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Soft strings

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(@barnabus-rox)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2957
Topic starter  

Do softer strings lose their tune quicker and easier then harder ones ?

Acustic steel strings ..Do they hold tune for longer then the { not sure }
nylon with some sort steel cased around them ?

Went to buy softer strings the other day and came back wit out strings totally confused ...Won't be going back to that store ..

All I wanted was D'addario 9's

aghhh

Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am


   
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(@rahul)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2736
 

Strings go out of tune for mainly four reasons -

1. You have not restrung your guitar properly. (Very common one.)

2. Your strings are older than your underwear. (Most common.)

3. You bend the strings a lot and as a result the string moves in the nut and gradually loses tuning.

4. Your tuners are getting loose.

I play a nylon string guitar and it keeps its relative tuning forever.


   
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(@denny)
Reputable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 452
 

I'm not really sure of your question. If it concerns the strings keeping their tone, I used to use silk and steel strings and didn't really notice any unusual degrading of tone.


   
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(@demoetc)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2167
 

The weather and indoor temperature/humidity also affects tuning. Played with a lap steel player once and for a particular outdoor gig he asked if we were going to be in the sun or under a canopy on stage. He explained he needed to know so he could decide on which guitar to bring. His favorite guitar was a 1930s Rickenbacker Fry Pan (all aluminum) but it would go out of tune if you breathed on it, so I could understand.


   
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(@embrace_the_darkness)
Honorable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 539
 

Its been my experience that nylon strings (classical guitar) often last longer than the steel acoustic strings.
(by 'last' I mean that if they go out of tune they can be put back in tune and stay there)

Several times I've been home and restrung my mum's classical guitar, and only needed to replace the steel-wound string ( E A and D), the nylon ones (G B and e) are still fine.

But that might just be me :P

Pete

ETD - Formerly "10141748 - Reincarnate"


   
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(@racetruck1)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 518
 

If I understand right,

You're looking for a set of .009 strings, that should mean that you are looking for steel strings, right? I don't think that nylon strings (Classical Guitar) come that light.

All strings go out of tune, period. How fast they go out of tune depends on a lot of different factors such as..

How you play. Do you play hard or soft? Bend a lot? Pick or fingers?

How it's strung. Do you string it properly? Is your hardware in good shape or is it worn out? Has the guitar been set up?

How it's cared for. Do you wipe down the strings after you're done playing? Do you clean the fingerboard once in a while? Do your hands sweat a lot?

A new set of strings will go out of tune a lot when you first put them on until they settle down and stretch out. Also, nylon strings do this a lot also for a longer period of time. Also, nylon strings are a lot more sensitive to how they are installed, they will slip if not done correctly. Check out Nil's site, he has really good info on putting on strings.

Softer bronze strings on an acoustic are about the same as nickel or steel wound electrics, if there is a difference, its so small that I couldn't notice.

Also, if you have a tremelo, that will affect your tuning if it's not set up right.

When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming......
like the passengers in his car.


   
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(@frank2121)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 268
 

May i jump in and ask a question barnabus since your kind of on the subject

What is the reason for having the different gauges i know 12s hurt your fingers more so why use them why not use 9s


   
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(@kent_eh)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

What is the reason for having the different gauges i know 12s hurt your fingers more so why use them why not use 9s

As I understand it, the main difference is "The Sound".
Heavy strings sound bigger.

On an acoustic, I can kinda even explain it.
A heavier string vibrates with more energy (due to it's larger mass) which causes more energy to transfer to the bridge, and causes more air to move, and thus makes a "larger" sound".

On an electric, I suspect that more energetic vibration means the string is moving over a larger area of the pickup's magnetic field.

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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(@racetruck1)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 518
 

Heavier strings=More mass=stronger vibration of the top!

Heavier strings=Stiffer action=harder to fret and bend!

Heavier Electric strings=more magnetic mass=more sustain!

When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming......
like the passengers in his car.


   
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