The 36, part 1

 

This week, I changed strings on the 36-string Double Contraguitar.  Notable because not only is it a big job (around three hours of work), but in the process of this string change, I also changed:

• The string winding compounds.
• The overall gauges.
• The tuning on the left neck.

Hence, it was much more than just a routine string change. 

     Winding compounds: I preferred bronze-wound strings for acoustic guitars.  I used to prefer an 80/20 bronze compound, but many years ago my preference changed to phosphor bronze, which is a 92/8 compound.  The two numbers in the ratio refer to copper and zinc: 80/20 indicates that the winding compound is 80% copper and 20% zinc.  92/8 indicates that the winding compound is 92% copper and 8% zinc.   There are other winding compounds including nickel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, monel, and others.  But in the world of acoustic steel-string guitars, the two most common types are 80/20 and phosphor bronzes.  

When compared to phosphor bronze, the 80/20 compound has a brighter, crisper sound.  It also has less pounds/pull. I prefer phosphor bronze because I like its darker voice.  It's not dull or muddy; it has good articulation.  It's just a bit of a deeper, darker tone, and on my acoustic instruments, that's what I want to hear.  

Phosphor bronze also has more pounds/pull than 80/20 bronze.  That means that when playing, the strings feel tighter and have more resistance.  You can feel this in both hands: in your right hand, the string doesn't move as much when you pick or pluck it, and provides more resistance.  In your left hand, it takes more force to press down on the string.  When bending strings, phosphor bronze requires more effort to bend.  It also exerts more force on the neck.  I'm not referring to a huge difference; it's actually a small difference, but it's there and it's noticeable.   

On carbon fiber (CF) acoustic instruments, the difference in tone between the two types of bronze windings are more pronounced than on wood instruments.  I've experimented with both winding types on the CF instruments, and again I preferred the tone of the phosphor bronze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strings sets on the CF instruments are usually a blend of nickel and phosphor bronze, as virtually all bass strings are nickel-wound, and there are bass strings in the string sets of the 36, both 30-string instruments, the 28, the 24, C1, C2, and C4.  I've also mixed bronze types based on what I want to hear on a given instrument, so it wasn't unusual to see a set of my strings comprised of nickel, phosphor bronze, and 80/20 bronze.  You can see this in the previous photo.

Two or three years ago, tapping, touch-guitar techniques, and single-hand legato techniques became a big part of my overall technique(s).   During this period of growth, I began to notice that the nickel strings responded better to these techniques.  As in, responded much better; it was quite significant.  Not only did they respond better to these kinds of techniques, they also spoke better and had improved articulation.  Additionally, nickel strings have lower pounds/pull than bronze wound strings, so they felt and played far better in, and were a better fit for, these techniques.  Nickel strings do have a brighter voice than either of the bronze compounds, but I discovered that this brighter voice and response was a perfect fit for these techniques.  The brighter voice brought some additional and improved articulation, and overall, helped the instrument to speak better.

With that discovery, I've been changing all my mixed-winding strings sets over to all-nickel sets.  The 36 was the last holdout; I still had mixed windings on it.  This string change was the first time I used an all-nickel set, and I am just loving it.  It's a massive improvement in feel, execution, tone, response, and articulation.  

An added benefit is that the lower pounds/pull of the nickel sets provides a lower action in that the neck relaxes a bit and becomes straighter; thus lowering the strings.  I have a very light touch, requiring crazy low action.  A luthier friend that has worked on my instruments for years refers to my action as "angstrom action," meaning that it's so low it can only be measured in angstroms.  I am also loving the lower action, as it also helps facilitate the new touch, tapping, and legato techniques.  

     Gauges: In the first few years of playing the 36, I went to heavier and heavier string gauges.  Which worked great in the bass registers, but over the past year, I've come to change my preferences for string gauges in the upper registers on the CF instruments.  I find that lighter gauged strings in the treble registers have more a vocal/singing quality.  I also hear less of the initial attack in lighter strings.  Hence, I've been moving to lighter string gauges on all the CF instruments.  The 36 still had the heavier gauges.  With this string change, I went to lighter gauges in the treble registers on both necks.  As expected, the tone is greatly improved, and the initial attack is reduced.  

     New tuning: The tuning on the right neck has always been full octaves, with the highest two courses being unisons.  That hasn't changed.  However, the left neck has always been an intervalic tuning.  I'd been using the same intervalic tuning on the L side of the 36 for three or four years.  Of late, I'd been hearing a different tuning on it, and when I changed strings this time, I put the left side in this new tuning.  I like it a lot.  It's still rather dense with 9ths and 7ths, but very different than the previous tuning.  And a tuning I've never used; it's entirely new.

    Epilogue:  With the move to an all-nickel set, lighter treble gauges, lower action, and a new tuning, the 36 feels and sounds like an almost entirely new instrument.  Overall, it is more responsive, and the voice has a better balance.  The nickel string set lowered the action a tiny bit, and it truly feels fantastic.  I'm excited to see where this new iteration of the 36 will take me.

 -kk  

Fun facts:

• This instrument weighs almost 25 pounds.
• A set of strings for it weighs about 2 pounds.
• It takes around three hours to change a full set of strings.
• Tuning it only takes a few minutes, tunes quickly and accurately, and it retains a tuning far better than any wood instrument I've ever had or played; very stable.
• String gauges range from .130 (bass) to .010 (guitar).
• Nut width: 3 5/8" (90mm).
• Scale length: 30" (762mm).
• I've used it on many albums.
• The 36 has been and remains my main instrument since 2014.