are PRS strings special?

onyaw

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Nov 18, 2012
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A few mos ago I bought an NF3 from a popular national chain that begins with G. It was the nicest playing guitar in the store, and probably the most fun/easiest playing guitar I've ever played; completely homey feel to the fretboard, effortless fretting and bending of strings easily 3 tones. Aside from that funky tone from the NF3's.

It was setup with 10-46 gauge. I had been playing it every day and so 2 wks ago i put on new strings - no PRS strings in our local store so i put on some elixir's - same gauge. I am not sure, but i do not think it plays quite as well/easily as the strings it came setup with. I didn't change anything in the setup. Its still very very nice but not quite the magic feel that I experienced the first few mos.

So my question is - are the PRS strings "special" in some way, is there something special about restringing this kind of guitar, or am I merely already used to the guitar (e.g. magic gone)? Since then I did get some PRS' online and i could check it directly, but the Elixir's are so new it seems a waste if people think there shouldn't be any difference.

Eager for insight that any of you may have.
 
oh, okay. i thought i read otherwise somewhere (or maybe that was only PRS' recommendation). i guess i should find out from the store what they may have put on.
 
I like the PRS strings a lot. I was told they're pure nickel wrap, not nickel plated. I like the tone, and I prefer the feel. I find they also last a long time, though my hands are relatively dry so maybe that's part of why they last. In any event, that's all I put on the guitars.

Also, I'll make a wild guess and say that whatever PRS puts on the guitars at the factory is the same string as the ones you can buy branded PRS, since I don't notice a difference in feel.
 
D'addario strings made to PRS specs.

The ones leaving the factory have the same stings...


Jamie
 
D'addario strings made to PRS specs.

The ones leaving the factory have the same stings...


Jamie

That's what I figured. I really like the "soft" feel of these particular strings. They're definitely different from the standard D'Addarios. Tone's better with the pure nickel wrap, too. I grew up when all electric guitar strings were pure nickel wrap, not plated steel. I see that D'Addario is making a pure nickel wrap string under their own brand, too.

For whatever reason, people didn't have to change their strings as often in the 60s to get a decent tone. If you played a lot, maybe you'd change them once a month, at most. I see players changing their strings after every show with steel wrapped, plated strings now. Seems like overkill to me, but then again, my hands don't sweat a lot.

D'Addario's standard strings are just nickel plated steel, which sounds different, feels different from the PRS branded strings, and once the plating wears, the steel wrap is a little harder on the frets. So the PRS strings are my preference. Just my 2 cents, though.
 
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That's what I figured. I really like the "soft" feel of these particular strings. They're definitely different from the standard D'Addarios. Tone's better with the pure nickel wrap, too. I grew up when all electric guitar strings were pure nickel wrap, not plated steel. I see that D'Addario is making a pure nickel wrap string under their own brand, too.

For whatever reason, people didn't have to change their strings as often in the 60s to get a decent tone. If you played a lot, maybe you'd change them once a month, at most. I see players changing their strings after every show with steel wrapped, plated strings now. Seems like overkill to me, but then again, my hands don't sweat a lot.

D'Addario's standard strings are just nickel plated steel, which sounds different, feels different from the PRS branded strings, and once the plating wears, the steel wrap is a little harder on the frets. So the PRS strings are my preference. Just my 2 cents, though.

Thanks LS and all the others. It sounds like I've already noticed the difference; when i get a chance I will take off the new Elixir's and put PRS'/D'add back on and log a brief report back....
 
Prs strings are great. I've used every brand out there and the Prs feel the best .
 
oh, okay. i thought i read otherwise somewhere (or maybe that was only PRS' recommendation). i guess i should find out from the store what they may have put on.

I would like to know what strings are on my Hollow body 1 I bought it in January .These strings feel so different from the D addario strings that I have always used on my other guitars. The ball ends are not color coded so I don't know what they are ,the guitar came set up from the dealer with the present strings and although I have e mailed the dealer I'm still waiting for a reply .
 
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I tried elixir strings on my dgt it seemed like they deadend the sound,replaced them with daddario guitar came back to life.
 
I received a dozen PRS strings as a promo a few years ago. They stretch to tune quickly and hold tune extremely well. I certainly noticed a difference in quality.....
 
I tried elixir strings on my dgt it seemed like they deadend the sound,replaced them with daddario guitar came back to life.

The elixir's have a coating intended to extend the life. I've been told the coating ads a little size to the string and slightly changes the intonation of the guitar. Do a Google search on them!

Kurtis
 
Coated strings always sound different. My nephew swears by them, because the acid in his fingers eats strings. I swear at them because I don`t like the tone.I do like PRS strings, and I also like D`Addario NYXL`s.
 
Usually PRS strings but I also like the Gibson Vintage Reissue strings almost much. Almost.
 
I've been using PRS strings since I got my first PRS CU22 in 2008, my hands never sweat so they last a long time plus they stretch nicely and stays in tune,
recently I put a Chuck Mangan's set for my 513(after 1 year withe the same PRS set LOL) to try them out they are as nice
but I still prefer the PRS strings.
 
I use only Elixir nanoweb as my hands sweat a lot and non-coated strings could last only for a few days, including the one came with PRSi. I have no problem with the tone as well.
 
In his best Jeremy Clarkson voice.......Some say that they're woven from hairs taken from the manes of yearling Unicorns ? We know them as PRS Stigs, er strings !
 
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I use PRS strings on my CU24 because it came with 9.5s. I'm currently using PRS strings on my DGT because I got a bunch in the promo thing. Most everything else has Elixir Nanowebs, unless I decided to play w/something like DR Colors. No tone issues at all w/the Elixirs - in fact, they're my preference.
 
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