Out of habit, been using Ernie Ball strings since I started playing 2 years ago.
Yesterday, I bought a set of GHS strings on a whim and kind of expected status quo sounds once I got my guitar restrung.
I swear it's like I've bought a new guitar. The whole guitar sounds amazing all of a sudden, the notes are more even sounding and clear and open. Just got done playing again today and I'll be damnd, what a difference.
Is it possible that there is actually some difference between string makers?
I would have never ever guessed it if there is.
Quote from: angrykoko on March 25, 2014, 01:42:04 AMIs it possible that there is actually some difference between string makers?
I would have never ever guessed it if there is.
Of course there can be a difference, though probably not as much as the various makers try to convince us there is ;). Question is, are they the same
type of strings (type of wind, gauge, alloys of wrap)? You may have stumbled upon a particular combination that sounds good on that specific guitar. FWIW, I always had bad luck with EBs, particularly with the high E strings breaking at the ball wrap end (I usually put some solder on the plain string wraps now). Nowadays, I use GHS Nickel Rockers, as I really like the smoother feel and lower noise of the ground wound strings.
Interesting note is that the Mapes Wire Company supplies the raw materials for EB, GHS, and quite a few other string makers (though I'm pretty sure GHS does their own wound string wrapping; others may as well): http://mapeswire.com/specialtywire.html
String materials and construction will lead to different feel, and sometimes different sounds. I'd be interested in which GHS strings you got (Boomers?) and which Ernie Balls (Slinkys?) you used to play.
Part of the problem might also be how old your previous strings were. If I were you, I'd restring with your old Ernie Balls immediately and then compare the brand new GHS strings to the brand new Ernie Balls. Old Ernie Balls compared to new GHS strings would definitely provide a drastic difference.
My personal choice is usually D'Addario. I'm planning to move to the new balanced tension sets when they come out. 10's on my long scale and 11's on my short scale guitars.
Jacob
Hah hah... I am the opposite.
I HATE Daddario's. Love me some EB's.
Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms mostly, Beefy's for my D standard LP, and Regular slinky's for the 7.
Back in high school (when I practiced several hours a day, every day), I used these strings:
• Ernie Ball Slinkys (10-46)
• Dean Markley Blue Steel (10-52 and 9-46)
• D'addario XL (when desperate)
• SIT Powerwound (eventually)
I wore them out so fast that eventually I switched to bulk sets of SIT Power-Wound. They didn't sound as good (although they were not bad either), but I could just replace strings as they broke without worrying about breaking a set. I lived at the beach (salt air) and I was a sweaty bastard, so strings didn't last long.
I like the Blue Steel overall for tone. The Slinkys were the easiest to get pinch harmonics with (during my Skid Row and Zakk Wilde phases).
Now I use Elixir for the sheer longevity. They sound pretty good to me, and I can leave 'em on for like 6-9 months. Back in high school, I blew a string every 6-9 days. ;D
i tried blue steels once. they turned my fingers black and i had gunk on my fretboard afterwards, too. i don't know wth that was all about, but that was the last time those touched my guitar.
i'm a super slinky guy. d'addario's & sometimes dean markley's on my acoustics.
it's been years since i tried any ghs. i wouldn't be opposed to giving them another shot sometime.
I really like Thomastik-Infeld Super Alloys, however lately I have been cheap and have been using Sfarzo Alloy 5109 strings.
I tried the new Ernie Ball Cobalt strings and D'Addario Balanced Tension. The Cobalts were OK. The Balanced Tension ones wouldn't stay in tune.
Chad
I've been using SIT Powerwounds forever, and I've never felt the need to try anything different. CJ, you say they don't sound as good - what specifically do you prefer about other strings more? Curious to see if there's something better I should be using.
I change my guitar strings maybe... once every two or three years, IF I remember. I don't wipe 'em or anything, they just don't go rusty or gunky for me.
Quote from: angrykoko on March 25, 2014, 01:42:04 AM
Out of habit, been using Ernie Ball strings since I started playing 2 years ago.
Yesterday, I bought a set of GHS strings on a whim and kind of expected status quo sounds once I got my guitar restrung.
I swear it's like I've bought a new guitar. The whole guitar sounds amazing all of a sudden, the notes are more even sounding and clear and open. Just got done playing again today and I'll be damnd, what a difference.
Is it possible that there is actually some difference between string makers?
I would have never ever guessed it if there is.
Certainly there is, and various strings sound differently on various guitars. I have found my favorite strings I have used for years sound terrible when tuned down a half step. Switched to Ernie ball. Ghs are good strings, but they go dead faster and I tend to break them more frequently.
Quote from: Clayford on March 25, 2014, 02:28:03 AM
Hah hah... I am the opposite.
I HATE Daddario's. Love me some EB's.
Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms mostly, Beefy's for my D standard LP, and Regular slinky's for the 7.
I'm with you man...except the whole "loving EB". I use DR high beam 10-52 for my SG and DR 10's for the LP. I made the switch about 7 years ago and I'll never go back! They are a little more expensive but totally worth it. Clayford, if you like the light to heavy bottoms, give em a wurl. here is a link.
http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html (http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html)
p.s. If you have never been to this site, it rules! I've ordered from them several times.
Quote from: crashguitar on March 25, 2014, 03:54:25 AM
I really like Thomastik-Infeld Super Alloys, however lately I have been cheap and have been using Sfarzo Alloy 5109 strings.
Ah, so you like the cheap shit, eh? ;D BTW, the Sfarzo used to be called "Snake Oil Brand"....before the guy ended up owing a ton of people money for strings not delivered (allegedly). Talk about self-fulling prophecy. :D
Quote from: lincolnic on March 25, 2014, 04:25:13 AM
CJ, you say they don't sound as good - what specifically do you prefer about other strings more?
Hard to say. We would need a time machine to talk to 17-year-old me and ask him. ;D I just recall that was my opinion at the time. My recollection is that the Blue Steels just "sounded better" on my Ibanez 770DX, while the Slinkys had great pinch harmonics and were nice and loose (action-wise) on my Strat. The SITs were fine strings, they just didn't "pop" the way the others did. Again, this is filtered through memories that are now 20 years in the past. :-[ :'(
I used to play with EB Super Slinky... then eventually Regular Slinky... but now i play nothing but D'Addario XL10 Regulars.
I used to be just a super slinky guy back when I played a lot because that is what my dad used and I got used to them. But as of late I have been using D'Addario EXL116 (.011-.052) on most of my guitars. I love the feel of them and get great low end with them.
Cody
I mostly use Ernie Ball, the hybrid slinky ones (9 - 46). There is definately a diference in feel and perfformance between string makers/brands, but the most noticable thing is the difference between used and new ones. I remember Blue Steel as really good strings too, but it was a while since i used them.
I don't have a rule about how often i shall change strings, but when i brake one string i change them all, gives me a decent interval.
Quote from: Vallhagen on March 25, 2014, 06:13:49 AM
but the most noticable thing is the difference between used and new ones.
This is what I've noticed too. There's some slight variation between brands when new but my corrosive sweat sends them all south pretty fast. When they get there, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I don't ever break strings so I just change them all two-three-four times a year.
That said, I've settled on purple slinkies for shortscale, yellow slinkies for longscale.
D'Addario Flat Chromes (11-50) on my Ibanez semi-hollow and Elixir 10-52 (recently moved to 10-46 to experiment a lil bit) on my strat
I play mostly Pyramid or D'Addario, but I don't depend on any particular brand as long as they're .11s and pure nickel.
Except Dean Markley, which I won't buy again after bad experience. Don't know what it was with those but they just didn't stay in tune. Or broke quickly before they could get out of tune.
But I also would like to know the difference in size or material between the two sets from the OP.
Quote from: jkokura on March 25, 2014, 01:56:09 AM
String materials and construction will lead to different feel, and sometimes different sounds. I'd be interested in which GHS strings you got (Boomers?) and which Ernie Balls (Slinkys?) you used to play.
Part of the problem might also be how old your previous strings were. If I were you, I'd restring with your old Ernie Balls immediately and then compare the brand new GHS strings to the brand new Ernie Balls. Old Ernie Balls compared to new GHS strings would definitely provide a drastic difference.
My personal choice is usually D'Addario. I'm planning to move to the new balanced tension sets when they come out. 10's on my long scale and 11's on my short scale guitars.
Jacob
Been using EB Regular Slinky (10's).
GHS Boomers (10's).
I change strings every 4 to 6 months.
I don't know yet if it's all in my head (probably is) but my epi les paul is just rocking it with these GHS's.
Now I have a bug to try some different brands on my reverend and strat.
My acoustics seem to be pretty picky about what goes on them. My koa Larrivee sounds really hard and tinny with Martins or Cleartones, but Elixirs sound perfect on it. My Tennessee Crafters is the exact opposite ... sounds overly bright with elixirs and perfect with cleartones (or the Martin strings that have the same coating).
My electrics seem to be a little less picky. I was using cleartones for a while because I had thought at some point that the elixirs sounded weird on a couple, but I couldn't really tell a difference when I went back and checked over the winter. So now i'm just using elixirs on them so I can buy multipacks. The Elixirs last longer than anything else (unless you use a pick), so in the end they're the cheapest way to restring my guitars.
As a repairman and stringing/playing countless guitars day in and day out I have settled on good ole Dadarrio XLs for consistent quality, low breakage, and stable intonation.
But really the best strings are the ones you change most often. Might just be splitting hairs otherwise ;)
I have settled in on Elixirs. I like the way they feel and I have gotten used to the tone.
I joined the Guitar Center String Club (http://www.guitarcenter.com/String-Club-g26620t0.gc) a while back, so I've been trying out lots of different brands. I only remember that I wasn't impressed with Cleartones. Cobalts didn't live up to the hype for me, either. I also noticed an improvement in tone from the GHS boomers, but can't rule out the idea that the strings I'm comparing them to were dead.
Otherwise, as long as they're 10s, I'm not too picky.
Wow, I am actually shocked that i'm the only one so far that uses DR Strings. They last a long time and sound nice and even (not tinny). I've tried tons of strings and out of the ones you guys seem to frequent i like GHS boomers the most (10s). When I had an acoustic I used the D'Addario version of the elixiars, can't remember what they are called. Ah ha! these are them
http://www.juststrings.com/dad-exp11.html (http://www.juststrings.com/dad-exp11.html)
once again here are the DRs if anyone wants to try them. For My SG (C# G# C# F Bb Eb)
http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html (http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html)
and these on the Les Paul (E A D G B E)
http://www.juststrings.com/drs-mtr-10.html (http://www.juststrings.com/drs-mtr-10.html)
Quote from: pryde on March 25, 2014, 12:03:15 PM
As a repairman and stringing/playing countless guitars day in and day out I have settled on good ole Dadarrio XLs for consistent quality, low breakage, and stable intonation.
But really the best strings are the ones you change most often. Might just be splitting hairs otherwise ;)
I'm with you man. I like D'addarios on my electrics (9s on 25.5 scale and 10s on 24.75 scale). I change them pretty often and buy them by the reel.
For acoustics, Martin phosphor bronze and Elixirs have been good to me.
I've been using D'addario XLs 9-46 since... probably 1993 at least if not before, on all my electrics. I only really change the strings when one breaks, then I'll usually do the lot at once on that particular guitar.
My acoustic just gets whatever the shop puts on them, usually a medium gauge. I play that thing on average 6 hours a day at least for work, so the strings get broken in nicely pretty quickly. Again, I only change them when they break.
This one time, in 1991, I put a set of Peavey Lazers (got them for xmas) on an electric and took it to band practice. I broke a string that same day.
Quote from: flanagan0718 on March 25, 2014, 12:40:42 PM
Wow, I am actually shocked that i'm the only one so far that uses DR Strings. They last a long time and sound nice and even (not tinny). I've tried tons of strings and out of the ones you guys seem to frequent i like GHS boomers the most (10s). When I had an acoustic I used the D'Addario version of the elixiars, can't remember what they are called. Ah ha! these are them
http://www.juststrings.com/dad-exp11.html (http://www.juststrings.com/dad-exp11.html)
once again here are the DRs if anyone wants to try them. For My SG (C# G# C# F Bb Eb)
http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html (http://www.juststrings.com/drs-btr-10.html)
and these on the Les Paul (E A D G B E)
http://www.juststrings.com/drs-mtr-10.html (http://www.juststrings.com/drs-mtr-10.html)
I've seen a lot of love for the DR brand strings on other forums.
I plan to give them a try.
I like DRs on bass. Don't like them too much on guitar.
Just put 10-52 D'Addario on the SG...pretty good.
My favorite of all time: Martin SP Electrics. They don't make them anymore. Most amazing sounding and feeling strings ever. But, they were not popular, I guess.
Quote from: jkokura on March 25, 2014, 01:56:09 AM
My personal choice is usually D'Addario. I'm planning to move to the new balanced tension sets when they come out. 10's on my long scale and 11's on my short scale guitars.
Jacob
These guys look to have the d'addarios, and a relatively low minimum order ($35) for free shipping to Canada/US. Bought from them a few times and they presently have a no minimum/free shipping coupon out... looks like for a few more days:
FREESHIPNo affiliation with them, just a pleased Canadian customer.
http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/
There is a MESS of 10-52 players on here. And yes. String Club. Worst thing GC ever did was reduce the amount of money I spend there. I know the idea is loss leader, but it doesn't work much that way for me.
EB regular slinkys (10-46) for electric
D'Addario EXP lights (12-53) for acoustic
Just Strings (http://www.juststrings.com/?s_kwcid=TC%7C11218%7Cjust%20strings%7C%7CS%7Ce%7C14976930518&gclid=CJG5-OqUrr0CFYqIfgodCrEANQ) is a great place to buy. Huge selection and great prices. I use their house brand bulk strings to stock up for our worship teams for replacements for strings that tend to break a lot. Lots of G's in that stash.
And I've been using Fast Fret for about a year now. I love it. It keeps the strings clean and fresh.
Quote from: davent on March 25, 2014, 03:59:59 PM
Quote from: jkokura on March 25, 2014, 01:56:09 AM
My personal choice is usually D'Addario. I'm planning to move to the new balanced tension sets when they come out. 10's on my long scale and 11's on my short scale guitars.
Jacob
These guys look to have the d'addarios, and a relatively low minimum order ($35) for free shipping to Canada/US. Bought from them a few times and they presently have a no minimum/free shipping coupon out... looks like for a few more days: FREESHIP
No affiliation with them, just a pleased Canadian customer.
http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/
That's where I get my strings from %90 of the time. When I need a quick set I get them at a local shop.
Jacob
Landed on D'Addarios, 9-46 on longer scale, 10-46 on shorter scale, 11-52 on hybrid electric/acoustic. Had some success with Gibson strings as well, but I typically buy 10 packs of D'Addarios.
Bass, err, whatevers in the string box. Get changed almost never.
Acoustics, Martin/Dean Markley/D'Addario.
Change strings only when I absolutely have to. If I followed the "string change every three months" rule, that would be what, 4 sets a year per guitar, ~70 guitars, that's 300 sets a year @ $5 a set....best not to think about it.
I'll just throw this out there for the XL players like me...
You can also "Subscribe" to them on Amazon, and you get the free shipping if you are a Prime member (it may be free if you aren't, but I'm not sure).
Basically, you can choose 1 pack, 3 packs, or 10 packs, and then set how often you want them delivered (every 1-6 months are the options). So I have mine setup to send my 3 packs every 4 months. With the 15% discount for subscribing, I get three packs for for $9.30 before TN sales tax ($10.16 after). Well worth it to to me at $3.39 a pack after tax to always have strings laying around and never having to go to the store or place an order.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EEJ91I/ref=rcxsubs_mys2_product_title (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EEJ91I/ref=rcxsubs_mys2_product_title)
I've been using EB Slinkys for many years and maybe 2 years ago a buddy came over my place and gave me a set of 10-46 EB Cobalt, i just falled in love with those strings... more definition, though longer to oxidation (i do lots of acidity) and the output/dynamic is plain awesome. Since that time i've been using those on my 6 and 7 string guitars, yes they are more expensive, but they deliver, so it worth it to me.
I've also used SIT for a long time, they where offering the largest variety in 7 string back then (10-12 years ago) and where cheap on purchase and feeled just like D'addarios.
Maybe 4-5 years ago i was dealer for SIT, i was a lot into the sevenstrings.org forum and there was a lack of offering in the extended range instrument niche. Had some really good service with them, sold BUNCH of custom sets, satisfied customers too. A great experience it was. That brand is quite under rated i believe, their product are great and really affordable, they also make strings for every imaginable kind of stringed instrument without breaking the bank.
Now i order all my strings from www.juststrings.com, Mike is a great guy to deal with and always makes my package so i don't get bummed by the customs, that is a big PLUS in my book.
Quote from: Clayford on March 25, 2014, 04:49:31 PM
There is a MESS of 10-52 players on here. And yes. String Club. Worst thing GC ever did was reduce the amount of money I spend there. I know the idea is loss leader, but it doesn't work much that way for me.
10-46 here. But I use D'Addario XLs on my baritone - the "baritone light" set, to be exact. Those are 13-62. Hefty!
I started on the EB super slinky, then at some point in my late teens switched to GHS boomers. Been using them ever since. That was like... uuuuh... 20 or so years ago. I just haven't tried anything new since. If it ain't broke...
I've gotten a bunch of nickel strings from http://stringdog.net/products.html. Pretty good stuff.
For bass strings, I have settled on sadowsky flatwounds. Really amazing strings. They are around $40 but they last for years.