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Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I'm sorry I keep coming up with so many questions here, but what better place to ask. I believe in the old adage "the only dumb question is the question that isn't asked".
I've been playing guitar for 30+ years, and I've never taken the time to find out about acoustic guitar strings, i.e., what strings are best for different guitars and playing situations. I guess I have never been much of a reader, and until recently did not know how important string choices are on a guitar. Does anyone know of a web site that explains which strings work best for different guitars and playing situations (without the bias that manufacturers throw in to sell their strings)? I am also interested in hearing from some of you seasoned players, which 6 and 12 string choices you use, and why.
Thank you for your patience and consideration,
Bryan |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | This a personal choice. The only way to make up your mind as to what's best is to buy different sets and experiment. I've settled on custom light strings that are free as being the best for my six string. If I have to pay, either Dean Markley's or D'addario.
Ernie Ball strings are good too. |
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November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Vince,
Check out this site
String It Up
Good explanation of the differrent types of strings and pretty good prices as well. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | Do a search for strings and you should find several threads. |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | There is no right or wrong for strings. It boils down to trial and error, finding a sound and feel that is good for you. I believe the string guage is the most important factor. Many string makers package their products with different brand names, so in some cases, it's possible that a store could have different packages with the same strings inside. Many people like Elixers. They are nice strings, but pricey. I don't have a pet brand. New strings sound great, but with time, and use, they all get dull. Bryan, if you've been playing for thirty years you probably know as much about strings as any of us. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | "Bryan, if you've been playing for thirty years you probably know as much about strings as any of us."
Not really. For a long time I just bought the cheapest ones I could find. (sometimes I had no choice) Then I started just going along with what ever the guy behind the counter recommended. I don't believe that's always a good idea either (now that one of those guys tried to sell me a Taylor, I don't trust his judgement) Recently I began purchasing Adamas brand strings. All the stuff on the packaging sounded good, and I AM an Ovation addict, but I have had heard people raving about the Elixers. (probably the same people raving about Taylors) I guess, with all the many opinions out there I have found myself in a state of confusion. All I want is the best sounding and playing strings on my instruments ... Is that too much for a guy to ask?? |
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September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | I use pretty much anything unless I'm playig a gig or recording. For either of those occasions, it's Martin Marquis. They sound the best, no doubt, but also die the fastest. Two hours and that strike-you-dumb miraculous tone is gone, and they sound like anything else. The way they sound on my Guild is astounding. I personally don't care for the Adamas strings, though they seem like a great idea on paper. If TI make roundwounds, I'll bet they sound good. I only use TI's for my D and my 175. There are choices for roundwound strings; there is no contest on the flatwound side of the coin. I also buy mine from juststrings.com, as they usually have everything.
jim
(exploring my Explorer) |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | It all depends on the tastes and needs of the player. It might very well be too much to ask. If someone can tell you the best strings, for you, that's great. I'm confused too, but I'm used to it. The guy behind the counter at the music store might be a saxaphone player. Good Luck! |
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September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | What you can do is determine to play an hour a day for a few weeks, without missing a day. Change sets on Saturdays, and see how a few popular brands sound new, almost new, and with a few hours on them. After maybe a month you'll have a good idea of what you like, and you'll know exactly why as well. That's how I settled on DR strings for my 7 string electrics (and the TI's for my archtops). It takes a few weeks, but it gets you personal knowledge and the ability to speak on a few brands as well. |
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November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Or worse yet, a drummer! |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I always liked the Adamas 1818 set or the Daddario J16 or equlivent (12-52) Phosphor Bronze. There are alot of good ones.
I don't like Elixers, sound kinda dead, or any Gibson strings, Hank's a wank. |
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September 2005
Posts: 133
Location: Studio City, California, USA | Here is my two cents.
There are small strings and big strings
I have an Adamas with some Adamas 1818 E. Those are fairely small and light, 011 i think. It's easy on the fingers and sound decent, specialy on an Adamas. Those are MrEverybody's strings so you tend to sound the same as everybody else.
Then i have another guitar with some bigger strings, heavy, 013 i think and i don't remember the brand right now. Those make fingers bleed so to speak and are harder to play but the result is that big sound that roars. Defenetly not for everybody. That's what SRV used to put his Strat.
As for a particular brand of strings. Some people have posted to change every week and see what feels best for you. I agree. Take some notes on how it feels that way it will be a better comparaison at the end. Better than from memory. |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | In my experience, D'Addarios and Martins sound good on Ovations. Elixirs......the Polywebs stink, IMHO, and I haven't tried the Nanowebs on my Ovations. They worked well on the Larrivee parlor guitar I used to have.
My preference is for "light" .012"-.053" thickness on 6-strings and .010"-.047" on 12-strings.
Roger |
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March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | The last set I bought on a recommendation was Martin SPs. The guy that recommended them is a very good guitar player, but mostly electric. They seemed to sound deader than the unknown ones I replaced. They are on my 99 Collector's, which isn't a real bright sounding guitar anyway, so it may be the guitar. The D'Addarios sound the best to me and I have a bunch of Adamas 1818s that I got cheap, but I haven't tried them yet. I used to keep the same strings forever because I never played. Now I only seem to change strings when I get a new guitar, which is about once every other month. |
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Posts: 1900
| Tried the Elixirs ( on the 1767), like the polywebs somewhat, don't like the nanowebs, still the polywebs lost tone fairly quickly, especally the low E, kinda settled into a dull thud sound with no sustain, very little presence...now I'm curious to try the Adamas 1818's, but I have also wanted to try some strings with lighter bottoms (x-lite) and some firmer trebles (med-lites)...to even out the entire register...a little experimeting I guess...
Steve |
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March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | Many people like Elixer. I tried the polyweb and found the same as above. After a while they were really dead on the lower strings. I thought they were supposed to last a long time? Restrung with DAdarrio and it was like having a new guitar.
Steve |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Interestingly enough, I'm unhappy with my last two sets of Elixirs, too. Prior to those sets, I loved 'em (polywebs, not nanowebs). I wonder if they changed the formulation or the supplier for the string itself, because my low E and A went dead far more quickly than the very first set I put on the Elite. |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | Funny, I seem to like the nanowebs better that the polys. Polys have too much coating, makes them sound dead. I usually play Elixir lights, but lately have tried the mediums to get more sound, but they are killing my fingers. Just got a bunch of Adamas 1818 in light to try. |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | The Elixer people have a powerful marketing stratagy. The packaging is glossy, and the sets are priced higher than most, if not all, of the other brands. I've tried them. New, they sound very good, but it seems to me that they lose their poop pretty fast. That makes for high profits. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I've A-B'ed my Adamas U681T and my FD14 with Martin Marquis Phos Brons, Elixirs and D'add EXP's
Hands down on both guitars...Elixirs. |
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July 2002
Posts: 1900
| ...saw some ernie ball acoustic strings yesterday (11-52's), thought i would try them...if that don't work out i will try the adamas 1818's, but there are only a few major string manufacturer's anyway so i wonder who really makes them?...when it comes to acoustic strings there are the round cores and the hex cores.., after that it's just the different mix of metals, wraps and coatings...
Steve |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | As an OFCer previously mentioned, it is indeed a personal choice. To help my sore and achy fingers, I experimented with strings for easier playability, in addition to lowering the action on the guitar. What I noticed was that lighter gauge strings tend to have a bright (and sometimes "twangy-like") sound, whereas, heavier gauge strings often gives the guitar a louder sound along with boomy bass and deep treble tones.
In the end, custom light strings (11-52) works well for me, and I'd been using it since. Brandwise, I either use Martin SP phosphor bronze, or D'addario EXP13 -- whichever is cheaper. the D strings are coated and lasts longer, but are quite pricey. The M strings, at 1/2 price of the D, also sounds nice but it does not last as long.
It doesn't hurt to experiment ... hopefully, you'll find the strings that will work well for you. Good luck. |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Thanks for all the good input guys!
I've been using the Adamas 1818s for a while now (since I bought 6 packs off Ebay) and I like the way they play and sound. But I'm finding myself changing strings a lot more since I started leading the church band. I've been contemplating trying the Medium gauged strings because I want a fuller sound on the bass side. I especially like playing the slow fingerstyle stuff and I want to hear how they sound on my Adamas II.(man do I love the sound of that guitar!) |
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Question about strings ....
