Wound G string

[ux4484]

Most of my tuning problems on my electrics seem to be with the G string, nothing that isn't livable, but it is an irk, the Epi LP is quite irksome (even though I lubed the nut/bridge and intonation is set perfect, I've been tuning it to A on the 2nd fret instead of an open G or B at the fourth fret to compensate). I was thinking about this and wondering why my acoustics never have that problem...looking at my Yamaha it dawned on me....It has a wound G string! A quick search verified that many Les Paul players use a wound G string. When the LP was introduced, all G strings were wound and not THAT much has changed in the design of the guitar. Of course, none of the stores by me have D'Addario's with a wound G (only Ernie Ball's...ew!). So I popped for a couple wound .018 singles (Ew-nie Balls ) to try out to see if that will take care of the problem. Anyone else using a wound G?

[RJB]

D'Addario makes a set of 10's w/ a wound 18, D'Addario EXL110W. Never seen them except for special order. I tried a 18W w/ a set of 9's once (replaced a broken string) on my Tele. I had trouble bending a whole step at the 14th fret. Admittedly a 17w (which they are the only ones who claim to make one) would be more in line, but it wasn't available (Then or ever). A 16p = 14.7lbs, 18w = 16.1lbs, while a 17p = 16.6 (std 10's G string).

However I did like the tone and it got rid of a subtle sympathetic ring I get from the peghead "dead" section of string. With a set of 10's on a shorter scale or a "softer" vibrato guitar they might be just the ticket. Just wasn't for me on that guitar.

[ux4484]

Even the online vendors seem to have EXL110W's on backorder (is it because no one buys them, or everyone buys them?) Seeing that most retailers are not selling them in discounted 10 packs make me think that they must sell well.
I did pop the Ew-nie Ball .018 wound on the Epi LP's G, it certainly did the trick for me. I tuned perfect every which way, with the tuner, and conventionally by ear; no tweaking, no tricks. Good for open chords, power chords and leads. Yes, it's a bit harder to bend, but coming from bass, it's still easy to bend by comparison (it's only .001 bigger). It's an Ernie Ball, so I expect it to break in a few days anyway .

I don't have that problem on the '51, but I'm going to put one on the Tele next, it can be a little figity (even with the 6 saddle bridge).
MF sent me an apology discount letter (20% and free shipping) for the debacle over the debacle this summer. It's a phone order only coupon, so it'll probably be a case for the LP, some 110W's, and maybe that Warwick case-stand ;D .

[papacueball]

I use the D'addario 10's with the wound g also. I never had a guitar that produced a good sounding d chord with a lot of gain until I changed to the wound g string. This article seems to make sense of why wound sounds better (to most) than unwound.

images.onstagemag.com/files/46/0202Setuptxt.html