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View Poll Results: What is your opinion on Red Strings?
I like them 11 10.68%
I hate them 12 11.65%
They're allright 10 9.71%
I haven't tried 'em yet 70 67.96%
Voters: 103. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 05-18-2009, 08:50 PM
AlexWilcox AlexWilcox is offline
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Question Red Strings?

What is your opinion on Red Brand Strings?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Red-Stri...71-i1435840.gc
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  #2  
Old 05-18-2009, 11:28 PM
banpreso banpreso is offline
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haven't tried

they don't look cheap

i'll hate them if they're a gimmick. if there's actually something to them, i'll applaud the innovation
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  #3  
Old 05-19-2009, 04:39 AM
hempomatic hempomatic is offline
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I was going to say all right, which they were for a day. Pretty mellow, decent tone on my H&D when I first put them on, but it went downhill from there. They were quiet to the point of sounding muffled after only a day, and they look like crap in no time. They might be fine for taming the top end on an inexpensive laminate, but they are not my cup of tea. YMMV

ken
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Old 05-19-2009, 04:44 AM
Brackett Instruments Brackett Instruments is offline
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I got a couple sets from my local dealer but I haven't tried them yet. For years I've just used D'addarios. I've tried other "miracle" strings but just keep going back to D'adds. I'll post my opinion on the "Reds" when I get around to using them.
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Old 05-19-2009, 06:28 AM
Hambone Hambone is offline
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They're only "ok" on my 000-28ec, not so great on my D18A. They lack a strong bass punch and the A has a strong bass that kind of disappears with the Reds. They don't have the dynamics nor do they seem to last any longer than traditional PBs either.

My conclusion. They are an answer to a question that wasn't asked.
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Old 05-19-2009, 02:11 PM
terrapin terrapin is offline
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I recently put a set on my sitka/maple Lowden and I love them on that guitar. I had tried 3 other brands that gave the little guitar a rather "boxy" sound, but the Red Brand opened up the sound and added alot of color and overtones. I am going to put them on my cedar/IRW Lowden as soon as it gets to me!!!!!!!!!!!
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  #7  
Old 05-19-2009, 02:58 PM
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Bluewyatt Bluewyatt is offline
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They're a very specific string for a very specific guitar. i haven't figured out what that is, even after all these posts.
I absolutely LOVE them on my OO Northwood where I wanted to slightly tame the rosewood and increase the volume.
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Old 05-19-2009, 04:21 PM
gusto5 gusto5 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hempomatic View Post
I was going to say all right, which they were for a day. Pretty mellow, decent tone on my H&D when I first put them on, but it went downhill from there. They were quiet to the point of sounding muffled after only a day, and they look like crap in no time. They might be fine for taming the top end on an inexpensive laminate, but they are not my cup of tea. YMMV

ken
More Mellow than D'add flat tops? Assuming you've tried them, that is.
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  #9  
Old 05-19-2009, 07:30 PM
AlexWilcox AlexWilcox is offline
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I'll tell you the BEST strings I've ever played with are the
Martin FX 80/20 Bronze Medium's:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin-F...81-i1388822.gc

I have them on my Taylor Big Baby and my Fender Sonoran!!!!! They are very well-balanced. Warm, but at the same time bright.
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  #10  
Old 05-18-2010, 01:39 PM
domovision domovision is offline
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Tried them after Christmas this year, as I got a set in my stocking. I liked them at first, so I bought 3 more packs from GC. Then I started breaking strings while tuning. Broke a B string, so I pulled out one to replace it while at band practice. Second string broke while tuning it up.

Plus the tech that works on all my guitars said that they were showing serious signs of wear after the month I had them on. Some of the strings had worn through the winding to the core. I know some people think differently about changing strings, but they shouldn't wear through that quickly. I vote no on these. Sound is good, but they just don't last.
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  #11  
Old 05-18-2010, 03:02 PM
cke cke is offline
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I said I like them. The set I tried did deepen and warm up my L-09 (already deep and warm), not miraculously, but pleasingly. The first day I put them on, I nearly took them off, but then they settled in.

I left them on for a bit less than 2 weeks, about 30 hrs of playing. I wanted to try some other strings, so I took early signs of wear as enough of the experiment. They did seem to have a shorter lifespan.

What I didn't like was the 'drag' as I play fingerstyle. The trebles (just normal steel BTW) especially were rough feeling relative to the Martin MSP 4200 and D'Addarrio EJ-17's that are my usual strings.

I have another set to try, but this time I have some D'Addario trebles to string with it to see if that makes me enjoy them more.

I do like how they look, colorful, if you pardon the pun, in sound as well. I don't like the price.
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Old 05-18-2010, 03:12 PM
SuperB23 SuperB23 is offline
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I didn't care for them. I bought two sets used one and tried to sell the other set after that. I wasn't able to sell them on ebay.
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  #13  
Old 05-18-2010, 05:56 PM
Turp Turp is offline
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I tried them on a Taylor GC8. Muted tone; lack luster trebles and drab bass. Afetr many strings on a few guitars, it is hard to beat uncoated Martin and DiAdario strings.
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  #14  
Old 05-19-2010, 03:40 AM
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Nice tone; poor string life. Too much $$
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Old 05-19-2010, 04:21 AM
hann hann is offline
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it costs alot and aren't coated for that reason I wouldn't buy them.. they do sound good on certain types of guitars though.. I think I liked them more on mahog then rw.. it gives a very organice, woody flavour. Didn't do too much for a rw.

The biggest thing I noticed was how much more tension it gave.. my action rose a whole 1/32" just using red strings with my standard gauge
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