Strings for 3/4 Scale Guitar

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bayswater
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Strings for 3/4 Scale Guitar

Post by bayswater »

By 3/4 scale I mean something like a Ric 325. I don't know where the "3/4" comes from.

I had read that the low E is difficult to tune on a guitar this size perhaps because the harmonics that are emphasized don't work well. I'm getting that experience. I can get the intonation right, and tuning right on the string played by itself, but it never sounds right on in rhythm parts.

I've see advice to get a heavier gauge for the low E, or to use a flatwound to suppress to offending harmonics. Sites that talk about strings for short scale guitars generally refer to guitars the size of a Mustang which is quite a bit larger than a 325.

Does anyone have experience with this? What strings would you use?
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stubbsonic
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Re: Strings for 3/4 Scale Guitar

Post by stubbsonic »

If you use a thicker E string, you get a little bit stronger low end from the added mass of the string. But you also get sharper harmonics because of the thickness and stiffness.

The best balance is to find a thick string that is not too stiff. I think flatwounds are stiffer than round-wounds generally, so the harmonics are sharper, but less pronounced.

If it was me, I'd use light strings and just tune the low E and A just a tiny bit flat. Then the harmonics will be in tune with the rest of the strings.
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bayswater
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Re: Strings for 3/4 Scale Guitar

Post by bayswater »

Thanks. I'll try lighter strings with flat tuning. Somewhere around -10 cents? Stiffness: are there any brands that are typically less stiff than others?

I have a set of heavy Pyramids sitting around and I'll try those too sometime and see what works best. Don't like flatwounds. I find when recording with a DI they make a phwumph sound.

It's interesting what a small change in scale does. The lower strings are extremely sensitive to slight variations in where and how you press them onto the fingerboard.
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stubbsonic
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Re: Strings for 3/4 Scale Guitar

Post by stubbsonic »

Maybe Ernie Ball super slinkys?

Try tuning the 1st string E to the tuner, then tune the 6th string to the 1st string and listen to where it sounds most in tune. If you get it sound really in tune, I suspect it'll be 5-10 cents low.
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