Question on Silk n Steel tension

asd123321

I read they have less tension than regular. Is this because they are really equivalent to lighter gauge with the non steel fiber deducted from the total width? What would a 36 or 26 be equivalent to in a regular string?

MichaelHorowitz

The only data I have on string tension is from D'Addario.







Gypsy Light Gauge:



<**** colspan="2" width="100"> </****>
<**** colspan="2" width="80">Diameter</****>
<**** colspan="2" width="80">Tension</****>
<****>Item#</****>
<****>Note</****>
<****>inches</****>
<****>mm</****>
<****>lbs</****>
<****>kg</****>

<****>PL010</****>
<****>E</****>
<****>.010</****>
<****>0.25</****>
<****>17.4</****>
<****>7.87</****>

<****>PL014</****>
<****>B</****>
<****>.014</****>
<****>0.36</****>
<****>19.1</****>
<****>8.66</****>

<****>J83L03</****>
<****>G</****>
<****>.023</****>
<****>0.58</****>
<****>31.6</****>
<****>14.34</****>

<****>J83L04</****>
<****>D</****>
<****>.026</****>
<****>0.66</****>
<****>25.6</****>
<****>11.61</****>

<****>J83L05</****>
<****>A</****>
<****>.034</****>
<****>0.86</****>
<****>24.8</****>
<****>11.25</****>

<****>J83L06</****>
<****>E</****>
<****>.044</****>
<****>1.12</****>
<****>22.4</****>
<****>10.14</****>



Silk and Steel



<**** colspan="2" width="100"> </****>
<**** colspan="2" width="80">Diameter</****>
<**** colspan="2" width="80">Tension</****>
<****>Item#</****>
<****>Note</****>
<****>inches</****>
<****>mm</****>
<****>lbs</****>
<****>kg</****>

<****>PL011</****>
<****>E</****>
<****>0.011</****>
<****>0.28</****>
<****>19.6</****>
<****>8.89</****>

<****>PL014</****>
<****>B</****>
<****>0.014</****>
<****>0.36</****>
<****>17.8</****>
<****>8.07</****>

<****>J4003</****>
<****>G</****>
<****>0.023</****>
<****>0.58</****>
<****>24.1</****>
<****>10.93</****>

<****>J4004</****>
<****>D</****>
<****>0.028</****>
<****>0.71</****>
<****>20.2</****>
<****>9.16</****>

<****>J4005</****>
<****>A</****>
<****>0.038</****>
<****>0.97</****>
<****>21.3</****>
<****>9.66</****>

<****>J4006</****>
<****>E</****>
<****>0.047</****>
<****>1.19</****>
<****>18.2</****>
<****>8.26</****>






You can see that the silk and steels are noticeably lower tension on the wound strings. Generally, what I've noticed is that if you have a guitar setup for light 10 gauge Argies (i.e. 3mm or higher action) it will sound good with 11 gauge Silk and Steels (D'adarrio, Galli, Lenzer, etc). But the nice thing is you get the more supple, easy playing feel with the silk and steels. They generally don't seem as loud and also seem to wear out faster, but are a good solution if you want a bit mellower tone and more playability. But beware...if you lower the action too much with the silk and steels you usualy kill the volume of the guitar. They just don't have enough tension to drive the top when the action is low.

Silk and steels work especially nice on old vintage guitars (which are usually much louder then newer guitars anyway, so you don't miss the attenuated volume as much.) Almost always the older guitars have neck issues which prevent lower action setups....so you can get them to play nicely and buzz free with higher action and silk and steels.

'm

CalebFSU

Dave did you ever settle on a guitar, i know you have been on the hunt!

kimmo

Michael Horowitz wrote:

The only data I have on string tension is from D'Addario.

Gypsy Light Gauge
PL014 B .014 0.36 19.1 8.66

Silk and Steel
PL014 B 0.014 0.36 17.8 8.07

What? Not the same string?

MichaelHorowitz

I noticed that about the B strings as well....maybe they aren't the same or more likely it's a mistake.

'm

djangology

yeah, i think a .22 on the G string (for example) would be more believable for the gypsy lights.

asd123321

I did order the GJ 10 and perhaps we can run through some things in a few weeks. The PM on this site didn't work so all I could to was type here.

MichaelHorowitz

BTW, I noticed the Rosenberg's now endorse Galli Strings:

http://www.gallistrings.com/inglese/default.asp

djangology

Michael Horowitz wrote:

BTW, I noticed the Rosenberg's now endorse Galli Strings:

http://www.gallistrings.com/inglese/default.asp

yeah, Stochelo is also wearing a Galli t-shirt on the Dennis Chang videos... ;-)

Heretic

I had damaged my left hand, and so I tried the Galli Silk and Steel 0.10 as a means of having a lower tension set of strings. What a nice change they are.
Low tension, but with a warmer, broken-in type tone. Wonderful balance between the strings, lots of dynamics as well.

djangology

i haven't tried a set of Gallis since 2003. Do they still come out of the package kinda stiff (instead of slinky like Argentines) ?