The railboard's effect on strings
Author |
Message |
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
The railboard's effect on strings
If any of you had any concerns of the strings wearing into the railboard, fear not! I've had my current set of strings on this railboard for... since the end of July, IIRC. I've been playing religiously for at least 30 mins-1hr a day, sometimes 3-4 hours at a time if I have the chance. Also played a show where I used the stick for two songs this past saturday (Got really positive reception -- even the sound guy took note!) This is my 3rd string (Baritone melody medium set) -- a B string. You'll notice two things: 1) No wear on the frets 2) the string has been worn through to the core from bending/vibrato/lots of playing It still sounds fine, but I just ordered a new set of strings anyway since I need to clean my stick.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Mon Sep 16, 2013 4:16 pm |
|
|
earthgene
Site Donor
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:28 pm Posts: 4106
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
Yeah, those middle position wound strings get the sweetest railing tone but it does wear them. I've had my RB string since late June and observed the very same.
Great to hear you are getting good feedback on your playing, love to see some video!
_________________ Gene Perry http://www.geneperry.com http://www.freehandsacademy.com
|
Mon Sep 16, 2013 4:59 pm |
|
|
greg
Multiple Donor
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:07 pm Posts: 7088 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
Even the regular Rails and standard guitar frets, smooth as they are, wear the underside of your strings, but the Railboard, especially the 1st edition Railboard with the more textured frets do wear them faster.
The good thing is, it's the string not the fret thats wearing. The fret is really, really hard.
The newer textured anodizing is smoother, more like the regular Rails, but still very hard.
_________________ Happy tapping, greg Schedule an online Stick lesson
|
Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:39 pm |
|
|
Per Boysen
Elite Contributor
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:05 am Posts: 2268 Location: Stockholm/Sweden
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
"A String Eater"... Good that it still sounds ok! The extended "fret bowing" option would be worth that in my opinion. I've been playing normal SG12 some five hours every day now since May with the same strings and they look ok although the minimal "fret bowing" that you get with old rails disappeared after just a few weeks. I can't afford new strings now and it amazes me that my SG12 still plays perfectly in tune with correct intonation on these rusty old strings.
_________________ Cheers / Per Bamboo SG12, Wenge SG12, Bamboo Grand. PASV4 on all. (+ Stickup modded by Emmett 4 the PASV4 blocks). Fractal Audio AxeFx-III, 2 x RCF NX-10 SMA, Apollo Twin USB http://youtube.com/perboysen
|
Tue Sep 17, 2013 2:42 am |
|
|
ChapStick
Contributor
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:29 am Posts: 170
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
I would be more concerned on how this would effect the tone. You are playing on the core of the string.
Good to know the strings will last more than 60 days with the newer textured rails.
Last edited by ChapStick on Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
|
Tue Sep 17, 2013 5:01 am |
|
|
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
Per Boysen wrote: "A String Eater"... Good that it still sounds ok! The extended "fret bowing" option would be worth that in my opinion. I've been playing normal SG12 some five hours every day now since May with the same strings and they look ok although the minimal "fret bowing" that you get with old rails disappeared after just a few weeks. I can't afford new strings now and it amazes me that my SG12 still plays perfectly in tune with correct intonation on these rusty old strings. It is a bit of a string eater. Most of the other strings are starting to wear on the bottom, but this string is worn all the way through on all the sides lol At least with the SG12, it's short enough you can just buy regular guitar strings if you need to. ChapStick wrote: I would be more concerned on how this would effect the tone. You are playing on the core of the string.
It really doesnt sound too different than the other strings -- granted the other strings sound like strings that have been played a ton and are worn in.
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:43 am |
|
|
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
greg wrote: The newer textured anodizing is smoother, more like the regular Rails, but still very hard. Yeah, I'll be placing an order for a 12 string Railboard when they announce it. I'd love to compare the 1st run anodizing with the newer railboards. Plus, I need a Railboard with Linear inlays lol
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:47 am |
|
|
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
Looks like all the wound strings except the lowest bass string had the same effect where they were smoothed over or worn down to some degree.
Threw the light gauge strings on, holy crap, its a world of difference. I forgot how easy they were to play. Mediums feel like guitar tension strength strings. These are like.. I dont know, playing with 7 gauge strings on guitar. So easy. Bends are so wide.
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:55 pm |
|
|
ChapStick
Contributor
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:29 am Posts: 170
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
metalken wrote: Threw the light gauge strings on, holy crap, its a world of difference. I forgot how easy they were to play. Mediums feel like guitar tension strength strings. These are like.. I dont know, playing with 7 gauge strings on guitar. So easy. Bends are so wide. it must be intense since the Railboards action is almost twice as low as the regular Sticks.
|
Thu Sep 19, 2013 5:34 pm |
|
|
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
Re: The railboard's effect on strings
ChapStick wrote: it must be intense since the Railboards action is almost twice as low as the regular Sticks. It's intense. its like, razors edge low. It completely changes the characteristic of how the instrument plays. Honestly, after doing the A/B comparison, I doubt I'll ever try mediums again. Since I bought this stick from Oz's music, the Baritone Melody and Medium gauge aspects were already chosen. I've really taken to Baritone Melody a lot. Love it. However, the mediums are just too much tension for me. It feels like playing my guitar (which I have strung up with 13s... tuned a fourth down to B). With the light gauge, its not even close to guitar like. The notes are just so much easier to hit.
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:27 pm |
|
|
|