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Thread: Stainless Steel Strings

  1. #26
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Timbofood View Post
    Splitting sets? What is that advantage? Find the set that you like, and PLAY MUSIC! Quit whining about a set that ONly lasts three months! Sheesh.
    Strings are cheap, c’mon. Really!?
    Let’s assess this together, putting two split sets every course. One metal gives one set of frequency responses, the next gives another set. For instance, the frequency response of a monel and PB string on the same course will give an overall wider frequency response, embodying the best of each metals. Now the volume of the “notched” response for each course is reduced by half for each individual string, but the resulting overtones from two different metals ends up a synergistic effect, the overtones produced by the “clashing” notches multiplying the sonic factor of each course. On the other hand, if it does no harm, why worry either way?

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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Romansky View Post
    On the other hand, if it does no harm, why worry either way?
    What?? Me worry? Not a chance.
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  4. #28
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by DHopkins View Post
    I understood it in the first place but it was presented as some type of advantage.
    It’s only an advantage to those who play enough to change strings frequently, or to those who are willing to invest an extra $15 to explore a wider sonic response.

  5. #29
    rock in rôle Paul Statman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Romansky View Post
    It’s only an advantage to those who play enough to change strings frequently, or to those who are willing to invest an extra $15 to explore a wider sonic response.
    Combining (actually splitting) two sets to make one set still results in two, and two sets of strings doesn't require any extra outlay. What's the "extra $15.00" investment, Bill? Did I miss something?

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  7. #30
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Just an observation to calm the nerves of a nervous musician.

  8. #31
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Mapes using a Stainless steel for the core wire and plain strings , or just wound with stainless round wire?
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  9. #32
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Based on the coloration, they appear to be all stainless but that speculation on my part.
    David Hopkins

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  10. #33
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    I emailed Mapes and the reply only said that the plain strings are tin coated. They gave me no other info. I wouldn't think that they would need to tin coat stainless steel plain strings, but I don't know.

    Addendum: I just sent another message requesting clarification. Will report.
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Philphool View Post
    I emailed Mapes and the reply only said that the plain strings are tin coated. They gave me no other info. I wouldn't think that they would need to tin coat stainless steel plain strings, but I don't know.

    Addendum: I just sent another message requesting clarification. Will report.
    Like I said earlier, there are varying qualities of stainless steel. The Mapes strings are darker in color than most other strings and this might have something to do with the alloy. I'm not a metallurgist but I did play one on TV. Or not.
    David Hopkins

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    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
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  13. #35
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    I read on a guitar centered web site discussion that Mapes is by far the largest maker of music wire in the country, and that most string manufacturers buy their wire from Mapes. Thus, in a way, most of us use Mapes strings no matter what brand they are. Anyone know if that’s true? In other words, does, for example, D’Addario manufacture their own wire, or do they just buy Mapes wire to make their strings?
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  14. #36
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    I understand D'Addario winds their own, but may buy plain wire stock from Mapes. I'll say I measured a significant difference in core wire size between DaD and Mapes, specifically the .047 phosphor-bronze string which had a thicker core for the Mapes, by a few thousandths. I think it was .016 for Dad and .021 for Mapes.

    All metal strings use plain steel for the core and the unwound strings, with some variation in plating, such as gold or silver plating on some violin E strings, brass on some core wire, tin per Mapes (corrosion resistance I presume).

    That's my understanding of the situation.
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  16. #37
    rock in rôle Paul Statman's Avatar
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    Question Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    I would have thought that *mild steel would be used for core and plain strings, which do corrode/oxidize. I imagine that drawing stainless steel wire would be rather tough to do, too.

    *Awaiting the inevitable correction posts to come from some mfr. spokespoysen who actually knows this stuff!

  17. #38
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Okay. Just heard from Sonja at Mapes.

    The important part of her message is "....the core wire, or unwound string, is tin coated. That core wire is then wrapped with the alloy of choice. " (e.g. stainless steel, Phosphor Bronze, etc.)
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  19. #39
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Philphool View Post
    Okay. Just heard from Sonja at Mapes.

    The important part of her message is "....the core wire, or unwound string, is tin coated. That core wire is then wrapped with the alloy of choice. " (e.g. stainless steel, Phosphor Bronze, etc.)

    OK. Thanks, Philphool and Sonja!

    That means that the unwound strings are tin coated. And under that plating, the strings are very likely to be mild steel, not stainless steel -- the same for all types of sets. And it really doesn't matter what the core is from a corrosion perspective, given that it's tin-plated. It might matter from a sonic perspective. The slightly duller and darker color reported by others for the A and E strings of the Mapes "stainless" sets reflects their tin coating. "Stainless steel" strings, therefore, applies only to the windings found around the D and G strings, and says nothing at all about the A and E strings. It is good to get some ground truth on this point from an authority on the subject, once and for all!
    Last edited by sblock; Sep-28-2018 at 12:08pm.

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  21. #40
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    Default Re: Stainless Steel Strings

    Interesting!
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