Question about Strings..

Wendigo · Post by **Wendigo** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:06 pm

I have always played D'Darrio 9s or 10s and been happy, for almost 20 years now....until recently. I bought my new SG '61 RI and it had Gibson strings on it (I assume Gibson). They were 10's but played very well, almost but not quite as soft as a 9. I jus put a new set of D'Darrio 10s on there and they lack definition, and feel stiff, like really heavy compared to the Gibson 10s...hmm....how is this possible? Anyway, the question is directed to anyone here who has been playing for say 10 years or longer...what stings do you find sound the best, but also give you relatively good life before they either snap or lose the sound? BTW I broke one of those gibson strings in record time...like 3 weeks...but I had been bending the living sh!t out of it for every day to be fair.

kittenface · Post by **kittenface** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:10 pm

D'Addario 9.5 - 44's do it for me

there is no uniformity between string makers

kittenface · Post by **kittenface** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:11 pm

they call them the 'EXL 120+'

riffmonster · Post by **riffmonster** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:03 pm

I had been using Ernie Balls 10s for years, always sounded good and seemed to last well.

Then last year I started using Gibson brite wires 9 on my LP, and fenders bullets 9s on my strat. Slightly better sound and feel difference IMO and the EBs seem to have got more expensive lately.

I have a set of D'addario 9s waiting to go on my Yam (335 alike) to try them out (at the moment it has Gibson 9s on)

Basically I think the Gibbo strings sound good on anything... the EBs are a safe bet, and I've yet to try the D'addario.

Ohara · Post by **Ohara** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:10 pm

I have been playing for over 20 years now (sudden old feeling creeps in) and have always used EB's on my electrics. I think I can count the number of times I have broken a string on one hand. Altough I recently switched (well a couple years ago) to the hybrid slinky's with the 9's for the top three strings and a gauge heavier for the bottom three as I found it gave my sound a little more bass (but could all just be in my head). And for the acoustic always use either Martins or Elixers lightest gauge possible.

Wendigo · Post by **Wendigo** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:25 pm

riffmonster wrote:I had been using Ernie Balls 10s for years, always sounded good and seemed to last well.

Then last year I started using Gibson brite wires 9 on my LP, and fenders bullets 9s on my strat. Slightly better sound and feel difference IMO and the EBs seem to have got more expensive lately.

I have a set of D'addario 9s waiting to go on my Yam (335 alike) to try them out (at the moment it has Gibson 9s on)

Basically I think the Gibbo strings sound good on anything... the EBs are a safe bet, and I've yet to try the D'addario.

Hmm...I've been noticing that the fender strings seems to sound damn nice on a strat....surprise surprise. I might have to go with gibby on the sg and the bullets on the strat. I think it must make sense somehow.

_Craig_ · Post by **_Craig_** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:45 pm

Rotosound 12's...sound good to me and seem to last quite a while before they get dull. Never broken a string since ive started using them. Cant go back to anything lighter now......i need to feel like im actually playing something.

Oh...i just realised...i havent been playing for ten years....so my opinion is probably irrelevant

ESBlonde · Post by **ESBlonde** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:49 pm

I think there is a player/strings/guitar thing a bit unique to each situation. I have 3 electric guitars and they are strung with two brands and two gauges so each guitar has its own perfect (to me) string brand and gauge.

So for example my strat (RW fingerboard very low action) is strung with nickal fender 9-42 but my 335 is Pyramid 9-46 and the Aria is Fender again but 10-38.
For me the first year with a new guitar is a succession of experiments with readilly available strings until I'm happy and I don't know when that will be until I get it.

HTH

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:16 pm

Happy with D'addarios... cheap, well-made and sound decent. No problems with them, ever.

Foef · Post by **Foef** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:39 pm

I'm using d'addario 011's for years now. It's what i use and feel comfortable with. No need checking out another brand.
On the other hand it can be nice to experiment...
I was thinking about trying coated strings. See if i like them.
But i'm still hesitating....

Grtz, Bert.

TJ_Lee · Post by **TJ_Lee** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:45 pm

DR pure blues 11s. Feel amazing. If they weren't so expensive over here.

Gtr_Pkr · Post by **Gtr_Pkr** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:03 pm

Having been around SG's for the last 16 years, I can tell you that some are prone to breaking strings easily. You may want to check the bridge saddles for any burrs or imperfections that may aid in the breakage. If you find something, a quick filing should fix the issue.

The Gibsons are great strings, but are a little pricy. I have played with the nickle plated 9-46 and love them. Great vintage sound, thanks to the nickle, and don't break that easily. I switched to D'Addario 9-46 nickle and think they work just as well. And they're cheaper. Awesome!! Maybe you got a bad set?

Finally, the best way to prolong the life of your strings is to wipe them off each time you put the guitar down. I also use a Blitz String Care cloth and it works wonders. If you don't take the time to wipe off the strings, they aren't going to last as long and will lose their bit a lot quicker. Humidity will also kill string life.

Hope this helps!!

CD9266 · Post by **CD9266** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:17 pm

Foef wrote:I'm using d'addario 011's for years now. It's what i use and feel comfortable with. No need checking out another brand.
On the other hand it can be nice to experiment...
I was thinking about trying coated strings. See if i like them.
But i'm still hesitating....

Grtz, Bert.

I'm the same way with my GHS 10-46's. I figure, they work, I never break strings even after not changing them for 3 months. I hear two really good arguments on clear coats one for and one against.

Clear coats do keep the dirt/grease off of your strings.
However, after two weeks of good hard use... they are pretty torn up and dirt/grease gets on your strings anyways.

Gtr_Pkr wrote:Finally, the best way to prolong the life of your strings is to wipe them off each time you put the guitar down. I also use a Blitz String Care cloth and it works wonders. If you don't take the time to wipe off the strings, they aren't going to last as long and will lose their bit a lot quicker. Humidity will also kill string life.

Hope this helps!!

+100. Although most people probably don't keep a clean rag near there guitar at all times, even simple stuff like, washing your hands after eating anything greasy can prolong the life of your strings. Dirt, oil, anything can wear strings down. But this is the best way to keep them alive longer.

ESBlonde · Post by **ESBlonde** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:26 am

[quote="CD9266] +100. Although most people probably don't keep a clean rag near there guitar at all times, even simple stuff like, washing your hands after eating anything greasy can prolong the life of your strings. Dirt, oil, anything can wear strings down. But this is the best way to keep them alive longer.[/quote]

Yea great tip there. Also remember after schleping all the gear in and setting it up at a gig wash your hands. All the crud from those dirty cables and cases go straight onto the fingerboard otherwise. Better still wear some industrial or gardening gloves to protect your precious hands and still wash them before sound check.

Thinline_slim · Post by **Thinline_slim** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:47 pm

I've found that I really like my Fender style guitars with GHS Nickel Rockers (a custom set of top heavy 11s)

Anything that has a physically larger pickup I prefer D'Addario 11s. So that's what goes on the Gretschs and PRS.

I don't know what the rationale is behind the "larger pickups" but they just didn't sound great with the nickle rockers.

Question about Strings..

Question about Strings..

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