Topic: unwound third

[unezrider]

hello friend,
i want to give using an unwound third string a try. & i was doing some research on here about using an unwound third string, and came up with some good info. but what i am unsure about, & i see a lot of weenies use an unwound third, is do you buy your strings individually, or do you buy your pack of choice and an individual string for the G, or buy two sets of strings? and for an example, if i'm using d'addario PB lights, would the string i use for G have to be a d'addario too? or would the heaviest B i can find do the trick?
thanks guys,
chris

[waxwing]

Hey, Chris, I use a plain (unwound) third on most of my guitars and in most cases I just buy a lot of plain .018s and 020s and substitute them into light or medium sets (depending on which guitar). I do use the same brand as the sets (usually John Pearce 80/20s) but that's only because I buy in batches from an on-line string purveyor. I don't think it matters much which brand plains you use.

Wax

[uncle bud]

Hi Chris,

I use whatever I can find locally (and sometimes elsewhere) in the .018-.021 range, with a tendency towards the .021 which tends to be GHS brand.

UB

edit: added some tags for unwound thirds to other threads. May help.

[Hal in VT]

Hi Chris,
I, too use an unwound G because in my current band I do alot of single note runs and am used to bending the G, something that's very difficult with a wound G. I substitute  a .020 in a .013 - .056 set. On thing I have noticed, however is the increased volume of the unwound G when when running it through a Fishman soundhole hummbucker and an amp. It's alot louder, and I guess that the loud G is now part of my signature "sound". For better or worse.

[Slack]

Chris, I'd buy individual strings - that way you can try out a variety of gauges and see which one suits you best.... individual strings are cheap enough at about .60 each.  Juststrings.com has a variety of plain steel strings and I agree with Wax, doesn't matter which brand, so I pick the cheapest. 

[unezrider]

hello friend,
thanks for the input, guys. i was looking on juststrings.com, & i noticed, while looking at the d'addario strings, they have some called plain steel soldered twist. & some that are regular plain steel.  what exactly would the soldered twist be? i am going to try the local guitar shop tomorrow & see if they have any singles. but if they don't i'll go with the just strings, or strings & beyond - whoever has the best prices. & i'll do what you suggested slack - i'll give a couple gauges a try & see what i like best.
by the way, how long is a string's shelf life before it's opened & used. i.e., could i buy a years worth all at once? or would some "go bad" before i got around to using them? or doesn't it work like that?
thanks, chris

[Slack]

chris,

Buy plain steel (don't know what soldered twist is - but I'd guess it is a loop end string).  They'll last a year -- just keep them dry - it's not very satisfying fun playing rusty strings.

[dave stott]

I can't recall which but either Earthwood or john pearse offer a set of guitar strings with the name Rock n Blues.... it contains an unwound third string.

Dave

[unezrider]

hello friend,
i stopped by the local guitar shop today, & by god, they had single strings! i got a couple of different gauges to play with. i use d'addario PB lights, & the third string they come with is a .024. so i decided i'd give the .020 i bought a try first. it feels really nice so far. no change in volume or anything. plus it has a real nice liquidy sound with the slide! i'll know more in a day or two, but this could likely be one of those "why didn't i do this sooner" things.
thanks,
chris

[unezrider]

i just thought i'd drop a little line in regards to my thoughts after the first week of playing with an unwound third - i love it! i highly recommend it to anyone who likes country blues to give it a try.

chris