Classic Guitar Effects (Getting the Sounds)

Fender patented their BulletEnd that is used on Fender Original Bullets, Stainless Bullets, Super Bullets strings. The BulletEnd is designed especiallly for your tremolo-equipped electric guitar to lock into place. This provides more stability and intonation when your use the tremolo (whammy bar). The end looks like a ... well it looks like a bullet (albeit a small caliber one) with the string coming out of the end. This differs from most conventional strings that have a little metal doughnut on the end that serves as a stop when the string is inserted into your guitar's bridge or other tailpiece mechanism that attaches the string to the guitar. The little bullet with its rounded dome-like end fits snugly and tightly into a similarly-shaped pocket in your guitar's bridge or tailpiece assembly, providing a secure fit. Bullets are available in pure nickel wound, stainless steel, and nickelplated steel. You can get them in complete sets with varying gauges of strings depending on the style and set you pick. The sets are designated usually with a four digit number and a suffix of one or two letters. For example 3150SL or 3350L

The letters at the end of the numbers on the sets give you an idea of the gauges in that set. "L" is for light, "M" for medium and "H" for heavy gauge strings. "S" is for super, "R" for regular, and "X" for extra. "T" is for Texas and Tennessee (small joke ... very small ... my apolegies to Jimmie Rogers fans). Splurge a little here and try a set from each of major types Super Bullets, Original Bullets, and Stainless Bullets to see which string material you prefer. See which set sounds best with your guitar and amp combo. If you have no idea on gauges, start with the medium ("M") or regular ("R") set closet to the middle of each group. That way you can decided whether you would like to try a heavier gauge set or a lighter gauge set next. Although I like the lighter gauges feel on my fingers, I don't like the sound. It's to tinny for my taste, but if you're running your guitar through effects processors or pedals, you may like them. As you probably know, the nut at the end of the fretboard, the has a slot for each string to run through.

If you have been using heavy guage strings and switch to light guage strings you may find that the nut lets the strings slide around rather than maintaining a nice tight fit. You may have to have a luthier do a little work on the nut to snug up the fit. If you make the opposite switch from light guage strings to heavy guage you may find that the strings won't go through the slots in the nut. If you're handy with tools and comfortable doing this type of work on a guitar you can enlarge the slots. Be careful though! Some nuts are fragile and are easily broken or damaged (and no smart remarks please)! You may want to have your luthier do this kind of work. The bridge at the other end of the neck will probably need adjusting too. Again, you may want to have your luthier do this kind of work. Precision tools for alignment and intonation are available for the pros.

Mike Furlong

I like to play guitar, talk about guitars, and collect them. So many guitars, so little money!
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