Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anyone know what factory recommended replacement strings for the 700 Series acoustic are?

I would guess they'd be a standard .011 or .012 set.

Personally, I like 13-58's on accoustic 6's.

I measured the factory strings on my 730L Laramie with a micrometer and here are the diameters as measured, in inches:

1st String: 0.010
2nd String: 0.013 (0.012-0.014)
3rd String: 0.024
4th String: 0.031
5th String: 0.042
6th String: 0.054

Except for the 2nd string, the diameters were pretty uniform. Strangely, except for the first two strings, the diameters nearly match those for a short scale electric (12-16-24W-32-42-54)!

Now, I wonder when RIC will update their accessories list and include replacement strings for the acoustics?

I thought I'd make an appeal to John Hall on this subject. John, would you be so kind as to comment about RIC acoustic strings for us?

It's been posted on our website in the strings section for some time:

10-14-24W-32-42-54

At this time we don't have the intention to offer acoustic strings. I've really only seen one type from one vendor that was really fantastic, that I would have felt worth it to put in the line. Unfortunately they decided not to make them because the color of them was likely to put customers off.

Personally, in the studio we use Elixir Nanowebs on my acoustics.

OK, I'll bite... what "color" were they?

They started off as a copper color but very quickly acquired that reddish to greenish tinge, as they were phosphor bronze based, I believe. The discoloration had no effect on the tone or life of the string. They were the most glorious sounding acoustic strings I've heard.

Thanks for the input, John. It's been some time since I accessed the Strings page at the RIC site.