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PART 20 "MORE STRING CONTROVERSY AND MYTHOLOGY" (strings tech)
Whoa, everyone's "Top Ten" lists were beyond entertaining, don't you think? I enjoyed them immensely and I think it was a fabulous idea as well! For now, it's back to business. I've been reflecting a lot on the "String Industry" lately since my last trip to N.A.M.M. in January. I saw some pretty strange ways of convincing people WHY you should buy a certain manufacturers' strings over another. Competition is getting very cut-throat to put it kindly.There are a couple of things I wish to explain and clarify for you so any confusion will be minimal if hopefully non-existant. The first issue is in regards to whether round-core wound strings are supposedly more desirable in comparison to their hex-core wound opponents. Let's look at a round-core style string. As the name implies, the core is of a round shape.
With a round-core string (keep in mind that we're referring to the last three strings, D, A and the low E), there is a big problem in keeping the outer wrap tightly in contact with the core itself. Traditionally, adhesive type compounds would be applied to the core BEFORE the final winding process is completed. Adhesives generally are quite sticky because they basically act as a glue which is what will hopefully keep the outer wrap from separating and causing "gaps" in the outer wrap.
There have been a lot of arguments about which style of core actually sounds "better". Now let's look at a hex-style core; the hex has six "points" and six "flats" in it's hexagonal construction. The hex-core has no need of adhesives because the six "points" grab the outer winding and keep it from going anywhere. These six "points" are the glue. In my experience, I've never played a hex-style string which felt sticky. On the other hand, every round-core roundwound string has always had some sort of residue on it, why is this so?
The reason is quite simple: any time you wind a string that has an adhesive agent on the core at high tension, the adhesive somehow always manages to seep up between the wraps and get onto the playing surface of the string. Yuk!! How can you possibly play comfortably when your fingers are covered in all this miserable dreck?
With OSHA ( The USA's "environmental police" for our foreign readers) bearing down on the string manufacturers, they can no longer use ( or are restricted in using) a type of chemical acid bath to clense the strings after their final stage of completion. I believe the chemicals they used to employ were either chromic or muriatic acid. These types of acid are commonly used in swimming pools (muriatic acid) and in the etching process of printed circuit boards (chromic acid).
Since I used to work in a printed circuit board shop in the "Silicon Valley" area, I can tell you without a doubt that these acids are pretty toxic stuff. The next issue involves the sound of round-core versus hex-core strings. It is my opinion that hex-core strings are superior in sound as the hex-core with it's six "points" has less actual mass than their round-core counterparts.
Round cores have more mass because they are completely round, while the hex-core is not. In addition, the more metal you have in a string, the stiffer it will be, which is highly influential on the way the string will vibrate. With the hex-core, you are allowed to have a bigger size outer wrap, while the round-core with it's larger mass needs a smaller size wrap to get the equal gauge as with the hex-style strings.
Certain companies claim that they are able to "compress" more metal into their strings by winding the outer wrap onto the core at a much higher tension than usual. Then, their claim is that the string will bend easier when tuned to concert A-440 pitch. THINK ABOUT THIS...how can you have more mass in your string and expect to bend it easier? This goes against the laws of physics. Any time you use too much tension for anything, you're going to receive exactly what you've put into it, being MORE TENSION. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, anyone? No thanks, but I'll pass!
I have not seen a "compound-wound" or "compression-wound" string yet that has not caused me pain in my left hand or leave me with that feeling of struggling to get the music out in a fluid, easy manner even if I'm not doing bends in the first place.
Furthermore, when you install these two styles of strings, a complete re-setup of your instrument is required. In example, if you play a guitar with a tremelo bar, you will see the bridge raise upwards when these strings are up to standard pitch. You have to re-adjust your intonation, the bridge, your spring tension, the works! Our next subject concerns the type of metal(s) used for the "plain" strings and the plating materials that are used to "coat" the top of them. I'm going to begin with the term "Swedish Steel". You would think that when you hear this terminology, this steel indeed originates from Sweden.
Swedish steel is simply a steel alloy formula that the Swedes invented for its particular toughness and durability. If you've ever visited Sweden, it's climate isn't very forgiving, weather-wise. It is very cold and harsh most of the time, approximately nine or sometimes even ten months out of their year (depending upon where you are). I know from experts that the Swedes gave us their formula quite some time ago.
Well, unless you're buying an "export model" Saab, Volvo or Scania truck, that's where you'll find the original Swedish steel formula. I know for a fact that the "Swedish" Volvos and Saab cars and other vehicles are made from American steel! My point is that if a set of guitar strings were made in Sweden, would it actually be real Swedish steel? Check out what it says in the Stewart- MacDonald catalog about the "Sandvik" brand tools being crafted from "high-quality Swedish steel made in Holland"!
Okay, now we can postulate that the American steel companies have modified the original Swedish formula and many times over. If you see the phrase "Swedish Steel" on a set of American guitar strings, I wouldn't bank on it. As this point, you probably realize that the myriad of different steel formulas sound unique to themselves due to the changes of the metalurgical component/ makeup in any ONE type of steel.
Plating also has a profound effect on the string's sound, too. Tin, silver, brass or gold have special and unique timbres when used as a coating on the unwound (or in the case of gold, wound) strings. American companies prefer tin-plating on the plain strings, while the Europeans seem to favor silver-plating. Silver doesn't have the volume that tin has, and is much softer sounding to your ear. It's a bit sweeter, but not nearly as strong in the "front" attack portion of your pick stroke.
Gold is especially different as it seems to produce a much lower volume than the other metals we've mentioned. Hey, I must admit gold and brass plating look very slick and sexy, but what do they offer the player as a true functional benefit? The honest answer is, "Not much to speak of".
The next factor is how much plating is actually on the string itself. The plating is obviously there also as protection against sweat, dirt and finger acids. If your strings turn brown after a very short period of play, there ain't a whole lot of protection, is there? This discoloration also applies to the nickel-plated wound strings so often found in today's string market. Most likely, if you're "brown", you're DOWN!
My own feeling says the more tin-plating you have on the plain strings, the merrier, because you'll prolong the string's life by a ridiculously longer period of playing time while giving you that "big" sound when you hit the string as the added bonus. A good friend of mine has had the same set of strings on his fabulous early `60s ES-355 for almost three years! When I pick his guitar up, I begin to think about having a tetanus shot just in case, no kiddin'! These are just about as rotten as you can get...they're just way beyond anyone's comprehension, and Greg is saying that they are JUST about broken in.
While we're talking about rotten strings, I've found that the best sounds ever committed to a four-track deck for wah-wah solos was while using old, spent strings. For some reason, when you press the pedal to the bass side of its throw, it gets really vocal and quite throaty. I couldn't put that in the "Top Ten" list due to space, but try it, VERY touching and chalk full of parody. As always, the bottom line is to try anything and everything you can to hear/absorb/understand all of the subtle changes in tone.
Enough of this sick stuff...quaff some Pepto-Bismol and tell your mother how you're feeling in the morning. Oh, one more thing. Stay tuned for next month's offering about how you can become a real Sear's *9856/Craftsman tool kit!
Copyright 1995 by Dean L. Farley
Reprinted from "Vintage Guitar" December 1995 issue.