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Post by Colchar on Mar 9, 2016 17:45:19 GMT
When I had my Faded LP I tried .09s on it and it sounded terrible. Went right back to .10s within a day. I don't get how guys like Page can use .08s and Gibbons can use .07s on their Lesters.
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Post by Maxwell on Mar 9, 2016 17:56:55 GMT
Enough gain and other knobs and a 5 will scream... At 7s, without processing, I don't think I could stand how the E "or" B string would sound on a bend...
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Post by Marshall 'n' Moonshine on Mar 10, 2016 20:21:23 GMT
When I had my Faded LP I tried .09s on it and it sounded terrible. Went right back to .10s within a day. I don't get how guys like Page can use .08s and Gibbons can use .07s on their Lesters. I'd think they have a completely different setup, possibly with different pups, specially sound for lighter strings. I did a switch, like you, and like you, I was instantly back to 10's. But I didn't change anything besides a quick truss rod adjustment. I probably coulda raised the pickups/ poles a little to fatten it up and re-balance it. But I didn't like the feel anyway, plus I use the same guitar for slide, and it was already hard with low action on my 10's. It was impossible not to hit frets with the 9's.
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Post by Marshall 'n' Moonshine on Mar 10, 2016 20:22:13 GMT
"Wound", not "sound" for different strings...
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Post by stonedcrow on Mar 30, 2016 1:01:34 GMT
Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky 9 to 46 on all my six string electric guitars or Ernie Ball Cobalt Electric Guitar Strings 10-62 7-String Skinny Top Heavy Bottom for all my seven string electric guitars, Newtone Strings Master Class Phosphor Bronze 95% Bronze 12 to 54 on all my 6 string acoustics and 12 to 70 on all my seven string acoustics, and for classical nylon string guitar I'm sponsored by Picato Strings and use their Silver & Clear Nylon Normal Tension Classical Guitar Strings on all my classical nylon string guitars. Yes it's complicated and a pain in the arse to keep track of all the strings that I buy, get given and use, and make sure that I have enough of the right type of strings in the house to last me, and that strings have been changed when needed on guitars for when the guitars are needed, it almost feels like a full time job when I'm restocking on strings.
I buy lots and lots of strings, I go through packs a week, lots of packs, at least three sets of electric strings a week, one set of steel string acoustic strings a week, and one or two sets of nylon strings a week.
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Post by Colchar on Mar 30, 2016 1:32:36 GMT
I wish more manufacturers would make 12 and 13 gauge sets with a plain third string. I want heavy strings for a guitar that is set up to learn slide on (since I am learning the heavier strings are an absolute necessity) but don't want a wound third. D'Addarrio seems to be about the only brand that offers a set in those heavy gauges with a plain third string.
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Post by stonedcrow on Mar 30, 2016 1:46:38 GMT
I don't use a special set of string or have a guitar specially set up for slide, I'll play White Zombies More Human Than Human, on what ever guitar I happen to be using at the time, I don't switch guitars during the set for one guitar set up for slide to play a or two song that is mainly slide.
Newtone Strings will make you a set of 12 13 any gauge you want with a plain unwound third string, they are after all hand made guitar strings, but they are based in the U.K. so the shipping and import taxes might be a killer for you, unless you bulk buy, there must be U.S. based string manufacturers who will hand make you a set of strings to your specs, I almost had to resort to ordering string for my seven string acoustics from the U.S. until I heard about Newtone strings.
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Post by Colchar on Mar 30, 2016 2:01:17 GMT
Newtone Strings will make you a set of 12 13 any gauge you want with a plain unwound third string, they are after all hand made guitar strings, but they are based in the U.K. so the shipping and import taxes might be a killer for you, unless you bulk buy, there must be U.S. based string manufacturers who will hand make you a set of strings to your specs, I almost had to resort to ordering string for my seven string acoustics from the U.S. until I heard about Newtone strings. I use Rotosound strings now and those come from the UK. Actually, I once had a nice email discussion with one of their senior execs so maybe I can contact him. As for Newtone, I can always contact them too. Worst comes to worst I could order them to a family member's place and have them mail them on to me so as to avoid taxes and import duties (since you might not know, although I have lived the majority of my life here in Canada my family is Scottish...I lived there as a child and have lived in London for several months at a time at a couple of points as an adult).
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Post by stonedcrow on Mar 30, 2016 2:18:47 GMT
Newtone Strings will make you a set of 12 13 any gauge you want with a plain unwound third string, they are after all hand made guitar strings, but they are based in the U.K. so the shipping and import taxes might be a killer for you, unless you bulk buy, there must be U.S. based string manufacturers who will hand make you a set of strings to your specs, I almost had to resort to ordering string for my seven string acoustics from the U.S. until I heard about Newtone strings. I use Rotosound strings now and those come from the UK. Actually, I once had a nice email discussion with one of their senior execs so maybe I can contact him. As for Newtone, I can always contact them too. Worst comes to worst I could order them to a family member's place and have them mail them on to me so as to avoid taxes and import duties (since you might not know, although I have lived the majority of my life here in Canada my family is Scottish...I lived there as a child and have lived in London for several months at a time at a couple of points as an adult). I highly recommend them and they don't endorse me, so I don't get strings from them for free, I have to buy every pack of strings I get from them, and I honestly think that their Master Class Phosphor Bronze strings are the best acoustic guitar strings that I have used to date.
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Post by Sinster on Apr 1, 2016 21:50:52 GMT
I get what's on sale, but I'm a GHS Boomer fan. Right now I have over 100 packages of strings. If it goes on sale I will buy them whether I need them or not.
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Post by stonedcrow on Apr 4, 2016 11:18:09 GMT
I wish more manufacturers would make 12 and 13 gauge sets with a plain third string. I want heavy strings for a guitar that is set up to learn slide on (since I am learning the heavier strings are an absolute necessity) but don't want a wound third. D'Addarrio seems to be about the only brand that offers a set in those heavy gauges with a plain third string. I completely forget about this custom string manufacturer based in Ohio they used to be called Circle K Strings, they are now known as Kalium Strings, they still use the same logo and string packaging though. I used to use them back when they where called Circle K Strings before you could buy packs of seven strings for electric guitars in the U.K. from companies like Ernie Ball, they will happily make 12 and 13 gauge sets of strings for you without the wound third string but a plain one, you may have to call or email them first though to get them to price a set for you as they will give you discount for buying full sets, they are used to people ordering individual strings and making up their own custom gauge sets, so they are more geared towards that. They do make them, a single plain unwound G string, or third string they sell for between US$0.90, and US$1.10 before shipping, and their strings are excellent quality, so compared to the U.K. they are dirt cheap, the thickest plain unwound G string that they currently do is 0.22 and sells for US$1.10. Here is a link to their home page: Kalium Strings
Here is a link to the electric plain unwound single strings: Kalium Strings Plain Unwound Strings They do have a discount code, I think it's for 10% off your order, but I can't find it, I probably have in my email client on my old laptop, and I strongly recommend that you read their F.A.Q. which covers things like string tension, they have a cool string tension calculator for working out the tension you strings will be under that is very useful. And here is their very useful string tension calculator: Kalium Strings Tension Calculator
There are many custom string manufacturers based in the U.S, Curt Mangan are very very good but pricey, and String Joy are at the opposite end of the price and quality spectrum, meaning that they are very cheap and are not the as good as your off the shelf strings.
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stevie
Burnt Rock Star
Posts: 29
Likes: 60
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Post by stevie on Apr 4, 2016 14:16:08 GMT
D'Addario EXL120+ Nickel Wound, Super Light Plus, 9.5- 44 on the short-scale Lesters and
EB Super Slinkys (9-42) on the Fenders.
On my 2 acoustics I have RotoSound Acoustic Guitar Phosphor Bronze Super Light, .009 - .048 (un-wound G).
(Not that I play them very often. Don't much care to play acoustic guitar because I find them extremely uncomfortable)
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Post by Donal on Apr 4, 2016 14:35:42 GMT
When I had my Faded LP I tried .09s on it and it sounded terrible. Went right back to .10s within a day. I don't get how guys like Page can use .08s and Gibbons can use .07s on their Lesters. I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. On my accoustics I use Fender extra light 10s I am not sure about Gibson using 7s ... anything new I have baught was mostly with 9s and a few with 10s I have stopped buying D'Addario and Elixir Strings as I found them just too expensive (even if they lasted a bit longer).
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Post by Colchar on Apr 4, 2016 15:05:47 GMT
When I had my Faded LP I tried .09s on it and it sounded terrible. Went right back to .10s within a day. I don't get how guys like Page can use .08s and Gibbons can use .07s on their Lesters. I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. I was in the guitar store on Saturday talking to my buddy, their guitar tech, when another regular customer came in with his Epi 339. For some reason the D string was all pitted, had flat spots, rough spots, etc. The other bass strings did too, but the D was by far the worst of the three. He was using the Gibson Vintage Reissues. I wonder if maybe he just got a bad pack or something? I've never tried those strings myself but the store (chain actually) has their Gibson Month promotion going on this month. When we find me a LP that I want to buy I will jump on it. Part of the deal when you buy a Gibby this month is a swag pack - keychain, t-shirt (I already have it but I'll take another), rental discounts, a pack of free Gibson Vintage Reissue strings (or Masterbuilt acoustic strings if you buy an acoustic), etc., etc. They always give me free strings when I buy a guitar, and I'll get them to throw in a pack of my usual strings, but I will also take the free pack of Vintage Reissues to give them a try as I have used their Masterbuilt acoustic strings and really liked them.
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Post by Donal on Apr 4, 2016 15:18:18 GMT
I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. I was in the guitar store on Saturday talking to my buddy, their guitar tech, when another regular customer came in with his Epi 339. For some reason the D string was all pitted, had flat spots, rough spots, etc. The other bass strings did too, but the D was by far the worst of the three. He was using the Gibson Vintage Reissues. I wonder if maybe he just got a bad pack or something? I've never tried those strings myself but the store (chain actually) has their Gibson Month promotion going on this month. When we find me a LP that I want to buy I will jump on it. Part of the deal when you buy a Gibby this month is a swag pack - keychain, t-shirt (I already have it but I'll take another), rental discounts, a pack of free Gibson Vintage Reissue strings (or Masterbuilt acoustic strings if you buy an acoustic), etc., etc. They always give me free strings when I buy a guitar, and I'll get them to throw in a pack of my usual strings, but I will also take the free pack of Vintage Reissues to give them a try as I have used their Masterbuilt acoustic strings and really liked them. I have used about 20 packs with no problems. One thing though, they have all been from the older packs like this: I have bought the ones with the blue print but not used them yet
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Post by Harmony on Apr 4, 2016 23:40:33 GMT
When I had my Faded LP I tried .09s on it and it sounded terrible. Went right back to .10s within a day. I don't get how guys like Page can use .08s and Gibbons can use .07s on their Lesters. I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. On my accoustics I use Fender extra light 10s I am not sure about Gibson using 7s ... anything new I have baught was mostly with 9s and a few with 10s I have stopped buying D'Addario and Elixir Strings as I found them just too expensive (even if they lasted a bit longer). For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol
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Post by Colchar on Apr 5, 2016 0:13:16 GMT
For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol Because your mind is in the gutter?
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Post by Harmony on Apr 5, 2016 0:46:13 GMT
For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol Because your mind is in the gutter? Mine? Never
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Post by Grand Toad on Apr 5, 2016 1:15:26 GMT
I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. On my accoustics I use Fender extra light 10s I am not sure about Gibson using 7s ... anything new I have baught was mostly with 9s and a few with 10s I have stopped buying D'Addario and Elixir Strings as I found them just too expensive (even if they lasted a bit longer). For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol That's Henry's plan, after all.
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Post by Donal on Apr 5, 2016 10:57:14 GMT
I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. On my accoustics I use Fender extra light 10s I am not sure about Gibson using 7s ... anything new I have baught was mostly with 9s and a few with 10s I have stopped buying D'Addario and Elixir Strings as I found them just too expensive (even if they lasted a bit longer). For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol maybe it's just your dirty mind but then these would be the guitarists favourites
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Post by jdto on Apr 5, 2016 15:04:58 GMT
I have settled on 10-46 on my Tele and SG, although the SG initially came with 9-46. I've been using Elixirs, but I find they feel a little bit stiffer than regular strings, so I'm probably going to try a different type next time I change strings. On my J-45, I've been using 80/20 12s and just put on a set of D'Addario EXP 80/20 12s. They feel alright and I hope they will last a bit longer than the Martins I had on there, which went dead quickly. On the GS Mini it's the Elixir PB Mediums (13s?) that came on the guitar that are still holding their own. I will likely stick with them as they get the job done and the GS Mini doesn't see as much use, so having the strings stay fresh longer is nice.
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Post by Maxwell on Apr 16, 2016 13:37:13 GMT
I'm telling y'all, on a Lester, once you go Brite Wires, you don't go back...
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Post by Colchar on Apr 17, 2016 15:48:55 GMT
I'm telling y'all, on a Lester, once you go Brite Wires, you don't go back... I tried them and didn't like them. But this being Gibson Month at the chain I deal with, you get freebies when buying a Gibson. One of the things you get is a set of Brite Wires so I will try them again. Because my buddy the sales guy won't shut up about them I am going to try the NYXL strings on my new LP. If I like them fine, if not I will try the Brite Wires and then go back to Rotosounds. I prefer pure nickel strings but the Rotosound ones are never in stock and have to be ordered. Since I am not usually swift enough to plan ahead, that makes getting them a hassle. DR Pure Blues are always in stock though. I plan on putting a heavy gauge set of those on my Sherry for slide playing so figure I can try a normal gauge on the Lester to see how I like them.
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Post by Donal on Apr 19, 2016 7:48:36 GMT
I use 9s all the time and am happy with them. I use the Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickels and am happy with them. For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol Had to think of you Harmony (well at least your post ) when I saw these And no, they are not for real.
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Post by Harmony on May 10, 2016 9:55:43 GMT
For some reason, those Gibson ones reminds me of condom packages. I don;t know why lol Had to think of you Harmony (well at least your post ) when I saw these And no, they are not for real.
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Post by Colchar on May 17, 2016 21:27:10 GMT
I think I am going to give Dean Markley strings another try.
I have ordered a set of .12s for the slide guitar. Those come with a wound third so I grabbed a single .20 gauge to use as the third string. I am hoping that, as my technique develops, I will be able to go down to .11 gauge strings as that will open up a whole world of options including the pure nickel strings that I tend to favour.
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Sasquatch
Burnt Rock Star
Posts: 32
Likes: 29
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Post by Sasquatch on Sept 15, 2020 1:45:49 GMT
Strings are a very personal part of playing guitar. I use Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings on my Electrics. I use Elixir Custom Lights on my acoustic. What do you folks use? Mostly settled on... For the Lester: Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky 2252 pure nickel wrap For the HD-28: D'Addario EJ17 Phosphor Bronze Medium For the D12-28: Martin SP MSP7600 Lifespan 92/8 Phosphor Bronze Extra Light. I have a set of the 2.0 version of this string set on deck. For the StratoMutt: Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky 2222 I dig the Gomez avie!
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Post by johnreardon on Nov 23, 2020 9:21:12 GMT
I have just dropped down to 8s as my fingers seemed to have aged the same as the rest of my boy. Using Ernie Ball Extra Slinky 8,11,14,22,30,38. Have I noticed a difference in sound? Absolutely not. My LPs are still as deep as ever.
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Post by Sgt Rock on Nov 26, 2020 22:20:05 GMT
on my Les Paul and my 2 Gretsch Jets, I use 10s. I have been using GHS Boomers, but I came into some Gretsch strings(Gretsch is on the package) that I plan to use the next time I change strings. the strings were a "door prize" that I won at a Gretsch gathering in Kansas City. on my '59 Gretsch hollowbody, I use 11s. anything else and the strings rattle. on my acoustics, I like to use John Pearce Phosphor Bronze slightly light gauge. I like to bend the strings. I'm reposting this to keep the thread current.
John, there's no way I could use anything smaller than at least 9s on my Les Paul or my Jets. with 8s, just chording the strings, I would be out of tune. however, arthritis is starting to set in my fingers in my left hand. so, I may have to go with 8s myself. getting old ain't for sissies.
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Post by infant on Nov 27, 2020 4:56:33 GMT
I started using D’addario EXL110 (10-46) on my Gibsons after I bought my Melody Maker. It came from the factory with 10s on it and I liked the feel. I have used D’addario EXL115 (11-49) on my Fenders for at least 25 years although I have bought some Rotosounds recently for both the Gibsons and Fenders. They aren’t bad strings either. I can’t go any lighter than 10s as I can’t feel the strings under my fingers and on any guitar with medium to jumbo frets, I tend to sound out of tune.
My nephews son started playing guitar late last year. He bought a Squier Strat and a couple of weeks ago, I set it up for him with 9s like the strings that were on there. Holy crap, I couldn’t play it...the strings felt like thread and I was stretching them without even trying.
On my acoustics, I use D’addario phosphor bronze 12s on my Martin and Martin phosphor bronze 10s on my Ovation
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