10string : Message: which strings do you prefer?

RE: 664 mm (Ramirez, cedar of course, and Yepes tuning) -- I've used Hannabach 815 for the last dozen years. They they seem fine, not great, just good. That's my CHOICE ONE for simplicity. The negative is you rarely find them at the corner guitar store. I don't want to buy years at a time since I don't like the idea of old-stock strings made years ago. I don't agree with the 10 year shelf life idea. And, 815 is not cheap.

815 is medium tension.

Personally, I am willing to put high/hard tension strings in some places, like a single hard tension 6th placed on the 7th string and tuned down to C, or a single har tension 5th placed on the 9th string tuned down to G#. But this method is not for the 8th string or 10th string for obvious reasons. If anything, you might use a low tension 6th string tuned up to F# on the 10th string, and/or a low tension 5th string tuned up to Bb on the 8th string -- such as in an emergency. But, I don't do this as a first or second choice.

My SECOND CHOICE is with the ordinary six pack of D'Addario pro-arte EJ-45, AND ONLY CHANGE STRINGS 4, 5, and 6. I can get away with that and be happy one time, and maybe two times, between changing the whole thing out with 815's. This is easier and less irritating than changing all ten. In my mind, changing 30% of the strings (as described) gives a result about 90% equivalent to changing them all out. But then again, I am not doing much actual playing on strings 7 - 10 other than open, unlike some of you.

I am sure there are more high-tech choices especially in the trebles. I just don't know them, despite over 30 years of ten string experience and many ten string instruments.

One thing I do know for sure -- wash your hands before touching the guitar and the string lifespan will extend a lot.

This string issue is one that lacks a lot of really good answers. One makes due. I don't feel right mixing all kinds of different sets unless you have to. If anybody has a new and great idea, I would like to hear it. This whole topic has irritated me for 35 years.

Emory

--- On Wed, 7/8/09, Stephen Bright <stephen@...> wrote:

From: Stephen Bright <stephen@...>
Subject: Re: [10string] Baroque / Romantic tuning. Was: Matthew McAllister Introduction!
To: 10string@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 3:04 PM

Hi Andrew:

Would anyone like to comment on the gauges they use?

My strategy is to stock strings 1-6 with my favorite 6-string set. Strings 7-10 I buy individually. Ramirez 664 mm cedar top guitars sound great with Hannabach 815 medium tension strings. I like to use D'Addario High Tension trebles with them.

On 650 Scale guitars I like using HT 1-3, MT 4-6, and HT 7-10. This gives you loud trebles, and loud low basses, kind of like the loudness switch on the car stereo.

Basically, you have to listen to each guitar and see what the strings can do to help overcome any imperfections in the sound. Cedar tops sound good with Hannabachs, as they are brighter. Spuce tops sound good with Savarez or D'Addario, as they are darker sounding. I don't use La Bella as the low basses sound too weak for me. If you do a lot of wild tuning changes (I don't) then the Aranjuez should be considered. If you have a string that sounds too loud, you can get a slightly thinner string to increase the tension. Strings by Mail is great at putting together custom sets.

Basically, every guitar sounds different, and you have to try out different strings to see which combo produces the best sound for each guitar.

Hope this helps,

Stephen

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