A stronger A string?

[SincereCorgi]

I left my last set of tenor strings on for ages and the A string withstood everything. Then I changed strings two days ago and this morning- *pop*. This was a D'Addario .10. The others in the set do seem to be corroding quickly, so maybe I just got an old batch.

Has anybody had luck with a using a lighter/heavier gauge or coated string?

[roysboy]

Had similar corrosion issues with several sets of EXPs one time . I've used J74s and J75s with no issues whatsoever

[Jayyj]

I use a 9 rather than a 10 for my A string. It's thinner but under less tension, and I get through less 9s than I did 10s. I don't play particularly heavily but I tune that string back and forth a lot between A and G, which is hard going for them.

[fox]

You don't have much choice with diameter on a 23" scale, 10 is the limit & 9 is a tiny bit floppy but still OK.

[fox]

I think that with archtops and banjos or anything with a floating bridge & tailpiece, you might not even get away with a .10 for the A due to the actually longer length of the string compared to the scale.
On my 23" scale archtop I have managed to stretch a .10 but I now stick with a .9. With my 21" scale Ozark I have tried an .11 but now stick with a .10 I haven't tried anything other than a .10 on my blureidge 23" & that seems to be lasting fine!

[Pete Martin]

For my playing nines are too wimpy. When I buy tenor strings I get a couple of sets and about 20 tens.

[timfowler]

For my playing nines are too wimpy. When I buy tenor strings I get a couple of sets and about 20 tens.

Pete-I'm with you on that. I have done lots of setup work and still the string likes to break at the tuner. Most of the other tenor players I know struggle with this. I asked Collings what they are using on their Tenors and they say they have been experimenting and have decided they like a .011" on the A string. If it doesn't break, it would have a lot of tension and I would think would really be punchy.

[Pete Martin]

When I've tried .011s, I can't get them to tune before they break or they last like one tune. The joke in Texas fiddle land is , "You play tenor, eh? Like changing strings?"

I've gotten pretty fast with it.

A couple years back I sold my 0-18T for a late 20s Gibson. I don't break nearly as many strings on it, easier on my left hand and sounds great. When comparing other friends who have both, the Martins seem to break more A's, but couldn't tell you why.

[ambrosepottie]

23" is too long of a scale in my opinion. .010 on my 21" Regal is still pretty tight. Were/are there the same issues with tenor banjos? I know there are several scales available for them. If the Regal was one of the prototypes for tenor guitars, and it's 21", why the jump to 23"? It seemed to happen pretty quickly in the evolution of the tenor guitar. Regal stopped making 21's after a few years and Martin's style 5 bodied tenor very quickly went to 23" as well. I'd like to try a 22" scale sometime.

[Jayyj]

My SG electric tenor is a 22" scale, and it works far better in terms of string longevity. I'm mainly now using a 22.5" scale Fender Duo Sonic in a tenor derived tuning and even that little reduction makes a big difference to how often I break an A string.

[MdJ]

I left my last set of tenor strings on for ages and the A string withstood everything. Then I changed strings two days ago and this morning- *pop*. This was a D'Addario .10. The others in the set do seem to be corroding quickly, so maybe I just got an old batch.

Has anybody had luck with a using a lighter/heavier gauge or coated string?

Dear Corgi,

I live near the ocean and have had real problems with premature corrosion/ breakage with my unwound strings - i started using these



for my treble strings with enormous improvement .... There are 2 strings per package @ 2.70 per package at justrings. I figure i am saving overall with much longer string life and less breakage.

All the best,

MdJ

[Mr Foobar]

Same here, I have several almost complete sets of TG strings, only missing that darn .010 due to constant breakage. I have found that D'Addario sells on Amazon packages of 5 or 10 plain .010 strings. Ordered up several packs as backup, as I'm an E-string breaking fool.

[Pete Martin]

Before going to the Natl Fiddlers Contest each year in Weiser, I buy two sets of tenor strings and at least 20 .010s. I have a sticker on my case, says "Got tens?"