string recommendations please

[smojo]

Hi

If you read my ebay purchase thread you'll know I bought an Ashbury single cone wood bodied reso. I'm also a newbie and want to know what anyone would recommend to restring it with. I will mostly be playing blues slide with a bit of fretting. Fingers aren't too tough at the moment either.

I see that Newtone strings get a lot of mention and Michael has been involved with the design so they should be good. I looked at their site and see strings for National and strings for resonators. What's the difference, and what guage should I use?

The present ones on it are quite light, would heavier strings cause any problems to the cone?

The bridge is notched, would they need widening for heavier strings?

If I go for Newtones where's a good place to send for them, there's a guy on Ebay selling them for about £7 but not sure what guage or type he has.

thanks in advance

[LouisianaGrey]

"The present ones on it are quite light, would heavier strings cause any problems to the cone?"

I fit Newtone .015 to .056 strings as standard for picking and slide without any cone problems.


"The bridge is notched, would they need widening for heavier strings?"

They might, but they tend to cut them pretty generously anyway. If you need to widen them then a set of the files they sell for cleaning welding tips is pretty cheap. They won't last forever but if you've only got a few bridges and nuts to do they'll be fine.

[Deleted]

I got my last batch of strings, including various Newtones, from Strings Direct.
Whenever I order from them the postman brings them the next morning!
Not only are they cheap but you are reasonably sure it's fresh stock as they have a fast turnaround.
Don't worry about your fingers too much - the round wire core of the Newtones makes them feel OK.
Try 15 - 56: www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/ViewProduct.aspx?productId=721
Cheers, Clive.

[smojo]

Thanks guys. Ironically my fingers have gone softish through playing slide a lot of the time now.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Smojo,

It sounds like a sales pitch....and I guess it is....but....Michael Messer National Strings by Newtone are the ones to use. They have almost become an industry standard these days, used all over the world by resophonic guitar players. Or should that be players of resophonic guitars!

MM National Newtones have been on the market since 1992. They were designed by myself and Malcolm Newton (Newtone Strings) to have perfect tension in open G & D on resophonic guitars.



Available from various outlets. Check my website for details.

Shine On,
Michael.

[smojo]

cheers