Strings. Which ones do you use?

robinbowes

Grunfeld said:

No one else using 8s?

D'addario 8-38 on a JM tuned down half a step to Eb.

*boggle*

Are you Billy Gibbons? 

Snags

D'Addario EXL110 on the electrics here.

Have been experimenting with 9s (turned out to be a mistake, I think) and also tried the Pro Steels on the Les Paul to see if it brightened up at all. They were OK when they first went on, but got it out at the weekend and played it and everything just felt and sounded horrible. Technically they shouldn't have needed a change, but swapped them out for EXL 110s again and am profoundly glad I did - reminded me I do like that guitar, and can even play it after a fashion!

Acoustics it varies. Furch gets Elixir Nanoweb 11s and the old Takamine gets Martin Phosphor Bronze 11s.  Tried the Martin's on the Furch and they just sounded horrible; too tight to try the Elixirs on the Takamine, and the Martin's have always suited it.

Wonky

Nerine said:

So. 

On the unwound strings, how is any string going to last longer than any other? I’ve tried Elixir’s ages ago and they went furry where the plastic coating wore. Nasty. 

Ive just always used Rotosound 10’s on pretty much everything, but I’d be intrigued to try something a bit different. 
They do seem to lose their shine after about 1 gig, but I can’t imagine any other string being any different?? 

I very rarely break strings, and I’ll change them every couple of gigs depending how much they’ve been played during the week. 

Thomastik power brights have a brass coating on the unwound strings.  The resist corrosion for longer, but more importantly I find they stay sounding brighter, like new strings, much longer.  Bloody expensive though, but they last and sound a lot better for longer.
A lot to be said for wiping the strings with a cloth after playing too.

guitarfishbay

Nerine said:

So. 

On the unwound strings, how is any string going to last longer than any other? I’ve tried Elixir’s ages ago and they went furry where the plastic coating wore. Nasty. 

Ive just always used Rotosound 10’s on pretty much everything, but I’d be intrigued to try something a bit different. 
They do seem to lose their shine after about 1 gig, but I can’t imagine any other string being any different?? 

I very rarely break strings, and I’ll change them every couple of gigs depending how much they’ve been played during the week. 

It seems highly dependent on individual factors eg sweat.

Rotos die faster for me than any other brand, annoying because I like the sound of their bass strings (especially the steels).

D’Addario seem to be the best of the non coated strings for me. But really it could wind up being totally different for you, so you’ve just got to try a bunch.

guitarfishbay

ICBM said:

I used to use 11s on everything, but after I broke my arm last year I had to go down to 10s on a Fender scale. It’s not a huge difference, but it is noticeably easier. 

I know opinions differ on this greatly but I think 10s arguably sound better than 11s on Strats in standard tuning. I feel like you can go too thick on strats and loose some of the scoop and sparkle, assuming that’s the character you want.

11s on a Tele do sound good, but I never feel like high string tension is worth the physical trade-off, unless you happen to be naturally very strong to where 11s feel easy to play, or you don’t bend strings much.

I don’t see any benefit to making an instrument hard to play because the performance tends to outweigh minor tone changes anyway.

Rox

My no.1 go to guitar still has the strings on it had when I bought it... about 8 years ago!  It sounds bloody brilliant, I’m dreading the day one goes and I need to restring!  I don’t know what strings they are, or what gauge!

danishbacon

I'll mention one maker which has not been mentioned yet. Gabriel Tenorio (or GTS) string company. His roundcore hich nickel content strings are the best uncoated strings I've tried. I have a set on a strat which is going on 6 months + now. No breaking, very minimal oxidation (unlike proper rust on some other strings, these just seem to get a dulled finish), still bright and chimy tone.

SouthpawMark

OP here. Thanks for all of the very informative answers so far. They have inspired me to try a couple of other sets before making a final decision.

DLM

Rox said:

 I don’t know what strings they are, or what gauge!

@Rox Good quality digital calipers will sort you on the last thing.

bacchanalian

I like the D'ads balanced tension sets.
Have recently tried Gabriel Tenorio. They seem great, sound good. If they last will definitely try again. Stocks seem to be limited and you have to buy the right set. For example, he does a specific set for reverse headstock. 
I cannot stand any of the coated strings. Like trying to wrestle covered in olive oil. Very difficult to get a grip.

EdBoogie

I beta tested Elixir Optiwebs and became a convert

Feel and sound like normal electric strings but never seem to die....

fretmeister

After 20 odd years of D'addario for guitar use I have swapped to Elixir Optiwebs too. Very nice strings indeed. I bought them on special offer and loved them.

Bass - rounds are now always D'addario Pro Steel, flats are always Thomastik TI flats

UnclePsychosis

D'addario NYXL (11-49)

I find they last ages and I like the tone/feel. 
They're quite expensive but i bulk bought a load from the states and saved a decent amount. 

skullfunkerry

skullfunkerry said:

In all my years of gigging, with 24.75" scale, D'addario 11s, tuned to Drop C.

All my guitars now are 25.5" and I'm on 10s in drop D. I'm in the process of retuning down to C though, but I'm going to stay with the 10s for now and see how I get on

Update: retuned my Strat to Drop C last night. Left the 10s on, and it feels great: a lot less tension than before, obviously - but not so loose as to make it unplayable. Don't think I'll be bothering with 11s; with the amount of gain I use it will have no effect on the tone, so why make life harder for myself?

ICBM

guitarfishbay said:

I know opinions differ on this greatly but I think 10s arguably sound better than 11s on Strats in standard tuning. I feel like you can go too thick on strats and loose some of the scoop and sparkle, assuming that’s the character you want.

I think I agree - it certainly doesn't sound any worse, and although the strings are still fairly new so it may just be that, I think it does have a little more sparkle. I know what you mean about the 'too thick' sound - I think a lot of acoustics get this as well with 13s on, they sound too tight. (I know that's contrary to popular wisdom that heavier strings always sound better.)

The Rickenbackers unquestionably sound better to me with 11s on than 10s though.

guitarfishbay said:

11s on a Tele do sound good, but I never feel like high string tension is worth the physical trade-off, unless you happen to be naturally very strong to where 11s feel easy to play, or you don’t bend strings much.

I always prefered 10-52 on a Tele anyway - they suit it like no other gauge in my opinion, you get the easy country double-stop bending on the top strings combined with the big grind and twang on the bottom ones at the same time.

guitarfishbay said:

I don’t see any benefit to making an instrument hard to play because the performance tends to outweigh minor tone changes anyway.

Me neither, and I didn't use 11s because it was 'tough' or anything, but because I actually found them easier normally - I tend to press and strum too hard, and light strings just go out of tune.

As part of my rehab from the injury I'm trying to learn to play more gently though .

Rox

DLM said:

Rox said:

 I don’t know what strings they are, or what gauge!

@Rox Good quality digital calipers will sort you on the last thing.

I just don’t have any!  

chris_john

NYXL 10-46 if they are on sale, or Rotosound Yellow because they stay bright for a good time and have an extra E string. 

Stevepage

Elixir Nanowebs. I tried the Polywebs recently and I didn't really like them. 

Nanowebs felt nice and sounded better than the strings I was using previously. They also last me months.

dean111music

Winspear custom set 9.5-48

Best strings i have used. Been using D'addario for years until i tried these. `Made in the uk too. High quality, sound and feel great. 

https://www.winspearinstrumental.com/pages/strings

Grumpyrocker

D'Addario NYXL 10-46. Used Ernie Balls for years, had a brief dalliance with Exilirs, but settled on D'Addario in recent times.

Tried some of the balance tension strings recently on my new PRS SE. Not sure I like them. Years of muscle memory means my already shaky string bending is even more wildly off-target than usual.