Guitar strings? Brand and Gauge

[LeftyStrat]

Used to love GHS but they stopped making what I liked. Used to play 12's, but got tired of the finger and fingernail separating. Now at 11 to 38. Been having to order individual strings because it doesn't seem any one makes this anymore.

Whatever happened to Nashville Straights?

What do you guys like? Especially for a strat.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Used to love GHS but they stopped making what I liked. Used to play 12's, but got tired of the finger and fingernail separating. Now at 11 to 38. Been having to order individual strings because it doesn't seem any one makes this anymore.

Whatever happened to Nashville Straights?

What do you guys like? Especially for a strat.

I've heard GHS will make custom sets but you have to order bulk maybe a couple dozen sets at a time. Who knows maybe that service is gone too.

Hm, heavy tops lite bottoms, unusual but there's somethin' for everybody.

Nashville Straights - I remember 'em, haven't seen em in a long time.

I've dealt with lots & lots of D'addarios. Markleys too. On the road, these companies supplied my "artist" clients with whatever they wanted. Their regular sets often sufficed, and I'd get extra E, B and G, the strings most often broken, as singles.

Something I didn't know until I saw them hanging in a local music store's guitar tech bench, is D'addario supplies 50-paks of strings straight, not coiled up, as singles. You can see how this appeals to manufacturers and hi volume guitar techs. I'd email or call D'addario and find out if they will sell these to you direct. There are some guitarists who think winding the string into a loop for packaging is the first step in deterioration. Of course it will be up to the buyer to handle these paks in a way that will prevent them from rusting or getting tangled. There's some sort of additive to the paper & plastic envelopes that prevents surface rust. That's been around for a decade or so. And D'addario strings have those kandy-kolor balls that help ID their function - you get those on the 50-paks as well as the usual consumer sets.

FWIW I've been using an 11 set on my strat-like guitar. (Thinner strings don't have enough tension to set against the truss rod on this custom git-tar. It took a long time to figure out.) D'addario has had all nickel string sets available for a couple of years and they aren't quite so twangy-bright as steel. Caution - some people have a skin sensitivity to nickel. It looks lika a poison ivy rash. Skin reddens, thickens and can develop blisters in some cases. Anybody that has this might want to avoid nickel or nickel-plate strings. People that are hyper sensitive can even develop a rash on their legs where coins containing nickel are held in their pants pockets (not just nickels but dimes & quarters since 1965.)

[Firestorm]

Anybody know how many different string manufacturers there actually are anymore? Doesn't seem like the sort of industry that could support many.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Anybody know how many different string manufacturers there actually are anymore? Doesn't seem like the sort of industry that could support many.

Who makes their own strings? In the USA, and I could be wrong about some or all... so pitch in & correct this list as necessary.

A few "for sure" AFAIK

GHS
LaBella
D'addario
Dean Markley
Ernie Ball

maybe DR

hm....

Martin claims they do but I dunno.

Some claim that John Pearse are especially good but I haven't tried 'em.
Perhaps JP has a small string factory.

I recently heard about a fellow who's making "hand made" strings. Maybe this is Richard Cocco, at least that's what shows up on goggle. Must be tough on the hands. Maybe he's well stocked with Corn Husker's Lotion.

DR also claims "hand made." This is getting to be a trend. What next, organic, GMO free, non gluten?

Wonder who really makes strings branded for guitar companies, Gibson & Fender. Those Fender "bullet" ends are unique.

And how about "Snarling Dogs" ?

That's all for now, add or correct as necessary. Inquiring minds want to know...

edit: add Curt Mangan in Colorado, thanks billy z for mentioning them! One of my crusty customers likes 'em too.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Started playing in earnest when I was 11 (1970). All through my teens and into my early twenties, I used Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings. I was never happy with how long these strings lasted before they were dead to the world as we know it. I was in my early twenties, and one day, I had some extra scratch, so I decided to go to the music store and buy one set of everything so I could do my own research using my body chemistry. D'Addario came out on top, and I've been using them ever since. It's probably time for a new round of research, seeing that the existing set of data was collected thirty years ago. I use EXL115's (11 - 49) on my two strat style guitars, and I use a set if EJ22 (13 - 56) plus a nickel wound 074 single for my 7-string archtop. I use EJ17 (13 - 56) for my flat top. EJ44 (Extra Hard Tension) for my nylon string. - All D'Addario. The only instrument where i vear off course is my 6-string archtop; on which I've been using Thomastik Infeld Be-Bop series (I forget the gauge, 13's on top, maybe) for years. I am pretty happy with these choices.

HTH

[Reeltarded]

Ernie Ball .008

[sepulchre]

When I got my Deluxe Strat I had to go from 12s to 11s because it has a floating tremolo that makes you have to bend a string a lot farther to reach the note you're after. Been using Elixir Nano Webs but I'm considering a switch. They do last longer and aren't so shiny when you first put them on (a plus in my book). But they get ragged after some use. I'm thinking about trying some D'Addarios again. It's been a long while.

13s on my Martin. Martin Cleartones.

[Cantplay]

I buy Fender Pure Nickel Bullet 9-42

Nickel feels softer and bends easier. It also to my ear sounds like it has more lively sound.

This is especially noticeable on double stop bends.

I've been meaning to try Slinky Cobalts on the theory that the cobalt would get more magnetic reaction. I have a pack sitting mocking me.

John

[katopan]

I was always an Ernie Ball person, but when I got into playing regularly again a number of years ago went with GHS Boomers because they were a good deal at the local store (which didn't stock EB). A few years later I got Ernie Ball again and couldn't believe the difference in string stretch when you first put them on. The Boomers seem to need stretching out forever in comparison and I haven't bought them since. Most recently bought a set of Elixir for the Strat style guitar and they're good so far but I haven't had them on for long. My guitar teacher has been recommending them to me for quite a while. But I should try D'Addarios one day because they seem to be liked by a lot of players.

10-46 on the Strat style, Les Paul and Ibanez RG. Although I did change over the RG to heavies for drop C tuning earlier this year.

[ampmike]

Ernie Ball 9's on gibsons 10's on fenders ,nothing more let the amp do the work.i buy big packs of 20 on line and end up giving them to all my kids friends.mikey

[rp]

What cantplay said 100%. I went with the Fenders too 'cause they were easy to source near me (when in USA) and they were pretty cheap. I was suspicious of buying Fender strings but they seem excellent until I try other pure nickles. After 25 years of EB and D'Addario nickle alloy/plated, hex-core whatever I'm 100% sold on pure nickles. Sound and feel is terrific if I little less hard and snappy which I prefer on my Leo G&Ls. Tried them on a bud w/ a strat and he went gaga and called me up right afterward. I had a post long ago on strings and Cliff Schecht set me right on the hex core nonsense. I think the Fender Nickles are roundcore too.

Never found anything much better than D'Addario, EJ17s on the dreds, or better enough anyway, I grab 10 packs on big web sales like Labor Day or 4th of July, I'd just as soon change cheaper strings often than try to get months out of expensive fancy/coated stuff.

Hey realtarded - IIRC you moved up a gauge from .007, careful you don't blow those 60 year old cones couple more jumps and you'll be on 11s soon.

Btw the nickles feel like a gauge lighter, I moved down to 10s to try and gain some speed, soften my touch, and fight some arthritis and I feel like I'm playing on air. Makes me a wimp on the flattop though which is why I used 11s in the first place.

[martin manning]

Lots of D'Addario EXL nickel wound 10's used on Fender electrics here. D'Addario EJ15 phosphor bronze extra-light (0.010") on the acoustic. Play like buttah, sound great, and they hold up well. The light gauge Elixir strings do not last on my acoustic, I've had several snap at the bridge plate long before they are worn out. I suspect that the length of the twist locking the string to the ball end is just the right (or just the wrong) length, and creates a stress concentration there. Some people do not like the greasy feel of coated strings.

[Bob S]

Was using GHS and Slinky 10's.
Got some D'Addario 8's ordered - gonna give them a try.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Source counts too. I recall reading a thread, I don't know where (maybe on TAG), started by a fellow I think in Oklahoma. He got strings at his local store marked D'addario and nothing but trouble. Sent some to D'add's HQ and the word came back - they were counterfeit! So please be aware, when ya got something good, somebody will try to copy it & thereby undermine the good reputation of a company that makes a quality product. Could happen to any good brand I suppose. So be sure of your source, and if there's a problem contact the company so credit and blame can be assigned correctly.

I'd like to recommend Just Strings in Nashua NH for bulk buys. Lots of choices, some unusual/rare brands, fast service. I put 'em to work when I was assigned to find some Savarez nylon string sets with wound G. No stores had 'em but Just Strings did. I'm not a friend relative or business relation, just a satisfied customer.

[stelligan]

D'Addario EXL115 11-49 on Fender scale length electrics and EXL145 12-54(plain G) for Gibson scale length. ECG Chromes Flat wound 11-50? for the only hollow Jazz box I have. Switched from GHS boomers in the 80s? Never looked back - or forward, I guess. I really need to try those Thomastik-Infeld strings. Have heard good things. D'Addarios are just available everywhere and consistent in my experience.