mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  13:44:52

What string brands ACTUALLY plate ALL strings in their "nickle" sets, not just the 4th wound string?

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  13:47:54

You might start here...

google.com/search?client=firef...o+strings

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:03:52

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

You might start here...



google.com/search?client=firef...o+strings

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A link to a simple Google search is not helpful. Anyone can do that.

I am asking for confirmation as to which "Nickle" strings sets advertised as Nickle actually ARE entirely nickle plated (ie, all 5 strings are nickle plated). The first sets that come up in your Google search are for D'addario "Nickle Sets". I've already emailed d'Addario directly and asked about their nickle plated sets. D'Addario advised that their nickel string sets are NOT entirely nickle plated. Only the 4th wound string is actually nickle plated. The other 4 strings in their "Nickel" sets are just carbon steel. Further, if you look at D'addario's single string options, there are NO nickle plated options for nonwound strings. So, what brands (if any) actually DO offer nickle plate for nonwound strings?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:08:57

Seems to me you want others to do your research. I doubt anyone has this information at their fingertips.

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 01/26/2023 14:09:29

KCJones - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:16:18

For the life of me I will never understand why someone would respond "just google it" on a website where the primary purpose is discussion.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:23:44

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

For the life of me I will never understand why someone would respond "just google it" on a website where the primary purpose is discussion.

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Of course you wouldn't...

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:26:21

quote:

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Originally posted by mamero

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

You might start here...



google.com/search?client=firef...o+strings

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A link to a simple Google search is not helpful. Anyone can do that.

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Apparently, not anyone.

Asking a general open-ended question, and expecting specific answers is ludicrous.

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:28:54

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rogers

Seems to me you want others to do your research. I doubt anyone has this information at their fingertips.

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Isn't that the point of the shopping advice thread? To gain insight beyond what a Google search can provide. I don't mean to be confrontational. It just seems this IS the place to do this kind of research. If not here then were else? I already Google searched this long before posting here. It did not yield answer. That' That's why I am here, to seek answers from those who are most likely to know.

KCJones - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:30:22

Folks sure are grumpy around here today.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:30:29

Just follow Wheaton's Law, and you'll be fine.

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:33:11

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

Folks sure are grumpy around here today.

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No kidding! Who peed in everyone's cornflakes today?

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:35:34

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

KCJones - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:36:00

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

Just follow Wheaton's Law, and you'll be fine.

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That's a good one but I think Cunningham's Law is more applicable to this situation. 

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:41:59

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

Just follow Wheaton's Law, and you'll be fine.

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That's a good one but I think Cunningham's Law is more applicable to this situation. 

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Where are your answers?

You might check the Google search for clues.

GHS? Maybe needs further research...

Want me to do that for you? Nope.

You're welcome.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:44:01

quote:

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Originally posted by mamero

What string brands ACTUALLY plate ALL strings in their "nickle" sets, not just the 4th wound string?

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This was your first post.

No mention of what you had or had not done in the area of research.

Maybe next time include that context.

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:48:06

So, back on topic. Could someone please recommend a string brand that offers banjo strings in all nickle sets (all 5 strings, not just the wound 4th)? I've searched. Brand labeling can be misleading. Nickle does not always mean full Nickle set (as mentioned earlier with the D'addario example). Thanks in advance to those who can contribute constructively to the topic.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/26/2023:  14:59:16

That rephrasing should help. Whether it brings an answer is another question.

banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/26/2023:  15:21:25

I do not believe that any unwound strings are ever plated, by anyone. I have no facts or links to back that other than Elixer coated strings only coat the wound fourth, which makes their high price a rip imo.

lightgauge - Posted - 01/26/2023:  15:39:27

I have never heard of plated unwound strings from anyone. I expect the nickel wound string is wound with nickel wire, not plated. Plating would cut fingertips if it came off or wore thru, which it would do rubbing against frets.

Tractor1 - Posted - 01/26/2023:  16:02:21

some folks deal in strings and might actually have the answer--they could be a member here---I get surprised with in depth and legit answers here in many walks of life--didn't hurt to ask
this my opinion-- i ask no agreement

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 01/26/2023:  16:17:55

I think there are no nickel plated strings. Plating would not help longevity, and the plating process could possibly damage the carbon steel.

The only "plated" strings I am familiar with are the gold plated strings used as a sales gimmick by the Schomacker Piano Company. a century ago. Those strings sounded like any other string, broke as easily, and mostly just raised the cost of the piano.

When string makers say nickel,Stainless, or phosphor-bronze, they are referring to the wire the wound strings are wrapped with. In fact, I've not seen any set labeled as "plated." I can think of no advantage whatsoever in plating the plain ones. If a person is worried about the plain steel corroding too fast perhaps he isn't cleaning the strings often enough.

Alex Z - Posted - 01/26/2023:  17:41:21

Martin Guitar used to plate the plain strings on some of their SP offerings. They labeled the strings "bronzed steel" and the strings were shiny gold colored.   I have a few left. 

 

I believe Martin stopped the bronze plating when they revamped the string line into the Authentic series a year or two ago. 

 

Regarding nickel and other makers, I don't know. 

Edited by - Alex Z on 01/26/2023 17:42:04

HighLonesomeF5 - Posted - 01/26/2023:  17:43:50

Instead of using DuckDuckGo I often prefer posting a question here; to converse and develop comradery. If one does not have an answer, instead of unhelpful answers they might be better served by watching and learning.

Alex Z - Posted - 01/26/2023:  17:45:00

Just trying to bring some information that may be  enlightening. 

Alex Z - Posted - 01/26/2023:  17:49:47

I thing GHS coats some plain guitar strings, according to their web site. Banjo, I don't know. 

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  18:11:16

quote:

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Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

Instead of using DuckDuckGo I often prefer posting a question here; to converse and develop comradery. If one does not have an answer, instead of unhelpful answers they might be better served by watching and learning.

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There is a difference between posting a question "before" doing any research on your own, and posting it "after" doing some research.

If you post "before", you are developing that camaraderie at the expense of others time and effort,  when you could have done some of that "homework" on your own.

There are many websites that ignore "before" posts entirely.

If you post "after", and don't understand something, or have further questions on what you did or didn't find (which should be stated from the get go) you have at least made an effort, respected others time and effort, and no one will likely post a "Google it" reply.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/26/2023:  18:19:44

To clarify, “nickel steel” generally designates a steel alloy, not plating.

HighLonesomeF5 - Posted - 01/26/2023:  18:24:07

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

quote:

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Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

Instead of using DuckDuckGo I often prefer posting a question here; to converse and develop comradery. If one does not have an answer, instead of unhelpful answers they might be better served by watching and learning.

---

There is a difference between posting a question "before" doing any research on your own, and posting it "after" doing some research.

If you post "before", you are developing that camaraderie at the expense of others time and effort,  when you could have done some of that "homework" on your own.

There are many websites that ignore "before" posts entirely.

If you post "after", and don't understand something, or have further questions on what you did or didn't find (which should be stated from the get go) you have at least made an effort, respected others time and effort, and no one will likely post a "Google it" reply.

 

 

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My Gosh, the energy that you have expended not answering the question.   Can you direct me to these "rules" you are referring to, asking for a friend.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  18:29:02

quote:

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Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

quote:

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Originally posted by OldNavyGuy

quote:

---

Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

Instead of using DuckDuckGo I often prefer posting a question here; to converse and develop comradery. If one does not have an answer, instead of unhelpful answers they might be better served by watching and learning.

---

There is a difference between posting a question "before" doing any research on your own, and posting it "after" doing some research.

If you post "before", you are developing that camaraderie at the expense of others time and effort,  when you could have done some of that "homework" on your own.

There are many websites that ignore "before" posts entirely.

If you post "after", and don't understand something, or have further questions on what you did or didn't find (which should be stated from the get go) you have at least made an effort, respected others time and effort, and no one will likely post a "Google it" reply.

 

 

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My Gosh, the energy that you have expended not answering the question.   Can you direct me to these "rules" you are referring to, asking for a friend.

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No trouble at all.

It's common courtesy...apparently not common for you.

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  18:59:04

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rogers

To clarify, “nickel steel” generally designates a steel alloy, not plating.

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Thanks Bill. That's some to explore further.

Alex Z - Posted - 01/26/2023:  19:20:47

So far, plain strings can be bought plated with bronze, tin, and brass, or have some type of GHS "coating."  

 

Will more likely find plated strings in the guitar category, especially electric and jazz oriented.  

 

If I wanted to be snarky, I'd suggest that those responders who denied the existence of coated/plated plain strings should have searched the internet before answering a question -- but no reason to be snarky!  Post away, whatever question or comment y'all want. 

 

Just trying to help mamero get useful information. Two heads are better than one. 

Edited by - Alex Z on 01/26/2023 19:22:38

NotABanjoYoda - Posted - 01/26/2023:  19:27:18

Elixer strings do coat the unwound strings, but not with nickel. Its their own proprietary goo. They used to do it for just one particular string set but very recently started doing it on all sets, so dont buy old stock.

I would contact mapes and see if they will. Probably your best bet. But you may need to buy a whole spool...or theyll tell you why no one does this.

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  19:47:51

I'm learning from the "constructive" posts by the welcoming members that to my best understanding only wound strings change. Again, manufactures can be quite misleading in their packaging/marketing. So based on this, is there really that much difference between a phosphorus, nickle, stainless, or plain steel string set? If the only real difference is the 4th wound string it seems the difference should be negligible (20%). On a guitar where more of the strings are wound perhaps it has more relevance?



Usually I would not put this much thought or energy in to strings. But, my recently bought Bela Fleck Signature is ready for its first string change. It shipped with GHS strings in a gauge set that surprisingly (so far) no manufacture I've researched offers as a set. I've discovered I like this gauge set (10,11,13, 22w,10) but I do not care for the feel of the GHS strings. They also did not last as long as I would have expected. Further, I read (here) that plain steel strings may cause faster fret wear.



So if, only the wound string coating changes, what type of non-wound string would be the next best thing to what I had assumed (full nickle)?



BTW, if I were 14 year old new banjo student who had come here for simple direction/advise I'd be pretty darn discouraged by some of the posts here. You may have scene and heard all that is banjo. Not everyone has. If a post is below your level that's fine, either don't reply if you have nothing to add, or point to the relevant info if its been discussed before, or contribute constructively. No need to be an ^%$ about it. For a young new player, nothing turns someone off music faster than the way this thread started. When you post, consider a new banjo player may reference your post for advise 5 or 10+ years from now.

Edited by - mamero on 01/26/2023 19:55:37

mamero - Posted - 01/26/2023:  19:50:56

quote:

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Originally posted by NotABanjoYoda

I would contact mapes and see if they will. Probably your best bet. But you may need to buy a whole spool...or theyll tell you why no one does this.

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Interesting idea and lead. Thanks for that!

NotABanjoYoda - Posted - 01/26/2023:  20:22:54

quote:

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Originally posted by mamero

quote:

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Originally posted by NotABanjoYoda

I would contact mapes and see if they will. Probably your best bet. But you may need to buy a whole spool...or theyll tell you why no one does this.

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Interesting idea and lead. Thanks for that!

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No problemo.   and I agree with your sentiment about jaded kufus posting hostility will drive youngins away, maybe even 10 years from now.  

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/26/2023:  20:37:31

I have used bronze-wound fourth strings for years because they sound brighter and punchier to my ear. For a long time I had to buy single guitar strings because finding banjo sets with bronze fourths was difficult at best. Banjo players eventually started asking for bronze fourths enough that they are generally available in sets, and I’m no longer an outlier.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/26/2023:  21:35:40

quote:

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Originally posted by NotABanjoYoda

I agree with your sentiment about jaded kufus posting hostility will drive youngins away, maybe even 10 years from now. 

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I suspect this thread will disappear in 10 hours.

Hopefully, it will be the intellectually lazy youngins.

KCJones - Posted - 01/27/2023:  07:27:57

The fact that the moderators do absolutely nothing, sometimes even encouraging them, to stop the a$$hole trolls on this website is reason #1 that BanjoHangout is basically a shell of it's former self and is disparaged on every other social media platform and usergroup on the internet. Heck, right here in this thread one of the moderators is piling on with the troll and being fairly rude himself. 

How many great people have abandoned this website because of the argumentative ones? How many people interested in playing banjo and been discouraged and driven away because of how people on this website treat them when they ask simple questions? At this point, the trolls are basically the only ones left. It's nearly every single thread, too. And really, it's only like a half-dozen problem users, s***ting in the sandbox and ruining it for everyone else. 

Go anywhere on the internet, any other website any other social media user group. They'll all tell you the same thing, "BHO used to be good, there's some knowledgeable industry insiders there, but it's mostly trolls and you should probably avoid it."  The moderation team and their inaction towards trolls over the last several years is directly responsible for this reputation. 

I 100% guarantee this post will be deleted by a moderator, and I'll get a little finger wag about making public comments about moderation policy and they'll suggest sending a PM which they'll ignore. But they won't say anything about the problem users that make this place suck. 

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/27/2023:  11:28:29

Yet, here you are.

Will Frady - Posted - 01/27/2023:  11:35:27

Holy smokes. Most of y’all are brutal ! You don’t know what you don’t know ! How do you learn? By asking questions. Crap like this makes me wish I hadn’t re- upped. I understand one monkey don’t stop the circus. I could quit using this site and no one would miss me, but treating the member with a know it all attitude is ridiculous. This is not Romper room, or captain kangaroo. This is supposed to be a place where we all can learn from each other without being brow beaten.

OldNavyGuy - Posted - 01/27/2023:  12:00:43

quote:

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Originally posted by Will Frady

Holy smokes. Most of y’all are brutal ! You don’t know what you don’t know ! How do you learn? By asking questions. Crap like this makes me wish I hadn’t re- upped. I understand one monkey don’t stop the circus. I could quit using this site and no one would miss me, but treating the member with a know it all attitude is ridiculous. This is not Romper room, or captain kangaroo. This is supposed to be a place where we all can learn from each other without being brow beaten.

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Resources and answers were provided to the OP.

Whether you quit the site is your choice.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/27/2023:  15:13:54

Let's see if we can act like gentlemen, not rebellious teenager. There's no reason to dis one another or dis moderators because you don't like the way they moderate. Keep it civil, please.

lightgauge - Posted - 01/27/2023:  16:27:18

Can anyone name a plating that is flexible enough to wrap around a tuner post multiple times without breaking ?

Alex Z - Posted - 01/28/2023:  06:48:52

Both bronze and brass are mostly copper, so those platings would be very flexible.  I never saw anything unusual  with the Martin guitar bronze coated strings, even when bent sharply to tie to post.

Tin I don't know, except that it is obviously flexible enough to bend into a 3-inch circle in a package.

And what some manufacturers mean by "coating" we don't know.

The plain string itself is steel, and no problem wrapping that around a tuning post without breaking.  It will break from metal fatigue if it is bent sharply and unbent many times.

We're getting into Hooke's Law and Young's Modulus territory!  

RioStat - Posted - 01/28/2023:  10:21:54

Not sure about nickel-plated, but here are gold-plated and silver-plated

lordofthestrings.com/en/brands...ma?page=2

RioStat - Posted - 01/28/2023:  10:27:01

These D'Addario's say "nickel-plated"......not sure if that means every string in the set or not.

daddario.com/products/guitar/b...el-banjo/

NotABanjoYoda - Posted - 01/28/2023:  10:44:49

quote:

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Originally posted by RioStat

These D'Addario's say "nickel-plated"......not sure if that means every string in the set or not.

daddario.com/products/guitar/b...el-banjo/

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Just the wound ones.

Alex Z - Posted - 01/28/2023:  10:54:39

So far have located plain strings plated with bronze, brass, tin, gold, and a "coating."  

No nickel -- yet.

Bart Veerman - Posted - 01/28/2023:  12:05:02

Nice to see the "Statler and Waldorf" comments have finished and the OP's question finally gets taken serious and dealt with accordingly.

It always amazes me that, time after time, questions posted by females get a way different treatment: people trip over themselves to come up with elaborate answers that can span multiple pages...