Somebody tell me or point me to the source of how much of what metal(s) added to "plain ole steel" makes it "stainless".

I have been using stainless GHSes for a year now, and I have a stock Sho~Bud bar. I alternate it with my Bullseye inert coated bar, and I can't feel much difference. I'll give that for sure the stock SB needs touching up more than on "pure nickel" strings, but to me the sharpness of the SSes is worth a little touch up, and I don't feel or hear any "grating". Maybe it's just the alloy of GHS. I tried some other brands of SSes and found them grating a lot.

Similar metals do not necessarily "gall eachother", nor do dissimilar ones "lubricate" themselves.

What are "nickel" strings in terms of metallurgical content?

What are "silvered" plain strings.

I have always thought that chromium is a rather soft metal, and I've seen plenty of stainless steel rust, though more slightly than non stainless.

Wouldn't Stainless steel strings being non magnetic or nickel for that matter be a lot less desireable for electric guitars?

In combinations of alloys for string windings, is there cathodic interaction between some?

I'm sure someone like Rick Aiello might have a compendium of this information, and I'd like to be pointed toward it if possible.

There seems to be a lot of less than totally informed opinion out here. I have my share, that's for sure.

TIAFAR.

EJL

Acoustic/Acoustic-Electric

The pickups used in acoustic guitars are transducer style rather than electro-magnetic. The transducer picks up the vibrations from the soundboard and bridge and therefore, does not require strings with magnetic properties. Phosphor/bronze strings are very popular for acoustic/electric guitars. However, any of the acoustic bronze or brass compositions can be used.

Electric Guitar

Electric guitars utilize electro-magnetic pickups. Therefore, string compositions for electric guitars must have highly magnetic characteristics. Bronze and brass cannot be sensed by the electro-magnetic pickup.

Stainless Steel - a favorite among electric guitarists due to their exceptionally brilliant tone and anti-corrosive characteristics. Resistant to the effects of perspiration and humidity, they last significantly longer than their nickel counterparts and produce ultimate volume and sustain.

Nickel-Plated Steel - the "hot" strings preferred by many rock guitarists. The highly magnetic characteristics produce a brighter sound with more "punch" than pure nickel-wound strings.

Pure Nickel - can be used on electric as well as acoustic guitars. Bright sounding, smooth feeling string often preferred for rhythm or jazz. The sound is slightly darker, rounder and fuller than nickel-plated strings.

"Stainless steel" strings have a core of music wire, it's only the windings that are stainless steel.

There are both magnetic and non-magnetic stainless steels.

The crystaline structure of some stainless steels can make them difficult to polish.

Using non-magnetic stainless steel for the wrappings would affect the sound, but you would still get sound due to the core of regular steel. I've used bronze-wound strings on an electric guitar, and they work pretty good.

Oh yeah, chrome is pretty hard.

So is nickel, but nickel will tarnish.

They pretty much make a lotta company's guitar strings ...

This site will probably give you more than you want to know about steel alloys ...Allegany Ludlum ...

Hers's a nice Metallurgy Site ...

Hope this is what you were looking for.

------------------

Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 19 March 2005 at 05:10 PM.]

quote:

---

Wouldn't Stainless steel strings being non magnetic or nickel for that matter be a lot less desireable for electric guitars?

---

The stainless steel windings are generally martensitic/400 series stainless steel ... which is ferromagnetic.

Nickel is ferromagnetic.

The Nickel wound strings ... as stated above ... are either Nickel plated steel ... or "Pure Nickel".

The "Pure Nickel" isn't really 100% nickel ... its a nickel alloy ... which one ... ????

I've only heard of "Silvered Steel Strings" associated with acoustic guitars and b@njos ...

quote:

---

In combinations of alloys for string windings, is there cathodic interaction between some

---

I'm not sure what you mean by "Cathodic Interactions" ... if you are referring to rust protection ...

Plain strings are "Tinned" carbon (plain) steel.

Tinning usually refers to a "Hot Dipping" process ... where the metal is literally dipped or run thru vats of molten tin.

Electroplating tin is also employed in industry ... but I'd bet most music wire is hot dipped.

As far as "Cathodic Protection" ... if you look at the Mapes site ... you will see Tin/Zinc coated music wire along with just Tin coated music wire ...

Zinc is a "sacrificial" metal ... it is more readily oxidized than iron ... therefore it protects or at least delays the oxidation of the steel ... "Galvanizing".

Just tryin' to help.

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 19 March 2005 at 06:42 PM.]

Also chrome being "hard". I think there are many alloys but in general to me if it is easy to polish, it is soft.

The "thin dense chrome" of the Armaloy Corp, that does Bullseye Bars in a slightly different "coating" is probably metalurgically different than what's stuck on he copper layer on my harley parts OR on the copper layer that's glued to aluminum to keep it from boiling up aluminum oxide when the two contact each other. (To my knowledge, and this is more guitar parts than strings nobody has found a way to chrome bare aluminum.)

I asked about cathodic reaction between metals such as strings on aluminum parts, or maybe bronze against other metals.

It was a stupid question about the magnetic properties of stainless, as I had forgotten, and it just slipped out. Don't nobody overestimate me... (the dots are where I say they are)

I just have noticed that I am just above the common boob that can't feel the difference on some stainless strings under my stock Sho~Bud or my other stainless bar. Namely, the GHSes I've been using.

I used to use half round nickel GHSes, but I mecame more demanding of sustain, and brighter tone over the last few years. Probably from losing my high end hearing.

I've been using SIT "Silencers" on my C neck, and GHS SSes on the E9, and there's a WORLD of difference. The C6es arent dead by any means, but much less bitey. ( is that a word).

I'll check into the metalurgy sites, and thank you Rick, Donny, and others. I'l peruse it and digest it as I can. Been a long week and weekend.

THanks All.

More info is welcome, for sure.

I'll do my best to explain the types of chrome plating and chromium's "polishing" properties.

There are several ways to "plate" a substance with chromium metal.

Here's the main types:

Show Chrome (Triple chrome) ... as found on your Harley parts ... it is a decorative application of chromium.

The best show chrome starts with a deposition of copper ... followed by nickel ... with a very thin layer of chromium added on top.

The chromium layer is only about 0.003 to 2.5 microns in thickness.

Hard Chrome Plating ... is a much thicker deposition of chromium metal.

Flash coatings run from 7.5 microns (0.0003") to 76 microns (0.003")

Thicker deposits ... over 76 microns (0.003") can be applied if desired/needed.

Hard chrome results in a "hardness" in the 950-1050 Vickers / 68-70 Rockwell C range.

Thin dense Chromium (TDC) is the "King" of chromium plating.

It differs from conventional plating ... by actually incorporating the chromium metal into the surface structure of the metal being plated ... not just "laying down" a layer on top.

It won't peel or chip ... is relatively thin (1-10 microns) ...

And is very hard ... 1020-1100 Vickers / 78 Rc. The incorporaton of nano-diamond crystals has been used .. to boost the hardness over 90 Rc.

As far as polishing to a "mirror sheen" ...

Thats more closely related to the "coefficient of friction" than it is to its hardness.

Its all about the "scattereing of light" off the surface of the material.

If the surface is relatively smooth ... it reflects light ... if its rough ... it scatters it.

Sanding, buffing and polishing ... basically reduces the "mountainous" microstructure of the surface of the substance ... promoting reflection.

These "mountanous" structures are called ... Asperities. They are microscopic projections that play a major role in determining the coefficient of friction between materials.

Friction depends on the asperities of the surfaces in contact. Pressure on the asperities cause them to deform in the vacinity of contact ... and they "weld" together.

Therefore, frictional resistance arises from sliding objects breaking and creating bonds created by asperities.

Chromium has very "non-prominent" asperities ... making its coefficient of friction low ... and its reflective nature high.

When a piece is chromed ... it doesn't take much buffing to produce a mirror sheen ...

Not because its "soft" ... but because the height of its asperities is very low to begin with.

Hope that helps ...

------------------

Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 20 March 2005 at 08:48 AM.]

quote:

---

In combinations of alloys for string windings, is there cathodic interaction...?

---