STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

[Pandemonium]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I love their phosphor bronze strings for my acoustic lap guitar and my dobro, but I like Ernie Ball Slinkys and GHS Boomers for my electrics. No knock, it's just what I'm used to. I would figure 8 or 9 out of 10 dobro players use D'Addario strings, they'll do a better job of taming the overtones on the B strings in G tuning and give you a sweeter sound than anything I've tried.

[midnite_man]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I bought a bunch of strings off the webstrings.com site, in particular the "Memphis Lights" .10 - .46 ga. They're not bad for inexpensive strings, but I found them not to be as flexible as, say, D'Addarios. I tried ML's on my Strat but didn't like 'em, but on my Les Paul they felt okay. I mainly keep them on hand in case of a single string break, but I also bought a bunch of Rogue singles from Musician's F. for that purpose. Not too impressed with that line, but they'll get you buy until you do a complete restring.
I've been told, don't know if it's entirely true, that D'Addario is one of the few string companies that actually manufacture their own. Supposedly there are many companies out there who sell strings under their name that are actually made by independent companies who distribute for other "brand name" companies as well.
I'm wondering if anyone here has ever experienced any abrupt change in a certain brand and gauge of strings that they religiously used for a long time, due to that possible theory?

[Gearjoneser]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I love their phosphor bronze strings for my acoustic lap guitar and my dobro, but I like Ernie Ball Slinkys and GHS Boomers for my electrics. No knock, it's just what I'm used to. I would figure 8 or 9 out of 10 dobro players use D'Addario strings, they'll do a better job of taming the overtones on the B strings in G tuning and give you a sweeter sound than anything I've tried.

Interesting that you use Phosphor Bronze for Dobros and lapsteels. I agree that they sound better. I never understood why Dobros and slide guitars are supposed to be stainless steel? or nickel wound?

I just use one gauge higher on the Dobro than the reg. acoustic.
I think I use 12's on acoustic and 13's on the Dobro or lapsteel.

[B2D]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

Ernie Balls and DR's sound like ass, to me. The EB's break more and are sterile sounding and the DR's have no balls. I've always used D'addario EXL120s and I've never had a problem. They last a long time and they're very durable... they never seem to break.

I've been experimenting with Fender strings because they play easier... but I've never had a problem with D's. The D's seem to have more tension in them than regular 9-guage strings, so maybe the guitar was reacting to that.

BTW, RG2570.... nice avatar.

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

It's not surprising that you don't like the sound of strings that are of a different material and tension on a guitar that's not set up for them.

There isn't anything wrong with D'Addario strings. You just don't like them.

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I used to use GHS Boomers. The store was out, so I tried some D'Addarios. I thought they sounded clanky. I then went back and the store recommended DR Tite-fits. I've been using the DR's ever since.

Yeah man DR's are nice, not quite my thing but nice, there definately is something to that compression winding process.

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

you know it is funny cause i originally tried these for the cash savings but you and other have told me that they last for crap?
so even if i had no technical probs i still would have been better off stickin to my normal brand
I want to give the DR's a go as well as elixers? but am sceptical now after the D' adreadio experience

Most people I talk to loved the elixers for acoustic, but didn't like them for electric ... also price wise they were a bit steep, but for the acoustic they lasted much longer, so you got your money's worth ... plus the acoustic feel really good.

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

OK this is really not a who likes em who dont,i would like someone if they can explain what the heck was wrong with em? all three packs had the same problems and it was not the guitar trust me

Man, guy I couldn't tell ya, to me i don't know that there manufacturing process is any different than anyone elses ... But a friend of mine joked that the strings themselves sound *electric*. I don't know if it's there alloy, there wind compression, there core (DR is famous for offering a round core, and a hex core as a tonal alternative), couldn't tell yeah, sorry.

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

.....
...... It's funny that a person will be anal about what strings sound the best, then we put on earplugs to keep from going deaf. Kinda silly, actually.

Now that's funny ....

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I've been using the EXL D'Addarios for many years and there are some important factors that you aren't realizing...The Fender 150s have more string tension...The EXLs are "slinkier" in their feel and therefore put less tension on your guitar's neck...It's quite possible that you'd have to tweak the truss rod a bit and for sure,the vibrato on a strat after switching from Fender to the D'Addario strings...I do know this from using several brands over the many years of playing...The D'addarios are nickel plated steel and are brighter than the Pure Nickel 150s you're used to...A closer string in the Fender line then would actually be the 250 series compared to the EXLs..

The same gauge Fender strings are tighter in tension than the D'Addarios...Fender just released a new line of their strings that have less tension.
The D'addarios I have found to be the least expensive and most consistent strings I have ever used..
I always wipe my strings down before and after playing and get alot of string life from the D'Addarios...
As far as brightness of strings from some I remember in order would go like this....

GHS Boomers
D'Addario EXLs
Ernie Ball Slinkys
GHS Nickel Rockers
Fender 150s
DR Pure Blues

If you're happy with the 150s,then by all means stick with those strings....

John

This is an excellent point all across the board ... a lot of people assume that if the gauge of string is the same (each string the same) that the intonation will be the same also, many times it's true, sometimes it isn't. When one factors in the pups(mainly referring the single coil magnetic pull, but HB can apply also), the neck relief, string tension, and the type of guitar (woods, hardware, solid, semi-hollow, hollow) you can wind up with a whole host of factors. Nice point John.

[Kent S.]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I bought a bunch of strings off the webstrings.com site, in particular the "Memphis Lights" .10 - .46 ga. They're not bad for inexpensive strings, but I found them not to be as flexible as, say, D'Addarios. I tried ML's on my Strat but didn't like 'em, but on my Les Paul they felt okay. I mainly keep them on hand in case of a single string break, but I also bought a bunch of Rogue singles from Musician's F. for that purpose. Not too impressed with that line, but they'll get you buy until you do a complete restring.
I've been told, don't know if it's entirely true, that D'Addario is one of the few string companies that actually manufacture their own. Supposedly there are many companies out there who sell strings under their name that are actually made by independent companies who distribute for other "brand name" companies as well.
I'm wondering if anyone here has ever experienced any abrupt change in a certain brand and gauge of strings that they religiously used for a long time, due to that possible theory?

That's one reason I use GHS, they make there own, of course DR does also ... Get it Tony! (Hat tip to Tony and the guys at DR Strings). ...

[msplines]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I used to use Daddarios, but now i use Dean Markley blue steels. they just last longer. If you guys know of a brand that lasts longer, let me know.

I tried blue steels a couple of times on several guitars, but I found the standard dean markleys kept their tone (9-42s, bright, but I like it like that) much longer.
Tried very hard with d'daddios but hated them every time, new and broken in, so I now only use Dean Markleys.

[Bludave]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

Guitar strings are like guitars, some brands work better for some players. I have used EB strings a long time ago When you used to get two E and B strings with the set!!, but years ago I switched to D'addario and have had excellent results. I use the XL115 (11 thru 49) on my electrics, and J17 (13 thru 56) on acoustics. Some of the issue you describe has to do with using a light string. My understanding is that D'addario also makes strings for a lot of other companys. Who they are I don't know!!!

[bloodswords]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

if you live in an equatorial climate like i do, the D'addarios will disintegrate as soon as you touch them (moisture contact).

i'm a DR fan too, but i'm with the colour coated (red) set

[korovamilkdud]

Re: STRING NIGHTMARE! d'addarios!

I'm another D'addario hater. Mine just kept breaking though. I didn't really have a problem with how they sounded, but reliability seemed to be a serious issue.