Plain vs. Wound 3rd String?

[A Call For Repentance]

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

[Dmoney]

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.

[A Call For Repentance]

I probably will do that. I'm still interested in peoples opinions as well though.

[Kiichi]

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).

[nfe]

It's Eb in drop B.

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

[Roobubba]

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!

[A Call For Repentance]

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?

[Roobubba]

Can't help you there, I find solos insanely boring, and I don't go that light on strings I'm afraid.

[gwEm]

i for one would be interested in a more helpful answer to this one ;)

[choucas09]

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.

[nfe]

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.

[Transcend]

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

[timski]

Will a wound 3rd string in dropped B tuning not be the same as a normal D string?

[timski]

Sorry, excuse my ignorance.
I see dropped B has the third string tuned to E.

[A Call For Repentance]

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