Favorite strings again...

[LReese]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Cheap and inexpensive are mutually exclusive terms. I've seen some $300 guitars that were pretty nice, even shred-sticks.

Credit cards in the neck - worked fine for a lot of people.

If you don't like Fenders, OK not everyone does. Just don't act like a condescending know it all and act like your level of knowledge is superior to all others on this forum. A lot of stuff stated in this thread is OPINION not fact.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Cheap and inexpensive are mutually exclusive terms. I've seen some $300 guitars that were pretty nice, even shred-sticks.

Credit cards in the neck - worked fine for a lot of people.

If you don't like Fenders, OK not everyone does. Just don't act like a condescending know it all and act like your level of knowledge is superior to all others on this forum. A lot of stuff stated in this thread is OPINION not fact.

Oh noes, i LIKE fenders... I just dont pretend like i dont perfectly understand that theirs is a cost cutter design that just happened to produce the signature sound of a generation. They do THAT best.

What bolt on fenders ARENT is high precision built über playability custom axes. Leave that to San Dimas, Wayne, FujiGen's Jcustom division, ESP custom shop, etc.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Credit cards fitting in a neck pocket means tolerances are AT LEAST the cards thickness...and that means you MUST expect at best action 2-3 times that height, because else something WILL stick up far enough at random to buzz, someplace or another.

MIN Action > MAX Tolerance

Simple measurement concept. Dont shoot the messenger.

 

[LReese]

Re: Favorite strings again...

k:

Enough of this crap - back to strings.
BTW -- I have a degree in engineering so I do know a little about measurement.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Favorite strings again...

On a Ironic note: GHS has been making Gibsons strings the past few years.

I thought they were being made by D'Addario?

Either way, they feel different from Nickel Rockers.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Favorite strings again...

+1. D'Addarios.

I really loved them too, used them for years...but the ones we get here now seem to all be Chinese fakes or something

....unless they messed with the formula.

They're Just different than they used to be.... very bright/thin & tinny sounding & the high strings cut my fingers (never used to before)

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: Favorite strings again...

I thought they were being made by D'Addario?

Either way, they feel different from Nickel Rockers.

Yes, current Gibson strings are now made by D'Addario, after Gibson closed down their string plant a few years ago. Funny thing, though, I just saw the first 2014 Gibsons, and they are now shipping with Cleartone coated strings!. I think those might actually be made by D'Addario also, but I think it's odd that Gibson is not putting their own strings on the new guitars.

Al

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Anyone have any insight into Rotosound? They're the only big string brand I haven't really tried and I've seen some really good players endorsing them recently, it has me curious.

As for me, I always end up coming back to D'Adarrios. Not because they are the best, not because they feel or sound the best, but because I don't completely hate them and I can pick them up in any guitar store near me.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Take a looksee at how the GHS and Gibson strings of the past couple of years are packaged. Both singles and multi packs. D'ad does not offer that type of packaging as it goes against their green enviro corporate stance.

That said, they could have switched very recently, and the GHS built stuff is still all that is on most shelves. At any rate, if you got a foil seal plastic package of Gibson strings they are GHS made to Gibson spec.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Anyone have any insight into Rotosound? They're the only big string brand I haven't really tried and I've seen some really good players endorsing them recently, it has me curious.

Nice feel. Bright/crisp. Last a decent amount of time. They are a little tough on cheaper import's soft frets (epi, ibby, ltd, etc). Nice strings overall.

 

[LReese]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Bought some Cleartone's this AM. My last excursion into coated strings was a little underwhelming, but there's a couple of less played guitars I see a benefit to using a coated string so let's splurge a little.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Still Rocking the Dunlop Heavy Cores 11-50.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Yes, current Gibson strings are now made by D'Addario, after Gibson closed down their string plant a few years ago. Funny thing, though, I just saw the first 2014 Gibsons, and they are now shipping with Cleartone coated strings!. I think those might actually be made by D'Addario also, but I think it's odd that Gibson is not putting their own strings on the new guitars.

Al

Coated strings kind of makes sense when you consider how poorly some guitars are maintained by their shops.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Take a looksee at how the GHS and Gibson strings of the past couple of years are packaged. Both singles and multi packs. D'ad does not offer that type of packaging as it goes against their green enviro corporate stance.

That said, they could have switched very recently, and the GHS built stuff is still all that is on most shelves. At any rate, if you got a foil seal plastic package of Gibson strings they are GHS made to Gibson spec.

The shop near me seems to be flip flopping between the foil pack and plastic pack variety. Not sure if it's due to Gibson having two suppliers or if it's the warehouse having a bunch of old stock and shipping out whatever pallet is closest to the front.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Nice feel. Bright/crisp. Last a decent amount of time. They are a little tough on cheaper import's soft frets (epi, ibby, ltd, etc). Nice strings overall.

Tough on frets? For real? What are they made of?

...or is that a question better asked of the cheap frets?

 

[Psykel]

Re: Favorite strings again...

I run with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky nowadays.

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Take a looksee at how the GHS and Gibson strings of the past couple of years are packaged. Both singles and multi packs. D'ad does not offer that type of packaging as it goes against their green enviro corporate stance.

That said, they could have switched very recently, and the GHS built stuff is still all that is on most shelves. At any rate, if you got a foil seal plastic package of Gibson strings they are GHS made to Gibson spec.

GHS and E. Ball both changed to that kind of packaging at the same time, which leads me to believe that the current Ball's are made by GHS. Still, it was reported at least a year ago that D'addario had taken over manufacturing Gibson strings, there was a lot of discussion of this on the LPF (Les Paul Forum). If they have switched to GHS already, it has to be very recent. Still odd that they are now shipping new Gibsons with Cleartone strings, when they have their own string line, but as I said I think the Cleartones are just coated D'addarios (although this is just an educated guess), so if Gibson IS using D'addario to make their strings, they already have a relationship with D'addario. Too bad a lot of the old string factories have closed down, it seems there are really only a handful of US string makers left these days, who make strings for all these other companies. Personally, I haven't had good luck with D'addarios, for me they sound scooped in the mids, and break more easily then some other strings. I really liked the two round-core Markley strings I used to use, but they've discontinued both of them, so I have to to back to something else when I run out of my supply. Pyramid Classics and Newtones are the very best I've tried, for tone and longevity, but they are more expensive, so I buy them when they are on sale. I have about 7 electric guitars, so I go through a lot of strings!.

Al

 

[chris effect]

Re: Favorite strings again...

Still Rocking the Dunlop Heavy Cores 11-50.

+ 1 for heavy cores, been playing them about a year,

I used the 10-48 on my 6, and the 60-10 on my 7. Perfect for standard tuning, or drop D (6) or drop A (7)

used to play d'addario- will probably never go back. they weren't bad, the dunlop are just better IMO

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Favorite strings again...

My standard set is S.I.T. Powerwounds 10 - 46, although one of my guitars (San Dimas Charvel, maple fretboard) is fantastic with the Heavy Bottom/Light Top set (9-46). Although not scalloped, the edges of the fretboard are beveled, like you'd find on a well worn neck after years of playing. And it has jumbo stainless steel frets. The hybrid set just feels right. I use 10 - 58 for the UV. My tuning stability and intonation always seems to be better with S.I.T. than my previous DRs, although the DRs were probably a little brighter (easy to compensate for this).

And I use S.I.T. Rock and Roll 9-42 for the Tele since I want max twang.

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: Favorite strings again...

I would add that the recent Made in USA Fender strings are made by D'Addario now, they used to make their own in Mexico (and years ago they were made by the Squier company, which they bought out and it made their strings for a long time). The new ones come in a box, and say "Made in USA". So D'Addario is now making strings for most of the big string lines these days. I would assume that they are making them to the brand's specs, so they are probably not the same as the regular D'Addario line.

Al