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Or am I just a bit compulsive?
I don't mean brand so much, i mean things like guage, constuction, materials? they can make a big difference. I spent a while playing around with all these factors, and here's what i ended up with.
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I have used Pyramid round core pure nickels for a long time but recently I have gone back to nickel plated Rotosound 11's for some of my guitars, except 10 gauge on my Tele's, to retain the twang.
The Pyramids have a nice warm tone and they last very well but I found the wound strings were a little quieter in output and a little softer. This really worked for me in making my guitars warmer but lately I have found I want a bit of brightness back (age and hearing loss??) and I am enjoying the vibrancy a bit more.
I still use Pyramid round cores on one 335 because they really suit it. I tried normal strings on that guitar and cut them straight off again within the hour and put Pyramids back.
Rotosounds have come a long way from a dark period they had some time ago and I really like their consistency and I can get them very easily whereas Pyramid can be a bit more difficult.
It's great that there are strings out there to suit everyone.
@TA22GT, good to know about rotosound. I last had a set 4 or 5 years ago and they were rubbish. Now i get that for their endorsers who have techs changing strings every night, they'd be a great proposition. Not expensive and sound good for a set, but i got a few days out of mine before they tarnished and sounded dull.
I'll give them another try.
Which Pyramids did you feel were quieter? as in nickel, NPS or stainless?
@Darius, don't like coated strings, they feel weird and flake off, however if they work for you, that's all that matters
My main aims were to find one set that I'd use on all my guitars and really just that I wouldn't have a problem with.
Started with 9s so had no reference; moved to 10s and they were still nice to play. Tried going back to 9s and they were too light.
Tried Elixir coated strings and loved the feel at first but after a while I played normal strings and preferred them so went back.
I considered trying the balanced tension but then I thought it's really just getting used to a set and wanted it to be as standard as possible so it's easy to get.
Regarding brands, I genuinely can't remember what problem I had with Ernie Ball but I remember having one that made me switch to D'Addario and I've not had a problem since.
Long story short, I tried various things but always preferred coming back to standard D'Addario 10s and I like that they're a standard so easy to get.
When it comes to bass it's a different story, I'm constantly switching between sets. If I could justify it I'd get an extra P so I could permanently have at least a set of flats and a set of rounds available.
The Rotosounds now come in vacuum-sealed packs so no oxidation anymore and they really do look fresh.
Justin the son of the founder replaced most of the machinery or at least updated it and they are now very good strings, in my opinion of course. I also use their pure nickel hex-core and like those.
I always used the orange pack Pyramid Nickel Classics in either 11's or 10's . They are round core pure nickel. Great strings but the wound strings seem a little subdued compared to the plain strings, which are different steel compared to most manufacturers plain strings. It kind of made the plain strings strident but the wound strings a bit subdued, maybe it's just me!!
I still use Pyramid on a couple of guitars.
So, I use NYXL, as I find they last a decent amount of time, and I like the sound when they are new, which is not always the case with some brands.
I strongly prefer lower tension strings on classical, and I like Nylgut type strings like Aquila Alabastro. I also like Savarez white card low tension strings. I find that they are harder work -- you need to work more to get the guitar to project, and it's easier to intonate badly -- but the result is a sweeter sound that makes it easier to make the top line melody a) sing, b) be distinct from the lower voices.
On archtop, I like light Savarez style strings (although I use Newtone's), as I want that gypsy style zing and attack.
The real problem for me is that I prefer the sound of 11s on electric, and 11s are easier on the picking hand, but I just can't use them. I have left hand issues (ulnar nerve entrapment) that means that I stick with 9s or 9.5s most of the time.
I’m currently trialling a 5 pack batch of these. They seem to last a bit longer. I usually change strings when they become difficult to keep on tune, or when I can feel wear on the D string winding. Jury is out on whether I swap.
I’m all about GHSBoomers, 10.5s. I used to be all about the EB stainless, but I was getting too many corroded in pack sets. I tried the NYXL ones, they felt fucking horrible and sounded worse although the box feels really nice. Cobalts and elixirs were both shit and dull.
But an old friend used to always say that “Nothing sounds better than Fender strings on a Fender Guitar” although I never had 2 exactly the same Fender guitars to compare between.
Do you think you could tell in a blind test?
‘Will give the Monel strings a try on my Strat next time I need to buy new ones. Which ones do you recommend?
Session pro Mason Stoops recently said this of his....
'I’ve been playing and loving @elgtsco’s hand-wound strings exclusively since even before that time Gabe and I drank too many beers at Footsies six-ish years ago, but his new “Pure Niquel” line of strings are a bona fide game changer. My last set of @elgtsco strings survived two summers of touring and sounded incredible right up until the end - excited to see where this new set and I will end up next. So, before you pull the trigger on just one more $199 pedal, consider investing in some high quality strings instead. Pinky-promise you’ll hear and feel the difference'
https://www.thegts.co/