jonnymangia
New member
I just laced up some GHS Boomer .10's on my SG (replacing Ernie Ball Slinky's) and my guitar sounds WAY too bright now. Could different strings make that much of a change in tone?
J
J
Do Strings Change Tone?
- Thread starter jonnymangia
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jonnymangia
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
These strings were the same gauge, that's why I can't believe how much brighter it sounds. It's a significant difference.
These strings were the same gauge, that's why I can't believe how much brighter it sounds. It's a significant difference.
JeffB
Let it B
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
+1 to Zerb and Curlys posts.
Boomers are BRIGHT strings.
Biggest "wow" factor I've heard in strings is when I started using DR Blues. Holy Craparoni. I was real pleased with the Gibson VRs and BW's, but man the DR Blues...just took up the tone another notch (and theya re tough and LAST!)
Picks too. I have prolly about 20 different types of picks laying around...some in sev diff gauges...BIG diff in tone with picks. I find myself gravitating back to old standard celluloid picks..Fender..Gibson, etc, most of the time. Dunlop Nylons are very nice too for me. They don't last long, but have the best tone to my ears.
+1 to Zerb and Curlys posts.
Boomers are BRIGHT strings.
Biggest "wow" factor I've heard in strings is when I started using DR Blues. Holy Craparoni. I was real pleased with the Gibson VRs and BW's, but man the DR Blues...just took up the tone another notch (and theya re tough and LAST!)
Picks too. I have prolly about 20 different types of picks laying around...some in sev diff gauges...BIG diff in tone with picks. I find myself gravitating back to old standard celluloid picks..Fender..Gibson, etc, most of the time. Dunlop Nylons are very nice too for me. They don't last long, but have the best tone to my ears.
jonnymangia
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
I will never buy Boomers again. The tone on this typically dark SG is so bright I have to wear shades. Back to Ernie Ball I go...
JeffB said:
I will never buy Boomers again. The tone on this typically dark SG is so bright I have to wear shades. Back to Ernie Ball I go...
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
The difference between Boomers and the GHS Nickel Rockers, as an example, is simply the chemical make up of the wrap metal. It's quite a noticable difference in tone. A nickel plated low carbon steel is used on the Boomers, while the wraps of Nickel Rockers are pure nickel. The nickel plated carbon steel is much brighter, and the pure nickel wrap is much darker.
I use Boomers on some guitars that have darker sounding bass strings. With the boomers, the wrapped strings stay more alive with more harmonic content on such guitars. I can roll off just a touch of highs on the unwrapped strings with a minor tweak of the tone knob, without deadening the wrapped strings. However, some guitars require the use of pure nickel wrapped strings. This is probably the case with that SG. It depends on the guitar and the rest of the rig, as well as the player.
Combining Chromium with Nickel creates stainless steel, and SS wrapped strings are actualy much brighter than even the Boomers.
The GHS Nickel Rockers require quite a bit more tension to reach standard pitch compared to the Boomers of the same guages, but the EB slinkys don't seem to require as much tension as the NR's. They seem to strike a compromize between the pure nickel wrap types, and the brighter nickel plated wrap strings such as the boomers.
I've had rather good luck with the EB Slinkys and do use them on certian guitars too......
Back when I played mostly American amps like Fenders and Boogies, I didn't like brand new strings that ofton. They usually sounded better played in a bit. However, with Marshalls I like brand new strings as much as practical, but the string needs to be optimized to the particular guitar.
The difference between Boomers and the GHS Nickel Rockers, as an example, is simply the chemical make up of the wrap metal. It's quite a noticable difference in tone. A nickel plated low carbon steel is used on the Boomers, while the wraps of Nickel Rockers are pure nickel. The nickel plated carbon steel is much brighter, and the pure nickel wrap is much darker.
I use Boomers on some guitars that have darker sounding bass strings. With the boomers, the wrapped strings stay more alive with more harmonic content on such guitars. I can roll off just a touch of highs on the unwrapped strings with a minor tweak of the tone knob, without deadening the wrapped strings. However, some guitars require the use of pure nickel wrapped strings. This is probably the case with that SG. It depends on the guitar and the rest of the rig, as well as the player.
Combining Chromium with Nickel creates stainless steel, and SS wrapped strings are actualy much brighter than even the Boomers.
The GHS Nickel Rockers require quite a bit more tension to reach standard pitch compared to the Boomers of the same guages, but the EB slinkys don't seem to require as much tension as the NR's. They seem to strike a compromize between the pure nickel wrap types, and the brighter nickel plated wrap strings such as the boomers.
I've had rather good luck with the EB Slinkys and do use them on certian guitars too......
Back when I played mostly American amps like Fenders and Boogies, I didn't like brand new strings that ofton. They usually sounded better played in a bit. However, with Marshalls I like brand new strings as much as practical, but the string needs to be optimized to the particular guitar.
Diego
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
Big difference. I tried some Steel Ernie Balls not so long ago and I found the tone to be shrill and waaaay too bright for my tastes. They had nice sustain though...
Then I tried some pure nickel EBs. LOVED the tone! So smooth and warm... but they last so little. :dot:
So right now I'm staying with the nickel-steel EBs. Perfect middle ground I guess.
Haven't tried anything besides EB, D'addario (not so good), GHS Boomers and Progressives (hated them) and Dean Markeley (too expensive!). Ernie Balls are the best. :beerchug:
Big difference. I tried some Steel Ernie Balls not so long ago and I found the tone to be shrill and waaaay too bright for my tastes. They had nice sustain though...
Then I tried some pure nickel EBs. LOVED the tone! So smooth and warm... but they last so little. :dot:
So right now I'm staying with the nickel-steel EBs. Perfect middle ground I guess.
Haven't tried anything besides EB, D'addario (not so good), GHS Boomers and Progressives (hated them) and Dean Markeley (too expensive!). Ernie Balls are the best. :beerchug:
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
I use a brass pick. Gives a really nice smooth sound and helps take some of the "clack" off the pick attack. :nana:
Ohh and it does bitchin pick slides too!
Zerberus said:yes... different brands have different alloys, and different guages have different tension.....
If you´re surprised at strings making a big difference, just wait until you discover different guages and material of pick
I use a brass pick. Gives a really nice smooth sound and helps take some of the "clack" off the pick attack. :nana:
Ohh and it does bitchin pick slides too!
slash857
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
i like elixirs on my floyd equipped guitar because theyre not real bright right when u put them on which some people hate about them; i like it because this guitar is really bright. on my lp i actually like d'addarios, maybe its just because i decided to stick to one string? hated elixirs on the lp, they worked well on the strat though. blue steels are good too. but ghs strings ive always hated.
i like elixirs on my floyd equipped guitar because theyre not real bright right when u put them on which some people hate about them; i like it because this guitar is really bright. on my lp i actually like d'addarios, maybe its just because i decided to stick to one string? hated elixirs on the lp, they worked well on the strat though. blue steels are good too. but ghs strings ive always hated.
Metalman_666
Well-known member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
I've always noticed a major difference between sets of strings, but I don't think I've tried enough brands for long enough so that I could actually point out which characteristics I did and didn't like among brands. However I've noted that I really like DR Tite-Fit strings because they aren't as bright as others and they feel great to bend.
And yes Slash857, I hate GHS Boomers as well... just not for me.
I've always noticed a major difference between sets of strings, but I don't think I've tried enough brands for long enough so that I could actually point out which characteristics I did and didn't like among brands. However I've noted that I really like DR Tite-Fit strings because they aren't as bright as others and they feel great to bend.
And yes Slash857, I hate GHS Boomers as well... just not for me.
James Rock
Active member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
ernie ball's are pretty warm for what they are (the nickel coated ones) they are not as bright as Gibson Bright Wires (same gauge same material)
ernie ball's are pretty warm for what they are (the nickel coated ones) they are not as bright as Gibson Bright Wires (same gauge same material)
Gila_Crisis
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
i find steel strings sound a lot brighter/"woody" than nickels. really nice are those 52alloy (a mix of nickel & steal), i got everly B52 .010-.052 on my strat the sound so wonderfull!
i find steel strings sound a lot brighter/"woody" than nickels. really nice are those 52alloy (a mix of nickel & steal), i got everly B52 .010-.052 on my strat the sound so wonderfull!
MDS
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
I've gone through a lot of string brands, but somehow always end up back at D'Addario...they're cheap, consistent, and feel right to me. They probably feel right just becuase I've played them so much. The big thing is the consistency. I've found soooooooo many corroded strings in packs of other brands and run into a few duds as well. D'addarios are 100% in my experience, and that goes a long way at the gig...
I've gone through a lot of string brands, but somehow always end up back at D'Addario...they're cheap, consistent, and feel right to me. They probably feel right just becuase I've played them so much. The big thing is the consistency. I've found soooooooo many corroded strings in packs of other brands and run into a few duds as well. D'addarios are 100% in my experience, and that goes a long way at the gig...
SpiderVenom
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
I remember moving from a rather well used set of Fender bullets to a brand new set of D'Adarrios... guitar lost a massive amount of brightness :eek13:
After a while, I preferred it. Strings definitely make a difference, at any rate.
I remember moving from a rather well used set of Fender bullets to a brand new set of D'Adarrios... guitar lost a massive amount of brightness :eek13:
After a while, I preferred it. Strings definitely make a difference, at any rate.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
Changing gauges, composition, design or manufacturer can all have very big effects, but it can also sometimes be startling just how different the exact same string will sound when it's BRAND FSCKING NEW versus the old grimey one that has been on your guitar for longer than you want to admit. Some people get addicted to that BRAND FSCKING NEW sound and change their strings constantly; others get used to the sound of a dead string and hate the way new ones sound.
Changing gauges, composition, design or manufacturer can all have very big effects, but it can also sometimes be startling just how different the exact same string will sound when it's BRAND FSCKING NEW versus the old grimey one that has been on your guitar for longer than you want to admit. Some people get addicted to that BRAND FSCKING NEW sound and change their strings constantly; others get used to the sound of a dead string and hate the way new ones sound.
Metalman_666
Well-known member
Re: Do Strings Change Tone?
The part about the difference in manufacturer is interesting. According WebStrings.com, there are only a few companies that manufacture strings but the brands like D'Addario, Ernie Ball, DR, etc. just use those exact same strings and put a different label on them. I don't know if I really buy it, as I've tried at least 6 different brands and they all sounded a little different.
St_Genesius said:
The part about the difference in manufacturer is interesting. According WebStrings.com, there are only a few companies that manufacture strings but the brands like D'Addario, Ernie Ball, DR, etc. just use those exact same strings and put a different label on them. I don't know if I really buy it, as I've tried at least 6 different brands and they all sounded a little different.
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