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  #1  
Old 06-21-2015, 12:57 PM
Honch Honch is offline
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Default How thick gauge have you tried on your CFs?

Since browsing all threads on this particular Forum chapter (Carbon Fiber) I have yet to see someone up the ante and go for as thick strings as possible.

Now, say, the Rainsong Jumbo models are LOUD, LOUD, and LOUD according to themselves. I think the benefits of carbon fiber and graphite should be tested and tempted to its maximum. While players such as Pat Martino uses 016 gauge set on his archtop as well as solid body, there's no problem for the high e 016 to be tuned up, and not break. I mean if it's graphite, you should be able to get a bit louder with putting on thick gauge strings since both the top, bridge, neck can withstand this tension. Your fingers calluses will be the only culprit.

Is there anyone with - say - a Rainsong JM series who has "gone wild" with string gauge, and put on anything above a 014 set? And of course brought it up to standard pitch.
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Old 06-21-2015, 06:20 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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The thickest I have used at standard tuning is medium gauge, 13-56. I get plenty of volume and enough tension to allow for lowered slack-key tunings (the reason I went beyond light gauge anyway). I have not felt the need to go any heavier on my Rainsong WS-1000. Most of the time I have to lay off a bit to keep from being too loud in jams.

Archtops are different animals than flat-tops, so I'm not sure that you would actually get much extra volume from considerably heavier gauge strings.
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Old 06-22-2015, 02:16 PM
Honch Honch is offline
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Thank you.

I guess it would just be a show-off for Rainsong on NAMM or trade fairs. They could use it as a demo. However, such things usually takes long time, before it shows any sign of weakness, like that the bridge starts to give in. Or it turns belly up.

I for one, think that thicker strings equals lower action without sacrificing tone and volume on both acoustic flat tops and arch tops. BTW Do they state on their site or "care and maintenance" if there's any upper limit in tension? Like "use max 014 set" or something...

I would love to just try one of their JM series strung with a 016 and toward 060 or something. Strum hard...
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Old 06-22-2015, 02:59 PM
ac ac is offline
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I think only Journey restricts their OF660 to lights because they've designed it specifically for that and no more.

I suppose damage from medium or heavier strings might void any warrantee.

I'm not convinced there's a huge difference in volume output with mediums. I've tried mediums and extra-lights and didn't notice much difference, but the extra-lights did buzz enough that I would have needed to adjust the truss rod just a touch if I had continued with them.

This video convinced me that there isn't a massive difference in the sound of the strings but I think the feel changes enough that one type will be more attactive than another, depending on tastes. I went back to lights just because I didn't care for the feel of the mediums, not because of the sound one way or the other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sZb9YjL-N8
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Old 06-22-2015, 03:17 PM
Ted @ LA Guitar Sales Ted @ LA Guitar Sales is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Honch View Post
Since browsing all threads on this particular Forum chapter (Carbon Fiber) I have yet to see someone up the ante and go for as thick strings as possible.

Now, say, the Rainsong Jumbo models are LOUD, LOUD, and LOUD according to themselves. I think the benefits of carbon fiber and graphite should be tested and tempted to its maximum. While players such as Pat Martino uses 016 gauge set on his archtop as well as solid body, there's no problem for the high e 016 to be tuned up, and not break. I mean if it's graphite, you should be able to get a bit louder with putting on thick gauge strings since both the top, bridge, neck can withstand this tension. Your fingers calluses will be the only culprit.

Is there anyone with - say - a Rainsong JM series who has "gone wild" with string gauge, and put on anything above a 014 set? And of course brought it up to standard pitch.
While heavier gauge strings will certainly reduce playability, they wont necessarily make your guitar louder, in fact heavy strings can actually restrict the movement of the soundboard. Fatter strings will change the tonal qualities for sure, but you want to check with the manufacturer before experimenting.
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Old 06-22-2015, 11:50 PM
tommyld tommyld is offline
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The thickest I've used is medium, but tuned down usually a whole step.
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Old 06-23-2015, 12:45 AM
tdq tdq is offline
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I've used 0.013s on my CA GX and thought they worked great, especially for strumming and bluegrass. I'm more of a fingerpicker though so I went back to 0.012s. I sometimes bring the low E up to a G with no problems.
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Old 06-23-2015, 02:30 AM
sirwhale sirwhale is offline
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My experience with 13s is that it makes the guitars I've had quieter; just too much torque on the soundboard.

11s give me better playability and with equal volume I find. I have now got so used to 11s that 12s really make we want to stop playing due to the effort needed. If you put 16s on, I'm pretty sure your hands will not be happy with you, loud or not.
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Old 06-23-2015, 10:54 AM
Finger Stylish Finger Stylish is offline
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Martin Monels (Tony Rice)
13-56

I like them a lot on my RainSong H DR1000. Sound is not bigger, it seems more warm. (Vintage type Punch)
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Old 06-27-2015, 06:55 PM
ewalling ewalling is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ac View Post
This video convinced me that there isn't a massive difference in the sound of the strings but I think the feel changes enough that one type will be more attactive than another, depending on tastes. I went back to lights just because I didn't care for the feel of the mediums, not because of the sound one way or the other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sZb9YjL-N8
Interesting clip. The curious thing for me was that if pushed for preferences, I'd say the extra lights sounded the best, the mediums the worst, and the custom lights and lights somewhere in the middle. I used D'Addario extra lights on both my acoustics - a Hullah 000 and a Lakewood dread - throughout the 90s, but these days I mostly use 12-53s. Perhaps I should give those extra lights another spin ...
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Old 06-27-2015, 07:38 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Mediums on a RainSong DR1000 with no problems and a louder and fuller tone.
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Old 06-28-2015, 02:16 AM
ac ac is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ewalling View Post
Interesting clip. The curious thing for me was that if pushed for preferences, I'd say the extra lights sounded the best, the mediums the worst, and the custom lights and lights somewhere in the middle. I used D'Addario extra lights on both my acoustics - a Hullah 000 and a Lakewood dread - throughout the 90s, but these days I mostly use 12-53s. Perhaps I should give those extra lights another spin ...
Because of that clip, I ordered extra-lights which I hadn't used in a long time. I also found I liked the sound just as well as the lights I'd previously used.

One thing that takes time to get used to is there is noticably less pressure on your finger tips. I keep pressing actually too hard for these strings when I don't really need to. They feel as easy or easier than nylon strings.

With less tension, I really need to tweak my relief, which is almost flat, as the extra-lights vibrate slightly more and on rare occasions, I can get a slight buzz that I didn't have with lights. Just a dash more relief would eliminate that.

Otherwise, extra lights surprised me and what I heard in the video matched what I experienced. No negatives that I can see at all and the positive of easier play.
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  #13  
Old 08-01-2015, 12:15 PM
Honch Honch is offline
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That clip is...
sorry to be the straight man about this...

tells us absolutely nothing. I wanted the same test between light gauge and heavy gauge and on a CF guitar ONLY. This is wood, in that video. Not interested, and on top of that, all YT videos on guitar is a bad benchmark in ANY soundtests, anyway. It's like demonstrating a big set of Cervin Wega speakers, and say "listen....how great these speakers are" and run the sound through the laptop speakers.

It is a slipshod test anyway. He should test for sustain, and let them ring. I think you unconciously strum a different way, when exposed with the different string. When light gauge, he strums a tad harder, and when with medium a bit lighter just to produce the same volume so to speak. It is a very bad video, but so are ALL those similar videos. Totally futile. I can't think that this video represents the same things, on a CF guitar.

- - - - - -

On another note, I don't mind bodybuilding excersises with my fretting hand, leaving small biceps on the pinky after a while. It's just a question I put out, since I think CF guitars can take a larger tolerance, and wider gap between different string gauges. It wont go belly up because a 014. I mean, one of the reasons are that the CF guitar doesn't go belly up, twisted necks, so it's supposed to take extra tension. Maybe. That's why I asked. And of course, not only that it maybe can take this, but sound the same anyway. Not all wooden bodies can take 010s as well as 013s. Even if they can stand the extra tension, they may not sound the same in loudness at all.

On top of this, I've never ever seen a recommended string gauge on any of their sites, because if the top would take damage, they have to put out a disclaimer. Most wooden tops warns about going to 014 and above provided you keep your regular tuning.
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  #14  
Old 08-01-2015, 06:20 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Medium-gage on a RainSong DR1000. No problems and bigger sound!
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