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Many people assume and/or confuse a string’s “slinkiness” (aka: compliance) as being the same as tension, which is a big source of confusion and folklore on the Internet especially.

Thoughts like; “These are really slinky strings. They must be really low tension”, are a gross generalization, but would be totally right if referring to compliance only. When someone says “travel” in reverence to string bending, that’s a pretty good word to describe how compliant a string is too.

Being clearer still; it’s not gauge that determines tension. Technically, it’s the mass of the string itself in a plain wire, or in a wrapped string, it’s the mass of the core wire, which is generally thicker in a heavier gauge, but not always. This is the reason why it is possible to make a low tension bass string. Core wires of the same composite mass, have identical tensions regardless of shape. That is fact - Not opinion. It’s the core wire that is held under tension and brings the string to pitch - Not the outer wrap. If you debate this, try this: Pull on the outer wrap of a string. It will unravel!

What Is The Definitive Way To Determine Tension On Strings?
Measure end to end on a cable meter that will gauge it with the string strung to pitch and to scale length. This is something that is largely privy to industrial engineering, not guitarists. If you attempt to measure tension on a strung guitar by using a meter that pulls laterally on a string, you are getting a very biased reading due to compliance, or a string’s lack of compliance.

Everything else being equal, two major factors that bias that reading are as follows:
1. String Compliance - If you bend a less compliant string (i.e. hex core wire, or an outer wrap) it’s going to skew the measurement.
2. Leverage - It gets easier to bend a string as you approach the mid-point of the fretboard’s length. As mentioned above; “Travel”.

In plain wire, it’s simply the gauge, but a wrapped string is inherently stiffer (less compliant) then a plain string of the same gauge. Round wound wrap is more compliant than flat wound wrap because of the tightness of the spacing of the wrap in flat wounds, which while making the string smoother to the touch, is actually increasing the rigidity of the string, while round wound strings generally have less outer wrap on the string core and are more compliant.

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For guitarists who are iPhone users, I highly recommend the Peterson Strobosoft guitar tuner download for an incredible $9.99. This is the same precision tuner in their stomp box and it’s fantastic. Add the 1/4″ adaptor jack for electrics and this is the tool to have (IMHO).

I can’t recommend it any higher. It’s simply the best!

The Strobosoft is a stripped version, but the tuner engine is identical to the stomp-box. The sensitivity even without the 1/4″ jack is excellent. It has a noise filter, pitch adjustment and boost. The accuracy of a strobe tuner beats any chromatic tuner. I’d suggest Peterson Strobosoft sets the bar as being the maker of the best strobe tuners on the market. Their strobe program, or as I say “engine”, is the same regardless of whether it’s burnt onto the chip set in a stomp box, or as a download on your iPhone - Meaning the actual tuning program itself. Most of these programs are compiled in C++ as EXE files then burned to a chip set. It’s the same, just with a smaller add on library - No alt tunings. It’s theses features that are stripped out of this basic program, but as far as performing the task as a tuner, it’s second to none and is easily up to the task of more demanding work like setups (IMHO).

As for digital VS analog, I’d suggest that argument was certainly relevant a few years ago. Today’s D/A converters are vastly improved.

This is my new favourite iPhone App!

For great deals on Pyramid Strings, go to: The String Guy

It’s this time of year as the seasons change towards the warm summer months that humidity increases causing guitars to go sharp as the necks wow and the tops raise. Ideal humidity is 40-50% with no quick swings.

Often this is when a truss needs loosened slightly, but it should be checked by a pro.

Many shops do not temper the nut and file the slots to proper height. In my opinion, factory nuts are always set too high causing notes to be sharp right off the first fret. Without properly filing a nut everything else is compromised. Saddles are always too high too.

Adjust as follows:
1. Truss
2. Nut
3. Saddle

The biggest factor on intonation on fixed saddle acoustics is bridge height.

You should pick a set of strings you like, then adjust the truss, nut and saddle in that order and be done with it (minus any integrity issues like fretwork and bridge plate lift etc..) Compensated saddles on a six are typically only done on a B. Some don’t even need it.

Take your guitar to a good tech and you’ll be pleased. Getting a free opinion from a decent guitar tech will tell you more and if the tech is good he’ll tell you what the solution is and what the price is too to fix it.

Remember these points too:
1. You can’t properly set intonation with a guitar on a bench! It has to be in player position.
2. Wedging the nut to correct intonation at the 12 fret will not only shorten scale, but it will make your note on the first fret go sharp.

When you set up guitars, I’d suggest that you should be a lot more concerned about how good tuning is in first position than at the 12 fret. You want to temper the tuning and pay close attention to how good you can get tuning in common positions - ESP. The first three frets (1st position).

Every action has a reaction, so they say….

For great deals on Pyramid Strings, go to: The String Guy