STRINGS ATTACHED
Your magazine is both good and dangerous to readers’ bank accounts. I shall explain why. In issue 449 you included a review of the renewed Guild Starfire IV ST-12 electric 12-string guitar. I found this review very interesting, as did a former pupil of mine, so we decided I should enquire about the purchase of one of these new instruments and see later which of us would keep it. I have now done this, so I currently have two 12-string guitars, which leads me to a problem that I shall outline to you. Issue 453 includes an accessory guide and there are two sections about guitar strings, electric and acoustic. The acoustic strings are mostly listed in sets between 0.012 and 0.053, which, as mainly an acoustic guitarist, I am used to. I am sure I am far from being alone in that I also play electric guitars and like to string them in similar gauges. Not all players of electric guitars are 0.009 weaklings.
For years I have struggled to obtain strings for my acoustic 12-string as most music shops only sell bronze wound strings in sets of six. This means in order to restring my 12 I have to buy three sets, as I need three firsts, three seconds, two thirds, two fourths and one each of fifth and sixth. A consequence of this is that I now have dozens of spare heavy strings. I have double the problem as the Starfire was supplied with strings beginning at 0.010.
I contacted several music shops to see if they could help, two of whom suggested that increasing the gauge might bend the neck of the guitar. Huh! 40 years of doing this with my acoustic Guild has not affected the neck, so I am sure the same will be true of the Starfire. I suggested to these people that Guild perhaps fit their guitars with good torsion bars. Only one shop, Steven James in Saltburn, was able to provide individual strings for the electric 12, so I’ve been able to refit it as I want. It now plays admirably and sounds better than it did with the light strings. I shall continue to read your excellent magazine and just hope that you do not cause me any more expensive problems! Roger, via email
The answer to your prayers may lie online, as many web retailers sell individual strings so you can fill your shopping cart with your preferred selection in one visit – and order multiples of your selection easily if you wish, so you can stock up. If you register your details, they may even provide the option of renewing a previous order from your history of purchases, again making restocking easy. Finally, some brands, such as Curt Mangan, will allow you to create a custom set personalised to your exact preferences. Again, once on their books you can order more as necessary. Meanwhile, have a Korg tuner to keep those 12-strings harmonious!