Post by bentstavanger on Sept 15, 2017 8:52:51 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
I have an electric tenor guitar and an electric tenor ukulele, both solid body. In most aspects, they are very similar to electric guitars, but they have only four strings and the scale length is different (23" and 17" respectively). I tune them both in the so-called Chicago tuning, which is the same as the four top strings of a guitar in standard tuning (DGBE).
Because the scale length is shorter than a standard size guitar, the string gauges have to be thicker to get the same tension as on a guitar (when the strings are tuned to the same notes). Especially on the tenor uke, the gauges I have been using are quite thick (three of the four strings are wound). I recently decided to try to reduce the fret noise by changing as many strings as possible to unwound strings. I put together two string sets from available D'Addarion single strings with a tension somewhere in between what corresponds to a 009 set and a 010 set for a standard electric guitar. That resulted in PL026-PL019-PL0135-PL0095 (for the tenor guitar) and NW038-PL026-PL018-PL013 (for the tenor uke). PL is D'Addario's code for "plain" and NW is "nickel wound".
I have tried only the tenor uke set so far, since the tenor guitar is not with me right now, and it kind of works. The fret noise is reduced considerably with only one string out of four being wound, the overall sound and playability are quite good. But I have some problems with the G-string (PL026), which I guess is the thickest unwound gauge there is. It takes some time to bend at the saddle and "settle" because of the thickness, but I can live with this. Also, I had to do some radical adjustments to the action and intonation, again not a deal breaker. My real problem is with the tone produced by the string:
1) I'm getting a weird sound from the G-string, kind of hollow and bell-like. It's as if there were an overtone unrelated to the fundamental that was accompanying the sound, the volume being approximately half that of the fundamental. A little like a ring modulator low in the mix.
2) When playing flageolets, the G-string sounds noticeably less clear than the other strings. Also, it is more difficult to find the "sweet spot".
3) The sustain of the G-string is noticeably shorter than the other strings. Instead of of ringing out like the other strings, it quickly decays into chaotic overtones.
All three observations above are a lot less significant when playing chords. But when playing melodies and arpeggios, the G-string stands out in an unpleasant way. I have never tried using an unwound string of this gauge before, so I am unsure whether that is simply the sound of such a thick string and I will have to take it or leave it, or if there is something I am doing wrong or something I could do to improve the tone.
Does anybody have experience with these problems and/or some ideas about the cause and solution? Any input is appreciated, thanks! :-)
I have an electric tenor guitar and an electric tenor ukulele, both solid body. In most aspects, they are very similar to electric guitars, but they have only four strings and the scale length is different (23" and 17" respectively). I tune them both in the so-called Chicago tuning, which is the same as the four top strings of a guitar in standard tuning (DGBE).
Because the scale length is shorter than a standard size guitar, the string gauges have to be thicker to get the same tension as on a guitar (when the strings are tuned to the same notes). Especially on the tenor uke, the gauges I have been using are quite thick (three of the four strings are wound). I recently decided to try to reduce the fret noise by changing as many strings as possible to unwound strings. I put together two string sets from available D'Addarion single strings with a tension somewhere in between what corresponds to a 009 set and a 010 set for a standard electric guitar. That resulted in PL026-PL019-PL0135-PL0095 (for the tenor guitar) and NW038-PL026-PL018-PL013 (for the tenor uke). PL is D'Addario's code for "plain" and NW is "nickel wound".
I have tried only the tenor uke set so far, since the tenor guitar is not with me right now, and it kind of works. The fret noise is reduced considerably with only one string out of four being wound, the overall sound and playability are quite good. But I have some problems with the G-string (PL026), which I guess is the thickest unwound gauge there is. It takes some time to bend at the saddle and "settle" because of the thickness, but I can live with this. Also, I had to do some radical adjustments to the action and intonation, again not a deal breaker. My real problem is with the tone produced by the string:
1) I'm getting a weird sound from the G-string, kind of hollow and bell-like. It's as if there were an overtone unrelated to the fundamental that was accompanying the sound, the volume being approximately half that of the fundamental. A little like a ring modulator low in the mix.
2) When playing flageolets, the G-string sounds noticeably less clear than the other strings. Also, it is more difficult to find the "sweet spot".
3) The sustain of the G-string is noticeably shorter than the other strings. Instead of of ringing out like the other strings, it quickly decays into chaotic overtones.
All three observations above are a lot less significant when playing chords. But when playing melodies and arpeggios, the G-string stands out in an unpleasant way. I have never tried using an unwound string of this gauge before, so I am unsure whether that is simply the sound of such a thick string and I will have to take it or leave it, or if there is something I am doing wrong or something I could do to improve the tone.
Does anybody have experience with these problems and/or some ideas about the cause and solution? Any input is appreciated, thanks! :-)
