proper Gauge string

[NightWinder]

What is the proper gauge string to use to authenticate a tele bridge pickup to vintage spec? Strans, etc.

[kevinT]

Stewmac lists theirs as "white cotton 8-strand string used for protecting the windings of a TeleŽ bridge pickup coil".

I have some string from one of SM's Tele kits and i bought some cotton twine at Ace... they're about the same thickness. The Ace string says its #18.

I'm sure the other guys would know better.

Here is a link i posted a while back.

http://packandseal.com/TwineCot.html

[NightWinder]

Stewmac lists theirs as "white cotton 8-strand string used for protecting the windings of a TeleŽ bridge pickup coil".

I have some string from one of SM's Tele kits and i bought some cotton twine at Ace... they're about the same thickness. The Ace string says its #18.

I'm sure the other guys would know better.

Here is a link i posted a while back.

http://packandseal.com/TwineCot.html

Vintage guys knocking at my door again......Oh boy, here we go. Nah, just kidding....Vintage guys are a blast. They get sooo excited and crazed out. Its worth the extra effort to get as close as possible to spec, and can be quite challanging. I just like the silly look on their face after they here their new tones. Kevin, how is the feel of the string? Is there a coating on it? Safe to say 8 stran #18?

[kevinT]

Here's the catch....which one is the true vintage correct. The string that came with the SM Tele kit doesn't look like the image on their website (attached). The string in the kit actually has 8 individual strands which are twisted to form the string.

In contrast, the string that SM has pictured for thier Tele string and the one I bought from ACE (both are pictured below) are a little different from the one in the Tele kit. The ones pictured have 3 major strands, of which, 5 smaller strands make up each of the 3 main strands for a total of 15 strands....sort of like how steel cable is constructed.

I don't have an image of the string that comes with SM's Tele kit

There is no coating on either of them.

They are the same gauge (thickness)

[Spence]

Both of those are wrong big time. They're too thick for a start. It's not easy to describe but I'll try and get some shots of the real deal stuff for you....

[Spence]

here's a close up shot of the right string to use.

It's bleached cotton and the strands that make up the string are almost fuzzy compared to the beautifully defined strands on the other pictures here. This string will take a colour quite nicely. I use black ink jet ink to get black string. It looks charcoal gray when dry but wax potting makes it look black.

This string is 0.063" or 14 AWG.

[kevinT]

yes.

That is the type in the SM Tele kits that i have. I was trying to find a good word to describe it..."fuzzy" works for me. It's also not as tightly twisted as the string in the pics I posted.

Its crazy how the SM pics don't match what is in their kits...go figure.

spence, where did you get yours.....or is that top secret

[Magnetosaure]

Well, I'm not an expert, but I use SM string, and dye it with black dyeing for clothes. The result is a thicker string with that uneven dark grey color that gives a "vintage" look to my pickups when waked.

[Spence]

yes.

That is the type in the SM Tele kits that i have. I was trying to find a good word to describe it..."fuzzy" works for me. It's also not as tightly twisted as the string in the pics I posted.

Its crazy how the SM pics don't match what is in their kits...go figure.

spence, where did you get yours.....or is that top secret

funny that. Dan Mare asked me the same question when I sent him a ball. I get it from County Builder's Supplies in Rumney, Cardiff, UK. That is also where I found blocks of parrafin wax that had been there for 40 years. Now that's vintage !

[mick]

You won't find stuff like that at mitre 10...some of the staff could have been in a coma for 40 years though...

[Possum]

vintage...

dyeing the string black isn't vintage correct. Leo used carbon in the wax, this only coats the outer layers, if you've ever rewound a vintage tele bridge this is plainly apparent. I've looked high and low for string like Spence has and zero luck, so I do my own thing which isn't totally vintage correct but is what Leo did. I'll have to check out SM's string, wonder where they are getting that stuff.....

[NightWinder]

Thats the stuff right there. I was using string from model sailing ships, in solid black, but i would gladly move to that.....Thats badass!

[Possum]

stew mac ripoff....

I ordred some of that string, shit you can buy a freaking ball of it just about anywhere for way cheaper. The stuff that Spence has is the real deal and I suspect its old stock stuff. Cruder and more raw than modern string. I don't think anyone buying pickups really would care though. Spence ought to buy up a shitload of it and sell it to the rest of us for yuks......

[Spence]

I need to get another truck load of it soon so I'll be quite happy to pass it on to you guys for the same price I get it for.