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Strings, Strings, Strings


Stichman

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I've got a couple of electro-acoustic guitars and I'm getting a bit pissed off paying 15 a pop for a set of Elixir strings. They are good, but there's got to be something decent out there for cheaper - I'm always a bit wary of ones like "Super-Duper Strings" for 2.99 though.

Any thoughts?

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15? Fucking hell.

I use Ernie Ball Slinkys (power or hybrid depending on the guitar) on my electrics and D'Addario's (I think, it's been a while since I changed them) on my acoustic. Both of which cost around a fiver, give or take a pound depending where you buy from.

I've never tried Elixir but their website says they're some kind of magic string that lasts for ages, so I guess you're getting more use out of them than other strings so maybe they are worth the extra cash. 15 a set still seems pretty steep though.

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I recommend D'Addario acoustic strings. 7.45 for a set. Lovely bright sound too and last a decent while.

The Elixirs do indeed feel 'slimey' in my opinion, I prefer D'Addario EXP coated strings to those. Still a hefty price at 12.95 per set.

Martin SPs are good aswell but I'd recommend them if you were doing recordings as they sound great for the period of time they last but, in turn, that time isn't very long! 6.50 per set for those.

:up:

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Guest DustyDeviada

I usually stock up on strings at Merchant City every time I'm in Glasgow.

D'adarrios for electric, usually 3.50 or something, and Martins for acoustic, about the same price I think.

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The Elixer strings are deffinately worth it for my jazz guitar (i use guage 12 electric strings), infact, I haven't had anything else sound how I wanted on that guitar, I tried maybe 4-5 other types of strings.

Tried them out on my Ibanez RG 7 string, they do sound better but only by so much.

I haven't noticed any detoriation in sound since restringing the guitars at the beginning of the year. Infact, I reckon they sound better than they did when I first changed the strings. Strings tend to lose a bit or brightness and mellow out, given time.

I currently have Ernie Ball acoustic guage 12 strings on my acoustic guitar and I really like the sound of them. I might try out the elixer acoustic strings but can't speak for or against them yet.

I would never use anything less than guage 11 on an acoustic guitar, guage 50 should be the minimum for the lowest string also. Thin strings sound too 'thin' on acoustic guitar, in my opinion.

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I don't play gigs and I haven't felt in any way tempted to restring the 2 guitars I have the Elixers on, yet. I restringed them with the Elixers in January.

I also got a conciderable discount on these strings.

I don't know what the 'smiley' thing is. Maybe them being too bright when first changed. This wears off after a few weeks anyhow.

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what about bass strings. ive been using ernie balls, but i find myself restringing every few weeks. any others out there that last longer?

15 for a pack of strings is gash. its like a 15 gig fee

Have you tried the warwick black range?

I use them and they tend to last quite a while. i used to use ernie balls too, but i never liked them.

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In a related topic, the G string on ALL my guitars seems to break really easily. At first I thought it was my guitar, but I've realised it happens on all my guitars.

Now, I don't really use the G string more than others for riffs, etc, so is it just that I strum like a reject? TOo hard on the G or something?

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I've had the same set of D'Addario's on my Les Paul for over a month. The only reason strings ever get changed is if I have a gig or recording... and that's only if I remember.

If you look after your strings(wipe them down after use) then they'll last ages. People can never be bothered. I'm one of them, but I occasionally remember

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I think string changing is overrated on electric guitar. Providing you don't play your guitars with dirty hands (which suprisingly a lot of people do), smoke round your guitars or spill stuff on them, they should last for a couple of months, at least.

Apparently, if you sweat while playing, the sweat will eventually corode the strings and given enough corosion the string will be be slightly out of tune, even when tuned as it is no longer of equal thickness, all the way.

With bass guitar, you really should change your strings every 2 months. Acoustic guitar, it depends.

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I think string changing is overrated on electric guitar. Providing you don't play your guitars with dirty hands (which suprisingly a lot of people do), smoke round your guitars or spill stuff on them, they should last for a couple of months, at least.

If you're just playing in your bedroom then that's fine, but if you're playing gigs or going to regular band practices you should change your strings every month or the week of a gig, if for no other reason than to minimise the chances that you'll have a breakage when you least need it.

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I haven't broken a string for years, other than one which I broke becuase I tried to bend a high E (guage 12) up about 3-4 notes.

Every month or so is just wasting time when you should be practicing. Maybe if your hands are super sweaty and you smoke around your guitars, then every month but otherwise, I see no reason if you look after your instrument why they shouldn't last a few months, even with Ernie Ball strings.

I actually think most strings sound better on electric guitar, after they have been played for a little while. Very new strings are sometimes overly bright.

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I haven't broken one for years either, probably because I change them reguarly. You should be able to do the occasional extreme bend in standard tuning without breaking the string.

It's one of those things, I suppose, that doesn't have a definitive answer. For me, I like going through the process of changing the strings anyway as it gives me a chance to give the guitar a good clean and get rid of all the dust and stuff that builds up around the pickups and stuff. And I know that the day I don't change them before a gig is the day I break a string onstage for the first time. That'll probably be the same day I decide not to take a spare guitar with me as well.

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yeah the only time i found a definite answer to the question 'how often should you change strings' was 3 months at the very least. cant remember where i read that, probably a guitar magazine.

i usually change mine about once a month, although i've not changed my current set for ages (they sound shite now...). personally i really like the brightness of new strings. i use ernie ball hybrid slinkies. i tried d'addario once, didn't really notice any difference.

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I was recommended to change them every 30 hours of play.

Gotta remember - strings naturally corrode whether you're playing or not so by thinking that you can just leave a set on for a ridiculous amount of time because you're not playing that specific guitar is just silly. :up:

My preference is to 'play in' a set for about 2-3 hours prior to a gig if I've not long restrung. This gets them settled in better (with regards to tuning stability aswell as not being just as chimey). :)

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