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Post by onlythesound on Sept 28, 2024 9:37:53 GMT
Hi All,
Can anybody tell why it always seems to be the g string that snaps on a 12 string. You read this so often, in ads, reviews etc.
Personally, I haven’t experienced it - having owned a Paul Brett Viator and a D’Angelico model.
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Post by Onechordtrick on Sept 28, 2024 9:56:06 GMT
It’s generally the thinnest string and as it’s the highest note of the set is also at the highest tension. and, depending on your strings, may also be at the highest tension.
For example on a randomly selected set the high G is 0.008 gauge compared with 0.010 for the top E albeit at slightly lower tension 14lbs vs 16lbs.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Sept 28, 2024 13:30:58 GMT
As above! 12ers tend to sound better to myears tuned down a bit - I usually keep mine at two or three frets down -also reduces the tension related breakages too.
Keith
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Sept 28, 2024 18:22:19 GMT
Interesting to read that John Butler plays a 12 string with the high G removed, making it an 11 string which he tunes to open C. I found that strange because surely the b and e strings are higher? Or are those two strings tuned in unison?
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Post by Onechordtrick on Sept 28, 2024 20:10:04 GMT
Interesting to read that John Butler plays a 12 string with the high G removed, making it an 11 string which he tunes to open C. I found that strange because surely the b and e strings are higher? Or are those two strings tuned in unison? They would normally be tuned in unison |
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Sept 28, 2024 22:38:53 GMT
Interesting to read that John Butler plays a 12 string with the high G removed, making it an 11 string which he tunes to open C. I found that strange because surely the b and e strings are higher? Or are those two strings tuned in unison? They would normally be tuned in unison Thanks. I suppose a high e an octave higher than normal is a bit of a stretch, literally. Like mandolin high e but tighter... |
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Post by 3chordtrick on Sept 29, 2024 7:35:53 GMT
It tended to be the wire G that would break on me when changing strings in the early days of me first playing 12-string acoustic, that higher tension with it being an octave higher, around then, I was under the delusion that I could learn to play some Leo Kottke numbers which required lowering the tuning a whole step,so it cured the problem of snapping strings, and vaguely related to this discussion,a few years later,and still playing Leo badly,I read on a forum about a player who changed out the wire A string on his 12’er,and replaced it with a wound string ( 18 gauge,and difficult to source) ) -less tension,and easier on the fingers.
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Post by Onechordtrick on Sept 29, 2024 8:08:48 GMT
They would normally be tuned in unison Thanks. I suppose a high e an octave higher than normal is a bit of a stretch, literally. Like mandolin high e but tighter... I suspect it would be more like a chef’s mandolin than a musician’s. When I, briefly, had a 12 string I tuned the g strings in unison; I found it sounded better for fingerstyle. |
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pegleghowell
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Post by pegleghowell on Oct 5, 2024 17:30:19 GMT
Either get rid of the g altogether or do as Leadbelly did...two regular g's tuned to unison...sounds very powerful when tuned to C/C#.
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Post by onlythesound on Oct 13, 2024 19:44:39 GMT
So….when I tuned my new 12 string after a couple of days’ acclimatising, it was one of the high ‘E’s that snapped. 🤬
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Oct 14, 2024 8:38:59 GMT
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dogwheel
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Post by dogwheel on Oct 14, 2024 18:31:14 GMT
Well, not trying to be contoversial, but!
I've been playing 12 String Acoustics for nearly 60 years, often hard and heavy, and confess that my present Faith Naked Venus stays at Standard or "Concert" pitch, my previous lightly built 1960's Hofner Dreadnought was usually kept tuned down a whole tone--although when it was used for some studio work with the late Cliff Ward (and the Cruisers) it was wound up to standard pitch, and I carelessly left it that way, 'til the bridge came off, with an almighty mighty twangy bang.
I have never experienced a broken string on a 12, I don't use "posh" strings and I only change them when the Bass gets to sound a bit dull. I realise that the high "octave" G is a thin bit of wire, and I do carefully dress the Nut and Bridge, Saddle on all my guitars, maybe that explains why I'm uncharacteristically lucky regarding broken strings.
I know, that's just me------------just sayin'
Robin
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 29, 2024 12:06:37 GMT
I have two 12 strings, and tune them both down one whole tone i.e. dD - dd
The notion of a veeerrryy thin G string (.... don't - OK?) and I can only find two two 12 string set options which have sensible gauges :
D'addario EJ37s (PB) and Martin M190s 80/20) and both are 54/30, 42/22, 32/5, 25/10 , 10/16 and 12/12.
They suit me but often arrive apparently old stock (Martins often corroded). I got one set of EJ37s via ebay or Amazon which when opened were in a bad state - Santos atD'addario told me they were over ten years old!
I'd love to have coated strings on 12s as they receive little use now, but no-one (I can find) does them.
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Jo whoever he is.
