The Birth of Light-Gauge Strings

Have you ever wondered how we got light gauge strings? To give some context, until 1962, strings were 12-52, or heavier, with a wound third, and nothing lighter was available unless you used a banjo string. How about this, did you ever wonder why every string manufacturer has a 10-46 set that has the exact same gauges, 10,13,17,26,36,46? And the same with 9s and 8s? Today we tell the tale of the maverick guitarists of the late 1950's who wanted lighter strings with an unwound 3rd ...