JeffB
Let it B
and now that I've sold off nearly everything but one guitar...and narrowing down to one little bedroom amp....
the thing I've been experimenting with on the past several guitars I had (and by NO means is it sufficient to cure GAS
) are
Strings.
Yup. String brands. Not much variation in sizing...but just trying same gauge, different brand and comparing them. I've even taken some notes on them when they were fresh..and broke in...and compared them a bit (I know..weird...but I have to do SOMETHING besides GAS for $hit I can't afford :laugh2: )
It' AMAZING how the character of an instrument can change just by finding the right BRAND of strings for it. Different brands have different tensions, tones, etc..new or when broken in.
So for example..here's how my Dean ML79 handled various brand 10-46 nickel plated steel strings
Ernie Ball Slinkys : When new, the tone on these was quite good. Enough bite but not super bright. Tension was a little too tight when new (stiff for bending). They stayed in tune quite well. Broke in, they died tonally *very* quickly, and the tension never did feel right..response became too slow (but they did not feel sloppy or get buzzy). I put on a new set, and the intonation went haywire, and they had a hard time staying in tune. I noticed the wraps on the E and A were starting to separate where they came outta the string through tailpiece. I took them off after a day of frustration and went to..
GHS Boomers: NEW these were bright (sounded phenomenal on this all mahogany axe), and response/attack/feel was fantastic: tension was tight for chugga, but easy enough for bending. Within 3 or 4 days the tone was still bright, but as the strings broke in, they became increasingly sloppy in feel, and started to buzz and rattle...which quite honestly made them sound like $hit. I put on a new set and voila... they were back to super nice. Within a few days...sloppy buzzy rattlin mess. Too bad. I also broke 3 strings on the Boomers. The only brand I broke any strings with. I did not have any issue with wrap separation at the tailpiece.
Next up Dean Markley Blue Steels: I had put these on my Destroyer II and was very impressed. They held their tension and bright tone for quite some time and never got buzzy or rattle-y. On the ML, they did the same but I found them too slinky feeling..even new. Great for bends, but for palm muted chugga chugga..no go (on the Destroyer it was the opposite...there they chugged great and were a little stiff for bending). Because they were so slinky, I took these off and went to...
D'Addario XL 10-46. The old standby for ALOT of guitar players. I used to HATE these strings...years ago I had alot of issues with them. Mostly longevity/breakage/rusty outta the pack. Well, I started using them again recently when I got my explorer (cos they are cheap), and IDK what D'Addario has done in recent years, but they are far better than they used to be. Anyhoo..on the MLs all mahogany body, these are a little *too* warm sounding for my tastes, but acceptable. Feel-wise..these strings so far have been the best match for this guitar. The tension/recovery is good enough for the chugga chugga, they bend well enough, stay in tune, and when they start to die, they don't get buzzy/rattle-y like the GHS do..they just tonally get...meh...bends don't "sing" anymore...loss of sustain, etc. I've experienced no breaks/wrap issues, and on 3 different guitars (explorer, ML, Destroyer) these have been the most trouble free with intonation.
So my point? I guess I don't have one..other than...try some different brand strings on each of your keeper guitars...just go and buy a couple packs of each and experiment. Take some notes when new and broke in. Pretty amazing how one brand can feel/sound the best on one guitar and sound/feel like crap on the next.
the thing I've been experimenting with on the past several guitars I had (and by NO means is it sufficient to cure GAS
) areStrings.
Yup. String brands. Not much variation in sizing...but just trying same gauge, different brand and comparing them. I've even taken some notes on them when they were fresh..and broke in...and compared them a bit (I know..weird...but I have to do SOMETHING besides GAS for $hit I can't afford :laugh2: )
It' AMAZING how the character of an instrument can change just by finding the right BRAND of strings for it. Different brands have different tensions, tones, etc..new or when broken in.
So for example..here's how my Dean ML79 handled various brand 10-46 nickel plated steel strings
Ernie Ball Slinkys : When new, the tone on these was quite good. Enough bite but not super bright. Tension was a little too tight when new (stiff for bending). They stayed in tune quite well. Broke in, they died tonally *very* quickly, and the tension never did feel right..response became too slow (but they did not feel sloppy or get buzzy). I put on a new set, and the intonation went haywire, and they had a hard time staying in tune. I noticed the wraps on the E and A were starting to separate where they came outta the string through tailpiece. I took them off after a day of frustration and went to..
GHS Boomers: NEW these were bright (sounded phenomenal on this all mahogany axe), and response/attack/feel was fantastic: tension was tight for chugga, but easy enough for bending. Within 3 or 4 days the tone was still bright, but as the strings broke in, they became increasingly sloppy in feel, and started to buzz and rattle...which quite honestly made them sound like $hit. I put on a new set and voila... they were back to super nice. Within a few days...sloppy buzzy rattlin mess. Too bad. I also broke 3 strings on the Boomers. The only brand I broke any strings with. I did not have any issue with wrap separation at the tailpiece.
Next up Dean Markley Blue Steels: I had put these on my Destroyer II and was very impressed. They held their tension and bright tone for quite some time and never got buzzy or rattle-y. On the ML, they did the same but I found them too slinky feeling..even new. Great for bends, but for palm muted chugga chugga..no go (on the Destroyer it was the opposite...there they chugged great and were a little stiff for bending). Because they were so slinky, I took these off and went to...
D'Addario XL 10-46. The old standby for ALOT of guitar players. I used to HATE these strings...years ago I had alot of issues with them. Mostly longevity/breakage/rusty outta the pack. Well, I started using them again recently when I got my explorer (cos they are cheap), and IDK what D'Addario has done in recent years, but they are far better than they used to be. Anyhoo..on the MLs all mahogany body, these are a little *too* warm sounding for my tastes, but acceptable. Feel-wise..these strings so far have been the best match for this guitar. The tension/recovery is good enough for the chugga chugga, they bend well enough, stay in tune, and when they start to die, they don't get buzzy/rattle-y like the GHS do..they just tonally get...meh...bends don't "sing" anymore...loss of sustain, etc. I've experienced no breaks/wrap issues, and on 3 different guitars (explorer, ML, Destroyer) these have been the most trouble free with intonation.
So my point? I guess I don't have one..other than...try some different brand strings on each of your keeper guitars...just go and buy a couple packs of each and experiment. Take some notes when new and broke in. Pretty amazing how one brand can feel/sound the best on one guitar and sound/feel like crap on the next.
