Guitar Strings

ions

Mr. Fantasy
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
33,561
Location
Pennsylvania
What type of guitar strings are on your guitar?

My acoustic has DR dragon skin lights, but they seem to be too much for playing infrequently. Elixir Lights are much better.

Electric has Ernie ball slinkies for standard and Ernie ball nickels heavier gauge for dropped Db.

Elixirs are good for acoustic not so much electric.
 
I'm pretty simple. Just a .009 set of Gibson Pure Nickels on all my electric guitars except for the lap and pedal steels. On my one acoustic, Martin .013 bronze.
 
Heh. Yeah elixirs cost more but you can’t beat that sound of coated strings on acoustic. Ernies and my new orange amp get the best pinch harmonics.
 
I have drs that are silver but they just have a metallic sound. Polymer coated sound brilliant.
 
Now here’s something. Are lighter picks better for arthritic hands strumming? I’ve use tortex yellows .73 for the longest time. Was wondering about a thinner pick for rehabbing my thumb.
 
I dunno, ions. I have been fighting arthritis for years.

I have been using Tortex blue 1.0 forever and they still work for me. Why don't you try them (lighter picks) and let us know.
 
years ago i tried ernie ball and fender strings, actually i dont feel any big difference when it comes to strings.
 
There's only a few string manufacturers that all the brands go to and have their strings wound / drawn using the brand requested specs and materials.

A brand I have used that are excellent quality and longevity is the S.I.T (Stay In Tune) brand. These strings even stand up to the rigors of misuse found in pedal steel guitars where the strings are mechanically abused regularly to achieve the individual string momentary de tuning continuously by design.

I was introduced to them by country players quite some time ago(1982 or so), but they can be used in all genres, here;s a review:

 
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SOme of the new ESP guitars look real nice. Expensive, and I'd take a PRS over ESP anyday, but the ESP finish compares to a quality PRS wood.
 
PRS makes really nice guitars, i have 2 ibanez guitars atm. a jazz guitar and a western guitar, last one was really cheap for its quality:

 
One reason many of those ESP guitars are so inexpensive is that the finish is poly, not that it's a bad thing. Lacquer may be "cool" but it is very labor intensive due to the many coats and polishing involved. I've never owned an ESP, but I've played a few and they are nice guitars.

I have poly finished guitars and the can look and sound just as good as a lacquer finished guitar. Most of my guitars are old and lacqured, because I bought them "back in the day".

As for the wood, well that's good to look at, etc but not required for good tone. I've owned two lap steel "RIC's" that would make angels weep in terms of tone. One was entirely cast aluminum and the other was entirely Bakelite (an early plastic). After owning those two guitars I could no longer believe in special tone woods.

YMMV of course. :cool:
 
First set of DRs on my acoustic has a long lasting quality tone, but elixir is better for a fresh set. And they do the same after they age, still good. I'd say elixirs over DRs.
 
Ernie Ball earthwood mediums on my acoustic. I moved away from martin lights when they were out of stock and just really liked the earthwood. I always used EB slinky when I had my telecaster.
 
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