Guitar Strings, Brand, Type, Gauge?

[TapperMike]

Recently I bought guitar strings from juststrings dot com.  They messed up my order. I ordered 4 sets of flatwount 12's and a set of regular 09's.  the 09's didn't show up and then a week later they did.  The other screw up was the 12's that should have been flatwounds were regular round wounts and the 09's were "semi flat" 

 

I haven't had need for flatwounds in quite some time.  But I've begun falling in love with the old fashion tone that they deliver to guitars..  The biggest thing is price. Flatwounds don't go for cheap some can be as much as $24 a pack. I was in shock to find Darko flatwounds on sale for $2 a pack.  Actually I was just as surprised to see Darko strings still being made. Darko is a subsidiary of Martin and produce Martin guitar strings.

 

I decided to keep the strings from JS all the same.  While they weren't the droids I was looking for the Darko 12's are working out just fine.  I played Darko's and SIT's in the late 70's thru early 80's because they were cheap. I only stopped playing them when I could no longer find them

 

I too had the "can't stay in tune' issues with Ernie Balls though I could have easily blamed my guitar for the problems. What's odd is that my Tele modern player was shipped with a fresh set of eb's and...They're just as good at staying in tune as any other brand. As well they have that bouncy spongy feel to them like Boomers or SIT's

 

So my SIT's arrived a week later. I haven't installed them yet. I'm only somewhat curious to what a half flat 09 will sound like.  Considering all the strings were dirt cheap I've got little to complain about.  The only thing I know about SIT is that they must have a really small advertising budget to work with.  It's another cheap brand of guitar strings that disappeared from local stores decades ago.  I just assumed they went out of business.

 

How picky are you when it comes to guitar strings and what do you think a reasonable price should be for them?

[Rudi]

It does no harm to try something else from time to time. You can transform the sound with different strings. The different feel is something you can adjust to. Sometimes it’s surprising just what you can get used to.

 

I keep a notebook with the strings I use on each guitar.

It’s also is a historical record of what strings I’ve used since owning the guitars.

 

For example, when I bought the Soloist 16 years ago, I measured the string gauges. I keep a micrometer at home to check string sizes.

That guitar went from strings that were similar in size to EB super slinky (.009”). Almost immediately I added custom sizes into the mix, so I would buy a pack of EB SS and also a couple of heavier Rotosound separates to get the exact sizes I wanted for each string. I was throwing away the redundant strings.

After about 5 years of slowly increasing gauge sizes, I re-jigged the setup for EB Regular (.010”) and have used those ever since. Even though this seems perfect, I have idly wondered if I should try yet heavier gauges again.

 

I still use a custom set on the Fylde acoustic with medium bronze wound as the core set (I replace the 3^rd with a lighter unwound).

 

I am still experimenting with the Spanish guitar. These sets are not normally sold according to gauge, but by tension. I have been trying different sorts of regular tension though (Aquila at the moment I think). I love the sound of nylon strings. The silent also is nylon strung.

 

The new Hofner archtop has flatwound D’Addario .012” on. These is heavier than suits it really, and it’s a physical experience to play it. The day before yesterday I de-tuned them by a whole tone, which has only slightly affected the sound quality (a bit worse) and only slightly improved the tension. I will likely return it to regular concert tuning again. I have already bought a replacement set of .011” D’Addario for next time.

 

All this reminds me that I need to retire a couple of guitars. This must certainly happen before I get another (and illogically, I do want another).

[Danidog]

Way back I used only Martin SP's in mediums. (used to like to 'flog the dog', so to speak and the mediums held up well). Until six months or so ago, I'd never played anything other than a full-sized dreadnought. And then I found a little Taylor GS mini that I literally fell in love with. That came with Elixer Nanaweb mediums and I've been so satisfied with them, I put them on my two full-sized acoustics. To my ear, they sound better than the Martins and so far have outlasted them by more than double (I change my strings first of each month). I think they are too pricey, and look (hope) for their prices to come down when the next 'newest and best' thing comes along.

 

Strings are such a subjective thing, hard to say what's best or not. Kinda like which guitar sounds/plays best.

 

A word if warning, if I may? Stay away from the GS mini's. They are addictive and you will join the mini cult club.  

[TapperMike]

Re fenders....Usually fenders ship with fender strings 50xl's or bullets.

 

My Tele modern player was used and was shipped with EB 09's  I did the fender strings thing back in the 70's tried a few different brands and settled on D'addario in the 90's

 

I tried Dunlop "Wylde" Strings awhile back.  Put them on two guitars HATED the tone.Maybe if I were a thrash metal player I'd enjoy them.

 

I've read nothing but good things about elixir but I'm reluctant to buy a few packs and start trying them out on various guitars.  The joy's of the single life allow me guitars everywhere in my apt. I've got a couple of guitars near the kitchen table which I used for my morning scales and licks workouts. I've got couch guitars for remembering the old songs I used to play and for trying to copy songs I hear on TV (commercials and background music) I've got computer guitars which see the most action and I've got bedroom guitars for those nights a song comes to me in my sleep.  The bedroom and kitchen guitars rarely have string changes.  Every once in awhile one of the guitars gets promoted to computer and one drops back.  In the summer one very special guitar may make it to the balcony.

 

Regarding retiring guitars.  The Sx Furrian may be hitting the dumpster soon.  I thought about replacing everything on it save the body itself,  New neck, new tuners, new pickups, new wiring harness, new bridge.  I haven't had a project guitar in a long time.  But then I thought...why when I've already got plenty of projects to keep me occupied as it is.

[Danidog]

You're living large Bro! Keep the dream alive for those of us that have fallen into the pit!

[TapperMike]

This may read like sacrilege. I've never considered myself an acoustic guitarist.  I've had more then a few thru the years but I never even came close to sounding like James Taylor or Paul Simon.  Trust me I wanted to.  The only acoustic "ish' guitars I own right now are my jazz boxes and a few "ae" such as my godins and the piezo in the parker.

[Mahesh]

I hate the sound of the strings on my guitar. Was ok with the D Addario custom light before. Then thought I'll try the Ernie Ball Earthwood 80/20 bronze. I don't like it. I hate it. I don't like it so Bright and twangy and ringy. I know there are brighter ones. But my ears don't take this already. Maybe it's my guitar. Maybe I've been too cranky today but I'm losing it. I'm thinking of trying Silk and Steel. Never have tried it. Will give it a shot. Anyone else have had experience with it? I know some may have complaints about it being too loose on the fingers.I'm looking for a mellow sound.

Thanks for the help and don't mind the rants. It's either you guys or the diary. Lol

[Mahesh]

Ok just an update.

 

I bought D Addario's Silk and Steel .011 gauge strings. I originally wanted the Ernie Ball Silk and Steel Regular. But they only had the Extra Soft variant and I didn't want to risk it though it would have costed half of what I paid for this one. 

 

I restrung ( restringed?) the guitar last night with this new set. I like the sound. In fact I really like it. I plugged it to my processor and put on some headphones and was playing with some of my favorite songs and it sounded really good; whatever the sound the Fishman pups were picking. The natural sound is not as loud as I would want it to be or as compared to the previous Phospor Bronze & 80/20 strings that I used but the mellow tone is something I really enjoy. 

 

My only nit is that these are .011-0.047 strings. My preference is .012 at the minimum and I like the strings nice and thick sitting well on my guitar.

 

Also, because these are lighter ones than what I'd usually use, my guitar needs readjustment of its neck now as there is a slight issue with the intonation and pitch. I did minor adjustments with the truss rod but that brings a little string buzz near the 12th Fret. I decided to back off with any more adjustment and let the strings just sit until I buy thicker strings later. Hopefully the fairly humid weather we are having this week will help ease this issue.

 

These felt pretty loose though it was easier to play (don't care for that much). I would definitely like to try the .012 gauge Silk and Steel strings. I used to naively buy strings based on what my favorite musicians use. I thought about this one with respect to the sound I'm looking for in order for me to perform without being distracted by any dislike of the sound and did a bit of research and am fairly glad with what I have stumbled upon. 

 

As you can see in the pics attached, the brighter strings after this is the Gypsy Jazz ones. I'm not so sure if I want to try them. I am curious though. The next ones would either be the Gypsy Jazz or the Silk and Steel medium gauge. It will most probably be the Silk and Steel. Will record something when I get time.

 

That's all for now.

[Mahesh]

BTW I forgot to mention, these strings have very minimal annoying shimmers and sparkly sound while strumming (especially those sparkles that do no good to the sound). In fact, I didn't notice any such sound at all except for the string buzz that appeared later. I know Silk & Steel strings are supposed to do that. But I wanted to put it in there.

 

Also, though you'd notice in the images that it says it is suitable for Traditional Style finger picking, I did read many suggesting for otherwise too if one would like such a sound. I dunno if these specific D Addario strings are meant for finger picking though. In that case, theoretically, the strings should wear off more quickly than usual. Let's see. 

[macmanmatty]

 I use  GHS and D'addario  strings on my  steel string guitars. MAINLY GHS  phospher bronze in a light gauge (.56-.11). The GHS sound bright and are not to slippery.  I used to use martins until had several  packs of them stored in a small plastic  storage container with the lid on in  the their special anti-rust packaging you guessed it ... RUST!!! They were only there for less than 1.5 years, so no more martins for me.  MY  round neck resonator  is tuned C2 G2 C3 E3 G3 D4  i use only D' addario strings on that because they are only the string manufacturer who makes individual strings over a .60 gauge (they make up to a .70) and My C2 string requires a .66 gauge to have proper tension and not be floppy. My custom set for that is .66, .47, .36 .30, .24, .16

[IShred4Life]

I used to use just Ernie Balls, started with Regular Slinky and then when to Skinny Top, Heavy Bottom or whatever its called, Occasionally use the Ernie Ball Cobalt's as well. For a short time I used the GHS Dave Mustaine signatures. Those were amazing strings. 5 bucks a pop on Musicians Friend. Worked great for my purposes. For the past few months however Ive been using the Dunlop Heavy Core's. I love the sound and the tension is great for everything except the 3 highest strings. Its a tad too thick on that end for me, but anytime I go lighter than 10, 13, 17, My strings go out of tune any time I bend. I don't know what the hell is going on. Its not just on one guitar either so I mean. My primary axe is a ESP LTD V-300

 

Cheers

Zack

[TapperMike]

If you change string gauges expect it to affect the intonation, relief and action. If you don't have a locking or graphite nut you may want to invest in some nut sauce for string changes so the strings don't bind up in the nut.

[Rudi]

Before going up a grade, its worth checking the string fits in the nut before changing.

 

Usually it can be widened with a little folded emery or sandpaper. If you have any shim, you can wrap the emery around that.

 

I like the 2015 Gibson adjustable nut / zero fret feature on the solidbodies. It looks like brass and is a great innovation I think.

BTW, the adjustment is up & down, not string width. You would still need to widen those with emery when changing up.