String Quality?

[donlyn]

I've been at this for over 50 years, and have tried most of the major brands of strings that have been on the market. For some time, the brand I keep coming back to is Elixir. I also seem to have been blessed with non-corrosive skin. And I really don't particularly care for the sound of 'new' strings, but start to like them after they have been on for at least a week or so. I also do not use any picks, but just my fingernails.

All if which is by way of explanation that I do not change strings nearly as often as most players seem to, at least on this thread. It may be in part due to any or all of the above. I also rotate through my guitars, but will admit to 'playing' favorites, but the those favorites sometimes change.

I have not tried the Titanium strings yet (I'm not very quick to jump on bandwagons), and recently got some Santa Cruz parabolics, which will be going on very soon for some testing.

Anyway, there are really only two major factors in my choice of strings, one of which is of course the sound from a given guitar. But the other is one I've not seen mentioned. The best way I can describe it is how my fingers feel when I play, while I'm playing. There are a few brands and/or gauges that I have taken off very quickly (couple of weeks) after a change, mostly due to just not feeling right when I'm playing. It seems that my fingers just don't want to play them and are not comfortable with them.

I will not mention any 'failed' brands, since what works or doesn't for me will not effect what works for other players. And I know that my baseline brand is just another brand to many players. De gustibus non disputandum.

Thanks for reading,
Don

[ClaptonWannabe2]

2 recent string changes have impressed me. Clear tones on my Blueridge. And DRblack beauties on my black Alvarez.

The clear tones I basically talked myself into cutting off because I wanted to try a set of John Pearce strings. The clear tones still sounded and felt fine but were getting dirty. Or was that an excuse. I'll use clear tones again. Very similar to elixirs to me but lasted longer.

My black strings were just an impulse buy to be dumb and put black string on a black guitar with a new spotless white saddle. I love them. Play the Alvarez a lot more.

[phcorrigan]

Right now I have Martin MSP6200 SP Lifespan 80/20 Bronze Mediums on my HD-28V, and they pretty much stay in tune, even when I carry it to open mic venues.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Solina Dave

Or does D'addario, and Elixir, and Martin, John Pearse, and on and on, use better component materials than the Acme Guitar String Co.?

I can't speak for any of the other string companies, but John Pearse strings do in fact use high quality bell bronze used for making church bells for the bronze wraps on their bronze alloy strings. Their Pure Nickel alloy strings also use a bespoke nickel alloy.

John Pearse was a friend and mentor to me, and he was fastidious, some might even say fanatical, about the metals used for for his strings. He wouldn't just use the cheapest metal he could find for that component. Which is why there's a slight premium on those strings: their price is a bit higher because of the more expensive raw materials used to make them.

Again, I can't discuss other string companies' choices in that regard, because I'm not privy to any of their inside information. But John took a great deal of pride in producing the best strings he knew how to make, and sourced his materials accordingly.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller