Electric Dobro Strings

[belvoirstwitch]

Hi, I have an electro-acoustic Dobro guitar (Vintage VRC800AMF) which I use for slide playing in open tuning. The guitar is fitted with a single coil pickup, not a piezo pickup so my regular Elixir Nanoweb electro/acoustic strings probably aren't the right thing. I'm aware that what suits an acoustic guitar is different to what suits an electric. I also don't want super high tension strings - so what strings would you recommend for electric slide playing on my Dobro which would also sound "OK" for acoustic playing? Any help that you can offer would be appeciated.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by belvoirstwitch

Hi, I have an electro-acoustic Dobro guitar (Vintage VRC800AMF) which I use for slide playing in open tuning. The guitar is fitted with a single coil pickup, not a piezo pickup so my regular Elixir Nanoweb electro/acoustic strings probably aren't the right thing. I'm aware that what suits an acoustic guitar is different to what suits an electric. I also don't want super high tension strings - so what strings would you recommend for electric slide playing on my Dobro which would also sound "OK" for acoustic playing? Any help that you can offer would be appeciated.

All nickel wound electric sets are lower tension than a set of phospher bronze wound strings of the same gauge. This is primarily because nickel weighs less than phospher bronze.

What tuning are you playing in?

You also don't say what kind of resonator your instrument has. Cone/spider or biscuit?

Are you primarily playing slide or do you also fret within a given song?

Given the lack of pertinent information I would suggest you start out with D'Addario J-21, which are .012-.052.

If you're somehow tuning UP to open E or open A, go with a lighter set.

Regards,
Howard Emerson

[frankmcr]

Try asking at the Steel Guitar Forum, plenty of experience there to draw from.

[hat]

Monel guitar strings should work just fine. I would go with mediums, as you want some tension on the cone or it won't sound right. Martin Retro mediums perhaps?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by hat

Monel guitar strings should work just fine. I would go with mediums, as you want some tension on the cone or it won't sound right. Martin Retro mediums perhaps?

What he said...