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Old 01-31-2010, 02:36 PM
Jean Martin Jean Martin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt View Post
Thanks for the response and the sharing of experience! It strikes me that there's a technical reason for this 'curved' spread of guitar-string tensions, and it sounds as though your ear certainly has picked upon on this. I'm still curious as to how this varied tension has an effect on the bridge or bracing (or, conversely, how deviation from it might affect the bridge/bracing), and why luthiers adopt/adapt this seeming 'standard.' Anyone?
I am not a luthier but I have always wondered why some strings have to be tight and some loose, and after reading about these "progressive tension sets", I now - at least I think -understand why. I have learned that the observed string tension is relative to the string mass, even though the tension is equal, the heavier string is slightly easier to handle, because it stretches more. It also gives pressure on fingertip tissue on larger area. That the tension on the bass side has to be bigger to sound 'balanced' as well is very obvious.

There is possibly a tendency to this parabolic setting on acoustic guitars and it makes sense, like Explorer said. The acoustic guitar usually has a small radius, and the strings on the middle are easier to handle and they have a weaker sound, because they are slightly closer to the fretboard due to the neck relief and fretboard radius co-interference.

Anyway, I do not think that any experiment with available gauges brings any result on this issue. Problem is that it is it quite easy to feel and hear the difference in about 3 % difference in tension, if we stay on .002 inch accuracy, the difference may be 10 %.

To set the string balance i n some systematic way, an accuracy should be much much better to even start experimenting this issue.

In standard 13-56 set, the gap between strings g and b is 25 %! Ok, transformed to relative tension principle and compensating that mid-area, the "bias" is much less. There is also a leap from plain to wound, which is special case. This setting, how ever used and however historic and however popular - is simply way too extreme. After playing guitars (also acoustic a lot) for more than thirty years, I simply have decided to leave these standard sets, forever. Guitar playing is supposed to be easy and fun and guitar should be set properly and not randomly.

Anyway, if I tune my guitar E --> F and b--> c, my guitar sounds better. I take this as a sign to experiment towards the "right tension curve".

Right now my best guess (according to how I want to change my current set) on D'addario's current selection is

13.5 18 25 34 45 59, in Eb-tuning,

because none of e-b combinations with gauges 12,13,17,18 does not feel right. And don't say that .0005 " is such a little change that it does not make the difference. It just does. In tension, it is 10 %. That is a lot.

Tension curve on this solution is a parabolic arc and progression combined- best from both worlds. Anyway on these gauges and my playing style, I can set the neck quite straight.

I am not going to give any "test report", because this is a single experiment. Some scientist should study this thing properly. It would be very nice if the string companies should release better balanced sets. At least as an option.
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