Strings

[Rudi]

What sort of strings do you use?

Brass plated, Nickel wound, flat wound, round wound, heavy gauge, light gauge, custom etc.

More importantly why? Is the sound improved, or to you choose strings that make fretting easier?

[Nightwolf]

I like Ernie Ball Super Slinky Hybrids

The little strings are smaller than normal to allow for faster speed and the high end strings are thicker for more warmth.

For warmth you can't beat Dean Markley's Blue steel series

[john]

D'Addario or Martin Phosphur bronze light gauge on my acoustic. A nice bright, distinctive tone is my main reason.

D'Addario light gauge electric. Main reason they sound good, secondary they hold their tone well, thirdly they last. To be honest there's little in electric strings from the main companies.

[Hope4Peace]

I used to use D'Addario but I found I was snapping my strings quite a bit, ok not all that much but a good handful of times.. and for someone like me who's scared to death of a string hitting me in the face that was too much for me. I used to be scared to tune my guitar or change the strings for that reason. So, I went to a guitar shop and asked for a good set of strings that wont break easily, and, had a nice, warm sound. I was recommended Earthtones. I loved them and thats what Ive used ever since, Earthtones Phosphor Bronze medium gauge.. Ive not yet had one break on me and I really do like the sound.

[thelevellers]

Ooh, I'm a D'Addario convert... I was an enrie ball cheap string guy, until a new guitar store opened in my old town and the guy in there was selling (and stills sells!!) D'Addario for the same price as i have been buying ernie balls, and he convinced me to try them... never looked back!! I usually get 11s as I tend to break strings a lot That also means that now I'm not living near a cheap shop I might have to either visit the excellent Bideford Bay guitars and stock up, or go back to ernie balls... :s DOH!

Oh, and I did try some D'Addario strings for my accoustic, but then realised that a) it was so long since I last put new strings on it that I couldn't really tell if they were any better, and it's only a cheap (but surprisingly lovely sounding) nylon acoustic... it's really worth the extra expense!! Talkign of the lovely sound, I might have to see if i can record it properly sometime, the one time I have was on my mobile fone, and it came out sounding like it was an electric guitar through a distortion pedal! Actually a kinda cool sound, but not exactly what I was looking for... :S

Rohan

[typo]

d'addarrio. nice sound, nice feel, keep their tone well

[Steve]

Cat gut for my Lute. Got a job to find them these days! May have to start making my own!

[Steve]

I have a mate in Holland going on about these. Elixer Strings. Assures me it's the best move he's ever made! Was a bit put off with the price but thinks they are well worth the extra bunce! As my accoustic is due for a new set soon, I may invest some cash here and go for it! Anybody ever tried em?

[thelevellers]

I've not tried them, but a friend swears by 'em... Never felt i could fork out the extra to try really :S

[Steve]

I've not tried them, but a friend swears by 'em... Never felt i could fork out the extra to try really :S

Bought a set today. Gonna try and find some time to restring this weekend. I'll let you know what I think! Not quite as expensive as I first thought! £12.99.

[lemonstar]

Bought a set today. Gonna try and find some time to restring this weekend. I'll let you know what I think! Not quite as expensive as I first thought! £12.99.

The name Elixir rings a bell with me - are they the "poly" wound ones? I ordered some over the net a couple of years ago and I'm still looking for them - I don't know where I put them!

Usually I use D'addarrio medium (12 top e I think) not light(top e is 11 I think) or any phospor bronze, I tried Martin and Ernie Ball but I've got no real preference - at times I've had strings from all of them break earlier than I expected.

Uk - where best to order them from? Any recommendations?

[Nick]

I use Martin Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings Medium (13-17-26-35-45-56 ) on my acoustic (occasionally 12's the next gauge down). I like to fingerpick or bash away in sessions and mediums suit me fine. Harder to bend up a tone though! I have a friend who strings his acoustic with 10's and it feels weird playing it.

Uk - where best to order them from? Any recommendations?

I normally use Stringbusters - good delivery and reasonable price but have noticed better deals on ebay. I came across this link from a guy in the UK who uses them - Webstrings - recently and reckon that a dozen sets delivered from the States would still only be about £24 which is cheaper than the £3.60 a set I currently pay

I have to say that I very rarely have strings break before I decide to chane them - is there something with the set up of the guitar that is causing it? I play a lot in alternative tunings (DADGAD - DADGBE - CGDGBE - CGCGCE - CGDGAD - DADF#AD) and still rarely have a string go even though some are going up and down up to 4 semitones

Edited March 24, 2008 by Nick

[Steve]

USE YOUR LOCAL MUSIC SHOP.

If you don't! There won't be any local music shops.

The Elixer strings are great! They appear to be keeping their brightness, although it's still too early to judge. They feel good under the fingers and the 'squeal' is much less noticeable!

[FinnArild]

On my Hamer, I use D'addario EXL140 .010-.052 - plump and nice bottom. I haven't decided on my Hagstrøm Viking yet. On my acoustic, I use the plain D'addario 011 - open for suggestions there. On the classical I have always sworn to Savarez high tension strings.

[lemonstar]

I normally use Stringbusters - good delivery and reasonable price but have noticed better deals on ebay. I came across this link from a guy in the UK who uses them - Webstrings - recently and reckon that a dozen sets delivered from the States would still only be about £24 which is cheaper than the £3.60 a set I currently pay

I have to say that I very rarely have strings break before I decide to chane them - is there something with the set up of the guitar that is causing it? I play a lot in alternative tunings (DADGAD - DADGBE - CGDGBE - CGCGCE - CGDGAD - DADF#AD) and still rarely have a string go even though some are going up and down up to 4 semitones

Thanks for the links.

Don't get me wrong - I haven't broken many. I was just saying that all the strings types I've used seem about the same in terms of reliability/resilience. Actually the last one I broke (first for 2 or 3 years I think) was tuning back UP from a non-standard tuning. I hadn't (really) tried any non-standard tunings - the one I tried was

1) tune the A to a G then

2) tune the e to a d then

3) then tune everything down by three semi-tones. giving C D# A# D# G a#

I may post that one up for review at some point. It made me realise that it woudl b very useful to have another guitar so that I can experiement with (or, as I was in this case, specifically aiming to finish writing a song using) a non-standard and still have access to a regular tuning. Is that what you tend do?

[Nick]

I may post that one up for review at some point. It made me realise that it woudl b very useful to have another guitar so that I can experiement with (or, as I was in this case, specifically aiming to finish writing a song using) a non-standard and still have access to a regular tuning. Is that what you tend do?

Cm7 tuning - interesting. I think there's a John Martyn tune that I've played in something similar. I sing a Dougie Maclean song in Cm tuning (CGCGCEb) which I like and Jericho by Joni Mitchell which I love has a CGDFBbD tuning which is slightly odd but sounds good.

I have an older acoustic that is usually in DADGAD or Open C or Open D but tend to tune the main guitar I use around the various tunings as the mood takes me. The idea was to use the second for open tunings to save me but it hasn't really worked out that way as I prefer playing the other one! (It's a very inexpensive guitar but has a nice feel and I like the sound - I play in a band with a guy who has a really nice Martin acoustic and he reckons I was very lucky with it, in that it's sound and feel are out of range of the price I paid for it)

I would think to tune the E string down to A# must sound pretty odd as it's a long way down.

There is a traditionally tuned Spanish guitar around as well and I have another guitar which is currently tuned to F#G#G#G# but that's another story

Edited March 26, 2008 by Nick

[Steve]

I have another guitar which is currently tuned to F#G#G#G# but that's another story

[Nick]

My wife was given a Levin acoustic guitar at some point in her life which is an ancient acoustic thing. She likes singing Joni Mitchell songs so I learnt some of them. Quite a number of them have a transcribed dulcimer part that you can emulate on a three or four string guitar so I took a couple of strings off and have a four string guitar. At the moment it's tuned to F#G#G#G# as that is the dulcimer tuning for 'All I Want' from 'Blue'.

I tune it DADA when I play 'Carey' (or if I'm in a surreal mood)

[Alistair]

I use D'addario EXL140 .010-.052 -

I use these for my acoustic. I hate Elixir. Like telephone wires!

[DAB]

I have a mate in Holland going on about these. Elixer Strings. Assures me it's the best move he's ever made! Was a bit put off with the price but thinks they are well worth the extra bunce! As my accoustic is due for a new set soon, I may invest some cash here and go for it! Anybody ever tried em?

Yep!

I use Elixir strings on my acoustic, they sound fantastic. Med/.013 - .056 80/20 bronze, ultra thin nanoweb coated. Give them a try Steve, you won't regret it.

DAB