Roy Buchanan String Gauge?

bluesy · January 4th, 2005, 11:39 AM

I know this topic has been covered before but does anyone know what gauges Roy used? Maybe Buck Cannon can chime in here?

Thanks in advance

Mark Davis · January 4th, 2005, 01:43 PM

Roys BASS player told me Roy used a 46-10 set threw the 10 away replaced it with a 9. He used any brand no preference.

Guitbo · January 4th, 2005, 01:59 PM

I may be crazier than I usually am right now, but I seem to recall someone saying that he used banjo strings, although most banjo strings are loop end. I've since been perplexed by that comment

Mark Davis · January 4th, 2005, 02:38 PM

James Burton did that replaced one of his strings with a banjo string cause he couldnt find a guitar string thin enough.

Buck Cannon · January 4th, 2005, 04:34 PM

I have a theroy, that back in the 70's the strings would have been made the old way pure Nickel Wrap, Thankd God & Greyhound... Ernie Ball makes them now* their called "Classic Rockers"... Pure Nickel wrap as opposed to todays brighter sounding nickel coated.

When duplicating Roys Nancy pickups... I needed these old strings otherwise i was dead in the water, and forced to compinsate for brightness at the pickup.. that would mean I would never get Roys real true tone.

I never checked up on Roys Gauge size.. I only like 10's
his action was way up... I think that prevented fret-outs whit his deep bends... this i experinced first had on Vintage necks.. I myself fret out untill the action is so High i hate it... so I use modern necks.

Kingtone · January 4th, 2005, 04:52 PM

I use GHS Nickel Rockers 11-50, have you tried them? I love the tone of pure nickel wound strings. If you want "that tone" there's nothing better.....

Stan Martin · January 4th, 2005, 05:22 PM

but at what peroid? I would say his early Polydor stuff.

Big Tony · January 4th, 2005, 05:37 PM

Before there was Slinky strings, we used to throw away the low E string, shift all the strings one step to the bass side, and use a tenor banjo A string as the lightest string. We just looped the string thru a ball end taken from an old guitar string.

Anonymous · January 4th, 2005, 05:58 PM

... to show you how concerned Roy was with this sort of thing, in his first Guitar Player interview, he was asked how often he changed his strings. His answer? "When they break."

(Now, I'm sure he paid a little more attention to things in later years, but he was definitely more of a "Let's turn up and PLAY" kind of guy than a detailed analyst...)

Btw, I got to play "Nancy" once backstage (not plugged in, though :( ). The action was up a little, but not remarkably so; I think it was mostly just to be able to bend notes without them fretting out. – CS

Freddy Fender · January 4th, 2005, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris S

Btw, I got to play "Nancy" once backstage (not plugged in, though :( ). The action was up a little, but not remarkably so; I think it was mostly just to be able to bend notes without them fretting out. – CS

That's cool Chris! have you got any other tidbits about Nancy? Was it a light one?

Rob Rent · January 5th, 2005, 05:53 PM

John Sprung had all those guitars he bought from Judy...he had them all at the Houston guitar show and we got to shoot the breeze over the course of the show....to show you what a geek I was..I had myself photographed with a few of the,...as I recall, Nancy wasn't that special of a guitar...which again...only goes to show that it's not the guitar, but the player...there was also a "nocaster" there that WAS a pretty cool piece that John told me Roy hated....what do I know?
....I DO know that Roy almost NEVER had any extra strings with him when he'd get picked up for a gig back in the 70's (after the first 2 albums) which meant he'd pretty much have to use whatever anyone else had to give him...in fact, he used to not have a case either and for a while had his cord affixed to his guitar which cause problems one time when it didn't want to work....

5965 · January 5th, 2005, 05:54 PM

FWIW, some people used to use less than .008's. Rotosound used to make all the way down to .005's. Spider webs.

Big Cookie · January 6th, 2005, 06:19 AM

As Tele's go Nancy was truly unremarkable except for the bridge pickup which would make a noise if you either blew on it or spoke into it at close range. The sound was the man, not the gear.

Rob Rent · January 6th, 2005, 08:14 AM

.....not often enough is the player credited for his sound.
and it makes me sick to see guys throw good money after bad trying to sound like this one or that one when they can't even begin to play like this one or that one....
AND it's an insult to the player when someone thinks he can by some piece of gear and then have what it took someone a whole lifetime to develop..I saw Roy onstage over the years with Nancy, a couple of Les Pauls, a Strat once and that Guild Roy Buchanan thing (or whatever it was called)....and each and every time he sounded just like Roy....

yegbert · January 6th, 2005, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck Cannon

I have a theroy, that ...

Buck, I'm guessing your mispelling theory as "theroy" was unintentional.

But it could be fine just as you spelled it, meaning "a theory about Roy".

:D

January 4th, 2005, 11:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
bluesy Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minnesota Age: 48 Posts: 556	Roy Buchanan String Gauge? I know this topic has been covered before but does anyone know what gauges Roy used? Maybe Buck Cannon can chime in here? Thanks in advance __________________ "You don't get down off an elephant, you get down off a duck."

January 4th, 2005, 01:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Guitbo TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 23	I may be crazier than I usually am right now, but I seem to recall someone saying that he used banjo strings, although most banjo strings are loop end. I've since been perplexed by that comment __________________ "You ain't swingin' unless yer swingin' with Dick!"

January 4th, 2005, 04:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kingtone Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Camillus, NY Age: 50 Posts: 538 5 Photos	Buck I use GHS Nickel Rockers 11-50, have you tried them? I love the tone of pure nickel wound strings. If you want "that tone" there's nothing better.....

January 4th, 2005, 05:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Stan Martin Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pepperell Posts: 806	I've read that he used 9's but at what peroid? I would say his early Polydor stuff.

January 4th, 2005, 05:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
Anonymous Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 0	Just as a point of reference... ... to show you how concerned Roy was with this sort of thing, in his first Guitar Player interview, he was asked how often he changed his strings. His answer? "When they break." (Now, I'm sure he paid a little more attention to things in later years, but he was definitely more of a "Let's turn up and PLAY" kind of guy than a detailed analyst...) Btw, I got to play "Nancy" once backstage (not plugged in, though :( ). The action was up a little, but not remarkably so; I think it was mostly just to be able to bend notes without them fretting out. – CS

January 4th, 2005, 01:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,741	Roys BASS player told me Roy used a 46-10 set threw the 10 away replaced it with a 9. He used any brand no preference.

January 4th, 2005, 02:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,741	James Burton did that replaced one of his strings with a banjo string cause he couldnt find a guitar string thin enough.

January 4th, 2005, 04:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
Buck Cannon Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 516	I have a theroy, that back in the 70's the strings would have been made the old way pure Nickel Wrap, Thankd God & Greyhound... Ernie Ball makes them now* their called "Classic Rockers"... Pure Nickel wrap as opposed to todays brighter sounding nickel coated. When duplicating Roys Nancy pickups... I needed these old strings otherwise i was dead in the water, and forced to compinsate for brightness at the pickup.. that would mean I would never get Roys real true tone. I never checked up on Roys Gauge size.. I only like 10's his action was way up... I think that prevented fret-outs whit his deep bends... this i experinced first had on Vintage necks.. I myself fret out untill the action is so High i hate it... so I use modern necks.

January 4th, 2005, 05:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
Big Tony Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, by golly! Posts: 2,520 28 Photos	Before there was Slinky strings, we used to throw away the low E string, shift all the strings one step to the bass side, and use a tenor banjo A string as the lightest string. We just looped the string thru a ball end taken from an old guitar string.

January 5th, 2005, 05:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
Rob Rent Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 393	Hey Chris....I played Nancy when John Sprung had all those guitars he bought from Judy...he had them all at the Houston guitar show and we got to shoot the breeze over the course of the show....to show you what a geek I was..I had myself photographed with a few of the,...as I recall, Nancy wasn't that special of a guitar...which again...only goes to show that it's not the guitar, but the player...there was also a "nocaster" there that WAS a pretty cool piece that John told me Roy hated....what do I know? ....I DO know that Roy almost NEVER had any extra strings with him when he'd get picked up for a gig back in the 70's (after the first 2 albums) which meant he'd pretty much have to use whatever anyone else had to give him...in fact, he used to not have a case either and for a while had his cord affixed to his guitar which cause problems one time when it didn't want to work.... __________________ A lot of what these guys play might not be blues........but it sure makes me sad to listen to it.

January 5th, 2005, 05:54 PM	#12 (permalink)
5965 Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 725	FWIW, some people used to use less than .008's. Rotosound used to make all the way down to .005's. Spider webs.

January 6th, 2005, 06:19 AM	#13 (permalink)
Big Cookie Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ennis, Texas Posts: 693	Nancy As Tele's go Nancy was truly unremarkable except for the bridge pickup which would make a noise if you either blew on it or spoke into it at close range. The sound was the man, not the gear.

January 6th, 2005, 08:14 AM	#14 (permalink)
Rob Rent Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 393	thank you Mr. Cookie .....not often enough is the player credited for his sound. and it makes me sick to see guys throw good money after bad trying to sound like this one or that one when they can't even begin to play like this one or that one.... AND it's an insult to the player when someone thinks he can by some piece of gear and then have what it took someone a whole lifetime to develop..I saw Roy onstage over the years with Nancy, a couple of Les Pauls, a Strat once and that Guild Roy Buchanan thing (or whatever it was called)....and each and every time he sounded just like Roy.... __________________ A lot of what these guys play might not be blues........but it sure makes me sad to listen to it.