Anybody here with Broadways, Rivieras and Frequensator Sheratons?

[Ocean1]

I have heard the guitars with Frequensators can be problematic with string length for the D string. Some sets the D is just not long enough I heard. For those who own one of these guitars, what is your experience?

Also, do you experience any extra buzzing or unwanted vibration that you would blame on the Frequensator?

 

[Darkness]

It is a nail biter of a fit. I have heard longer strings can be ordered but I haven't bothered to look for any.

I haven't had any buzzing or anything negative to say.

 

[Ocean1]

Well, do share. Which set are you using? Which ones have worked for you and which ones were too short?

 

[Enjoicube]

I use d’addario xl 10-46 and they fit my frequensator Sheraton fine!

 

[3bolt79]

It is a nail biter of a fit. I have heard longer strings can be ordered but I haven't bothered to look for any.

I haven't had any buzzing or anything negative to say.

Is it worse than a 17 inch Gretsch Hollowbody with a Bigsby? I use the whole length of the G and D strings on my White Falcon, and when I'm done I have a tab of about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch to cut off flush. And that's with using Ernie Ball Paradigms.

 

[Ocean1]

I use d’addario xl 10-46 and they fit my frequensator Sheraton fine!

Good to know. So chances are any D'addario would fit right? They are probably all the same length for electric guitar? Or the XL is referring to length? I don't use D'addario. I use DR, GHS or Enrie.

 

[Darkness]

Is it worse than a 17 inch Gretsch Hollowbody with a Bigsby?

I couldn't say. I posted a Pic here, just barely got 2 wraps and didn't cut the string at all.

https://www.epiphonetalk.com/threads/riviera-with-frequensator.7851/

 

[LesB3]

I use D'Addarios as well and have had the same experience on my ZBD and Broadway, about two wraps with very little left to cut. The big-box Epis like the Broadway (and the larger Gretsch's like a WF or CC) will be a longer scale length (25.5") vs the Sheraton (24.75"), so you might be perfectly fine on a Sheraton but borderline on a Broadway.

 

[Ocean1]

I couldn't say. I posted a Pic here, just barely got 2 wraps and didn't cut the string at all.

https://www.epiphonetalk.com/threads/riviera-with-frequensator.7851/

Interesting thread. I did search before posting this one and didn't find that one. Either the searching is not great or I'm too dumb.

 

[SlickGeorge]

Pyramid strings are long enough for the Riviera's Frequensator. I use their Pure Nickel sets on all my guitars and find they are durable and hold their tone for quite some time if you clean them after playing.( I do sweat quite a bit, especially when I have to do lead vocals aka yelling at the audience;-) And they're not expensive either.

 

[SlickGeorge]

Regarding buzz from the Frequensator - I do notice it when I don't plug in, it's more like the strings resonate behind the bridge. But on my Riviera it has no effect on the amped tone, no unwanted frequencies, no buzzing of any kind.

 

[Charles Carter]

I have a couple of Century Masterbilts, a Zenith and a DeLuxe, both with frequensators.
I use Thomastiks.
No problem with length at all.



The second Frequensator I installed (Zenith) buzzed a little initially but once it settled in it was fine.

 

[Ocean1]

Pyramid strings are long enough for the Riviera's Frequensator. I use their Pure Nickel sets on all my guitars and find they are durable and hold their tone for quite some time if you clean them after playing.( I do sweat quite a bit, especially when I have to do lead vocals aka yelling at the audience;-) And they're not expensive either.

Good to know. I have been wanting to try Pyramid, as I mainly play pure nickel and they offer that. I normally use DR or GHS. But I want to try Pyramid. Great to know they fit the Frequensator. I have never measured the DR and GHS. They might too. But if Pyramid fits and have pure nickel, more options is ways better.

 

[Ocean1]

Regarding buzz from the Frequensator - I do notice it when I don't plug in, it's more like the strings resonate behind the bridge. But on my Riviera it has no effect on the amped tone, no unwanted frequencies, no buzzing of any kind.

Yeah, same with my ES175 and the Casino. Buzz and vibration can be irritating when playing unplugged or with the guitar volume turned down as I normally play the ES175. Interesting enough, some other guitars with trapeze type of tails don't do that. Like Guilds. I guess it has to do with how thin they are. The Gibson trapeze, used on the Casino, 330 and 70's 335 is dreadful for that. Just so flimsy. I guess the Frequesator being just thin wires basically can't be all that different there. The ES175 should be better, as it is thicker. But mine buzzes like a door bell buzzer.

 

[Ocean1]

I have a couple of Century Masterbilts, a Zenith and a DeLuxe, both with frequensators.
I use Thomastiks.
No problem with length at all.

View attachment 26090

The second Frequensator I installed (Zenith) buzzed a little initially but once it settled in it was fine.

Alright. I will check if they make pure nickels. I never used them.

For the buzzing, maybe it's luck of the draw. But so your Zenith came with a different tail piece and you installed a Frequensator?

 

[Charles Carter]

Alright. I will check if they make pure nickels. I never used them.

For the buzzing, maybe it's luck of the draw. But so your Zenith came with a different tail piece and you installed a Frequensator?

Yes, I installed them both. They come with a regular triangular tailpiece as stock.

 

[Ocean1]

Yes, I installed them both. They come with a regular triangular tailpiece as stock.

That's interesting. Was it only because of aesthetic reasons or were you chasing something sound wise you like on Frequensators?

By regular triangular tailpiece, do you mean like a Casino or like some of the Gibson's ES175 which have a different tailpiece as the Epi 175s?

 

[Charles Carter]

That's interesting. Was it only because of aesthetic reasons or were you chasing something sound wise you like on Frequensators?

By regular triangular tailpiece, do you mean like a Casino or like some of the Gibson's ES175 which have a different tailpiece as the Epi 175s?

Hey Adam. I bought a Century Deluxe last year that had been modified and had a Frequensator on it. I was interested to see how it sounded.
I found I really liked the tonal qualities it produced with the focused bass sound particularly when picking melodies.
I removed that one, replaced it with a gold one I'd bought to go on my Sheraton so it matched the aftermarket humbucker and eventually put that silver one on my Zenith.
The regular tailpiece is in the picture attached. Taken before I rearranged things.

 

[LesB3]

As an interesting adder to this thread, I recently swapped the Frequensator on my ZBD with a B6 Bigsby, and I don't get any more wraps on the "D" string post than I did with the Frequensator! Two wraps and very lttle left to cut.

 

[armybass]

I tried DR Pure Blues on my Sheraton with the Frequensator but the D was too short. I also found that D’Addario XL’s worked just fine.