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Location: ranson,wva | ive got elixer 13 p/b's on every thing execpt the academy and the gc12. i prefer DR. xtra life's but they are hard to find localy..ive found them to sound brighter than most coated strings...jason |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I use coated strings for the reason that they last longer. I switched between Martins and D'addarios in the past, but I use EXP strings exclusively in the here and now. Unless my ears are playing tricks on me, 80/20 coated EXPs sound better for my Ovation guitar than the phosphor bronze. The phosphor bronze coated EXPs, on the other hand, compliments my other guitars very well. Strange, but that's what's going on with my guitars. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | IGNIMBYTE You`ve got exellent hearing,as I pointed out in another thread,the inter-action of Guitar vs Strings Concludes a large portion of the Tonality,Picks even more so,I do some FingerPicking,and my fingers sound Different compared to each other,with the thumb being the "bassy" one,have U done some TRAVIS Picking lately ? :)
Vic |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | stuart, i love the thomastik-infeld classical guitar strings. have never tried their steel strings. |
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Posts: 651
Location: Australia | For me, Dr Extra Life are the best sounding string on an Adamas coated or uncoated.
....and they last me ages |
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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | havnt tried dr's on the adamas yet but i got a set for each guitar ordered for the up coming string change...jason |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Thanks Vic. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone with this dilemma, as I got used to picking both 80/20 and phosphor bronze [as per my guitars' preferences] from the shelves when I'm shopping for strings. I will admit that it was a little bit of an inconvenience in the beginning.
I play finger picking mostly and some strumming here and there, playing guitar as an accompanying instrument as opposed being the primary one. Pardon my naivete, but what is travis picking? I've heard of the term numerous times, but don't really have a clue what it's about? |
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Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | A counter poll to this one would be what strings have you tried. I know that I voted and I have not tried the DR coated strings which a couple of people really like?
Steve |
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Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | I like Markley's Gold Phos Alchemy's for the color, and they sound good, and they last...well...a LONG time. EXP's are fine too, but the color of the Alchemy's is SO nice. OK, call me shallow or uneducated, but good quality strings all sound fine to me. I'm sure that I don't have a discriminating enough ear to be able to tell a dramatic difference between the various extended life strings. I guess I'm cheap and wait for the strings to go on sale and ... well ... |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hi Gil,TRAVIS picking was done (invented) by Merle Travis(He was BIG before and during Glenn Campbel),can be rather sweet sounding,I do it by using all fingers(pinky not so often though),and that`s how I Clearly can hear the difference in the sound caused by my fingers,it`s uncanny.. :)
But do not look at it as a dilemma,use difference in strings to enhance Your possibilities/capabillities,it rather expands Your Palette,and Perception,it does not allways require another guitar,now the collectors here will probably be scoffing at me,but try to set up 20 guitars on a 15ft.x 10ft. stage,and hear the sarcastic remarks from the Drummer/Bass/Keyboardist (He´s the one with all the junk & paraphernalia)So ,Welcome the differences in Sound that Strings & Plectra can give You,I often play my Acoustics through a yamaha RA-50 (mini leslie)it sounds fabulous,recently I got myself into home-recording,well ,differences are even more evident during play-back,Condensor Mics. pick up very small details,capable of recording the colours of Your Palette ,so Trust Your Hearing and keep on scratching ,Courage Mon Ami !! ;)
Vic |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | In a general term, Travis picking these days means fingerpicking with a pattern. But Merle Travis used a thumb and one finger. He would play the bass strings with his thumb, then play melody on the treble strings with his finger. Chet Atkins heard him on the radio and started doing the same sort of thing but using a thumb and 3-4 fingers. Search on youtube for Merle Travis. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hi Robbie ,I have heard a lot of Good about D Markleys,and yes,nice colours too,Good Quality strings are allways a plus,mostly because they are Polished,smooth to the fingers,I tried Cheap internet offers,they felt like sandpaper to me,still got 8 sets that I do n`t know what to do with,Playability is another point of difference strings in between,another point is String-Stretching,have You noticed how You need to tune/re-tune,after You have changed strings,that`s because new strings are n`t Straight,they`re Wobbly(wavy),and that can take several days before string-tension has corrected that,now,once every so often,someone remarks that strings have to be changed "often",However,Reality has it that it will Take at least Two (2) days before strings have "Set-in",they reach full potential in about a week,(wobbles/waves have to disappear,material has to be shakin`loose )they Vibrate,just like a Top,and You know that it takes time for a Top to reach it`s potential,same for strings,so there`s nothing wrong with Your Hearing,However,Finger-picking shows differences more clearly,Basically,if it sounds Good to You,then it`s because it Does Sound Good,and regarding the LifeSpan of strings...I`ve got a set of Tomastik Bronze 13 - 57 on my 1537 that got strung about four months ago,and I`m very pleased with the TonePalette of that combination,now Bronze Strings are supposed not to last very long,and yet..in the old days GuitarMakers said;" Go out and Try" Well,that was a good recommendation then,and still is,stick With Quality,Your Fingers & Ears will thank you, BTW,have You ever tried to use a guitar as a Bow using a Violin Bow as an Arrow??..the Bass-string of a Classical works particularly well,that`s one way to determine String-Quality. ;)
I am curious about the Alchemy strings,and will give `em a try
Vic :cool: |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Quite Right Detective :) so I`m actually doin`..Travis/Atkins style..(Schizophrenic person that I am) ;)
Vic :cool: |
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September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | This thread inspired me to go out and get some Elixir Light Polywebs. I put them on and cut them off within a few hours. I didn't notice it before when I had less string experiences, but polywebs are dull and muted compared to non-coated strings. And to think at one time I thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. :-) |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hi YAK ,have You considered the choice of Plectre,some sound bright,some dull,plectra are cheap,try a bunch,go on,treat yourself ;)
Vic :cool: |
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September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | I've experimented with several different picks. from .50mm to 1.2mm. Regardless of picks used, you can just tell when a string has no tone. No pick in the world is going to solve that problem. I've tried cellulose, Totex, Ultex, Nylon and even those awkward "Big Stubbies". I wont go brass or metal though, Im too ruthless with the pick hand... Don't want to scratch up my baby. |
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Favorite COATED string
