Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: A Call For Repentance on September 04, 2011, 03:54:14 PM

Title: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 04, 2011, 03:54:14 PM
OK I'm making a big sacrifice and having my guitar set up in Drop B and wondered whether I should have the G string (E in Drop B) wound or plain. I play a lot of solos and leads on the top strings so I'm unsure as to which one I'd prefer and why. If anyone could give me some advice on this, It'd make me feel a lot better, haha. Cheers
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Dmoney on September 04, 2011, 04:24:46 PM
for the sake of finding out, can you not just buy 1 string and have a go? some places still sell single strings right? its would cost you next to nothing and you've have a definitive answer.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 04, 2011, 04:43:03 PM
I probably will do that. I'm still interested in peoples opinions as well though.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Kiichi on September 04, 2011, 08:53:55 PM
I personally prefer the wound one. It will break easier (smalle cor wire), but the thing is that the winding brings tone.
Since I have different sets on every guitar, because they bring different sound to the table. The plains on the other hand are (at least most of the time) the same between sets of the same brand.

So basecally I think I get more controll of the tone with the wound 3rd. (so for softer things I get a nickel roundwound and for heavier things I may get a nickel plated steel or pure steel hexacore).
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: nfe on September 04, 2011, 10:54:07 PM
It's Eb in drop B.

I use wound thirds, I think thick plain strings sound awful.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Roobubba on September 05, 2011, 12:38:53 PM
It's Eb in drop B.

I use wound thirds, I think thick plain strings sound awful.

I'm pretty sure it's E, but I agree with your assessment of thick plain strings, and I use a wound 3rd!
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 05, 2011, 12:48:51 PM
I just wondered how it affects the way you solo? It'll be either a 19 or 20 I'll have on the 3rd string btw. Possibly a 22 if I go the wound option. I do a lot of solos, so will the wound effect the way I bend, etc?
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Roobubba on September 05, 2011, 12:54:13 PM
Can't help you there, I find solos insanely boring, and I don't go that light on strings I'm afraid.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: gwEm on September 05, 2011, 01:17:09 PM
i for one would be interested in a more helpful answer to this one ;)
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: choucas09 on September 05, 2011, 01:34:43 PM
In my experience wound 3rds don't bend properly, though tuned down to E they well might. I use plain 3rds on my acoustic for this reason although wound ones sound better.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: nfe on September 05, 2011, 02:09:31 PM
I don't think it has any effect on how I solo, other than the innate differences of the low tuning and string tension differences.

And it is E, right enough. I was thinking about my C tuning, forgetting that drop B would be a semitone higher across the rest of the neck.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Transcend on September 05, 2011, 04:13:53 PM
i find they dont allow for bends to be as clean sounding or as easy to pull off.

I also find them to have a raspy horrible and unnatural sound

this is the wound ones by they way.

i cannot stand them which is the reason ive stopped using DR strings because they have wound thirds.

Oh and has also been said already another reason i hate them is because they just break so damn easily
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: timski on September 05, 2011, 07:52:11 PM
Will a wound 3rd string in dropped B tuning not be the same as a normal D string?
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: timski on September 05, 2011, 07:59:46 PM
Sorry, excuse my ignorance.
I see dropped B has the third string tuned to E.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 05, 2011, 08:02:02 PM
Will a wound 3rd string in dropped B tuning not be the same as a normal D string?

I hate talking about string numbers haha. you never know whether someone knows which string is the top and which is the bottom haha. Normally you'd think the bottom would be high E lol
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: MDV on September 05, 2011, 08:54:23 PM
Pain, no question. I use a 22 in drop B (as an E, therefore).

I hate wound 3rds; they bend really badly (gotta displace them miles to get a full tone; vibrato suffers for the same reason, especially as I like wide vibrato) and they break all the time.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: nfe on September 05, 2011, 09:01:10 PM
I've never ever had a problem with snapping wound thirds, so am surprised to see that several people have.

Mind you, I've not broken a single string that I can recall for ten years.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Kiichi on September 05, 2011, 09:27:23 PM
I've never ever had a problem with snapping wound thirds, so am surprised to see that several people have.

Mind you, I've not broken a single string that I can recall for ten years.
Lucky man then! I basecally never have problems as well with my DRs (exept when I do crazy ass whammy abuse just for fun), but of course wounds will snap easier then plains since they have the same thickness in total but the core wire (the things that snaps) is of logically much thinner on the wound.
I have something in my mind about a wound 4th being as thick as a plain 1st in the core, not sure about it though.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 05, 2011, 11:30:05 PM
Decided on the plain one. Getting some DR DDT 12-60s. Thanks for the advice though :)
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Kiichi on September 06, 2011, 12:08:07 AM
Hope you like it, otherwise, just try stuff...always the best way to go^^
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Roobubba on September 06, 2011, 12:31:47 PM
I've never ever had a problem with snapping wound thirds, so am surprised to see that several people have.

Mind you, I've not broken a single string that I can recall for ten years.

Same here, guess it's all these pussies with their little thin strings :D

I hit the strings hard, too - too hard when I play live cos I get excited. I'm usually bleeding on the strings by the end of a gig. I can't remember when I last broke one, pretty sure I've never broken one on the vociferator...
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: choucas09 on September 06, 2011, 11:05:20 PM
Ah, the old string/penis gauge argument.
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: A Call For Repentance on September 06, 2011, 11:06:53 PM
Ah, the old string/penis gauge argument.

LMAO +1
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: Roobubba on September 07, 2011, 07:53:44 AM
Ah, the old string/penis gauge argument.

It gets better, I play a baritone too

:D
Title: Re: Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?
Post by: choucas09 on September 07, 2011, 05:38:57 PM
I'm out, time for my ukulele practice anyway.