Unwound G string - Mundell Lowe, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The logic often seems numerical: plain strings seem to go up by .004" (.010, .014, .018) and wound strings seem to go up by .010" (.030, .040, .050). But whether that actually fits the physics of the instrument is a different story. I would think there could actually be some math to predict this, like there is for fret placement.

Stringjoy has a blog post about their "balanced tension" approach to spec'ing sets. Although they claim that it's based in science, they appear to use neither data nor any analysis other than string tension across the set. This is purely subjective and based solely on "feel", which is interesting given their apparent lack of consideration of any parameter other than tension. I've never tried this, but I wonder if I could tell the difference blindfolded between an 18 and a 22 G that were constructed to generate the same tension between tuner and tailpiece.

I strongly suspect that the relationship between string gauge and the sonic spectrum it generates when plucked on the same guitar is not linear even if tension is kept constant by varying material and design. To assume that "balanced tension" means a similar sound quality and intensity from all strings on all instruments seems overly simplistic. That hypothesis could be tested with simple but high quality recording and spectral analysis. I've found only one study on the relationship between tension and tone (this one on Inside Guitar), but it only looked at gut, nylon and flourocarbon strings. I'm surprised that I can't find even one such study or article on metal strings. When I finish the article I'm currently writing (I'm a columnist for audiophilestyle.com), I'll look into doing a study on the relationship(s) between string construction parameter(s) and tone.

[sgosnell]

The change in tension at a given pitch with change in string diameter is not linear. Increasing the diameter by the same amount between different strings gives very different tension differences. This of course assumes the material the string is made of remains constant. And the tension of wound strings is very much dependent on the diameter of the core, which is not easily found. I think it's not a science, nor an art, but just a marketing scheme.