Guitar Strings [Archive] - RonFez.net Messageboard

Gvac

09-21-2006, 02:50 PM

It's all a matter of personal preference.  Some players will change strings as often as they change their socks, while I can't stand the brightness and "jangle" of new strings.  I like them to be a little "dead" so they have a bassier, heavier sound.  Once the wound strings (the G, D, A, and low E) start splitting, though,  you gotta change 'em.

bobrobot

09-21-2006, 03:11 PM

Change your strings once a month & for your purposes I'd say D'Addario is a wise choice (I use 'em 2!!!). If you buy them online from <a href="http://juststrings.com/index.html" target="_self">juststrings.com</a> you'll get a great price!!! I personally hate Elixir, I think they sound muffled to start with & get progressively worse. Musicians talking about strings is like old men talking politics, it's bound to lead to trouble...<img height="200" src="http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/d7/47/pr-Guitars_Basses-D_Addario_3_Pack_Light_Phosphor_Bronze_Acoustic_St rings_EJ16-resized200.jpg" width="200" border="0" />

This message was edited by bobogolem on 9-21-06 @ 7:13 PM

PhishHead

09-21-2006, 03:21 PM

bobogolem wrote: Change your strings once a month & for your purposes I'd say D'Addario is a wise choice (I use 'em 2!!!). If you buy them online from <a target="_self" href="http://juststrings.com/index.html">juststrings.com</a> you'll get a great price!!! I personally hate Elixir, I think they sound muffled to start with & get progressively worse. Musicians talking about strings is like old men talking politics, it's bound to lead to trouble...<img width="200" height="200" border="0" src="http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/d7/47/pr-Guitars_Basses-D_Addario_3_Pack_Light_Phosphor_Bronze_Acoustic_St rings_EJ16-resized200.jpg" />

This message was edited by bobogolem on 9-21-06 @ 7:13 PM  Thanks bobo!! I thought I was going crazy.  The clerk at the store actually yelled at me when I said Elixir sucked and give me D'addario.  If they are good enough for Sean Watkins and Chris Thile they are good enough for me!

Zipgun

09-21-2006, 03:40 PM

Furtherman wrote: Pluck a whisker off a cat.  They seem to work well. <img height="180" src="http://www.robrichards.com/Images/pecos.jpg" width="260" border="0" /> I had to come out of retirement, just to point out what a damn fine Uncle Pecos reference that was.

FezPaul

09-21-2006, 05:01 PM

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/tn1_713519.jpg The bestus strings ever. <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/wub.gif" border="0" />

FUNKMAN

09-21-2006, 05:20 PM

i use string cheese just in case i get hungry while playing...haon my electrics i've used markley mediums to silver bullets. on acoustic i've been using the elixerssometimes when i get a cough i'll use an elixir

cupcakelove

09-21-2006, 05:27 PM

I second Bobo's recomendation (or maybe third it).  If you play every day, you should change your strings every month, and D'Addario is a good brand.

tele7

09-21-2006, 05:46 PM

I change them when my G-String turns brown.  Seriously.

FezPaul

09-21-2006, 05:47 PM

telecaster7 wrote: I change them when my G-String turns brown.  Seriously.Ewwwwwww.

Gvac

09-21-2006, 05:53 PM

telecaster7 wrote: I change them when my G-String turns brown. Seriously. I knew I liked you, tele.I use the exact same rule of thumb for my electric guitars.  My previous post was for my acoustics.  The unwound G string on electrics can last for MONTHS before turning brown.

FezPaul

09-21-2006, 05:57 PM

I suppose you animals don't wash your hands before you play either.

tele7

09-21-2006, 06:01 PM

Gvac wrote: telecaster7 wrote: I change them when my G-String turns brown. Seriously. I knew I liked you, tele.I use the exact same rule of thumb for my electric guitars.  My previous post was for my acoustics.  The unwound G string on electrics can last for MONTHS before turning brown. The tone just seems to warm up with older strings.  I like to use new strings when playing out though.  That high E string punches out early if I don't.

tele7

09-21-2006, 06:04 PM

"I suppose you animals don't wash your hands before you play either."I blame hair productzz.  Hair gel buildup on the hands.  You can't play well without great looking hair.

FezPaul

09-21-2006, 06:07 PM

telecaster7 wrote: "I suppose you animals don't wash your hands before you play either."I blame hair productzz.  Hair gel buildup on the hands.  You can't play well without great looking hair.If you can't have cool follicles, why bother?Way to get around the quote function.

Gvac

09-21-2006, 06:26 PM

When I re-string my guitars I purposely make sure I rub them up and down with oily, sweaty hands.  It takes the squeak out of them.

bobrobot

09-22-2006, 02:47 AM

telecaster7 wrote: "I suppose you animals don't wash your hands before you play either."I blame hair productzz.  Hair gel buildup on the hands.  You can't play well without great looking hair.Not even an option 4 me...<img height="275" src="http://www.signals.com/graphics/products/regular/PK1162.jpg" width="202" border="0" />& certain others...

A.J.

09-22-2006, 03:48 AM

FezPaul wrote: <img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/tn1_713519.jpg" border="0" /> The bestus strings ever. <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/wub.gif" border="0" /> For my Strat, yes.  But for the acoustic, it's always been D'Addario's.

A.J.

09-22-2006, 03:50 AM

FezPaul wrote: I suppose you animals don't wash your hands before you play either. I wash AFTER I play.

MasterSoySauce

09-22-2006, 06:43 AM

i love the way old strings sound i try to keep a set of fender strings on any of my guitars, unless they break or they really start to sound bad.

Gimp

09-22-2006, 06:57 AM

you can get more life out of em if you use some string cleaneri wonder whats really in that stuff, cause it just smells like diluted rubbing alcohol to me

bobrobot

09-22-2006, 07:03 AM

<img height="241" src="http://www.cedarhillbluegrass.com/Portals/0/bdlogo.jpg" width="400" border="0" />WORST STRINGS EVER!!! HA HA HA!!! (seriously, don't buy these!!!)

Gimp

09-22-2006, 07:20 AM

bobogolem wrote: <img width="400" height="241" border="0" src="http://www.cedarhillbluegrass.com/Portals/0/bdlogo.jpg" />WORST STRINGS EVER!!! HA HA HA!!! (seriously, don't buy these!!!)   <img width="161" height="200" border="0" src="http://www.supportthecorps.org/images/KISS_group.jpg" /> Out on the streets for a living Pictures only begun Your day is sorrow and madness Got you under their thumb Whoo, black diamond Whoo, black diamond

Mike Teacher

09-22-2006, 08:34 AM

Ernie Ball for Electrics, Kaman/D'Addario/Martin for acoustics.I tune a lot of alternate tunings so I tend to go heavy on the bottom [56-58] and a 10 at most up top, on electrics and acoustics.Nice Kiss reference.

Dougie Brootal

09-22-2006, 08:44 AM

bobrobot

09-22-2006, 09:20 AM

Mike Teacher wrote: Ernie Ball for Electrics, Kaman/D'Addario/Martin for acoustics.I tune a lot of alternate tunings so I tend to go heavy on the bottom [56-58] and a 10 at most up top, on electrics and acoustics.Nice Kiss reference.Is there reall such a thing???<img height="265" src="http://onlymagazine.ca/images/351.png" width="400" border="0" />This is how Gene Simmons vomits...

ChimneyFish

09-22-2006, 12:36 PM

Gvac wrote: It's all a matter of personal preference.  Some players will change strings as often as they change their socks, while I can't stand the brightness and "jangle" of new strings.  I like them to be a little "dead" so they have a bassier, heavier sound.   I'm the same way. I really don't like changing my strings too often.(I'm playing mostly fretless bass, though)Everytime I change 'em, I lose all low end. I feel like I'm playing naked, with that trebley, tinny sound.Oh, and........<img src="http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/luxa1/DM_blue_steel_V.jpg" border="0" />Worst. Strings. Ever.Cryogenic Activated my balls, Dean Markley.<img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/annoyed.gif" border="0" />

FezPaul

09-22-2006, 02:22 PM

Just broke the G string on my Martin (serves me right for playing a Beatles song).  <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/furious.gif" border="0" />http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/IMG_0141.jpg 

This message was edited by FezPaul on 9-22-06 @ 6:37 PM

bobrobot

09-22-2006, 02:52 PM

FezPaul wrote: Just broke the G string on my Martin (serves me right for playing a Beatles song).  <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/furious.gif" border="0" /><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/IMG_0141.jpg" border="0" /> This message was edited by FezPaul on 9-22-06 @ 6:37 PM  better that 1 than this 1...<img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/bobogolem/big_g_string.jpg" border="0" />

Gvac

09-22-2006, 02:56 PM

A Martin, huh?  Well excuuuuuse me. Looks like someone has quite a bit of disposable income. <img border="0" src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/bye.gif" />

FezPaul

09-22-2006, 02:58 PM

Gvac wrote: A Martin, huh?  Well excuuuuuse me. Looks like someone has quite a bit of disposable income. <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/bye.gif" border="0" />Me? Ask telecaster7 to tell you about his toys! <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/surrender.gif" border="0" />

tele7

09-22-2006, 10:24 PM

I just hung on to alot of my gear since I was young.  I'm a pack rat.  Mostly old stomp boxes and a few decent guitars.  Really not too impressive.  My new Marshall plexi head re-issue just put me in the poor house, but it's worth every penny.

LimeJohnny

09-23-2006, 04:29 AM

For those of you that missed the reference-here ya go:<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mlrb6ZnmU4" target="_self" title="The Uncle Pecos Cartoon">The Uncle Pecos cartoon.</a>       skidmark wrote  Furtherman wrote: Pluck a whisker off a cat. They seem to work well.  <img width="260" height="180" border="0" src="http://www.robrichards.com/Images/pecos.jpg" /> I had to come out of retirement, just to point out what a damn fine Uncle Pecos reference that was.

PaulF

09-23-2006, 09:24 AM

I don't change a full set until they sound too dead or don't hold the tuning. I would also change strings before gigs or every couple of gigs if they were close together. I also prefer them played in a little bit.My hands don't make my strings grungy like some other people I know. I have a friend who can play one of my guitars for a couple of hours and strings are disgusting to the point that wiping them off doesn't help. He has to buy me new strings whenever he borrows one of my guitars.My favorite strings were the ones I didn't have to pay for (I used to get cases of Snarling Dogs and DR as part of an endorsement deal for one of my bands). Otherwise, I use different brands on different guitars, though D'Addario generally work well on all of them.

Gvac

09-29-2006, 07:44 PM

I'm dreading restringing my classical guitar.  Nylon strings are a bitch.  Thankfully I only change them every year or so.

Hottub

09-29-2006, 07:52 PM

Try not barely a player, and having to change strings on my kids guitar, ala Jimi Hendrix. He's a lefty with a right handed guitar. Fortunatly, the acoustic is basically a mirror, left or right.

FUNKMAN

09-29-2006, 07:57 PM

i have locking nutson my strat... very convenient and strings stay in "tune to the song i'm playin"

Gvac

09-29-2006, 08:02 PM

Hottub wrote: Try not barely a player, and having to change strings on my kids guitar, ala Jimi Hendrix. He's a lefty with a right handed guitar. Fortunatly, the acoustic is basically a mirror, left or right. Hopefully you've flipped the nut and saddle though.  You did, right Tub?

d-rock

09-29-2006, 09:19 PM

i heard that if you rub the bottom of your feet up and down the strings it helps keep them in tune longer

FezPaul

09-30-2006, 02:12 AM

d-rock wrote: i heard that if you rub the bottom of your feet up and down the strings it helps keep them in tune longer http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/hack/Kung20Fu20Baby.gif

PaulF

09-30-2006, 08:09 AM

FUNKMAN wrote: i have locking nutson my strat... very convenient and strings stay in "tune to the song i'm playin"I've got a graphite nut (non-locking) with locking tuners on my Ibanez RT (more like a Strat than the typical Ibanez). Stays in tune great.Assuming the guitar is setup right. the trick to making sure the guitar stays in tune is to make sure that the string only wraps around the post about 1 1/2 times. You can do this by locking the string under the first loop. Too many winds and the string will shift around the post. Oh, and stretch the strings as you are string the guitar.

FUNKMAN

09-30-2006, 10:17 AM

PaulF wrote: FUNKMAN wrote: i have locking nutson my strat... very convenient and strings stay in "tune to the song i'm playin"I've got a graphite nut (non-locking) with locking tuners on my Ibanez RT (more like a Strat than the typical Ibanez). Stays in tune great.Assuming the guitar is setup right. the trick to making sure the guitar stays in tune is to make sure that the string only wraps around the post about 1 1/2 times. You can do this by locking the string under the first loop. Too many winds and the string will shift around the post. Oh, and stretch the strings as you are string the guitar.after reading your reply i'm guessing i meant locking tuners. mighty convenient and my strat stays in tune or very close in tune almost all the time...    i used to stretch the new strings by pulling on them but what i do now is just tune a full note higher a couple times... i've snapped a few  by pullin on e'm <img height="189" src="http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/9/1/4/247914.jpg" width="590" border="0" />

This message was edited by FUNKMAN on 9-30-06 @ 2:21 PM

PaulF

10-01-2006, 02:48 PM

FUNKMAN wrote: PaulF wrote: FUNKMAN wrote: i have locking nutson my strat... very convenient and strings stay in "tune to the song i'm playin"I've got a graphite nut (non-locking) with locking tuners on my Ibanez RT (more like a Strat than the typical Ibanez). Stays in tune great.Assuming the guitar is setup right. the trick to making sure the guitar stays in tune is to make sure that the string only wraps around the post about 1 1/2 times. You can do this by locking the string under the first loop. Too many winds and the string will shift around the post. Oh, and stretch the strings as you are string the guitar.after reading your reply i'm guessing i meant locking tuners. mighty convenient and my strat stays in tune or very close in tune almost all the time...    i used to stretch the new strings by pulling on them but what i do now is just tune a full note higher a couple times... i've snapped a few  by pullin on e'm <img height="189" src="http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/9/1/4/247914.jpg" width="590" border="0" />This message was edited by FUNKMAN on 9-30-06 @ 2:21 PM Whether you're using locking or standard tuners, you should still limit the number of times the string is wound around the post.

FUNKMAN

10-01-2006, 03:27 PM

PaulF wrote: FUNKMAN wrote: PaulF wrote: FUNKMAN wrote: i have locking nutson my strat... very convenient and strings stay in "tune to the song i'm playin"I've got a graphite nut (non-locking) with locking tuners on my Ibanez RT (more like a Strat than the typical Ibanez). Stays in tune great.Assuming the guitar is setup right. the trick to making sure the guitar stays in tune is to make sure that the string only wraps around the post about 1 1/2 times. You can do this by locking the string under the first loop. Too many winds and the string will shift around the post. Oh, and stretch the strings as you are string the guitar.after reading your reply i'm guessing i meant locking tuners. mighty convenient and my strat stays in tune or very close in tune almost all the time...    i used to stretch the new strings by pulling on them but what i do now is just tune a full note higher a couple times... i've snapped a few  by pullin on e'm <img height="189" src="http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/9/1/4/247914.jpg" width="590" border="0" />  Whether you're using locking or standard tuners, you should still limit the number of times the string is wound around the post.mine must be be wound one time or less. i'll pull the string thru and pull on it as tight as i can, i'll then lock it, snip it right to it's lowest level, and then tune it

ChimneyFish

10-02-2006, 11:43 AM

FezPaul wrote: d-rock wrote: i heard that if you rub the bottom of your feet up and down the strings it helps keep them in tune longer <img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/hack/Kung20Fu20Baby.gif" border="0" /> I don't know why, but I just got the biggest laugh I've had in awhile from that. Thanks FezPaul.<img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/laugh.gif" border="0" />    I still can't stop laughing.