Strings

surferdude

I have to admit when it comes to strings I'm a bit lost. I know I don't change them enough and always feel under knowledged when buying new ones.

Can anyone give me a quick overview and education of recommended strings and gauges for an acoustic, a strat and a les paul.

momofglynn

according to my husband

light to medium gauge for the acoustic

for the guitars --les paul a set that starts with a 9
for the strat a set that starts with a 10 or 11

disclaimer I know nothing of this stuff but this is the answer he gave me. He gave me a whole explanation but it was too much to write.

moster78

I've been using D'Addario strings for the best few months and are really liking them. I switched from GHS Boomers on my electrics and Martins on my acoustic. For the acoustic I'm using D'Addario EXP12 Coated 80/20 Bronze Mediums. Yeah, thats a mouthful. And on all my electrics, a Strat, and SG and an LP Jr, I'm using the D'Addario EXL110 Nickel strings.

Keep in mind for an electric, if you're making a drastic change in string gauge you'll need to make some adjustments in order to compensate, especially on a Strat.

xtremehardy388

I just purchased strings for my acoustic. Martin's are great strings. For electric, I got GHS boomers (10's) and Pearl Jam uses them too. I love the tone and thickness

Mishral

I haven´t really found a special brand yet, but nowadays I never use thinner string then 010-046.
I think the ticker strings brings me a much better tone.

As it comes to changing them I try to do it once a month, but since it´s so expensive I can´t do it so often.

ianvomsaal

I'm really particular about my strings (the right string can really change the way you play and feel about the guitar).

For Acoustic (both live and recording) I really prefer ELIXIR - Custom Light (.011-.052) Polywebs - It really depends on the size of the guitar as to what gauge works best for it (TAYLOR gave me an 814BCE endorsement back in '99 and I haven't looked back - the 11's seem work best for me on that guitar).

For Electric I really prefer DR - Pure Blues - I use 10's. These strings are pure nickel wound, which actually last longer than nickel plated or stainless steel (and I think pure nickel strings actually sound better). The DR Pure Blues string has a round-core as opposed to a hex-core (hex-core is what's in most other strings) - There is a reasoning behind it - Round-core strings can be wrapped tighter and compressed more than a hex-core string - thus the DR Pure Blues string seems to get more tone, spring (and to me more playability) than any other string I've tried. I used to use Fender 100's (Nickel Wound), and then GHS Eric Johnson strings (also Nickel Wound), but since I switched to these DR's I haven't looked back.
All I'll say about other strings is - stay away from Ernie Ball Strings - they're really cheap, and they really suck. Ernie Ball says that all these people use their strings (that's beacuse they just give them to the artists - and they still get changed every day - and many of the people Ernie Ball says use their strings don't even use them any more). Basically any artist who actually cares about his sound doesn't use EB slinky strings.
Cheers . . .

- Ian C.T. vom Saal

vinceinhiding

check out the guitar manufacturers website. the owners manual will tell you what size string are recommended for your guitar. i have a les paul and for the longest time i was playing string that were slightly too heavy for the nut and two of the string would always go out of tune. As long as you don't go too heavy or too light, you should have some range of flexibility to play what you feel comfortable with. My les paul is a 97, i play 9's and it feels good. I used to play 11's with a heavy bottom and that didn't sit well.

Pearl Jam and toast

I use Ernie Ball strings all the way for my electrics. Super slinky.. regular slinky.. heavy gauge... they're all fantastic!

Sidenote: Sonic Youth uses nothing but the heaviest gauge of Ernie Ball strings. The super low alternate tunings they have an affection for requires the thickness! :cool:



Acoustic wise I shop around.. D-addrio (or however it's spelled) are pretty good... Fenders are okay... Martins are better than both I'd say... Next time I restring my acoustic I'm just going to put medium-heavy Ernie Balls on there and see how that goes.

seanw1010

martin phospher bronze lights for my acoustics, ghs 9s for my electrics:)

Novawind

I have Elixer Polyweb 10's on my strat and they're great for sliding. I think I'm going to try something else the next time I restring though.

Ian, are the Pure Blues more expensive because they're round-wound? Otherwise I was gonna try the D'Addarios, 9 or 10

moster78

Novawind wrote:

I have Elixer Polyweb 10's on my strat and they're great for sliding. I think I'm going to try something else the next time I restring though.

Ian, are the Pure Blues more expensive because they're round-wound? Otherwise I was gonna try the D'Addarios, 9 or 10

I like the D'Addario EXL110 (.10's) on my Strat.

MLC2006

I use DR 11s.

the last set I got was the Pure Blues 11s. they are $1 more than the regular DRs. I like the Pure Blues but they are a little twangy for heavier songs and imo, too easy to bend.

Pacomc79

I'm a DR guy on my electric. Soon I will be using .11's on my strat. Currently both the strat and Les Paul have .10's I generally get either the Pure Blues or the Tite Fit Electric with Pure Blues being my favorite.

On Acoustic, it has been Elixir Lights forever but I recently tried a pack of DR phosphor bronze for fun and they sound pretty good too.

DR Pure Blues are the best strings bar none I've ever used. Tone, quality, value.

GHS Boomers quality has gone down seemingly in the last few years, Ernie Balls are absolute shite. Worst Strings on the planet.

Dean Farley (Snake Oil Brand) supposedly makes some of the best ever but I haven't been able to try them yet. He's the BJFE connection in the US too. I do know he's a remarkably smart cat and has written some excellent "string theory" (appologies to einstein)

http://www.sobstrings.net/

PJ-Sin

Dean Markley strings are the best Ive ever found for both electric and acoustic, and trust me Ive went through quite a few kinds. They have a great tone right when you put them on, not "tingy" like Ernie Ball and most other strings are untill you play on them for awhile. Plus they are really durable, which if you play hard like me is a good thing.

but, I would have to say, just try as many kinds as you can untill you find one that fits your style.

ianvomsaal

The DR Pure Blues are Typically $5.99 a set (10 gauge) . . .
Though if you talk to the right cat at Guitar Center you can get them for less. I actually pay around $4.50 a set, but then again, I usually buy like 10 sets at a time - and that actually lasts me a whole month.
Remember, heavier gauge strings cost the manufacturer more to make, thus they cost the dealers more to buy, thus the cost on them is higher, thus they don't discount heavier strings as much. That's why some lighter strings will discount more than heavier strings made by the same manufacturer. If you know someone that works at a place like Guitar Center, they can go over it with you as to why this generic sting will go down to this price, but that other string won't discount as much - it's all cost.

Dude, it's like 50 cents more (just work the deal). Trust me, the DR pure blues are worth it - I like them so much I'm working on an endorsement with DR as we speak.
- Cheers . . .

- Ian C.T. vom Saal

Dirty Mosquito

PJ-Sin wrote:

Dean Markley strings are the best Ive ever found for both electric and acoustic, and trust me Ive went through quite a few kinds. They have a great tone right when you put them on, not "tingy" like Ernie Ball and most other strings are untill you play on them for awhile. Plus they are really durable, which if you play hard like me is a good thing.

but, I would have to say, just try as many kinds as you can untill you find one that fits your style.

I must agree. These strings rock!!!

ledhed43

thanks for the dr suggestion ian. i have tried ernie balls, daddario(sp?), elixir, and some others on my electric and never found one set that i really liked, so i just stuck with the daddarios. now i'll have to try the dr's and see if they are what you say they are. i hope so.

that said i have been content with martins on my acoustic, a guy at the local store i go to gave me a good deal on multiple sets, but i will probably try something new next time i buy just to see what i like.

sennin

moster78 wrote:

For the acoustic I'm using D'Addario EXP12 Coated 80/20 Bronze Mediums.

I switched to these about a month ago and I'm really liking them too! I had some Martin's on there, but I like the sound and feel of the D'Addario's better.