Rickenbacker strings new gauge for guitars ?

[David Watts]

I was just visiting the Rickenbacker boutique (that's great ), i was looking at the strings, and i've noticed that the gauge has changed.
It's now the more conventionnal 10-13-17-26-36-46 instead of the (un)usual 26-34-42.

http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/STRING ... p_679.html

Do you think the old gauge will still be available or is it a definitive change ?
Before playing with Ric Strings i used to buy strings one by one to get this particular gauge.
I've learned to appreciate this particular gauge so that's why i ask this question.

Can someone tell me why people at Rickenbacker decided a long time ago to put that 26-34-42 on their guitars instead of the more common 26-36-46 ?
And why this change now ?

[Hotzenplotz]

This change happened before changing the boutique section.

The new gauge is a more common gauge. A lot of string factories offer since centuries the gauge Rickenbacker now switched to.

Maybe in former times they decided to use thinner bass strings to avoid too much humming sound. But just an idea, no knowledge. - Using a growling tube VOX it can happen very fast, btw..

- Love the idea, now we can compare strings with equal gauges from factory on...

[stsang]

also, in an earlier message thread on this forum, Gary Clauson determined that the string gauge change happened sometime after 2009:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=402654
We also speculated that it's easier to source .46 gauge string sets than .42 gauge string sets.

Hope that helps!

[johnhall]

I honestly don't remember when we changed but it's been more than a year, that's for sure, maybe even two. The guitars started shipping with them first as it took awhile to get the packaged sets fully converted over, given inventory and packaging considerations.

The change was simply to better balance out the tension on the instruments, as well as to beef up the bottom end slightly. It also put our string sets into the mainstream replacement string market, opeing up the possibility to sell more sets to a wider group of players. As a result you're seeing better availability of our sets in the stores, especially overseas.

It has nothing to do with price or availability; we could spec any gauge we want and the cost would be the same.

[David Watts]

Thanks a lot, mr Hall.
Concerning the historic side of this subject, it would be nice to know when the 26-34-42 have started, in the 70's maybe ?
I also suppose it had to be a bit different in the sixties with perhaps a wound G in place of the plain 17 ?

[fireglo67]

Thanks a lot, mr Hall.
Concerning the historic side of this subject, it would be nice to know when the 26-34-42 have started, in the 70's maybe ?
I also suppose it had to be a bit different in the sixties with perhaps a wound G in place of the plain 17 ?

I have to say that I make sure I use a wound G on all my Rickenbacker 6 string guitars.
It's probably more down to my heavy handed playing style, but I find that the wound G tunes easier and stays in tune longer.
Saying that, I'll definitely try the new guage of Ric strings when they land on these shores.

[johnhall]

Saying that, I'll definitely try the new guage of Ric strings when they land on these shores.

You're in the U.K. aren't you? Rosetti was one of the early participants in our new string program so the stores there should already have plenty of stock on these.

[fireglo67]

Saying that, I'll definitely try the new guage of Ric strings when they land on these shores.

You're in the U.K. aren't you? Rosetti was one of the early participants in our new string program so the stores there should already have plenty of stock on these.

Thanks John.
I checked the Rosetti web site yesterday and they're still showing the old guage strings, but even those are shown as out of stock.
I also checked with the online company that I usually buy my strings from and there's a slight contradiction in their listing.
http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products ... ngs_10_46_
They advertise the strings as being 10-46 but the only size option to add to your shopping cart is 10-42! so I'll have to give them a call this morning to see what they really have.
The great thing about the Ric boutique is that I'll soon be able to buy them direct from source, without all the usual hassle one experiences purchasing all things Rickenbacker here in the UK.

[johnhall]

All I can say is that we've shipped a zillion sets of the new strings to the U.K., so they have to be over there somewhere!

[fireglo67]

All I can say is that we've shipped a zillion sets of the new strings to the U.K., so they have to be over there somewhere!

Someone has bought them all to starve the market and push prices up.

I spoke to the nice man at strings direct and he's 99% sure that the sets that they now have are the newer 10/46 guage, but he's going to get back to me to confirm.
I've told him I'll have half a dozen sets if they're the new ones.

Shame Ric strings don't have the option of an 18 wound G, but looking forward to giving them a test drive.

[stsang]

Shame Ric strings don't have the option of an 18 wound G, but looking forward to giving them a test drive.

I'm sad the strings are no longer compressed roundwound - they were really nice on a Ric 12-string.

[shamustwin]

No need for us to sandpaper our nuts, correct?

[jps]

No need for us to sandpaper our nuts, correct?

Ouch!

[johnhall]

Shame Ric strings don't have the option of an 18 wound G, but looking forward to giving them a test drive.

I'm sad the strings are no longer compressed roundwound - they were really nice on a Ric 12-string.

But they are, just not quite as much. Sometimes you have to compromise just a little to find that sweet spot and I think that's exactly what we did. And the gauging in the lower range just makes the twelve stringers sound better.

[stsang]

I'm sad the strings are no longer compressed roundwound - they were really nice on a Ric 12-string.

But they are, just not quite as much. Sometimes you have to compromise just a little to find that sweet spot and I think that's exactly what we did. And the gauging in the lower range just makes the twelve stringers sound better.

Mr. Hall, thanks for the explanation. Now I'm eager to try out the new 95404s!