When the supply chain breaks

[JL_LI]

Sometimes something good happens when the supply chain breaks. I cancelled an order for TV Jones Classic and Classic Plus pickups in humbucker mounts for my Gibson SG. After nine weeks of what TV Jones attributed to supply chain problems, backordered covers, I followed my own advice and looked closely at what was bothering me about my SG with 490 R&T pickups. They sounded a little muddy to me and the B and G strings were too bright and strident played finger style with my finger tips.

I picked up the guitar and played straight into my Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 and adjusted the treble, mid, and bass controls to optimize the sound for 5 watts. Not better, not worse, but the best I could make it. I turned my BOSS EQ-200 on and began to roll off low frequencies to get clarity. Better. The equalization was close to what I use for my Gretsch Anniversary. I started to roll off high frequencies but lost detail. Not better at all, especially the G string. It hurt my ears. The G string. My wife wanted to go to Barnes and Noble last Sunday. GC is across the parking lot so I stopped in and browsed through the strings. I found D'Addario EXL110W nickel wound strings with a wound third string. $6 plus tax to support the local crime family. I restrung my SG and finished the setup. I adjusted the tune-o-matic for all six strings, checked action and relief, raised the G string pole piece on both pickups and started playing. I raised the G string pole pieces a little more and raised the B string pole pieces a smidge. I always thought that the plain strings were the same across sets, but I needed more B string. I dropped the A and low E string pole pieces a bit for balance and I love it. I can't imagine strings making such a difference. I went back to GC today and bought 6 more sets. I'll use the EXL110W set next time I restring my Gretsch. I also want to try them on my Stratocasters and Telecaster which also have too strident G and B strings. I'd never have believed the difference strings can make. I've used a lot of different string sets before but none with a wound G since the '60s. It's amazing what these strings do for my finger style. And they sound good with a pick too.

 

[Hey_you]

"Mean old supply train taught me to weep and moan, oh
Mean old supply train taught me to weep and moan'
Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good
No, crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good,
When the supply train breaks, mama, you got to move, ooh"

 

[nojazzhere]

Sometimes something good happens when the supply chain breaks. I cancelled an order for TV Jones Classic and Classic Plus pickups in humbucker mounts for my Gibson SG. After nine weeks of what TV Jones attributed to supply chain problems, backordered covers, I followed my own advice and looked closely at what was bothering me about my SG with 490 R&T pickups. They sounded a little muddy to me and the B and G strings were too bright and strident played finger style with my finger tips.

I picked up the guitar and played straight into my Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 and adjusted the treble, mid, and bass controls to optimize the sound for 5 watts. Not better, not worse, but the best I could make it. I turned my BOSS EQ-200 on and began to roll off low frequencies to get clarity. Better. The equalization was close to what I use for my Gretsch Anniversary. I started to roll off high frequencies but lost detail. Not better at all, especially the G string. It hurt my ears. The G string. My wife wanted to go to Barnes and Noble last Sunday. GC is across the parking lot so I stopped in and browsed through the strings. I found D'Addario EXL110W nickel wound strings with a wound third string. $6 plus tax to support the local crime family. I restrung my SG and finished the setup. I adjusted the tune-o-matic for all six strings, checked action and relief, raised the G string pole piece on both pickups and started playing. I raised the G string pole pieces a little more and raised the B string pole pieces a smidge. I always thought that the plain strings were the same across sets, but I needed more B string. I dropped the A and low E string pole pieces a bit for balance and I love it. I can't imagine strings making such a difference. I went back to GC today and bought 6 more sets. I'll use the EXL110W set next time I restring my Gretsch. I also want to try them on my Stratocasters and Telecaster which also have too strident G and B strings. I'd never have believed the difference strings can make. I've used a lot of different string sets before but none with a wound G since the '60s. It's amazing what these strings do for my finger style. And they sound good with a pick too.

Interesting solution.
For MANY years, I only played Gibson 340L's on my 1960 Les Paul Jr. That's a fairly light gauge set, also with a wound G string. My issue was intonation, and the wound G played in tune better than a plain one.
I may need to go back and experiment a little.....for tonal reasons.

 

[Peegoo]

Strings can have a dramatic effect (good or bad) on any guitar.

When you find the strings that make the guitar work best, you stick with 'em!

 

[Telekarster]

Good for you man! I love D'Addario strings and have been using them on my electric guitars for decades now. I keep wanting to venture out and use other brands just to see what that would be like, but nah.... I'll stick with what I know and am used to Glad you found a solution!

 

[moosie]

$6 plus tax to support the local crime family.

Of course with breaking supply chains, I'm surprised when you went back for more, that they had any...

Good story, though nice try. I know better than to try a wound G again. I hated it the last time ( that I tried anything new ).

 

[middy]

Sometimes something good happens when the supply chain breaks. I cancelled an order for TV Jones Classic and Classic Plus pickups in humbucker mounts for my Gibson SG. After nine weeks of what TV Jones attributed to supply chain problems, backordered covers, I followed my own advice and looked closely at what was bothering me about my SG with 490 R&T pickups. They sounded a little muddy to me and the B and G strings were too bright and strident played finger style with my finger tips.

I picked up the guitar and played straight into my Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 and adjusted the treble, mid, and bass controls to optimize the sound for 5 watts. Not better, not worse, but the best I could make it. I turned my BOSS EQ-200 on and began to roll off low frequencies to get clarity. Better. The equalization was close to what I use for my Gretsch Anniversary. I started to roll off high frequencies but lost detail. Not better at all, especially the G string. It hurt my ears. The G string. My wife wanted to go to Barnes and Noble last Sunday. GC is across the parking lot so I stopped in and browsed through the strings. I found D'Addario EXL110W nickel wound strings with a wound third string. $6 plus tax to support the local crime family. I restrung my SG and finished the setup. I adjusted the tune-o-matic for all six strings, checked action and relief, raised the G string pole piece on both pickups and started playing. I raised the G string pole pieces a little more and raised the B string pole pieces a smidge. I always thought that the plain strings were the same across sets, but I needed more B string. I dropped the A and low E string pole pieces a bit for balance and I love it. I can't imagine strings making such a difference. I went back to GC today and bought 6 more sets. I'll use the EXL110W set next time I restring my Gretsch. I also want to try them on my Stratocasters and Telecaster which also have too strident G and B strings. I'd never have believed the difference strings can make. I've used a lot of different string sets before but none with a wound G since the '60s. It's amazing what these strings do for my finger style. And they sound good with a pick too.

A wound G almost always sounds better. It’s the way to go if you don’t need the bends.

 

[JL_LI]

Of course with breaking supply chains, I'm surprised when you went back for more, that they had any...

Good story, though nice try. I know better than to try a wound G again. I hated it the last time ( that I tried anything new ).

A wound G isn’t something new. It’s something I used in the ‘60s. I was astonished that it solved a 21st century problem for me. So sometimes old is new.

 

[moosie]

A wound G isn’t something new. It’s something I used in the ‘60s. I was astonished that it solved a 21st century problem for me. So sometimes old is new.

Yes, I know. I've just only tried 'em a couple times, though, and didn't care for. Twas a joke...

 

[P Thought]

I've used a lot of different string sets before but none with a wound G since the '60s.

I use wound Gs all the time in all my electrics. .011s I think. Plain Gs sound and feel weird to me.

 

[Old Verle Miller]

If you think an audience can tell the difference, choose one or the other and more power to you. To me, it's a finger texture thing more than a sound.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Sometimes something good happens when the supply chain breaks. I cancelled an order for TV Jones Classic and Classic Plus pickups in humbucker mounts for my Gibson SG. After nine weeks of what TV Jones attributed to supply chain problems, backordered covers, I followed my own advice and looked closely at what was bothering me about my SG with 490 R&T pickups. They sounded a little muddy to me and the B and G strings were too bright and strident played finger style with my finger tips.

I picked up the guitar and played straight into my Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 and adjusted the treble, mid, and bass controls to optimize the sound for 5 watts. Not better, not worse, but the best I could make it. I turned my BOSS EQ-200 on and began to roll off low frequencies to get clarity. Better. The equalization was close to what I use for my Gretsch Anniversary. I started to roll off high frequencies but lost detail. Not better at all, especially the G string. It hurt my ears. The G string. My wife wanted to go to Barnes and Noble last Sunday. GC is across the parking lot so I stopped in and browsed through the strings. I found D'Addario EXL110W nickel wound strings with a wound third string. $6 plus tax to support the local crime family. I restrung my SG and finished the setup. I adjusted the tune-o-matic for all six strings, checked action and relief, raised the G string pole piece on both pickups and started playing. I raised the G string pole pieces a little more and raised the B string pole pieces a smidge. I always thought that the plain strings were the same across sets, but I needed more B string. I dropped the A and low E string pole pieces a bit for balance and I love it. I can't imagine strings making such a difference. I went back to GC today and bought 6 more sets. I'll use the EXL110W set next time I restring my Gretsch. I also want to try them on my Stratocasters and Telecaster which also have too strident G and B strings. I'd never have believed the difference strings can make. I've used a lot of different string sets before but none with a wound G since the '60s. It's amazing what these strings do for my finger style. And they sound good with a pick too.

I have a partscaster that sounds somewhat shrill on the high B and E strings. No pole pieces to adjust. I wonder if this might help? Anyway, Amazon has this set of 10s with the wound G @ $3 and change right now - ordered 2 - thanks for the tip!

 

[Wound_Up]

A wound G almost always sounds better. It’s the way to go if you don’t need the bends.

I don't feel much of a difference personally. It's only 0.001" larger than the wound string I normally use.

 

[scrapyardblue]

EXL 110s on the LP Custom and Sheraton II, EXL 140s on the Tele, forever. Been so long since I played the Strat, have no idea what's on it.

 

[57joonya]

If you think an audience can tell the difference, choose one or the other and more power to you. To me, it's a finger texture thing more than a sound.

I agree , I like the wound g , but keep going back to the plain ones mostly due to feel. But U guys got me thinking about the intonation issue with my les Paul jr ,
With the wrap around tail piece . I think I’ll give it a shot, I haven’t tried a wound g on that bad boy

 

[stxrus]

I had a SG (490 R&T) that I just couldn’t get to sound right. Someone suggested a wound G. Better but not what I wanted. The wound G also felt funny and forget about bending.
While researching another issue I read about adjusting the individual pole pieces. A few hours of frustration messing with them finally fell into place and the SG suddenly found its voice.