Members sxyryan Posted August 5, 2012 Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 Been fighting with my Gretsch since I got it, and about a month ago I finally figured out how to set it up to stay in tune. It seems the secret was that wound G string. Problem is I prefer 11's, and I am having a hard time finding strings. Right now I'm running D'addario 11's with a separately purchased wound G. This works short term but is kind of a pain, and then not all guitar shops have the same brand single strings, so it could be hit or miss. For example, right now the wound G is an Ernie Ball, while the rest are D'addarios, and in cleaner and light grit situations it tends to act like a sore thumb. I could probably change the bridge, but it works fine other than that, and I like the look, so I'd prefer just to find that elusive string set. I don't mind paying a little more for them, as this guitar has decisively become my favourite and #1. Superfluous guitar picture: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted August 5, 2012 Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/dean-markley-1975-vintage-reissue-medium-electric-guitar-strings-12-pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted August 5, 2012 Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted August 5, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 Thanks folks! I have D'addarios on it now, but I'll give those other ones a shot too. Everything else I have gets Ernie Balls, so I'm open to new stuff, especially since none of my other electrics are anything like the Tenny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larry50 Posted August 5, 2012 Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 You can also use the D'addario EJ20's. I love them. http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=21&productname=EJ20_Nickel_Wound__JazzExtra_Light__10_49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mhuxtable Posted August 5, 2012 Members Share Posted August 5, 2012 I use the D'Addarios....they make a set of 11s with a wound 3rd....I use them on all my guitars. Edit: the ones PrawnHeed posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jonnie_Neutron Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 I have never had tuning stability problems on any of the guitars I own for some reason, maybe 'cause I don't use a pick... You could always try doing this an' see if it works : - Cheers J_N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Naw, it stayed in with everything but the G. The more I thought about it, originally, all the G's were wound, and the bridge on the Tenny is based on old school stuff. I do setups and stuff, but I have never worked on a guitar with this particular bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akapuli Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Try the Chromes from D'Addario. Eventually you might switch the tuning pegs for locking types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MatthewTKK Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 The "vintage" 11-52 sets from Dean Markley come with a wound G as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Longhair Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Naw, it stayed in with everything but the G. The more I thought about it, originally, all the G's were wound, and the bridge on the Tenny is based on old school stuff. I do setups and stuff, but I have never worked on a guitar with this particular bridge. Did you try swapping the tuner from the G string into a different position? If so, is the G string still going out of tune or is the other one going out of tune? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Did you try swapping the tuner from the G string into a different position? If so, is the G string still going out of tune or is the other one going out of tune? This is an issue with the string, especially with Bigsby use. As mentioned in the first post, the issue was fixed by swapping to a wound G. My problem is locally finding strings sets lighter than 12's with a wound G. Please, those who are questioning tuning stability, understand that when I bought the guitar, it did not stay in tune. I do professional setups, but 99% percent of people who bring me guitars have tuneomatics, strat style trems and Floyd Roses. I know how to restring a guitar. The bridge on this guitar is just a round hunk of brass, so it had some little quirks that took me a little longer to figure out than usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 I've been using Chromes and Thomastiks. They have a wound G, but they're flatwounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 ^ I tried the Chromes when I first picked it up. Stayed in tune well but I wasn't overly thrilled with the feel. Love the flats on bass, not so much on guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rick 381 Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 I use Thomastik-Infields on my vintage Tenny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 I use D'Addario .011s, and I bulk order packs of wound 3rds from Musician's Friend. I've used the packs that come with a .021w for the 3rd http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/daddario-exl115w-nickel-blues-jazz-wound-3rd-electric-guitar-strings but on some guitars, I prefer a .018w, which are the ones I bulk order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Longhair Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 This is an issue with the string, especially with Bigsby use.As mentioned in the first post, the issue was fixed by swapping to a wound G. My problem is locally finding strings sets lighter than 12's with a wound G.Please, those who are questioning tuning stability, understand that when I bought the guitar, it did not stay in tune. I do professional setups, but 99% percent of people who bring me guitars have tuneomatics, strat style trems and Floyd Roses. I know how to restring a guitar. The bridge on this guitar is just a round hunk of brass, so it had some little quirks that took me a little longer to figure out than usual. The wound string may be a band-aid, that is why I suggested to swap the G string tuner with another one from the guitar. It only takes 5 minutes and does not cost any money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorpoet Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 D'Addario EXL115w is probably the best general purpose set you'll find. Tons of jazzers use 'em, and I've been on the 115w train for about 6 years. Just hard to beat. edit: and having the G string properly intonate is a nice bonus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HP Hovercraft Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Came to post the same ones everyone else is recommending Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xStonr Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 DAddario is the way to go. It's not so much as the plain G goes out of tune, I find it doesn't intonate very well which is why I use the wound G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 The wound string may be a band-aid, that is why I suggested to swap the G string tuner with another one from the guitar. It only takes 5 minutes and does not cost any money. But see... it fixed it. If the tuner was the issue, it wouldn't have worked. When tuners fail, the string often won't keep tension. This had more of an issue of going sharp. I checked the nut first, and with that not being the issue I was a bit puzzled. I had read about issues on old Gibson wraparounds, so I tried the wound G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jonnie_Neutron Posted August 6, 2012 Members Share Posted August 6, 2012 Just another train of thought on your problem.You could try getting a set of PRS Winged Locking Tuners, now they never loose tuning even if you abuse the trem.Or a locking Nut may well solve it with plain G's, Ive use them with FR's and they are good. CheersJ_N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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