TY - JOUR N2 - The effects of friction were observed in electric guitar strings passing over an electric guitar saddle. The effects of changing the ratio of the diameter of the winding to the diameter of the core of the string, the angle through which the string is bent, and the length on either side of the saddle were measured. Relative tensions were deduced by plucking and measuring the frequencies of vibration of the two portions of string. Coefficients of friction consistent with the capstan equation were calculated and were found to be lower than 0.26 for wound strings (nickel plated steel windings on steel cores) and lower than 0.17 for unwound (tin plated steel) strings. The largest values of friction were associated with strings of narrower windings and wider cores and this may be due to the uneven nature of the contact between the string and saddle for wound strings or due the surface of the windings deforming more, encouraging fresh (and therefore higher friction) metal to metal contact. It is advised to apply lubrication under the saddle to string contact point after first bringing the string up to pitch rather than before in order to prevent this fresh metal to metal contact. L1 - http://journals.pan.pl/Content/112808/PDF/aoa.2019.129261.pdf L2 - http://journals.pan.pl/Content/112808 PY - 2019 IS - No 3 EP - 465 DO - 10.24425/aoa.2019.129261 KW - guitar KW - string KW - friction KW - saddle KW - capstan KW - equation KW - bridge A1 - Groves, Tom A1 - Kemp, Jonathan A. PB - Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Committee on Acoustics VL - vol. 44 DA - 2019.10.04 T1 - Applicability of the Capstan Equation to Guitar Strings SP - 459 UR - http://journals.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/edition/112808 T2 - Archives of Acoustics ER -