Strings to use with Stimer ST48

TopCat

I know this is a subject that has been touched on a number of times in these forums but I have never really read a definitive answer so I thought I'd start a new topic.

I recently bought a Stimer ST48 for my ALD D-hole, and while I love the sound I do find that the B-string is a little too "hot" for my liking. I am able to mitigate it a bit with my MXR 10 band EQ but still it's not ideal.

Am I right in thinking that it is fundamentally to do with the relative metals content of the strings I am using (bog standard Argentine 11s)?

If so, what would be a better set to use? What experiences have people had with Stimers and other brands of string? I would love to know if anyone has found a great combination.

Josh Hegg

Try the GHS half-rounds. You can get them in an 11 and 10 I think. I play them on my arch-top as of late and really like them... Plus they sound great thru a magnetic pickup.

Cheers,
Josh

Josh Hegg

Another one might be the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Bebop extra lights 11-46. They make great strings. I think I'll try these on my next order.

Cheers,
Josh

Stringswinger

Josh,

The problem with Tomastiks 11's is that they have a plain 3rd. Selmacs do not intonate properly without a wound third.

Anybody know who makes roundwound 10's with a wound third in nickle?

Cheers,

Marc

www.hotclubpacific.com

Josh Hegg

That's why I talked about the GHS strings first. They have the wound 3rd. I play them on one of my guitar with a magnetic pickup and like them allot.

As a thought... The unwound might not be that bad. It's impossible to set a guitar up for electric i.e. magnetic and acoustic and get the perfect tone in both worlds. At least that is what I have found. I am open to an unwound G if it gets me that much closer to the best of both worlds.

Cheers,
Josh

Jeff Moore

I often play an unwound G string. It both sounds a little wild (bango twangy) and is even louder than the unwound B string through a mag. PU. The only way round this (I think) is a magnetic pickup with adjustable pole peices. Even then I have to alter the guitar (bury the pickup deep) to get enough distance between the G string and its pole peice to allow enough space for the relative adjustment of the other pole peices to get some kind of balance between on all six.

I think Josh hit on it: It's impossible to get the acoustic and electric worlds together happily. Its a compromise that may invovle carving the guitar body, carving another bridge for intonation, trying out lots of strings, and accepting a marginalized acoustic sound.

The allure of the multipurpose guitar is strong but the reality is a lot of compromise.

kimmo

I use a standard Argentine or Galli 011 set with all my playing, be it with or without Stimer, and it works OK. However, as has been pointed out, magnetic pickups like Stimer respond to magnetic mass, ie. in a normal set of Argies the B-string will be the hottest, because it's the thickest core of magnetic steel. If you use plain G, that would outrun even the B string (because it's magnetic mass is heavier).

If you want to even out the magnetic response of the high strings, you should have thicker E (011), thinner B (013-014) and a nickel wound thin G (021) from a regular electric guitar string set.

But, as I stated in the beginning, I don't usually bother, because my Stimer playing occassions are just single gigs every now and then.

Bob Holo

I really haven't had any problems playing Argie 11s with the new Stimer. The challenge I've had is getting the placement right. There are two screws on the case - one of them... can't rememer which.... must go right under the (low?) E string... and I mean "exactly under" as in... put the guitar in your lap - get your head positioned so your eyes are straight over the E string and center that screw. I was really dissapointed with the unevenness of the Stimer reissue till I started getting precise in positioning it and now I can't believe how well it manages to balance things out with a standard set of Argie 11s. I've never tried it with 10s.

Josh Hegg

I just put a set of the New Tones on. The 11 - 46 and they work very well with the Stimer. AND they don't sound too bad acoustically. I played at a jam thru another players amp (Nice Speedster Tube amp) and I was amazed at the tone I got with the New Tones. The Argis work but the note decay is very rapid. During rhythm the Argis work okay but in lead work they just die too fast. With the New Tones I have more of an archtop tone but still sounds like a good Stimer, old, cool, different then an archtop... but much better then when I had used the Argis a few weeks before thru the same type of system.

Cheers,
Josh