What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

[357mag]

Okay I'm trying to find out the truth about Ernie Ball Regular Slinky's. Or any of their Slinky's for that matter. On the internet they say they are pure nickel which is what I want. But in Schmitt Music today there was a sticker underneath the strings that said they were Nickel Plated Steel.

Of course I don't hold Schmitt's in high regard but can anyone tell me if Ernie Ball strings are pure nickel or not?

 

[357mag]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Okay I found out the truth. The Slinky's are in fact Nickel Plated Steel. It looks like Ernie Ball has recently come out with a pure nickel string though.

 

[supernosher]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

So back in the '90s did they use pure nickel, and bump them down to plate recently to make room for a more expensive line?

 

[jasona84]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Is nickel going to sound that much better? I'm a big fan of Blue steel personally, I switched to D'addarios at one point but went back to Blue Steel. Now I'm curious.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

nickels in general are alright, good in the right application just like anything else. DR calls their nickel strings 'pure blues', so figure that out they're very warm, have nice clean tones, but don't distort too well. again, da*n good cleans.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Is nickel going to sound that much better? I'm a big fan of Blue steel personally, I switched to D'addarios at one point but went back to Blue Steel. Now I'm curious.

I've been using Slinkys for years and love them. Whether they're "pure" nickel or plated doesn't matter to me. I find them to be warmer than regluar steel strings (not a big fan of overly bright sounding guitars). Ernie Ball just came out with a new version that's coated. It costs 2x+ as much, but is supposed to last a lot longer. Haven't tried them yet.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

The truth is, that they turned out not to be Slinkys at all. I strung my guitar up and was expecting it to caterpillar down the stairs, and it just sat there. I pushed it and it didn't go down each stair one at a time, it just did 'em all in one go.

I've been lied to!

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

The truth is, that they turned out not to be Slinkys at all. I strung my guitar up and was expecting it to caterpillar down the stairs, and it just sat there. I pushed it and it didn't go down each stair one at a time, it just did 'em all in one go.

I've been lied to!

Ya gotta spray a little WD-40 or Lithium grease on the tail end and back of the headstock, then it'll slink nicely down stairs (but not so good on concrete stairs)

 

[jeremy]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

three basic types of electric guitar strings. steel, nickel plated steel and nickel.
steel is the brightest, nickel is the warmest. different brands have different compositions so a d'adderio nickel plated 10-46 set will probably sound and feel different than a slinky 10-46 set even though the strings are the same type and nominal size

im not sure i would say that nickel doesnt sound good with distortion, i think it sounds great actually. different but not bad by any means.

slinkys are nickel plated steel, rock & roll slinkys are nickel

 

[MikeHSS]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

The truth is, that they turned out not to be Slinkys at all. I strung my guitar up and was expecting it to caterpillar down the stairs, and it just sat there. I pushed it and it didn't go down each stair one at a time, it just did 'em all in one go.

I've been lied to!

you didn't happen to get video of it did you? lol

 

[metlking]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

I tried Classic Slinkys once...they were the only strings I can say I hated! I guess pure nickle strings aren't for me. They seemed to lack all power, it was weak, like I had a much lower powered pickup............That was years ago. I just tried regular Slinkys on a couple guitars and like them so far. I've been using D'addarios for many years.........

 

[Al.C]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

I tried Classic Slinkys once...they were the only strings I can say I hated! I guess pure nickle strings aren't for me. They seemed to lack all power, it was weak, like I had a much lower powered pickup...

Nickel is non-magnetic. A pickup creates output by having a ferrous metal move through the magnetic field. Therefore it is the steel core of the pure nickel wound strings that are responsible for the output. Considerably less output than with a steel wrap or nickel plated steel wrap over a steel core.

I have never liked pure nickel wraps myself. Always play nickel plated Slinky's

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Tried a lot of strings and always come back to slinky's.

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

The best sound strings I ever had on my guitar- I **** you not - were Fender Pure Nickel 11-49. They sounded so smooth, sweet and warm, but my overally tone was still tight enough to be chunky and aggressive under the right settings. I think it has a ton to do with the guitar.

Ernie Ball has a nickel-steel set, a "rock and roll" or pure nickel set, and a stainless steel set as well. I believe you can find out whatever you want about the Slinkys from their website.

 

[357mag]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

I'm using Fender Original 150's right now which are pure nickel. And then I got a bunch of Dean Markley Jimi Hendrix Pure Nickel Strings also.

I like the warmer tone you get with pure nickel. They help mellow the Strat out a bit.

To change topic someone told me years ago that there are only a few string manufacturers. Everyone else buys strings and just labels them as their own.

I think Fender actually makes their own strings.

 

[sosomething]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Ernie Balls are brittle and plinky-sounding. They break constantly and corrode quickly. I hate them.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

If you play recordings made with Ernie Ball Slinkys backwards you can hear the devil. Try it!

 

[sosomething]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

If you play recordings made with Ernie Ball Slinkys backwards you can hear the devil. Try it!

I tried it, but all I heard was the sound of my strings gradually shifting back into tune.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

If you play recordings made with Ernie Ball Slinkys backwards you can hear the devil. Try it!

i reject this truth:smash:
it's gotta be all steel strings, only the devil can make such screechingly bright strings that are cold and heartless as these!

 

[tc]

Re: What is the truth about Ernie Ball Slinky's?

Ernie Balls are brittle and plinky-sounding. They break constantly and corrode quickly. I hate them.

It depends on your body chemistry.

I like EB's, and I also like nickel strings like the Gibson Reissues...they warm up things nicely.

If I seriously wanted an end all be all string set I'd probably use something similar to GHS Boomers, which are quite the explosion of...well, brightness, on the low wound strings, and go with something warmer for the high strings.