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Circle K strings...

#262
Knuckle, will 30+ pounds of tension on the lighter strings be too much? I'm thinking your 0.80 balanced 6 string set would work on a 28 5/8 scale guitar tuned to BEADGC, but the 0.16 at 30+ pounds has me worried.

Edit: the guitar will be tuned one octave higher than standard 6 string, and by my calculation should have the same tension as a 34" bass tuned 3 semitones down.
 
#263
A .016 will handle 30 pounds, but just barely. Anything lighter than that likely won't.

Guitar tensions are usually half that of basses, and I actually have a 28.5" baritone - I tune it to A. The set I use to get to A is .074 .054 .042 .030 .020 .014

There are baritone sets that are slightly lighter that would do B well. Ernie Ball has a .072 - .013 - this is the one I'd suggest. LaBella and GHS have .070 - .014 sets. I'd start with these.
 
#264
ehque said:
Knuckle, will 30+ pounds of tension on the lighter strings be too much? I'm thinking your 0.80 balanced 6 string set would work on a 28 5/8 scale guitar tuned to BEADGC, but the 0.16 at 30+ pounds has me worried.
Click to expand...

ehque, although the lightest Circle K 6 string set is the .080, you can create a lighter set from Circle K single strings, using the gauge values from the top 6 of a 7 string set to achieve balanced tension. Such as ...

7 String Set - Balanced Standard 096
.096 .072 .052 .037 .027 .019p .013p

Those baritone guitar sets will probably have unequal tensions.
 
#266
knuckle_head said:
. . . and then there is the difference between 4ths tuning and guitar tuning - dropping that half step on the 5th string wonks my numbers a bit.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and since normal 6 string sets don't factor that in, I'm kinda worried. I'm seeing this as more of a 6 string piccolo project rather than a Bari guitar project, hence I'm looking for bass strings - otherwise I might have a go at using the lower 6 strings of a 7 string set, or a Bari set as you pointed out.
 
#267
ehque said:
Yeah, and since normal 6 string sets don't factor that in, I'm kinda worried. I'm seeing this as more of a 6 string piccolo project rather than a Bari guitar project, hence I'm looking for bass strings - otherwise I might have a go at using the lower 6 strings of a 7 string set, or a Bari set as you pointed out.
Click to expand...

There is zero difference in the making of guitar strings vs. making bass strings; same mechanics and processes so the only true difference beyond physical dimension is ball end size.

Shortly CKS will revamp pricing structure - set pricing will remain similar but set pricing will be based on individual string costs. There won't be an individual string penalty anymore. I'd love to help you sort this project out . . . but there are ready made sets in the guitar world if you're ready to go so you have options.
 
#268
knuckle_head said:
There is zero difference in the making of guitar strings vs. making bass strings; same mechanics and processes so the only true difference beyond physical dimension is ball end size.
Click to expand...

Ah! :) Interesting. Surely there must be a difference in the tension used when winding? You recommend using your bass strings at above 30 pounds to exceed the manufacturing tension, which I guess is 25 to 30 pounds. But guitar strings are used at 15 pounds, so the manufacturing tension must be less than this?
 
#269
I'm curious about this, as I've also been interested in a balanced piccolo string set.

Unfortunately, I'd have to use a plain G if I was going to do what I planned, 5-string up one octave (BEADG).

It looks like D'Addario makes wound strings that are less than .25 gauge, but their heaviest guitar strings are not high enough tension for the B.
 
#270
I used to do a .023 and had a design for a .021 - I couldn't put 25 pounds on the .023 string and play it aggressively without it breaking so I never bothered with the .021. We're far more insistent of our strings than guitar players are after all - or maybe it's just me.

Mat - it becomes a delicate balance of diminishing stability right around the .020 point and dicey right up to it.
 
#271
knuckle_head said:
Shortly CKS will revamp pricing structure - set pricing will remain similar but set pricing will be based on individual string costs. There won't be an individual string penalty anymore. I'd love to help you sort this project out . . . but there are ready made sets in the guitar world if you're ready to go so you have options.
Click to expand...

That is good news. This project is not built yet so I will not need the strings for a while, but it does help to get some research down before building a guitar for strings that don't exist.

Thank you for your information.
 
#273
KingRazor said:
Unfortunately, I'd have to use a plain G if I was going to do what I planned, 5-string up one octave (BEADG).
Click to expand...

Octave 4 Plus can probably make one for you if you insist on a wound, it will be expensive and delicate though. That G is only a whole tone above 7 string bass F3 for which wound strings exist. I have one of their wound .018 bass strings for F3.

If you dislike the tone of plain strings on a bass try using a lower gauge plain for less tension, this mellows the tone so that it blends with the tone of the wounds. When I design sets I always drop the tension when going from wound to plain ;)
 
#274
ixlramp said:
Octave 4 Plus can probably make one for you if you insist on a wound, it will be expensive and delicate though. That G is only a whole tone above 7 string bass F3 for which wound strings exist. I have one of their wound .018 bass strings for F3.

If you dislike the tone of plain strings on a bass try using a lower gauge plain for less tension, this mellows the tone so that it blends with the tone of the wounds. When I design sets I always drop the tension when going from wound to plain ;)
Click to expand...
Actually, it's a feel thing, not a tone thing. With a piccolo bass I'd still be playing finger style just like on my regular bass.

I might just try a tuning that doesn't go that high instead.
 
#277
sorry to be obtuse - but I'm good at it.

:D

Set prices may drop a little - but by less than a dollar a set if they change at all.

Individual string prices will drop.

Set prices will be based on the combined cost of the individual strings.

This will happen within 6 weeks.
 
#279
knuckle_head said:
sorry to be obtuse - but I'm good at it.

:D

Set prices may drop a little - but by less than a dollar a set if they change at all.

Individual string prices will drop.

Set prices will be based on the combined cost of the individual strings.

This will happen within 6 weeks.
Click to expand...

Does Circle K Strings plan to offer bulk pricing? I.E. if I go with say 5 sets of strings in one purchase would a reduced rate be applied, or if I hit a certain price I get free shipping?

Just curious, I already love your strings -- but would be good to know for future orders :bassist:
 
#280
Just put these on a few hours ago. Band rehearsal is tomorrow, but unless they somehow sound different out of my big rig than my practice setup, Im a customer for life.

1st off, the customer service is the best I've ever received in pretty much any industry, period. On the previous page of this thread I posted a question making sure I had ordered the right guages (I was pretty confident, but still). Anyway, about an hour after my post I get a phone call. Its the dude from Circle K, and he wants to talk to me to make sure I'm gettin the right guages, cuz hes about to ship my order out...how did he even figure out which order I was talkin about? Thats incredible...most people would just put the stuff in the box and be done with it.

Super comfortable...even more so than my DR's. Dont chew my fingers (or stain them) at all.

Real flexible, and maybe related LOUD. I actually played for good long while without even plugging my bass in.

Tomorrow is the real test, but the first impression is fantastic.
 

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