Guitar Strings Question[views:5423][posts:34]__________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 1:40pm - ShadowSD ""] So I'm going into the studio to put down some rhythm tracks and it's been suggested I restring my guitar for optimal sound. I scrounged up a pack of D'Addarios and a pack of Ernie Balls (both 10s), but I'm not totally sure which to use. The thing with me and strings is I never get to compare brands back to back to be sure which I like better, because by the time the strings are changed I'm not getting a new-to-new comparison to really get an idea of the difference. I know Mustaine uses D'Addario and Slash uses Ernie Ball, and I've used both at some point without any problems, but I honestly couldn't tell you the difference all this time later. Any suggestions as to which I should pick? |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 1:44pm - ShadowSD ""] At the moment I'm leaning D'Addario... |
| ________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 1:58pm - Mark_R ""] I've been equally happy with D'Addario and Ernie Ball, with GHS in second place. The only time I was ever immediately blown away by new strings was when I used Elixirs, but they cost a lot so I stopped using them. |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 1:59pm - Randy_Marsh ""] D'Addario equal shit. rusts so fast. |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 2:32pm - The_Rooster ""] I like Dean Markeleys and DR Tight Fits. Mostly because they seem to break on me less frequently than others I've tried. Really though, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just get the gauge you like. By the time it hits all that distortion and high volume, it's not going to make a huge difference what brand you're using. |
| __________________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 2:45pm - largefreakatzero ""] D'Addario 11's number 1 choice. Ernie Ball Power Slinky number 2 choice. I've tried other brands and don't care for them. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:02pm - AMOROK666 ""] I use an 11 gauge ernie ball because I tend to get more life out of them. Ghs boomers are a second choice. What cherhoniak said about daddarios is also true in my experience. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:03pm - arktouros ""] organic thin spaghett |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:19pm - narkybark ""] nickel-plated dried cat intestine |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:19pm - ArrowHeadNLI ""] Doesn't really matter too much. I'm a big GHS boomers 9-42 fan, but really all the majors (ernie ball, GHS, and Daddario) are of comparable quality, it's mostly just a personal choice thing. And with most, the choice is usually just one of habit. Like you said, when most people change strings they're not comparing new to new. The biggest difference in string brands is usually how long they stay fresh and "new sounding". So if you're going into the studio bring a couple extra sets. That way you don't find out the hard way that you're not happy with the sound of what you choose 8 hours in. |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:45pm - Randy_Marsh ""] Elixir if you can afford it or ernie ball. |
| _________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:52pm - Martins ""] I buy Elixirs. It's worth the money because they definitely last longer. |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 3:55pm - Randy_Marsh ""] elixir last probably 3 to 5 times as long as normal strings so it might even make sense to buy elixir every time cause youd be purchasing new ones anyways |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 4:14pm - i_am_not_me ""] I don't have much in terms of brand preference. Right now I have a set of D'addario 11-52's as the top 6 on my 7, and an Ernie Ball 68 for the 7th. I have an old habit of only changing strings when I break them...because I used to constantly break them anyway. |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 4:18pm - brian_dc ""] I'm all about DR. I feel like there's a huge difference between string brands. I like them bestest. |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 4:56pm - Elihhcb ""] New strings every track or false. |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 5:04pm - joeyumbrella ""] Ernie balls are the best for the $$$.. I like DRs a lot, and have never had a problem with Dean Markleys... D'Addarios, and GHS are the only ones I have had issues with. |
| ______________________________ [Apr 14,2011 6:08pm - blue ""] congratulations on realizing you should restring before you record lol |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 6:18pm - Sinistas ""] Ernie Ball .10-52s. I've tried other brands and gauges and keep coming back. |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 8:57pm - tylor69 ""] who uses dean markley? |
| _______________________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 9:02pm - IllinoisEnemaBradness ""] D'Adarrio 10's are the only ones that wouldn't break on me. Ernie Balls always popped an A string. GHS make a nice bass string, not impressed with the 6 strings |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:48pm - Sacreligion ""] I've always been an Ernie Ball guy. 10s for standard and the heavy bottom skinny top for downtuned. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:48pm - ShadowSD ""] blue said:congratulations on realizing you should restring before you record lol I just think a guitar sounds too trebly and twangy right after a restring, but the solution I settled on here is just to break them in for a few days before laying down any tracks. |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:48pm - Sacreligion ""] Also, Blue made me LOL. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:49pm - tylor69 ""] i used to swear by boomers, then i was doing SIT for awhile... been doing d'addarios lately... ernie balls are the worst strings i have ever played. break ridiculously easily, feel like shit on your fingers and chew up frets [img] |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:50pm - Sacreligion ""] ShadowSD said: blue said:congratulations on realizing you should restring before you record lol I just think a guitar sounds too trebly and twangy right after a restring, but the solution I setlled on here is just to break them in for a few days before laying down any tracks. Make sure you properly stretch them out. Pull on them at the 12th fret, fret the 3rd and pull on the 15th fret, fret the 5th and pull on the 17th fret. Do so and retune until they keep their tuning and some of that flexy twang shit will be minimalized. |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 10:52pm - Sacreligion ""] If you're breaking strings frequently you're doing it wrong. I play super hard and break strings maybe twice a year. When I used GHS I noticed they broke easier, but haven't had that problem in years. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 11:01pm - ShadowSD ""] That's true, stretching them out helps break them in faster, and keeping the guitar in tune never hurts for a recording either. Recording this should be interesting, it's the first time the process has involved recording clean guitar tracks and adding amp sims after the fact, instead of me just playing through an amplifier and having that recorded. |
| ___________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 11:02pm - ShadowSD ""] I actually don't remember the last time I broke a string, I think it's been at least a year or two which is pretty crazy. |
| __________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 11:05pm - t2daeek ""] curt mangan strings aren't bad if you're looking for something different to try . i use those for most of the repairs/restrings at my store. very much like ghs. cheaper though. as far as quality goes, there's so little difference between most brands. strings are all generally dumb, brand to brand. DRs are a little different than most others. thomastik makes the most bomb ass strings on the face of the earth but I know that i don't like dumping 15 bucks on a set of strings. just stay away from d'aquisto strings and anything with the name peavey, yamaha, or anything else like that on it. that's all factory fuck up shit that they companies get for pennies and basically give away. but yea, if you break a LOT of strings then chances are you have a burr in your string saddle. if you break them at the nut, you need to get the slot modified. if you play a strat or any fender with a trem then you can have several issues. edit: now i'm reading this realizing you don't have problems with strings breaking. just my two cents then i guess. |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 14,2011 11:50pm - i_am_not_me ""] Sacreligion said:If you're breaking strings frequently you're doing it wrong. I play super hard and break strings maybe twice a year. When I used GHS I noticed they broke easier, but haven't had that problem in years. Key operative: Used to. Like, once every week and a half or so, back when I was using too-light gauges for the tunings I was playing in. These days I probably break strings once a month tops (Probably more like once every two months.) You may play hard in the sense of picking hard, but you probably don't come down too hard on your palm mutes. I think that was my big thing. |
| _______________________________ [Apr 14,2011 11:57pm - Lamp ""] Sacreligion said:If you're breaking strings frequently you're doing it wrong. I play super hard and break strings maybe twice a year. When I used GHS I noticed they broke easier, but haven't had that problem in years. Damn. I used to break a string like clockwork pretty much every two weeks. It hasn't been that bad lately but as far as stretching goes, thanks for the tip. |
| ______________________________________ [Apr 15,2011 12:40am - Sacreligion ""] i_am_not_me said: Sacreligion said:If you're breaking strings frequently you're doing it wrong. I play super hard and break strings maybe twice a year. When I used GHS I noticed they broke easier, but haven't had that problem in years. Key operative: Used to. Like, once every week and a half or so, back when I was using too-light gauges for the tunings I was playing in. These days I probably break strings once a month tops (Probably more like once every two months.) You may play hard in the sense of picking hard, but you probably don't come down too hard on your palm mutes. I think that was my big thing. My picking hand is a beast of mechanical proportions. Sometimes when double picking it's easy to kinda sideswipe the strings as opposed to actually pick them and I think that's what was causing the breakage problems. Went away once I adjusted the angle of my hand and what not, so it very well could have been my technique and not the strings that were the issue. I am gonna echo everyone and say that strings don't really vary that much, most will be dead within a week of playing them and sound like balls anyway. |
| _____________________________________ [Apr 15,2011 9:37am - The_Rooster ""] blue said:congratulations on realizing you should restring before you record, and after every couple songs lol FYP. |
| _______________________________ [Apr 16,2011 5:32am - Ernie ""] [img] |