# What Strings, yes, a STRINGS thread!



## droneshotfpv (Jul 21, 2021)

So with mild success on the Plectrums thread yesterday I posted, I want to pose the same question for your favorite "strangs"....
There are no right or wrong answers, just your preferences, and a little bit about WHY you choose to play with those strings, and what brought you to them, and what kept you?

For me, it started out like a lot of people I am sure... Ernie Ball slinky's are the beginning for me, because it was HEAVILY advertised, the package was colorful, and my favorite musicians at the time used them (Slash)... I did have a lot of issues with Slinky's thought, mainly how quickly they went dead for me... this could have been my area (humidity times 1 million) or just how hard and aggressive I was at playing them, but I had problems for sure. Fresh and clean were good for about 2 days, then a steady decline. 
This brought me to investigate new strings (I tried Snarling Dogs also, what a joke those were when they were brand new lol), and my newest favorite guitar player, Zakk Wylde was using GHS Boomers. I gave them a try, and had greater success for sure with them. I have used them since, but have swayed back and forth with using the standard BOOMERS, the Pure Nickel Rockers, and the Burnished Nickel variants. They are the string I stick with, and have never let me down. I recently discovered there is a "Sub Zero" variant, and a "Thin Core" which I have on the way... I am a sucker for packaging and word play, so of course I want to try them out. I am sure there isn't a HUGE difference, but I love trying new stuff out none the less. 

Through the years I have tried D'Addario, and Clear tone as well as Gibson Brite Wires. Those were all good strings, but I just always came back to GHS.. the Value of what you get for the price is excellent "pre-pandemic", and even post pandemic if you look hard enough. 
GHS has always lasted the longest for me, without being rough on my frets (yes, that's more to do with me and my touch, I know lol)

I did however try and live the M-Steel Slinky's, they seem pretty good, but regular / standard slinky's still just don't do it for me personally... Maybe I need to try Paradigm or something..

What are your thoughts? I LOVE to hear differing opinions!


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## Paradox916 (Jul 21, 2021)

I too as a youngster fell victim to the Erine Ball marketing machine....(I will never forgive them.) but after I went through a few different brands I ended up liking and staying with D’Addario right now I really like the NYXL  series they seem to stay in tune and last forever!


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## peccary (Jul 21, 2021)

I use TI Jazz Flats on my Precision. I go back and forth on flats. I used the same set of Chromes for about a decade and then a couple of years ago I wanted to change it up and went through a few different sets, ultimately settling on the TI's. The one thing I don't like about the TI Flats is that the A string feels so off tension compared to the other strings, but they really do sound great.

On my Jazz bass I am using Fodera Nickle rounds right now, and I really like them a lot but I have a lot less experience with rounds. Before those I was a Roto 66 kind of guy.


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## Big Monk (Jul 21, 2021)

I went from EBs to DR Pure Blues and stayed there for a long time. Now I’m back to EBs. I use the Turbos but replace the G String for 0.017.


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## droneshotfpv (Jul 21, 2021)

peccary said:


> I use TI Jazz Flats on my Precision. I go back and forth on flats. I used the same set of Chromes for about a decade and then a couple of years ago I wanted to change it up and went through a few different sets, ultimately settling on the TI's. The one thing I don't like about the TI Flats is that the A string feels so off tension compared to the other strings, but they really do sound great.
> 
> On my Jazz bass I am using Fodera rounds right now, and I really like them a lot but I have a lot less experience with rounds. Before those I was a Roto 66 kind of guy.


I bet on BASS it's a different process, and maybe one that a "not as often" type situation as Guitar, am I right on that?


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## Coda (Jul 21, 2021)

LaBella "Bender's" 46-09, and LaBella Jazz Flats, 11's on my Jazzmaster. I like LaBella strings. I'm trying to get an endorsement...


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## SillyOctpuss (Jul 21, 2021)

I went from Ernie Ball super slinkys as a youngster onto D'addario 10s. I had a brief dalliance with Elixirs then back to D'addarios.  These days it's 10s on my fenders and prs and 11s on gibsons


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## Username123 (Jul 21, 2021)

Daddario NYXL. My hands are corrosive, so I need to give elixirs a try. Ever had corrosive hands while practicing for a few hours everyday? Well, the strings sound dead before they are even stretched. Plus I have a bigsby. I always have to deal with those 2 nightmares...


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## peccary (Jul 21, 2021)

droneshotfpv said:


> I bet on BASS it's a different process, and maybe one that a "not as often" type situation as Guitar, am I right on that?


Roundwounds will need to be replaced much more often than flats. Rounds start out (generally) really bright and sharp and over time will dull out and lose a lot of the character they started with. When I was playing in college regularly and using rounds I'd replace them every couple of months.

Flats are a different story. There can be this idea among bass players that flats will wear in to you, kind of like leather or wood. When the characteristics of a brand new flatwound are lost (generally brightness and clarity) people will say that they've been broken in and are starting to actually (finally) sound the way they want.

Supposedly James Jamerson was so attached to his strings that when one broke he asked the people at La Bella if they could weld it back together for him because a new string wouldn't be *his* string.


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## droneshotfpv (Jul 21, 2021)

Username123 said:


> Daddario NYXL. My hands are corrosive, so I need to give elixirs a try. Ever had corrosive hands while practicing for a few hours everyday? Well, the strings sound dead before they are even stretched. Plus I have a bigsby. I always have to deal with those 2 nightmares...


While I don't have overly corrosive hands / sweat, I do have naturally oily skin. Not the same as being corrosive, but definitely causes mine to wear out differently and quicker than normal. Crazy thing is, it comes and goes. Humans are so weird! lol As far as corrosive goes, that sucks, and would get seriously expensive I am sure! Coated strings may be the thing for you for sure. I would be interested to hear your results if you tried any coated strings.



peccary said:


> Roundwounds will need to be replaced much more often than flats. Rounds start out (generally) really bright and sharp and over time will dull out and lose a lot of the character they started with. When I was playing in college regularly and using rounds I'd replace them every couple of months.
> 
> Flats are a different story. There can be this idea among bass players that flats will wear in to you, kind of like leather or wood. When the characteristics of a brand new flatwound are lost (generally brightness and clarity) people will say that they've been broken in and are starting to actually (finally) sound the way they want.
> 
> Supposedly James Jamerson was so attached to his strings that when one broke he asked the people at La Bella if they could weld it back together for him because a new string wouldn't be *his* string.



That's insane about the asking to weld them back together! That's commitment for sure! ha!


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## spi (Jul 21, 2021)

Like I am with picks, I'm not too picky with strings... I mean they're going to be replaced again so it's no big commitment to get a different set.

Therefore I stick to what's cheap (or on sale).  Usually EB or Daddario have been consistently good for the price, and can often be found on sale, so it's usually those.  But an occasional Dunlop or Dean Markley or GHS, and it's all good.

I'm liking 9-46 or 9.5-44 sets, based on what's available.


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## mnemonic (Jul 21, 2021)

I was a die hard elixir fan for years and years. I ended up getting some bad single strings maybe a year and a half ago so I decided to try out some other brands. 
Ended up settling on EB’s, sound just as good to me, last a good long while and are a hell of a lot cheaper.

my least favourite set was a set of daddario NYXL’s which is weird since everyone else loves them. I thought they had a cool midrange character but the lowest string (on a 7 string set) just would not stay in tune, like it was inharmonic or something. Like single notes sounded out of tune with themselves and chords were even worse Swapped it for the exact same gauge in an EB, and no more problems.


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## Nostradoomus (Jul 21, 2021)

On my custom guitar I use Stringjoy in custom gauges. Everything else gets whatever is on sale.


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## Harry Klippton (Jul 21, 2021)

I like D'Addario xl110s on my gibson and xl120s on my teles. I started using D'Addarios because they have a string recycling program and I stayed for the loyalty program. 

Last summer I tried a set of pyramid round core strings on my tele that were .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038 cuz I heard that's what Cornell Dupree used. They were fine too but not different enough to stick with


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## Barry (Jul 21, 2021)

Elixir's on my acoustic's and GHS Boomers on electrics .010's mostly a couple of guitars get .09's


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## Dali (Jul 21, 2021)

I'm a recent convert to D'Addario NYXL because I'm a string abuser (think Adrian Belew kinda)


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## HamishR (Jul 22, 2021)

I used to use Martin Electrics because they were cheap and I worked in a store which sold them. The Darcos - they used to be great and cheap. Then when I stopped working there I went to D'addario - 10-52 on my Gretsch and 10-46 on a Fender. I started using the 10-52 because I was playing rockabilly and you play a lot of boogie on the bass strings and the .046s were too floppy on the short scale Gretsch.

But then one summer I found the bass strings were only lasting the first set. So I tried EBs and they lasted a lot better for me. So it's EBs for me, 10-52 on the Gretsches and Gibsons. I don't have a Fender right now.


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## droneshotfpv (Jul 22, 2021)

Lots of great and diverse responses so far! One thing I forgot to mention.. While I said "lights" and most of us know what that means, I thought I would clarify. My preference is .10 - .46 for most of my guitars, but my Floyd Rigs I use .09's, and my Drop tuned guitars (especially my LTD EX's) I use the "thin / thick" GHS set, .10 - .52. I only tune down to D Standard on those rigs, so didn't need too much thickness. haha


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## boji (Jul 22, 2021)

Even though Zoolander changed the meaning of Blue Steel forever, I'm still partial to Dean Markley's Blue Steel strings, 9-46 
Bright but not too much, long lasting, cheapish.


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## Feral Feline (Jul 22, 2021)

Evah Pirazzi Solos tuned down to standard tuning. Good tone pizzing around, bowable, slappable.

On a wim, though, I saw a pack of LaBella Superil and because finding strings suitable for my style in shops is nearly impossible — I bought the Supernils. First gig with them I hated them. Nasal, honkey... hated them. My bandmate and trusted friends in the audience thought they sounded fine. Not great for bowing, they're roundwounds and tend to destroy bow-hair.

Five+ years later they're still on my ply-gigger.


For the at-home slab, I'd like to try Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats — been looking for them in shops since they came out, have yet to find a set in a shop.


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## Bricksnbeatles (Jul 22, 2021)

I use a lot of different strings. I use Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-46 on my single-coil strats, D’addario NYXL 8-38 on one of my HH strats, and 11-52 on another HH Strat. On my Les Paul I use D’addario 11-52 flatwound ‘Chromes’, with the 22 wound g string replaced with a plain 18, the 15 b string replaced with a 13, and the 11 high e replaced with a 9.5

for 12 string I use a custom flatwound set whose gauges elude me at the moment, but it’s extra low tension for neck-safety reasons. I think it might be 9-40, with a .007 for the high g course to prevent snapping. For acoustic 12 I also do a relatively low tension flatwound set, but I do a unison g string instead of an octave course, and I also tune down to C# for acoustic 12, so “low tension” is still like 14-56

as for bass: I don’t remember the gauges for any at the moment, but—
P bass: D’addario Roundwounds 
Hofner: Labella nylon tapewounds 
Bass VI: Labella Stainless Steel Flatwounds
1980s Fernandes Active PJ: Labella Nylon Tapewounds 
EB-3: Rotosound Roundwounds 
Hagstrom 8 string: custom Pyramid flatwound set


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## bitzie (Jul 22, 2021)

On both my basses (Squier CV60s P and Schecter Stiletto Stealth 4) I use DR Black Beauties. The Squier uses a 45-105 set for E standard tuning while the Schecter uses 65-125 from a 5-string set for B standard tuning.


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## Feral Feline (Jul 22, 2021)

I'd like to try some DR.

Speaking of flatwounds (and guitars), I put a set of Thomastik Infeld flats on my Gretsch G5032C Rancher, but had to swap out strings from another set so as to make it a bumped set (lighter gauge, lighter than some peoples eelectric geetars). I basically wanted to have a flatwound G. Lotsa kajiggering and because they're so light, they're a tuning nightmare. Still, it was a worthwhile experiment, as I found I do like a fully flatwound set.


Would love to hear Bricksnbeatles Hagstrom 8!


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## finebyfine (Jul 22, 2021)

I use D'addario Jazz Flat Chromes in extra light (10-48) to reduce some of the brightness on my ESP guitar with EMGs. I absolutely love how that combination sounds. How well flats age is always a plus especially for someone who only plays at home. Might try them on my Telecaster sometime soon. 

For everything else I use standard Ernie Ball 10s. No complaints about EB really, which seems to be rare!


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## dgrainger (Jul 22, 2021)

Fender pure nickels (150R) on the Strat & tele.  D'addario xl110s on the gibsons


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## Bricksnbeatles (Jul 22, 2021)

Feral Feline said:


> Would love to hear Bricksnbeatles Hagstrom 8!


Hagstrom H8-II, neck pickup in single coil mode, with the high-cut switch engaged. Just DI’d.
Rhythm guitars are my Les Paul (which has the flatwounds) on the neck pickup (SD Whole Lotta Humbucker) in single coil mode, DI’d. Lead guitar is the LP with the bridge pickup in single coil mode, out of phase and in series with the neck humbucker, tone rolled down, don’t remember what OD pedal, but it’s into a cab sim and DI’d.









						What's the Latest Scuttlebutt?, by Nick Simms
					

from the album Quarantina Fran




					nicksimms.bandcamp.com


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## burger-patty-and-bacon (Jul 23, 2021)

Ernie 9-42 and E standard.  I'm a 1987 to '92 Ibanez Japan fiend and all I play are vintage RG's setup with butter low action.


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## blackhatboojum (Jul 25, 2021)

I was solely a GHS user for about 15 years.  A few years ago, my fiancé bought me some Gibson vintage reissue strings for my new Les Paul and I loved them.  Then, I started noticing some QC issues with the last few packs so I switched to Ernie Ball classic slinkies.


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## Elktronics (Jul 25, 2021)

I use 10’s. Lol


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## mjh36 (Jul 25, 2021)

Daddario because of the Player Points kickback. But I wanna try Stringjoys too.


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