dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
NYXLs after many, many experiments. I did get a set of Stringjoys, but I haven’t put them on yet.
Favorite Electric Strings?
- Thread starter MarcWink
- Start date
Monahan
New Member
For many, many years I was loyal to GHS Nickel Rockers in 10's.
Then in 2009 I was stationed in Dover Delaware and was having a difficult time finding GHS. So I branched out and tried a bunch of different brands looking for something that was close. Honestly can't say I found a brand I didn't like, just not as much as I did the GHS... so I used whatever was the least expensive pure-nickel set.
That's how I stumbled upon DR Pure Blues (which are great bass strings as well
). Played those exclusively until last summer when I decided it was time to try a different gauge-- 8's. In so doing, I had to find a new brand as DR doesn't offer the Pure Blues in 8s' (that I could find anyway).
Enter my new favorite brand & gauge:
Still somewhat difficult to find locally, but since settling in with these, I'm going to try convincing my favorite local shop to start carrying them... even if they cost a few bucks more than getting them online, it's worth it to me to support local shops.
Then in 2009 I was stationed in Dover Delaware and was having a difficult time finding GHS. So I branched out and tried a bunch of different brands looking for something that was close. Honestly can't say I found a brand I didn't like, just not as much as I did the GHS... so I used whatever was the least expensive pure-nickel set.
That's how I stumbled upon DR Pure Blues (which are great bass strings as well
). Played those exclusively until last summer when I decided it was time to try a different gauge-- 8's. In so doing, I had to find a new brand as DR doesn't offer the Pure Blues in 8s' (that I could find anyway).Enter my new favorite brand & gauge:
Still somewhat difficult to find locally, but since settling in with these, I'm going to try convincing my favorite local shop to start carrying them... even if they cost a few bucks more than getting them online, it's worth it to me to support local shops.
deathworlder
Nut-life
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2023
- Messages
- 343
DR Pure Blues in 9-42 & 10-46 depending on tuning and/or scale.
rockinrabbit
New Member
Curt Mangan makes some good pure nickel, too,,,
I used to use pure nickel all the time, but changed to nickel plated steel.
Changing tastes, I guess. Been meaning to try the NYXL's,,,have yet to.
I used to use pure nickel all the time, but changed to nickel plated steel.
Changing tastes, I guess. Been meaning to try the NYXL's,,,have yet to.
dmatthews
Dave's not here
NYXL 9-42 these days...
MarcWink
New Member
Lots of D'Addario love. I ordered two sets of Elixirs, a set of Nanoweb 10-46 that went on my SE Silver Sky and a set of 10-52 Optiweb that went on my 35th Anniversary Custom 24. Thus far, I've put more playing time on the SE Silver Sky with the Elixirs. I like the feel of the coated strings. I'm going to put some playing time on the Custom 24 to see how I like the Optiweb strings tonight. I don't know if it's just me or if it's normal with Elixirs, but I did notice that they took a good bit longer than my normal Ernie Ball strings to stretch out .
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
For me, it almost always was D'Addario—the standard EXL line. I was using NYXL for a while but really couldn't see a benefit. I never had tuning issues with their core line of strings, and I still want to change the set as soon as the violins turn the colour to black. Call me obsessive and compulsive, but nothing makes me sick more than dead skin cells and finger juice on the strings. The main reason I rarely play other people's guitars. I had the coated XS series strings once, but they developed a fret rattle around the midpoint. I couldn't bother messing around with a setup, so I went back to EXL again. Why would I? I would change them for a new set after two weeks anyway, so it makes no sense to pay triple the price. I have 11-49 or balanced 11-50 for Eb and standard 10-46 for Drop D
I use pure nickel wrap strings with my PS models (as opposed to nickel plated), and have been extremely happy with Sono-Tone's Vintage .010s. They're very bright for pure nickel strings. However, they might not be perfect for someone who's looking for super-bright strings.
My DGT came with PRS' Signature nickel-plated .011 set spec'd for the DGT, and they're snappy, bright, and sound great with that guitar. So I'd at least try a set of PRS' Signature strings if bright/snappy is what you're looking for.
I think they're different from the strings that previously came on PRS Core models.
My DGT came with PRS' Signature nickel-plated .011 set spec'd for the DGT, and they're snappy, bright, and sound great with that guitar. So I'd at least try a set of PRS' Signature strings if bright/snappy is what you're looking for.
I think they're different from the strings that previously came on PRS Core models.
doublescale1
doublescale1
Elixir Optiweb 10-49
ibanezfan1
New Member
GHS Boomers 9-42
MarcWink
New Member
I'm definitely no disliking the Elixirs on the SE Silver Sky and Core 35th Anni Custom 24. They are decently bright, but I really love how smooth they feel under my fingers. I'm guessing the coating on the strings is what dampens their brightness a little bit.
Xtcclassic
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2021
- Messages
- 240
Boy do I miss Snake Oil Strings. What I wouldn’t give to be able to order those again. I’ve never found another brand that’s even in the same universe.
frankencat
Guitarded
GHS Boomers 9-46.
guitarguy1964
New Member
I've pretty much been a D'addario guy my whole playing life but I have tried many different brands and materials.
When I started working in a music store (I did 20 years at the same store), one of my duties became doing the purchasing for all the accessories.
I got very interested in the differences, materials, who made string for who etc. Still I always ended up with D'addario.
It's my opinion that not only are everyones ears different but our body chemistries are different and the strings are the first point of contact. The oils on our fingers react differently to different alloys. I tried to change to Ernie Ball a few years back and I broke them left and right, typically I never break strings.. Other people I know don't any problems with them. This is all just my opinion on what I have learned and experienced over the last 45 years of playing.
Historically I have not aged for coated electric strings, I am fine with them for acoustic. Last march when I purchased my CE24 I got a wild hair and tried the D'addario XS coated strings and I'm still sold on them. They seem so last 3-4 times longer than the usual strings I used. They keep that zing of new strings much longer for me. Also they don't get frayed where I pick.
I did really like the strings that came on my recent DGT Core and almost ordered some of those strings but in the end I went with the D'addario XS.
I should also add that a few years ago when I purchased my 408 PRS was running a promotion in which you received 2 boxes of PRS strings. I had very good luck with them and I personally couldn't tell the difference between the D'addario XL 110s I was using at the time.
When I started working in a music store (I did 20 years at the same store), one of my duties became doing the purchasing for all the accessories.
I got very interested in the differences, materials, who made string for who etc. Still I always ended up with D'addario.
It's my opinion that not only are everyones ears different but our body chemistries are different and the strings are the first point of contact. The oils on our fingers react differently to different alloys. I tried to change to Ernie Ball a few years back and I broke them left and right, typically I never break strings.. Other people I know don't any problems with them. This is all just my opinion on what I have learned and experienced over the last 45 years of playing.
Historically I have not aged for coated electric strings, I am fine with them for acoustic. Last march when I purchased my CE24 I got a wild hair and tried the D'addario XS coated strings and I'm still sold on them. They seem so last 3-4 times longer than the usual strings I used. They keep that zing of new strings much longer for me. Also they don't get frayed where I pick.
I did really like the strings that came on my recent DGT Core and almost ordered some of those strings but in the end I went with the D'addario XS.
I should also add that a few years ago when I purchased my 408 PRS was running a promotion in which you received 2 boxes of PRS strings. I had very good luck with them and I personally couldn't tell the difference between the D'addario XL 110s I was using at the time.
