carteru93 - Posted - 08/02/2008:  21:28:41

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I'm guessing with the Dobro it's the same as any other instrument, the thicker the strings (higher gauge) the deeper and darker the sound will be?

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Pick till yer fingers bleed!!
Carter

dpete210 - Posted - 08/05/2008:  08:21:41

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carteru93, so far no response to your post, so thought I'd chime in. I think you would be correct in your statement. It is difficult to convey sound through words, but I think deeper or thicker,or perhaps fuller would be pretty accurate. Of course depending on the reso brand and maker, different degrees of that sound will result with the same set of strings, so what a particular gauge of strings does to one reso, may not be the same on another reso. There are so many variables involved. To add to that, the sound will be different according to the makeup of the strings in addition to their string gauge. The best way to find out what we like is to experiment with different gauge and brands on our reso, but recommendations based on other's experience will probably become a useful short cut for those of us who aren't sure yet what we like best.

Any day is a good day to play music, and today is a good day.

Bunyan Bob - Posted - 08/05/2008:  08:53:08

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A scientific addendum to your statement Carter....

As the string mass increases, so does the volume. As resonance increases so does the reaction of the materials in the instrument, so, if a certain amplitude is required to get a body to resonate, there'll be an 'optimum' amplitude to suit a certain instrument's construction. Dig?

So, if you need bigger strings to make it shake in the sweet spots, that can sure work, but sometimes it's of no real benefit except for increase in volume. More vibrating mass equals a larger displacement of air, hence bigger sound. CFM's, baby...cfm's. Now, tone will be affected by things like materials, shape (round/flat) and transference. Saddle materials, nuts, and things like that will affect how the sound gets to the instrument. Harder is brighter, softer is mellower.

Oh, and a footnote here, one could also argue that in transference of low frequencies that require larger wavelengths, softer larger materials work best, and when transferring high end, harder smaller surfaces work....

Then again....exceptions to every rule apply.

"Never mind the dog, I''m the one who''s howling on the porch!"

sunhouse - Posted - 08/05/2008:  10:26:57

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On my Style O I have found that heavy strings dampen the sound. They load up the cone so much it doesn't vibrate so well that's probably why National advise 12s for open E and 13s for open D.

jslides46 - Posted - 08/05/2008:  16:06:24

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you gots to TRY'em carter. Try 'em all till you find what you like.

here's a good place to look.


beardguitars.com/Merchant2/mer...y_Code=S3

for lighter guage try the Daddario J42 , 16 18 26

For a bit heavier the BR 28, 17 19 28

and even heavier the BR 29, 18 20 29

the main difference is the 1 2 3 strings.

4 5 6 are about the same.

I want to try the GHS DWB 1600 white bronze.

Anyone tried those?

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Edited by - jslides46 on 08/05/2008 16:15:26

dobrojockey - Posted - 08/05/2008:  16:29:59

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Just my input here. I have thrashed through MANY brands and it really depends on what type of player you are vs what style you want to throw out there. Also if your rig can handle the tension well. I have found generally on most Scheerhorns and mid level reso's that the D'Adario EXP42's spread the gamete a little. They offer me the "Bright" tones I want when playing fast picking lead...to somber, smooth lows for when I need to slow it down. The tension ratio is evenly spread as well. They are hard to find around Georgia for some reason. But moderately priced.


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"It''s not the riff you played that''s cool...it''s the level of dynamics you used to play those 4 bars!" - Phil Collins
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dobrojockey - Posted - 08/05/2008:  16:33:20

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quote:

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Originally posted by jslides46

you gots to TRY'em carter. Try 'em all till you find what you like.



I want to try the GHS DWB 1600 white bronze.

Anyone tried those?

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I have tried them. Didn't care too much for the raspiness they caused. Handled well on a Gibson Hound dog though.


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"It''s not the riff you played that''s cool...it''s the level of dynamics you used to play those 4 bars!" - Phil Collins
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jslides46 - Posted - 08/05/2008:  18:43:28

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Thanks jockey. I'll stick to what I know sounds good.

(might give those exp42's a shot though)

Bunyan Bob - Posted - 08/05/2008:  19:47:56

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Hey sunhouse, I hear you on the biscuit bridges...my old Duolian used to do the same thing. It would load up so much it just wouldn't shake anymore...now that it got sold to a collector, it probably doesn't shake at all...

"Never mind the dog, I''m the one who''s howling on the porch!"

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Edited by - Bunyan Bob on 08/05/2008 19:48:29

Kelloggs - Posted - 01/12/2010:  03:26:09

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Hey folks, a question for the builders. Here you say that excessive tension on the strings leads to the cone becoming overloaded and not being allowed vibrate.

So it's a question of the guitar folding up and the top squeezing on the soundwell/cone???

If so, would a solution then be to leave the top at 4/5/6 milimetres, since it doesn't play a part in the tone anyway? Or are there other ways to stabilise the guitar??

I'm in the process of buying parts for a guitar building project... so make the answers as in depth as you like ;)

Cheers guys,
Brian