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What is Your Preferred String Tension?

Posted by Tom T on June 28, 2015 at 5:46pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I understand that there are a wide variety of strings that can be tuned to an open G. Some stress the high frequencies while others express the deeper tones. My question is: What kind of string tension do you prefer on your 3-stringers? Tension calculators for a given scale length and note make it fairly easy to pick a string for a given note and tension, but the question is "What does everyone prefer in a string?"

I currently use a set that is fairly high tension with all wound strings. I recently tried tuning my favorite slider down to fairly loose strings and liked the old-school Delta sound it produce.

So, what do you like?

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Replies

  • Tom T July 1, 2015 at 7:44am

    Thank to all for the responses. I would have responded more promptly except I had the strangest experience. For the past two days, ever time I tried to pull up CBN on my browser (or any browser) I got a "browser timed out" error. Tried multiple computers and devices from home, got the same thing. Went to a public Wifi point and go in fine on my laptop. It was like my provider had blocked the site or something. Never had this problem before. Spent a hour on Chat with the provider and they provided no resolution. Then, magically, it's all okay this morning..............Strange.

    Glad to be back.

  • Scott W June 30, 2015 at 8:20am

    I am not much of a player -- I play around. But I prefer lighter tension and have settled on the Fender 3/4 scale (22.5" I think) and love the Martin extra light strings. They are as smooth as silk and allow for very nimble fretting

  • Bad Finger (Eric) June 29, 2015 at 4:29pm

    I find that I choose one of slidy, spanky, slappy or bendy.  I think I'm on my 4th set of strings on my Sawzall box resonator.  Originally I was open G with Ernie Ball Power Slinky strings, but then I bumped up to John Pearse medium Resonators (59-16) and they will make your left hand scream in pain and produce the nicest calluses on your finger tips.  They sound great with a brass slide.  You have to be a machine to play them and forget bending too much without forceful intent.   I'm working my way back down now.  I think I have an 11 on the high D string, a 16 for the B and an 18 for the G.  The low G and D strings are still 59 and I think 46, but I plan on taking them down to maybe 42 and 36.

    So yeah.  Guess I didn't give you much of an answer.

  • Ron "Oily" Sprague June 29, 2015 at 3:35pm
    It...depends.

    Scale length, string diameter, tuning, personal preference, stylistic considerations, all play a part.

    There is no single answer, only opinions, variables and calculations.

    1/4" steel cable strung over 30-50 feet gives a nice deep tone...
  • darryl kernaghan June 28, 2015 at 8:33pm

    Harrison Withers did a pretty good blog on this a couple of years ago Tom,you might search for it here or at hcw guitars

    http://hcw3.com/

  • John Sawyer June 28, 2015 at 7:44pm

    I prefer a low action on a fretted guitar, so in order to slide it takes a bit of tension... I generally use "medium:" gauge strings on a 25" scale... .045, .035, .026 is what I'm using now... Before I was using .042, .030, .022, as listed by CBGitty in the knowledge article:  http://www.cigarboxguitar.com/knowledge-base/open-g-gdg-tuning-on-y...

    I always played my regular acoustic guitar with lights strings...  but I like the heavier gauge strings on my CBG's...  Neither are bad!  Just different...

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