A Question on Mixing String Sets

**Sigmund451** · 10-16-2025, 08:47 AM

I know its cheap to expermient but I dont want to try to reinvent the wheel if this idea to be more of a square wheel.

I went back to roundwounds for now. Ive got my archtop strung with 12's and a wound G.
I have the bottom strings as a 13 and a 17
that works really nicely and feels good.

BUT: In my fantasy world I would still have a little more meat in the 13 E string

Is it going too far to throw on a 14 with this setup or is it worth trying?
Im guessing someone has tried this.

Admittely, part of the problem is my hearing. I have nerve damage in my rt ear and up past mid neck the E string sounds funky in my rt ear....more twangy than it really is. That said, with my decent ear its still a shade bright. My hope is that some of the frequencies that mess with my bad ear will be different with a different gauge string. Also, that it has a little more core with my good ear.

Off topic, I spent a couple of days making adjustments chasing a metalic (almost fret buzz sound) on these high notes only to discover the sound was inside my head!
Once I discovered I was the source of the metalic sound I put in an ear plug and made adjustments using my decent ear. Much easier!

Getting old is fun.

**joe2758** · 10-16-2025, 09:28 AM

Have you adjusted the pole pieces if possible?

**Sigmund451** · 10-16-2025, 09:36 AM

Yes and electrically that helps. I have the pole piece up quite a bit so if its too strong of a note with a 14 I can lower it.
Acoustically Id like that note just a tad less bright but maybe we all would

I have to order some strings. I guess I can just order a couple of heavier strings and give it a whirl.
It might feel weird and if it does I can always change it.

**jads57** · 10-16-2025, 10:57 AM

Not trying to be a smart ass here. But maybe having your ear tuned in to non Roundwounds has a lot to do with it.
I think adjusting your likes and preferred tone takes awhile.

And you already realize that you can adjust your amp or guitars tone to dial it in.
Just like getting used to new things are sometimes uncomfortable.

**Sigmund451** · 10-16-2025, 11:01 AM

I normally used rounds. I just tried flats for a while. Other than having string noise back I like them. Its the unwound high e that is the slight offender (not to mention my terrible hearing).

I practice a lot unplugged so I cant eq in those times. Again, its not bad at all...Id just like it a little different.

Somewhere I saw single strings at 13.5 That might be the ticket.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 10-16-2025, 11:19 AM

You need to consider who's listening to you, too. If you're only playing at home for yourself, accommodating your hearing sensitivity (or lack of same) is fine. Whatever you need to do to make it sound right to you is reasonable and encouraged. But if you're playing out, even if it's only a jam or getting together with friends informally, your sound will be totally different to you and to those with normal hearing sensitivity. Whether you try to accommodate a hearing loss with "mechanical EQ" (strings, setup, playing style etc) or electrical EQ, your tone will favor your hearing sensitivity curve and could sound quite odd to those with normal hearing.

So if you're playing to any kind of an audience, you really need input from listeners with normal hearing to help you find a reasonable compromise.

**Sigmund451** · 10-16-2025, 11:22 AM

Yes, Im realizing that more and more. Im just playing at home right now. But yeah, what I hear is definitely different that what others are experiencing...even with my "Good ear" its old and I have high frequency loss. Solving the problem for others is a whole other issue but Im in no need to wrestle with that yet.