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August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | I know I need to keep my strings "new-ish" to sound good acoustically (actually, it would take a lot more than that, but that's another long sad story). But if you are playing "plugged in", does it matter if your strings are old? |
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November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | yes...you will still notice. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Strings get fatigue from use. They also get corrosion, both of which effect tone, plugged or unplugged...
... and if you're Al... you make that your signature sound... |
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March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | I just changed the strings on my 1537 from the ones I put on when I first got it. They were WAAAAYYyy overdue. I was telling Moody last week that I kinda liked 'em dead. There was literally no "sparkle" from the strings at all. Just the Wood. All I could hear was the top. I'm guessing that's why people like Elixirs ;) :p ;) :p |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | You'll notice the freshness in both plugged and un modes. Some might not like the extra crispness of new strings. When they get really old they get flat spots from the frets or have stretched unevenly and won't vibrate true, thus sounding out of tune. If you like the old dead sound that's fine but at some point this sets in and you need to change. |
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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | That's the beauty of loaning guitars back and forth. They always come back with new strings.
Moody, do you remember the last set you put on the Ute? I really like them and it's string change time :D |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Noah,
Who's your c'lection officer? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Bruce, I think they were Elixir phospher bronze. Probably mediums, but maybe lights..... |
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December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | I am always changing strings on guitars I sell, my own just get worn in to where I like them and I never seem to change them. lately I have been getting a complex about them. My hamer newport 12 is known as the coveted 11 string guitar. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Seems like the Elixir's start a little less bright, but don't loose the tone as fast. Hence, they start a little duller and end the same, without the major swing from bright to dull. (if that makes any sense) :rolleyes: |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Thanks guys. Good info. Now I can use this thread as an excuse to hang out in the music shop looking for new strings to try.
I recently tried bronze and silk strings. I love the tone when new but it doesn't seem to last more than a month. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | "I recently tried bronze and silk strings. I love the tone when new but it doesn't seem to last more than a month."
Jim, If you're playing it all the time and love the tone for a month... that's great! That's only 12 sets/year. A small price to pay for happiness.
Moody, I think you mentioned they were a mixed set. Maybe Custom Light or Light–Medium? |
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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Jeff, c'lection officer ????? |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Am I weird, (forget that), but I change my strings once a month. But I do play them every day. Not every guitar everyday, but close enough. My buddy Tom says he changes them when he breaks them. (Whatever make's ya happy.) But once I change one guitar, the other sounds kinda dull, so I change both the O's within a week of each other.
Food for thought... |
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January 2006
Posts: 387
Location: Whitecourt, Ab | I heard that the dirt from your hands, and dead skin gets in the string winding and dulls the sound after time. I tried washing my hands before playing for awhile, but did not notice a difference...so much for that theory |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Red-- I wipe my strings off every time/day I play, sometimes twice in the same day. (My guitar sits in a stand, and I play during commercials- whenever) I will get disgusting stripes everytime. Amazing how much oil and stuff comes off of your fingers. |
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June 2006
Posts: 659
Location: Hiram, Georgia | Dunlop string conditioner can noticeably revive a set of strings if they are not completely dead. It actually restores some of the sparkle. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by noah:
Jeff, c'lection officer ????? Shut it Jeff!! :mad: He's never had to arrange for an overseas recovery, and I intend to make it VERY difficult for him despite living less then an hour away. Schroeder has it easy. I heard him say "all you have to do is come pick it up", speaking of the U681T. |
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August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i play everyday and i can get about 20-25 days ouf of a set of elixer pb 13 nano's and damn near a month and a half out of dr coated...here latly ive been using the dr. red devils....jason |
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Old strings