New "e" string using ordinary music wire

**jk245** · Oct-25-2006, 6:34pm

Here I was with my last set of EXP stings all set to go when one of the "E" strings broke.
I hate to waste a whole new package (which I did not in fact have at hand) only to capture one string.
Close inspection discovered a tiny burr on the offending winding peg and it was easily repaired.
I had a roll of stainless steel music wire (0.011) from mcmaster.com.
In a pinch I cut off a length.
I made a loop on one end using a small drill rod to hold while I twisted ten times while I held the wire with small smooth jaw pliers (no $50 looping tool is needed).
When I tuned the strings, I can not detect any difference between the EXP "E" and the ordinary music wire. It is still good after a week.
Even if I have to change the music wire due to stretching and change of tone the investment for one string was about three cents. (a quarter pound of 0.011 has 750 ft which costs about $11).
Now if I can only figure out how to overcome the high cost of the wrapped strings (:

**mythicfish** · Oct-26-2006, 7:43am

I'm glad it worked out for you, but let's put things into perspective:
Dipping into a new set of strings for a "single" (or even a "double") hardly constitutes a "tragic event".
In the future, you might consider purchasing a few individual strings ( E and A) just in case you find yourself in a situation
without a drill or of pliers.

Good luck
Curt

**glauber** · Oct-26-2006, 10:55am

AFAIK, there is no difference between a plain string and "music wire" made of the same material.

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-26-2006, 12:31pm

But what is "stainless" music wire? I've been buying music wire in 1/2-mile packages for years, but it's not stainless, unless one considers monel to be stainless.

**Lee** · Oct-26-2006, 5:02pm

Hmmm, I have an idea. Time for a new Post.
Double Course - One String
Can it be done?

**jk245** · Oct-26-2006, 5:32pm

For plain wires (not wound)
The D'Addario EXP74 "E" wire is 0.011"
The D'Addario EXP74 "A" wire is 0.015"
On their website D'Addario charges $1.00 per sting.

Music wire purchased from Mcmaster.com has the following specification

1/4 lb. Coil (769') item 9495K54 @$10.47
1 lb. Coil (2936') item 9495K13 @$38.07

Material Multipurpose Stainless Steel (Type 302/304)
Finish/Coating Unpolished (Mill)
Shape Wire
Wire Type Spring
Diameter .011"
Gauge 29 AWG

They also have the following gages (and higher in 1/4 pound coils)
Diameter Gauge Approximate Feet per Coil Each
.009" 31 AWG 1149' 9495K51 $13.40
.010" 30 AWG 931' 9495K52 11.43
.011" 29 AWG 769' 9495K54 10.47
.012" 28.5 AWG 646' 9495K55 10.20
.013" 28 AWG 551' 9495K56 9.47
.014" 27 AWG 475' 9495K57 8.90
.016" 26 AWG 365' 9495K59 8.03
others up to 0.063

**Lee** · Oct-26-2006, 5:35pm

http://www.mapeswire.com/

**fatt-dad** · Oct-26-2006, 5:52pm

Then again there's the Gibson Bush String Set, which just out of anticipated need gives you both an extra "E" and "A" String!!!

f-d

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-26-2006, 6:33pm

Mapes is a real veteran alright. Wish they had some tech info.

Type 302/304 stainless steel is a fairly high carbon 18/8 steel which is not completely impervious to corrosion, not like many. It's also magnetic. 18/8 Stainless Steel is a term used to describe the 300 series stainless steel alloys that contain about 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

I go through wound strings much faster than plain and often just change the wound ones, so I have tons of plain ones left over.

**jk245** · Oct-26-2006, 6:34pm

The Mapes Piano String Company product list is real neat at http://www.mapeswire.com/
Anyone want'a buy their "large coils" or 30" reels which aught'a supply the needs of all mandocafe members for the next century.

**kww** · Oct-26-2006, 9:50pm

Originally Posted by

Lee:
Hmmm, I have an idea. Time for a new Post.
Double Course - One String
Can it be done?

Not well. If you hooked the wire through two hooks on the tailpiece, it is going to wedge fairly well, but probably not completely. Any tension imbalance between the two strings is going to even itself out over time, slacking the tight one and tightening the slack one. Since the two strings are slightly different lengths, they need to be slightly different tensions to be in perfect tune. Probably won't cause more than a few cents worth of error, but would happen.

If you replaced your tailpiece with grooved rollers (so that the tension would balance perfectly), and custom made your bridge so that the length of the two strings was identical, it would probably work. I don't think you could sell the result anywhere but Ebay.

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-26-2006, 10:13pm

What he says. Look at some consumer-level zithers and hammered dulcimers and you'll know why it's ill advised.

**Yonkle** · Oct-27-2006, 1:19am

At just strings dot com you can by "single strings" so at one time if you buy maybe 10 "E" and 10 "A"'s in the event you break one, you are probably OK with extras for many years, especally if you you Sam Bush Strings those extra E's start to pile up. I rarey break a string.

**keymandoplyr** · Oct-28-2006, 2:53pm

Is there a difference between Monel & Stainless ? Have never tried Monel on my emando as I figured it was different material ?

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-30-2006, 3:50pm

Monel is a type of stainless alloy that has a bit of iron in it, making it a "steel" in the loosest sense. It's mostly nickel. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monel

The Wikipedia article concludes by stating "RotoSound pioneered the use of monel for bass strings, and these strings have been used on countless albums throughout the 1960s and by such artists as the Who, Sting, John Deacon, and John Paul Jones," which is really not true. Monel in guitar strings has been around since long before Rotosound or any of its endorsers existed. This is the trouble with open-source info: it can just be an ad for someone's product, which in this case, seems to have happened.

**glauber** · Oct-30-2006, 4:10pm

Now you're supposed to fix it, Paul!

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-30-2006, 5:19pm

OK, I just did. See if they squawk. Perhaps the entire entry was submitted in a single chunk by someone at or on behalf of Rotosound. It's quite correct, except for that last line. It's like D'Addario claiming it introduced phosphor bronze strings, when Martin was advertising them in the 20's, complete with hex cores. Gibson was using monel in the early '30s. This is the box I grew up with, which was still before Rotosound existed:

**Rick Turner** · Oct-30-2006, 5:33pm

"Mona" was, of course, one of Bo Diddley's great songs...Maybe "Steel" was her last name.

And does anyone remember Mapes strings coming with a little square of sandpaper to remove rust? And the nice boxes they and Black Diamond strings came in?

**Jim Garber** · Oct-30-2006, 6:43pm

This Gibson Mastertone package, maybe from the 1930s?

Jim

**Jim Garber** · Oct-30-2006, 6:45pm

Here's a Mapes one... no sandpaper tho Krinkle ends

**Jim Garber** · Oct-30-2006, 6:46pm

Two Black Diamond packages.

Jim

**Paul Hostetter** · Oct-30-2006, 7:05pm

Mapes has always been a major supplier to Gibson and just about everyone else. I had no idea they were originally a subsidiary of United States Steel.

Yeah, Lady Bo street name was really Mona Steel.