Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just another opinion......

The TI flatwounds and RIC strings are my favorites for RIC 12-string guitars....great sound, intonation and playability.

The D'Addarios seem very unstable and, at times, sitar-like on the B and high E strings. They're much more difficult to intonate. I once installed them on my 370/12 RM and then immediately uninstalled them in favor of the TI flatwounds.

I've never tried Pyramids, so I can't comment.

Does anyone have any information on the tension of Rickenbacker round wound nickel, compressed, medium gauge strings (10/13/17/26/34/42) . . .

I have checked out some websites that sell these strings, and also the RIC website, but they do not provide this information, or at least I haven't been able to find it. But, what I did find, to my great dismay, is that these strings can only be purchased in North (or South) America. So, for me, that is one reason not to opt for Rick strings

I don't think they're the worse, I just think they've got their own thing going for them.

People say don't put them on Vintage Ricks, meanwhile Roger McGuinn has been buying them by the boxfull.

Hofners come from the factory with Pyramid flats as well, so I take it their good for them too.

I think the issue is tension vs. Compliance.

Oh, and McCartney is using Pyramids on his Hofner now too.

tennis_nick wrote:I don't think they're the worse, I just think they've got their own thing going for them.

People say don't put them on Vintage Ricks, meanwhile Roger McGuinn has been buying them by the boxfull.

Hofners come from the factory with Pyramid flats as well, so I take it their good for them too.

I think the issue is tension vs. Compliance.

I really don't think it's an issue of tension. For example, D'Addario Chromes (10-48) have higher tension than Pyramids, yet no one seems to have any problems putting them on their Ricks.

I have also heard Pyramids will crack a "R" tailpiece...

pyramid flatwound bass strings are still my favorite flatwounds ever,but they were too much (tension) for my set-neck 4000,initiating bridge lift. i miss them,but would not consider putting the ti flats on there. (i like light gauge strings but these are just teeny...) i just wish pyramid would offer a lighter gauge flat set for bass.

ric340JG wrote:
I really don't think it's an issue of tension. For example, D'Addario Chromes (10-48) have higher tension than Pyramids, yet no one seems to have any problems putting them on their Ricks.

Where did you get your numbers? Or did you use a string calculator like Beier?

Juststrings.com has charts for many of the string sets that they sell that show string tension for each string in the set. They don't cite to the source of their information.

Here's the chart for the D'Addario Chromes (10-48):

http://www.juststrings.com/dad-ecg23.html

JakeK wrote:I have also heard Pyramids will crack a "R" tailpiece...

That's BS, R tailpieces have no problem cracking no matter what kind of strings you're using.

jingle_jangle wrote:

ric340JG wrote:
I really don't think it's an issue of tension. For example, D'Addario Chromes (10-48) have higher tension than Pyramids, yet no one seems to have any problems putting them on their Ricks.

Where did you get your numbers? Or did you use a string calculator like Beier?

No, I wrote to Pyramid and they sent me the tension of their strings.

Below is a comparison chart showing string tension (in kilograms):

Thomastik-Infeld (10-44)
E 7.8
B 7.5
G 8.6
D 8.2
A 8.2
E 8.5
--------------
48.8 TOTAL

Pyramid Gold (10-46.5)
7.2
7.2
9,1
11.2
8.9
8.5
--------------
52.1 TOTAL

D'Addario Chromes (10-48)
7.35
8.07
9.16
9.66
9.80
9.02
---------------
53.06 TOTAL

No, I wrote to Pyramid and they sent me the tension of their strings.

Below is a comparison chart showing string tension (in kilograms):

The evidence however is only credible if you're doing the comparison over the same scale length, and since you don't mention the scale length used, I take it they never told you.

tennis_nick wrote:

No, I wrote to Pyramid and they sent me the tension of their strings.

Below is a comparison chart showing string tension (in kilograms):

The evidence however is only credible if you're doing the comparison over the same scale length, and since you don't mention the scale length used, I take it they never told you.

I don't mention the scale length used where? Who never told me?

Roger also tunes his 370-12 down a half a step so it plays easier, and doesn't risk damaging his neck-says so in his video.

From everything I've read on the RIC forum, they have an issue with Pyramid claiming their strings are made exactly like they were in the 60s, and just like the old Maxima strings that RIC used to use back then. Apparantly, they are not. RIC has also said using them will void your warranty because of the high tension. RIC runs its own website, and they choose not to promote Pyramid strings. They do the same for other products they have issues with, so it's not just the Pyramids.

Personally, I didn't like the Rick 12 string sets on my 360-12. I had heard about Pyramids, bought a set, put them on, and wow. They sound great, look great, play like clutch cables. The guitar finally intonated now, so I was spared having to get the 12 saddle bridge, and just lived with the limited playability the same way I was living to learn with that narrow fingerboard. Later, upon reading they could damage my neck, I got a set of Tomastik 12s that Pick of the Ricks sells and kaboom! Look great, sound great, play great(wow, I can bend now). For me, it was as simple as that. I play what I think sounds and feels good, and since I mainly play my own music, it really makes no difference to me what artist uses what.

whojamfan wrote:Roger also tunes his 370-12 down a half a step so it plays easier, and doesn't risk damaging his neck-says so in his video.

From everything I've read on the RIC forum, they have an issue with Pyramid claiming their strings are made exactly like they were in the 60s, and just like the old Maxima strings that RIC used to use back then. Apparantly, they are not. RIC has also said using them will void your warranty because of the high tension. RIC runs its own website, and they choose not to promote Pyramid strings. They do the same for other products they have issues with, so it's not just the Pyramids.

Personally, I didn't like the Rick 12 string sets on my 360-12. I had heard about Pyramids, bought a set, put them on, and wow. They sound great, look great, play like clutch cables. The guitar finally intonated now, so I was spared having to get the 12 saddle bridge, and just lived with the limited playability the same way I was living to learn with that narrow fingerboard. Later, upon reading they could damage my neck, I got a set of Tomastik 12s that Pick of the Ricks sells and kaboom! Look great, sound great, play great(wow, I can bend now). For me, it was as simple as that. I play what I think sounds and feels good, and since I mainly play my own music, it really makes no difference to me what artist uses what.

Well said, Mike. I used Pyramids on my old 325. They worked great. No issues. It's a personal matter. TI's are great strings also, and frankly, the RIC strings on my twelve play and intonate exceptionally well. Just MO.