Weissenborn Guitar, noisy strings?

[Todd McMakin]

I'm not sure if this really fits here, but I wasn't sure where to post it. I have a Lazy River Weissenborn style guitar that I just bought used. I love the tone! When I got it, it had very old strings on it, so I put on a set of John Pearse Medium PB strings. I'm tuning to open D. As I said earlier, the tone is great! The issue I have is that my stainless steel slides make a "scratching" type of sound on the strings when playing slide. I don't notice this so much on the lap steel. Should I be using a different type of strings? What can I do to reduce this acoustic noise?

Todd

[Brooks Montgomery]

Try a chrome plated steel and see if you like it better.

[K Maul]

It could be a matter of muting technique. Practicing is the only way around that.

[Chris Clem]

Yes "John Pearse Medium PB strings" on a Weissenborn are a very lively/noisy strings. You can take some 400/600 grit sandpaper on the wound strings and that will help reduce the slide friction.That is the quick fix.

I found nickel wound Martin Monel strings work best on my Weissenborn, of course opinions we be all over the place on what is best.

[Todd McMakin]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I love those strings on my acoustic guitars, but it may be that they are not the best option for Weissenborn. Do coated strings help in this regard?

[Jack Hanson]

I string up my Weiss (a 1922 Maui Maid) with John Pearse Phospher Bronze Wound New D Tuning Set #3160 and play it with a Latch Lake stainless bar. I do not find the string/bar combo to be excessively noisy after the strings are broken in from playing for an hour or so.

[Andy DePaule]

This may or may not seem suitable for playing that kind of guitar.
I use Flat Wound strings on all my lap steels because they are smooth and quiet, but most of all because I like the warmer tone.
Maybe try Semi-Flat or Flat Wound strings?
I get mine from juststrings.com because they sell them as both sets as well as individual strings. I don't like the gauges in sets because I use a little heavier strings on the bass side.

I get my pedal steel strings from the forum to help finance this great site.

[Brooks Montgomery]

Todd, regarding my comment above about the tone bar:
I have a chrome plated scheerhorn bar and the same bar unplated in stainless.
The stainless bar has more friction and is noisier than the chrome plated, regardless of strings used. I much prefer the chrome plated tone bar.

[Larry Allen]

On my Weissenborn I use John Pearce 3130HB..quiet BJS bar slides..great tone, long lasting.

[Andy Volk]

Try a coated bar like an EZ-Slide or Clinesmith and I'll bet you reduce your string noise considerably.

[Todd McMakin]

Any additional recommendations for strings I can try that might be a little less noisy?

[Gary S. Lynch]

Todd,
I own a Bear Creek, Lazy River and a Celtic Cross Weissenborn.
I agree with all the comments posted.

Personally, I only use D’Addario Resophonic Flat Top Phosphor Bronze
EFT 13 on all three. A little pricey but we’ll worth it IMHO.
I also changed out the bone nuts on the Lazy River and Celtic Cross to Asher Tusq style.
That made a really nice difference.

[Gary S. Lynch]

Here is the Bear Creek Koa.

[Tony Dingus]

Bump.

Tony