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Post by Cruachan on Nov 14, 2016 10:22:38 GMT
I think we have pretty much exhausted the technical side of wound versus plain third, although please do feel free to post if you have anything else to bring to the party. Can I suggest we broaden this discussion by discussing what the wound third brings to the table in terms of musicality?
Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 14, 2016 10:13:26 GMT
Perhaps I should mention that my 'Electric Masters' are Hand-wound in Nickel over a round core. There is also an hexagonal core variant. Apparently the round core gives a 'warm, yet bright tone with the advantage of lower tension to pitch'. Anyway, I like 'em....a lot!
Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 14, 2016 9:56:45 GMT
the wounding of a 4th string is usualy so thin that he wears out after some "bends" . That is one of the reasons why the manufacturers abandon the wired fourth for the electrics guitars. A plain string gives a more brillant tone because she weighs less. Hi bobo, Did you mean the 3rd string? If the wound third does wear out as quickly as you are suggesting them that might be a concern. However, as with all experiments, it needs to be tested before drawing any conclusions. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 14, 2016 9:50:15 GMT
Order has been placed and the strings are on their way! Excellent service! It was pointed out that while you can order single plain thirds you do have to order a full custom set if you want the wound third. However, on this occasion Newtone were kind enough to accommodate my request.
Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 13, 2016 19:39:53 GMT
Hi Ed,
Just do a search for 'Newtone Electric Masters' and you will soon find them. I order from 'Strings Direct' but they are often waiting to be restocked. You can register an interest, however, and they will let you know when they are available. Also, I think you can order direct from 'newtonestrings.com', although I have not done so...as yet.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 13, 2016 18:31:58 GMT
Here is another angle:- Does the use of a compressor sort out the problem of varying string volume levels? Hi Mick, You know, I think you are right. I have a 'Keeley Limiting Amplifier GC-2' immediately before the H&CSE in my signal chain. Works great and also allows me to boost the signal occasionally when needed. The presence of light compression may be be why I have not been so aware of any dominance of the output from the plain 3rd. Thinking again of Les and Pete's comments, wouldn't a compressor tend to lower the output from any dominant string? That being the case it may turn out that the wound 3rd has no audible effect other than to to have the compressor reduce the output of the other strings to match, or is this muddled thinking? Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 13, 2016 18:12:54 GMT
well at least that's you and me peter.....lol regards les Hi Les, Peter Don't despair, you both may prove to be correct My suspicion is that this will turn out to be pickup-dependent. The CS Fat 50s are designed to emulate those venerable vintage pups of the 50s, so I'm presuming that the drop in output from the 3rd pole with a wound 3rd overhead may be just enough to restore overall balance.....not that it sounds bad right now with the plain third. We'll see. In fact, right now I am more than happy as you will see if you care to nip over to read my latest post in the Tech Info forum In some ways, at times I could be accused of being my own worst enemy as I do like to experiment...LOL! Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 13, 2016 17:29:59 GMT
Try it, you have nothing to lose (only the price of the string). You can always revert if you don't like it. Hi Roger, That is my intention. However, ordering is proving a little difficult. Despite assurances to the contrary I haven't found a way on the Newtone website to order single strings. I want to order 6 wound 3rds and 6 (e) strings (bust one a few days ago on one of my Am Deluxes - not the first time - I wonder if I'm overtightening the locking tuner as the the string snaps close to the tuner - now that I think about it, wouldn't that suggest another cause as it broke adjacent to the tuner rather than from within?). I've sent them an email requesting some guidance. Kind regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 13, 2016 9:36:51 GMT
Hi Roger, So, to be a little more accurate we should be referring to the CS Fat 50s as 'Vintage style', just as you described them to be in your earlier post, Roger: charliehall.proboards.com/post/191636/threadConsequently, and from what has been said, one can expect a slight reduction in output from the wound third providing the distance from the pole remains the same. Kind regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 12, 2016 23:42:14 GMT
Hi Dave,
Very interesting info - thanks!
My American Standard sports three Custom Shop Fat 50s so, after reading your post, I'm wondering whether these can be regarded as being Modern or Vintage? I have been assuming the latter to be true.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 12, 2016 20:21:58 GMT
Hi Dave,
Interesting. Why is the output less and is this not, in fact, desirable? The loudness of the plain third is often given as the reason for making the switch. The wound string will be a little thicker (.018" as opposed to the plain .017"), but the gap between the bottom edge of the string and the top of the 3rd pole of the pickup remains about the same and, as Roger ('rogera') has mentioned, gives a balanced response across all strings. If necessary, I will be adjusting the height of the 3rd bridge saddle to conform with the 9.5" fretboard radius. The latter will be checked with the understring gauge. So, the gap between the bottom of the wound third and the top of the 3rd pole should be maintained.
Anyway, I feel it's worth a try if only to improve the oversensitive tuning characteristics of that string. I experience that slight annoyance on all my guitars.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 12, 2016 12:45:15 GMT
Hi,
I won't mention you all by name, you know who you are, but it never ceases to amaze me how helpful and informative the responses from the membership of these forums can be. Thank you, my friends, you have told me all I needed to know.
I think I'm going to give the wound third a go. It's perhaps odd, but when I installed the Newtone Electric Masters .010-.046 onto my new American Standard I was struck by how dull the G string sounds when struck acoustically as compared to how the same string sounds on my two American Deluxe guitars. Indeed, I thought I might have a duff string until I started to read about others experiences. I say 'odd' because, when struck together, the 6 strings appear to resonate a little more on the Standard. However, the G string sounds okay when the guitar is plugged into an amp. Could it be that the improved resonance, and the fact that the strings appear to sing more when played, is partly attributable to all three bridges being configured as floating rather than set hard on the deck?
Thank you again.
Kind regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 11, 2016 15:20:11 GMT
Hi,
I have noticed a few of you prefer using a wound 3rd rather than the usual plain string. Just wondering why and what are the advantages? Does this impede manual bending of notes on the G string?
If using a 0.010" - 0.046" gauge set I am assuming the wound third would be 0.018" which is only 0.001" thicker than the plain G in the Newtone Electric Masters set I am using at present.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 11, 2016 10:04:06 GMT
Hi, What surprises me again and again with this kind of questions is that why does one not you go off on their own feelings and do what you like best self and most important, YOUR ears. That is also with questions about pick-ups, settings of the amp, strings, etc. I think it is creatieer to find your own sound and not to copy slavishly. It is certainly not meant to do tedious, but encouraging to find it yourself. Regards, Emiel Hi Ernie, Here, here! Couldn't agree more but, having said that, I tend to refer to Charlies's helpful list of recommendations which were provided with EFTP/Magicstomp before the days of the H&CSE. The selections do seem to be appropriate most of the time, even with the H&CSE in play. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 7, 2016 11:14:06 GMT
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 1, 2016 20:26:44 GMT
Hi Roger, Can I chance my arm by asking you to take a look at my latest post in that thread, please? A few issues have cropped up and would welcome your views and/or current Setup parameters on your own American Standard. charliehall.proboards.com/post/191287/threadEdit: Just discovered you beat me to it! Thanks again Kind regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Nov 1, 2016 18:48:16 GMT
Hi Roger,
Thank you very much for sharing this information. It's so helpful to read about the experiences of others and especially so if they have the same/similar hardware. Hope you don't mind my having copied your post to the thread with the same subject title in the Tech Info forum. I think it would be helpful to others in the future if such information was found under the one roof, so to speak.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 30, 2016 18:09:14 GMT
Hi Les, I confess I've never read 'War and Peace' and the abbreviated version transmitted by the BBC, which I enjoyed, has saved me the trouble. Rarely do I read books more than once, but I am finding this thread keeps drawing me back as I attempt to digest all that has been said thus far. It's a good read and the contributions from our membership have lifted the substance far beyond being tedious and boring. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 30, 2016 14:22:32 GMT
Edit: Just a heads up to encourage others to visit the above thread. You can safely ignore the subject line as it has since shown signs of evolving into a repository of very useful and interesting information. I feel sure there is much you might consider pertinent to your needs. Even if you don't it's still a fascinating read.
Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 25, 2016 20:10:31 GMT
I really agree with you. Roger has a fantastic shimmering sound and touch when he plays the guitar. So why not ask him? .....and then, assuming he tells you, come back and let us into his secret. Probably completely wrong, but it may just be the result of post processing in a DAW while being difficult to achieve in the live situation. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 23, 2016 14:03:00 GMT
Hi, Hope I'm not being too cheeky by posting this here, but I was afraid those of you with the knowledge and expertise might miss my post requesting some help and guidance in the Technical forum. charliehall.proboards.com/post/190932/threadThanks and my apologies if this was unnecessary. Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 22, 2016 13:13:18 GMT
Hi Charlie,
That was brilliant! As a band you all blend together perfectly. Loved the recorded sound - I couldn't resist winding up the volume. That blue Strat is certainly a bit special. What are the pickups?
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Oct 19, 2016 8:55:07 GMT
Hi George,
This stuff is gold dust! Can I suggest you consider placing a copy of your vey helpful tutorial in the Technical\Recording sub-forum where it will remain easily accessible for all us novices in the future.
This has proved to be a fascinating thread. You will recall my earlier travails while trying to establish a decent level of input for recording using a USB Audio Interface into Audacity on my laptop. In the end I discovered that the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 2nd Gen satisfied all my requirements.
Thanks for posting this very useful info and also thanks to Mike (mikeab) for starting this thread.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Sept 10, 2016 15:33:17 GMT
Hi Istvan, Charlie Wow! I am soooo envious! Great sound and excellent playing by all! Looking forward to hearing and viewing many more Phil, now, that's a relief, I thought it was just me and the inevitable age creep Currently, I have over 50 tunes in my repertoire but can only play a dozen or so all the way through without the need to practice / refresh my memory. My playing buddy has it easy in that he plays rhythm from chord sheets with timings prepared by yours truly whereas I have to spend time rehearsing old tunes as well as introducing/learning newbies for inclusion in our 'set' before our weekly get-to-gethers. At times it can be frustrating just how quickly phrases can be forgotten if not played for a while. It is perhaps fortunate that muscle memory is fairly enduring and it usually comes back reasonably quickly. I do regret not having taken up guitar again at a much earlier age. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Jul 16, 2016 12:22:23 GMT
Hi, You ain't seen nuthin' yet: youtu.be/NQHVzFLsfZ8Keep watching - Tommy joins her later. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Jul 15, 2016 14:06:53 GMT
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Post by Cruachan on Jul 1, 2016 12:11:09 GMT
Back to report that I have survived the apocalypse!! Hooray! Everything works as before so I guess if, like me, you are using Windows Live Mail along with btinternet.com and not outlook.com then we can, with impunity, give MS the proverbial two fingered salute! BTW, if you wish to get rid of those nags about what amounts, in many cases, to crossing the Rubicon then do yourself a favour and get yourself the GWX Control Panel. It's a nifty little utility - just a few clicks and those nags disappear If you should change your mind at some point then, again, the utility will re-enable that capability: ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/There is no escaping the fact that Windows 7 is an excellent operating system in its own right. Many have chosen to resist the ''upgrade'' path this time around as it is just not necessary. Microsoft, like all the magazines out there, have a vested interest in persuading us to change so any tactics employed can be taken with a liberal pinch of salt. No doubt Windows 10 has its own merits but, if we are honest, there really isn't anything new that the average user truly needs at this point in time. Unfortunately that choice is removed when you purchase a new system unless you are prepared to reformat and start again with Windows 7. You can still purchase Windows 7 on-line. In the end we will have to move on as compatibility issues start to appear but that won't happen for several years. Meantime, relax and enjoy what you have. How many of you, like me, are still using Microsoft Office 2010? Still works well and does everything YOU need it to do Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Jun 30, 2016 15:42:58 GMT
Hi Len, The way I read it if you don't have an Outlook.com account then life goes on much as before. I don't, never have and soon I will discover whether this is true or not. If you do have such an account and wish to continue using it then changes will have to be made either by accessing said account via a web browser or part with some money to allow connection to the account via Outlook 2016. Don't know about you, but MS ain't seeing any more of my cash anytime soon Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Jun 30, 2016 0:09:40 GMT
Hi Len, Well, I have to admit that I missed that one! Yet another example of how MS persists in meddling in our lives these days. What's more, they are trying to persuade us all to move over to their subscription based services! I use Windows Live Mail and, as far as I can tell, I should be able to continue as my service provider is btinternet.com - that's assuming I understand what is going on..lol! *The next few days will confirm one way or t'other. If I do run into difficulties then, in the first instance, I will be referring to this helpful page for further guidance: www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2016/jun/02/microsoft-killing-windows-live-mail-what-should-i-do-hotmail-msn-outlookWe shall see! This just reinforces my resistance for making the move to Windows 10 and, instead, keep MS at bay for a few more years. One of my hobbies is Flight Simulation and believe you me Windows 7 is the ideal platform for such complex and system demanding software. If Window 10 offered any advantages you wouldn't see me for dust as I moved to W10. As things stand, the reality is it doesn't. *Fingers crossed. Regards, Mike
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Post by Cruachan on Jun 29, 2016 20:00:44 GMT
Hi Len,
I am still on Windows 7 Pro 64bit on 3 machines - 2 laptops and a soopa doopa 'gaming' machine which I built at the back end of last year. I can tell you that there is no requirement to 'upgrade' right now other than the fact MS are soon about to remove the ability to do so free of charge. So what? The average user - us - has no pressing need to move to Windows 10. Windows 7 is still a great operating system and support from MS will continue until 2020: "Microsoft doesn't plan to stop fixing security problems in Windows 7 until extended support ends. That's January 14, 2020--five years and a day from the end of mainstream support."
Everything works in Windows 7 and works very well. All third party vendors will continue to ensure Windows 7 compatibility. Driver support is mature and ongoing. I like Windows 7 as it is fast and stable and allows greater flexibility for those users, such as myself, that like to dabble at a deeper level. I never had to reinstall XP nor have I had to reinstall Windows 7.
Before you decide to update, ask yourself why? Is it because you feel the need to keep up with the rest or are you wanting to run a program that won't run under Windows 7. If it's the latter then you are proceeding on a false premise as everything running under Windows 10 will run under Windows 7. Notice I haven't mentioned Vista or Windows 8/8.1 as I consider these to be aberrations in the MS series and best forgotten. The only valid reason, as far as I am concerned, for moving to Windows 10 on an existing machine would be to run software that requires DirectX 12. There is nothing out there right now that you are likely to be installing requiring DirectX 12 unless you are a gaming fanatic and even then there is currently a paucity of titles. This will change, of course, but not for some time. DirectX 11 under Windows 7 still has a lot of mileage left and you don't need to spend more money upgrading your graphics card to ensure compatibility with the latest DirectX.
My advice is not to update just for updating sake. It's just not necessary despite the pressures employed by MS to do so. Wait for another year or two until the new operating system and driver support matures. You won't be alone in making this decision, indeed far from it! Right now your money would be better spent on something else.
Regards, Mike
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