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| I use Medium Gauge Strings on all my guitars, including Ovations, because I like the extra tone and volume, IMO, that they produce. Just wonder how much more stress that they put on the guitars neck and top over a period of time. I would assume that the tension is quiet a bit more with 13's as opposed to 12's. Wonder if anyone has done any testing on the subject, or if anyone here has any information on this. |
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Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Ovations have always been built, per their literature (going back into the 1960's) for medium gauge strings (.56-.13). Until just recently, when I became a PU assy and started using lights, I always used mediums with no problems what so ever... |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Oh, How the Mighty have fallen.... |
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Location: North Idaho | Mediums pull around 190 lbs., lights 160 lbs.
Very impressive that guitars can take this kind of tension year after year. |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Ovation Patiented pick up is so hi output
you really don't need heavier than light.
INMHO |
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Posts: 231
| I only have one Ovation with electronics, though, and mediums just put out more sound than lights. Pez, I see you have a Martin D-28, so you probably know what i'm saying. My HD-28V sounds much better with mediums. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I'm always curious... Last night I was curious about heavier strings.
So I ordered some EJ17's for the 1718. I'm not sure what was on there when I got it, but they were pretty heavy...
And they had Gold Balls...
Yeah, I know I can plug-it-in...
But I have mid-bowls and shallow-bowls that I can plug-in and make sound as full as I want.
So I think that I will give Mediums a try...
I might like 'em. |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by Roundback:
I only have one Ovation with electronics, though, and mediums just put out more sound than lights. Pez, I see you have a Martin D-28, so you probably know what i'm saying. My HD-28V sounds much better with mediums. In respect I wish I had not.
Medium gave me hand cramps & bowed its neck.
No doubt its a bigger sound.
Sometimes there is a price. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| I used to use mediums but with the Artist bowl the low E would become a dull thud after 4-5 hours of playing. I switched to Martin light plain steel/bronze (012 to 054)and it's not as bad. |
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Location: SoCal | .....and it's not as bad. [/QB] Helluvan endorsement..... |
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Posts: 231
| I have a set of D'addario coated lights on my Legend 1617-5S that I just purchased, and they sound pretty good, but i've never tried mediums on it yet. Next string change, I might try them just to see how much difference there is. This is my only AE, so lights might be the way to go. I have EJ-17's on my old 1157 Anniversary, and it sounds awesome. Haven't ever tried lights on it, yet. I know the factory says mediums are o.k., but it makes sense that lights would be better for the guitar. I'm going to try different gauge strings just to satisfy my curiousity. I've used Mediums on my 1117 for the past 26 years, and haven't had any neck problems, or need for a neck reset. |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Became a PU assy?,......man, how did I make into this tread???.......I'll never live it down. |
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| Originally posted by Fuzzyman:
Became a PU assy?,......man, how did I make into this tread???.......I'll never live it down. That you won't ;) |
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Location: SoCal | Live it down???? Hell, you've coined a new phrase! |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Yup, I think we have a winner. |
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Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Stevie ray vaughan used 15s or some ohter barb wire guage on his strats. Dont know about his accoutics. i know he used a 12 string of some type when he played on MTV Unplugged. i also heard when his finger tips wore dwon, he would put a drop of superglue on his forearm; stick his wore down fingertip in the glue and pull new skin of of his forearm. Ouch! |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Todd, I suspect the first part of that is true, I think he used 14s or 15s and tuned down a half step.
The second part is just good fiction.
I use mediums on all my dreads. Lites of the rest.
Ovations will take mediums just fine. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
I use mediums on all my dreads. Lites of the rest.
Ovations will take mediums just fine. That is good to hear from a Trusted Authority... :cool: |
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January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | There was a time back in the 70's, when Ovations were the electric guitar player's acoustic. That's when acoustic lights became popular, along with the dreaded silk and steel. Ovation guitar necks are the best in the world. String up those medium or heavy gauge strings, and pick away. |
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November 2003
Posts: 231
| Actually, I'm more concerned about the top than I am the neck. Never had a problem with Ovation necks, but have seen a lot of top bulges, and brace outlines showing through. Just curious if using light gauge strings would make a difference. I would probably still use mediums. Just curious. |
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Posts: 153
Location: Huntington Beach, CA | Split the difference and try medium/lights - Martin Bluegrass 80/20's. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Tried some super lights (.10s) on the EA Viper for their bending capability and was a bit disappointed with the rather tinny sound of the small E string in the upper register, so I went back to lights (.12s). If I need to significantly bend a string (e.g., Clapton's opening riff in You Look Wonderful Tonight), I'll use the Strat or VXT. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I finally put EJ17's on the 1718... I also took-out the last shim.
Sounds much better... Still plays nice... Maybe Nicer.
With that last shim out, the action is very nice with the EJ17's. Nicer than one shim and EJ16's.
Somehow, I thought that the strings would be stiffer ... cuz of some of the previous comments.
I have only played it a little bit, so I will learn more after a coupla weeks.
I cut-off a New set of EJ16's to put these on. I will keep these on until they die!
And if I like 'em, I have two more sets...
Anyway, this Elite 1718 sounds a whole lot clearer and better acoustically with mediums.
I haven't plugged it in yet, but I suspect the same.
I'm Pleased! (just thought I'd share that :cool: ) |
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Posts: 231
| Arthur, I knew you would notice a difference. I just did the same thing with my 1617-5S. Took a set of D'addario Lights off, and put a new set of Adamas Mediums on, and the tone definitely improved. I'm sure it would have been a more accurate test if I had been using the same brand and type of strings, but I've always noticed a big difference between medium and light strings, anyway. Only reason I put the lights on was because they came free with the Anniversary that I bought a while back. The guitar definitely has a better bass response with the mediums, and some gain in volume. Just a fuller sound over all. If they play just as easy as lights, why would you want to use the lights? Let us know how they work out for you. |
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String Gauge Question
