The Chetboard

Hi, everyone... I have a Gretsch 6122-59 Nashville Classic that I just love to play as I think it sounds great but, I wanted to pick your brains regarding strings for it. The pickup(s) height is to my liking and the sound seems very well balanced across the strings except for the low "E" which to my ear seems a little too strong or "boomy". I use D'Addario .011 through .049 EXL115W nickel wounds and I was wondering if it would make a difference if I tried a .047 or .048 for the low E. Also, I was wondering what you other finger-pickers out there use on that guitar? Thanks & regards. - Tom W.

Perhaps try the EXL110w? Else, Curt Mangan makes an all-nickel set with a wound 3rd (only #15510 @ https://www.curtmangan.com/electric-gui ... ckel-sets/) that would give you a vintage tone and probably tame the bass. LMark

Tom....011-049 D'Addarios is exactly what I use on my NC and I do not hear or feel any particular boomy sound from them. I wish I had a suggestion for you but I do not. Perhaps it's just a bit of personal preference. I have had my NC since 2003 and it always sounds great with these strings. I have experimented thru the years with different strings but always came back to these. Good luck on your quest!

Tom, that is what I used on my Nashville Classic, too, before I sold it. Folks said it had a good sound and I never noticed any boomyness. I also use them on my Gibson Tennessean and they work well, there, too. Hope you can get it like you want it to sound.
Ray

I have sets of the Gretsch Chet Atkins strings that were available a few years ago. They came with either a .010 or .011 high-E string, but both sets have a .048 low-E string. In fact, other than the B-string being different between the two sets, all of the other strings are the same. That probably doesn't help much, but I just noticed it when I looked to see. I also have a set of D'Addario XL110 electric strings that I've used on my Strat. With the .010 high-E, they have a .046 low-E.

Hope that helps,

Bill B.

Thanks so much, guys for taking the time to respond. I've since discovered that I can purchase the same type of D'Addario strings individually so I'm going to try the .048 & see if that makes a difference. Stay tuned... I'll let you know the results. Regards, Tom W.