DR Strings. What gives?

[El Supremo]

So been testing my new Black Winter set and decided to try some different brand strings. After a refret some time ago, my luthier strung it up with some Ernie Balls which are great (great sound, no buzz at low action), but a little slinky feeling with a 10-46 gauge.
Strung my Les Paul up with a set of DR Tite Fits 10-46 and noticed the sound had a lot more presence to it. It sounded great overall, untill...

The D and G string started buzzing all over (and I mean all over) the place. And this was the kinda buzz that's audible through an amp.
Thinking it might be a setup issue (different brands, different tensions), I tried everything from raising the action to adjusting neck relief from dead straight to fully loose (only an 1/8 of a turned tightened). The buzz remained.
So I went back to a set of Daddarios 10-46 and the problem is now gone. Btw, clearer and warmer sound overall with a stiffer feel.

Any of you have similar experience with certain brands? Is it just a matter of stringing with higher gauges when using DR strings?
Kinda bummed about flushing 7 euros down the tubes. Could have bought a kebab for that. Ah well, live and learn (hopefully )

 

[Darg1911]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I've tried the Tite-Fits but never used them regularly. I was a fan of the Pure Blues. I think the Tite-Fits are the same, just with nickel plated wound strings versus "pure" nickel of the Pure Blues. Both wound on a round core. I never had a problem with buzzing but too many intonation problems right out of fresh packages (Pure Blues), mostly with the D string. I quit using them. I don't set up with a super low action either though. I still use the DR Sunbeams for bass though. Lately I've been trying Daddario pure nickels and the Dunlop pure nickels. But I was using GHS Nickel and Burnished Nickel Rockers. All 10-46 except the D-Addario which have a 45 low E. At any rate, I haven't had to touch the action switching between any of these sets either.

I think they are all Hex Core while the DR Tites are round core. Maybe that makes for lower tension and accounts for your buzz, but I don't understand why raising the action wouldn't take care of that. I cant explain it other than lower tension. Or maybe you got a bad set and the wrap is loose? But in your case, that could only possibly explain the D. Personally, I would just move on to a different string. But it sounds like you've already done that.

 

[Kac]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

Interesting. Yeah I hate waste money on stuff that doesn't work. I use nothing but DR black beauties and haven't run into any problems.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I decided to splurge a bit and got two sets of DR coated strings for two different guitars. It said that the coating would not affect the tone. They are the worst strings I have ever played with. Worse than the really cheap strings you get when you're a kid still learning. Dull tone, almost too thick for the nut slots and feel just awkward. Even the coating starts wearing away after a few days.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I've got a set of pink DR coated strings that I bought about ten years ago. I haven't gotten around to trying them yet.

'Tsall I got.

See if you can sell them off, unless they're an older version that is better. I hear Elixir discontinued one of their -web strings because they lasted too long and affected sales.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

My experience's with DR strings have been mostly unimpressive.

 

[JeffB]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I labsolutely ove the tone and feel of DR Pure Blues. But they are very inconsistent, and even with proper stringing technique of the round cores, they have issues with intonation, and strings going dead prematurely.

 

[firebirdguy72]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I have had nothing but good experience with DR'S. No intonation problems and in fact I prefer the feel and sound of them compared to Ernie ball and diaddario. The only problem I have had was that I broke the high E pretty regularly. Only reason I stopped using them because I like the set I use now more... can't remember the brand but they are in a black and blue package and come with an extra unwound G string it's an .011 to .052 set. Have never broken a string with those sets meanwhile with Ernie ball, DR and diaddario I was breaking strings pretty regularly.

 

[uOpt]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

Which DR strings? It really matters because the core/total diameter ratio is different. And the round core strings are obviously more sensitive to physical stress, they just can lose their winds more easily.

Personally I am a fan of DR. Mostly because they (1) clearly say what you get for core and wind and (2) offer all combinations without fuzz.

I heard about DR strings coming out bad or turning bad quickly but it never happened to me personally.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

I used DRs for a while. I found them inconsistent. I got a set of TiteFit 10s that measured out with a caliper properly but felt like a set of 13s. My buddy (a luthier) was like WTF?

Honestly, they weren't really all that different than the D'Addario EXLs that I've used before that and since.

 

[uOpt]

Re: DR Strings. What gives?

Well I mostly care about strings in the bass world. In basses I really dislike the standard setup of hex core and nickel plated steel wind. DR are the company that is down with that and just offers me all the other combinations - clearly labeled with no fuzz.

On guitar I still mostly use Dean Markley but my #1 has DR Pure Blues on them.