How do string coatings affect tone?

[JC.]

So, on this morning's dog walk I got thinking about why different string coatings make the guitar sound different.

The vibration of the guitar top is a function of the tension in the strings.

So why do two strings of the same thickness (and therefore tension) but with different coatings cause the guitar to produce different sounds?

Am I right in thinking that different string coatings create different timbres because the string itself is (obviously) vibrating ... and the timbre is a product of the vibration of the string, not the top?

I suppose the sound waves produced by the string's vibration interact in some way with the sound waves produced by the vibrating top to further complicate the result?

Is this right or is (my dog) barking up the wrong tree?

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by JC.

Am I right in thinking that different string coatings create different timbres because the string itself is (obviously) vibrating ... and the timbre is a product of the vibration of the string, not the top?

Yes, basically; In the same way as the top makes different notes when you play different frets, the exact way the string vibrates (with more or less harmonic content etc for different coatings) is passed to the top.

You can think of the guitar as little more than an amplifier for the strings. Different woods absorb different frequencies differently and thereby impart flavour to the sound, but they don't really add anything, just take away -- ie the top cant add anything that didn't already come from the string. It can amplify bass more than treble, but it can't add bass that wasn't there already, and it can amplify harmonics to a greater or lesser extent, but I don't think it can add them.

[nickv6]

Originally Posted by RalphH

Yes, basically; In the same way as the top makes different notes when you play different frets, the exact way the string vibrates (with more or less harmonic content etc for different coatings) is passed to the top.

You can think of the guitar as little more than an amplifier for the strings. Different woods absorb different frequencies differently and thereby impart flavour to the sound, but they don't really add anything, just take away ie the top cant add anything that didn't already come from the string. It can amplify bass more than treble, but it can't add bass that wasn't there already, and it amplify harmonics to a greater or lesser extent, but I don't think it can add them.

That's just about a perfect post.
Nick

[RalphH]

Thanks Nick!

[JC.]

Thanks Ralph. That's interesting. I never thought of the guitar box as just an amplifier....I've always thought of it as the source of the sound as well as the amplifier.

So, the "tone" of a guitar starts with the sound of the strings....amplified and modified as you say by the wooden bits.

[RalphH]

Exactly. The strings are the source. The rest of the guitar just amplifies - but it does it unevenly, leading to the tone and character of the guitar as a whole.

[Silly Moustache]

As a tech I know says - coated strings - go on dull and stay there longer.
I'm sure they are a boon for many but they do nothing for me, so no point in me paying nearly twice as much per set.

e.g. via ebay -
D'addario Ej17 - £7 to £11.49.
D'addario EXP17 - £10.00 - £16.00
Elixir PB Nanos medium - £16 to £19.20.

As elixirs don't last any longer than uncoated for me ..."what is point?"

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

As a tech I know says - coated strings - go on dull and stay there longer.
I'm sure they are a boon for many but they do nothing for me, so no point in me paying nearly twice as much per set.

e.g. via ebay -
D'addario Ej17 - £7 to £11.49.
D'addario EXP17 - £10.00 - £16.00
Elixir PB Nanos medium - £16 to £19.20.

As elixirs don't last any longer than uncoated for me ..."what is point?"

That’s my philosophy as well.
I will say Elixirs or other brands of coated strings do last longer ...for me, but I don’t care because I don’t like for the way they sound. YMMV.

[JC.]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

As a tech I know says - coated strings - go on dull and stay there longer.
I'm sure they are a boon for many but they do nothing for me, so no point in me paying nearly twice as much per set.

e.g. via ebay -
D'addario Ej17 - £7 to £11.49.
D'addario EXP17 - £10.00 - £16.00
Elixir PB Nanos medium - £16 to £19.20.

As elixirs don't last any longer than uncoated for me ..."what is point?"

My bad. When I talked about coatings in my original post, I really meant "material" ie PB, 80/20, etc.

But actually, I quite like Elixirs....

[redir]

The acoustic guitar is not an amplifier. The energy of the string is determined by the player. But once a string is plucked the signal is not amplified. The sound board takes the strings energy and moves air. It acts like a speaker cone.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by JC.

…Am I right in thinking that different string coatings create different timbres because the string itself is (obviously) vibrating ... and the timbre is a product of the vibration of the string, not the top?

I suppose the sound waves produced by the string's vibration interact in some way with the sound waves produced by the vibrating top to further complicate the result?

Is this right or is (my dog) barking up the wrong tree?

Hi JC.

Maybe you are right, but I give the top (on solid top guitars) more credit for the timbre of the instrument than your thought seems to.

Sound of guitars have many influences and influencers. The strings, and he pick you choose (if you play with a pick), the age of the strings you are comparing, the action of the guitar they are being played on, and the volume you are playing at, the style you play, and the instrument size/shape itself.

There are delicious combinations of tone to be had from our instruments, and the strings only contribute a part of that. I'd hate to own an instrument that I had to go on a life-search for the specific strings to make it sound 'right'. What if the company goes out of production?

Some of my favorite players (past and present) like Pete Huttlinger & Phil Keaggy, only use Elixirs…for years they've used and endorsed them. But they didn't focus on strings, just making music with them.

I think string experiments are some of my favorite ones to conduct with guitars. After all, we are going to change them eventually, and most fall into a price range we can readily afford. It's fun to listen for things the audience will not hear or care about…EVER.

[stringjunky]

Originally Posted by redir

The acoustic guitar is not an amplifier. The energy of the string is determined by the player. But once a string is plucked the signal is not amplified. The sound board takes the strings energy and moves air. It acts like a speaker cone.

... and makes it more audible, therefore, it amplifies it. Tie a wire tight between two posts and tell me how loud it is when plucked.

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by redir

The acoustic guitar is not an amplifier. The energy of the string is determined by the player. But once a string is plucked the signal is not amplified. The sound board takes the strings energy and moves air. It acts like a speaker cone.

Originally Posted by stringjunky

... and makes it more audible, therefore, it amplifies it. Tie a wire tight between two posts and tell me how loud it is when plucked.

No, he is right in absolute terms - it adds no energy to the string. What the guitar it does is convert sustain into the increased volume by robbing the string of its energy to move more air in a shorter time than the string could alone. Same total energy over less time = more volume. In fact, guitars are very energy inefficient - not all of the energy you put in actually comes out as sound. BUT I was trying to help the OP understand why string coatings affect tone, not get pedantic about the physics

The same thing applies - the top doesn't covert the energy of the string into air movement equally at all frequencies, hence the tone of the guitar - much of it is simply absorbed - hence the inefficienty.

[ManyMartinMan]

In its simplest form, any change in frequency or amplitude will change the tops vibration and volume. If you coat a string it will cause that string to vibrated differently resulting in a different sound than it would uncoated.

[redir]

I'll stop being pedantic sorry I just can't help myself.