Silk and Steel strings

Lonny · #1 03-26-2003, 12:29 PM

Are there any opinions on silk and steel strings? I'm experimenting with strings for my 12 string.

woodyboyd · #2 03-26-2003, 06:20 PM

nice warm, mellow and easy on the guitar, but they don't last very long

min7b5 · #3 03-27-2003, 09:22 AM

I havn't used them in years, but I remember thinking that for solo fingerstyle they were kind if cool becasue with the two top strings being normal, and the four bass being somewhat muted, the melody really popped out.

Chips and Dust · #4 03-27-2003, 11:49 AM

I have to respectfully disagree with WoodyBoyd on the length of life of silk and steel strings. In college I was playing for several hours a day. My dorm room was always quite warm. (No air conditioning and a broken thermostat on the heater). The sweat from my hands could and did eat through the finish on several French horns during those years.
Needless to say I changed strings several times a week. The unfortunate thing was that by the time my strings had stopped stretching and losing their tuning they were already beginning to go dead. A roomate of mine recommended switching to Silk and steel strings. I was amazed at how long they lasted in comparison to the bronze strings I had been using. I could get almost 2 weeks out of the silk and steel in comparison to about 4 days out of the bronze.

virtuoso · #5 04-06-2003, 05:14 AM

Hehehe, we have this new invention called coated strings.

The regulars ones last 4 days.

Marge · #6 04-06-2003, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lonny
Are there any opinions on silk and steel strings? I'm experimenting with strings for my 12 string.

I tried silk and steel on my 955 and did not like them at all. They seemed to take all that I enjoy about my 12 string out of it. I left the strings on for a while to see if there would be a change, and because I was being cheap and didn't want to waste the money I had spent on those strings. I just didn't like them. If you want a more mellow tone, try Elixir polywebs. They make my 955 less bright and more mellow without dampening the volume and taking away the dynamics of the guitar. I just put a set of nanowebs on it and so far like them a lot.

MAKE it a GREAT day!!!

Marge

woodyboyd · #7 04-06-2003, 11:07 AM

They are used a lot more on 12 strings because they have less tension then brozne, and yes they are mellow and do not have the volume of bronze. I stick with with my first post regarding shorter lifespan... Oh and one mor thing it will limit you to about three brands labella, martin and ghs