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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | Have any of you 12-stringers ever changed the 5th/6th (G) string pair to a unison pair? I currently have 0.023" and 0.008" there but thought I'd try a pair of 0.016" plain strings instead. When I'm playing melodies, that high-pitched G (0.008") sometime sounds wrong to my ear (not out of tune, just 'wrong') |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by sycamore:
try a pair of 0.016" plain strings instead. When I'm playing melodies, that high-pitched G (0.008") sometime sounds wrong to my ear (not out of tune, just 'wrong') Would that not sound as 1 string .. ( provided they`re tuned in unison ).. yet it `s allways good to x-periment.
Someone I know ( Bas is also Irish ) , heard the SAME thing , he came up with several ideas , ...
.. change a string`s position ( filing saddle , moving 1 string-position slightly forward )
.. install a smaller gauge on main string ..
Unfortunately I`ve not seen him since , so I hope that ye will keep us uptodate with yer findings ..
For the record , after awhile , I also heard it sounded " wrong " .. his was a CFM 12 ( D18 ?? ) .., I blamed it on an " incorrect " placed string ( the " ball " not seated well ).
Vic |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I broke my high 'G' once and just put another match to the regular G on there.
(An .020, I had Adamas 1212's on there)
It didn't sound bad, but it didn't sound right. Just Different.
But I was just playing regular chords.
I did sound acceptable until I got a handful of replacement .009's and changed it back.
Once I bought all them spare strings, I never broke another high G... :p |
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October 2008
Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | A friend suggested making my 12, a 9 string. Just not putting the low end high octaves on. Maybe on my next string change. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | No!
You are forbidden!
You must use the strings exactly the way that they come in the package, no negotiating!
In fact, you must only use the D'Addario strings with the colored ball ends and they must, I repeat must be aligned!
If you fail to comply and persist in this "free thinking" you will suffer the extreme consequences of... well, just don't go there.
Ok, if you must - try adjusting the nut so that there is minimal deflection of the high G and you may find that to work better. It's probably an intonation issue. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | Hmm will check the intonation issues which no doubt will help.
What I'm getting at though that the .008 is an octave higher than I'd like - sort of interrupts the sequence of the scale.
e.g. instead of (gG aA bb c#c# dd ee f#f#) I'd rather have (GG AA bb c#c# dd ee f#f#).
Oh sorry MWOODY, what I meant was 'YES I MUST COMPLY'! |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Resistance is FUTILE .. the woodsman won`t have it .. |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Try the 9 string idea. If you double the heavy strings it'll put too much tension on the neck. The 9 string thing really does work. As a fingerpicker, that's the only way I like to play a twelver. With 9 strings I can get the basses I want and it still sounds like a twelve string. Trust me, it works. |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | I like the 9 string idea! I can never seem to get a good down pick, hitting both strings with a my thumb on the base strings. I am going to give it a try. Do you go a bit heavier on the EAD strings that you keep? |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | Actually replacing the 24/100" wound and the 8/100" plain with two 20/100" plain will only increase the tension by about 1.5% (whereas the difference between a D'Addario 'light' and an 'extralight' 12-string set is about 15%).
Don't often fingerpick this guitar, but I might just go 11-string i.e. take out just the high-pitched G.
Having said that, I often wondered why the lighter string always comes first ie when you pick down you always hit the lighter string first and thus it gets more emphasis |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by sycamore:
Having said that, I often wondered why the lighter string always comes first ie when you pick down you always hit the lighter string first and thus it gets more emphasis That lighter string comes first for strumming-down , so as to make sure the heavier one gets grabbed too .
There are 12`s trimmed the other way around , for some , it would be easier on such one to play an arpeggio when pickin` downwards , yet , getting the 12`s intended sound when pickin` up-wards , I`ve come " full circle " on that , using mostly fingers these days .
Single note .. finger/pick up-wards
Strum down-wards
( yes I know , I`m a mediocre git-banger ) |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Did U find what causes that " wrong " sound .. did something about it ? |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by twistedlim:
I like the 9 string idea! I can never seem to get a good down pick, hitting both strings with a my thumb on the base strings. I am going to give it a try. Do you go a bit heavier on the EAD strings that you keep? You could go with 10 strings...
I KNOW that I saw a nine-string Ovation 1657 on evilBay in 2007...
Unfortunately I cannot find a photo of it anywhere. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Arthur that`s a FINE lookin` axe .. that with a 1 piece neck ?
My kind of axe , yummy ..how much did ye shell out for that one ? |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I had my 12'r strung Nashville style for a while. Very cool effect. Leave strings 1-8 normal, move the octave strings 10 & 12 to 9 & 11, and put high octave strings on 10 & 12. Try Drop D or Double Drop D. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1566
Location: Indiana | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
I KNOW that I saw a nine-string Ovation 1657 on evilBay in 2007... There was a guy here in Nashville, early 80's, had an O nine string. Can't remember his name... cool guitar. |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Willie Porter plays a niner I believe. |
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5th&6th (G) on 12-string