String 3 — plain or wound? On guitar, string 3 stays plain up to a .019 gauge. Once your tuning calls for anything thicker, the calculator switches you to a wound 3rd and bumps the target from 15.5 to 16.0 lbs. Wound strings of similar gauge feel a touch softer at the same tension, so the small lift keeps them even with the rest of the ladder.

Tapered (T) vs. Regular

For Bass, the calculator defaults to Tapered for heavy strings because it’s the professional standard for modern clarity.

Go Tapered (T) for:

• Maximum Clarity: essential for metal, “clank,” and low-tuned definition.
• Easy Setup: sits deeper in the bridge and intonates accurately.
• Top-Load Bridges: if your strings hook into the back of the bridge.

Go Regular (Non-Taper) for:

• String-Through-Body: if your strings go through the back of the guitar body (tapers can snap at the bend).
• Vintage Tone: if you want a thumpy, old-school sound with less “snap.”