – Speakeasy Grill
0 Comments 0 LikesMay 30, 2024 from 6:30pm to 10pm – The Casual Pint of Huntsville
0 Comments 0 Likes© 2024 Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker. Powered by
Cigar Box Nation is presented by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, your one-stop-shop for Cigar Box Guitar parts and accessories!