I’m starting to think string choice is overrated.

[catdaddy]

In my experience it depends on the guitar. For my Voyage Air dread PBs and monels both work very well. For my 000 Martin PBs work and monels don't work at all. For my Bourgeois monels work really well, PBs not so much unless they're played in for a couple of weeks. I once owned a Collings that took to DR Sunbeams like no other strings I ever tried on it. YMMV

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by YeOldRocker

Look, if a pick preference can make a difference, certainly a string choice can, too.

Overrated doesn't mean it doesn't make a difference. Just means it's given more weight than it deserves. But now that you mention it, pick choice is a bit overrated also.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by catdaddy

In my experience it depends on the guitar. For my Voyage Air dread PBs and monels both work very well. For my 000 Martin PBs work and monels don't work at all. For my Bourgeois monels work really well, PBs not so much unless they're played in for a couple of weeks. I once owned a Collings that took to DR Sunbeams like no other strings I ever tried on it. YMMV

Like I said, string choice is more about weeding out the bad ones, rather than finding the best one.

[MartinGibsonFan]

String choice may be overrated but you still have to choose what works best for your guitar(s)

Most of my Gibsons sound repressed with Medium Gauge, so my Gibsons wear PB Lights.

Most of my Martins (with the exception of my D18VS and D21 Special) sound best with PB Mediums.

So, my guitars get the strings they sound best in.

As far as swapping strings in and out and experimenting?

Thank goodness, I'm past that phase and was fortunate to find what I liked early on in the game.

MGF

[YeOldRocker]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Overrated doesn't mean it doesn't make a difference. Just means it's given more weight than it deserves. But now that you mention it, pick choice is a bit overrated also.

Well, if you'd read on, that was my point; it makes a difference, but it's a personal choice on how much, based on lots of factors. Same with picks, and, as I said, same with guitars. But few of us would muse out loud that choosing the right guitar over another is overrated. What would we talk about?

[rstaight]

I saw the Tommy Emanuel video over the weekend where he talks about his theory on strings.

He stated his theory is a guitar gets "used" to a particular string and you need to change brands once in awhile. This will keep a guitar sounding it's best. He gave an example.

Maybe there's something to it, don't know. Maybe you subconsciously want to change and need a reason to justify the change, don't know.

I do know that at this point in time I have 3 guitars that it doesn't matter if I put on D'addario or Earthwood they sound the same.

With that said the Elixir's I have on my Takamine sound great. But that just may be more the guitar than the strings.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Interesting, Gibson Masterbuilt Strings packaging stated that you needed to keep using the same strings on a guitar to get maximum potential from the tone. Gibson guitar informational material also stated that you needed to use the same strings (Gibson of course) to have the guitar acclimate and settle to provide maximum benefit.



MGF

[LakewoodM32Fan]

I will respectfully disagree on pick choice being overrated. I have about two dozen different pick types I’ve been experimenting with, from plastics to bone to casein, and on the same guitar and the same set of strings I can run through all of them for anyone who wants to sit and if you can’t hear a fairly pronounced difference, I have a friend who is an otolaryngologist who may be able to help.

Even pick thickness plays a big part. My favorite all rounder currently is a John Pearse fast turtle medium. It’s very good on all my guitars, and the best on several of them, in terms of what I want in tone. But I very much rate the thin and extra thin versions of that same pick in the middle to bottom half of the group I’ve tested.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by YeOldRocker

Well, if you'd read on, that was my point; it makes a difference, but it's a personal choice on how much, based on lots of factors. Same with picks, and, as I said, same with guitars. But few of us would muse out loud that choosing the right guitar over another is overrated. What would we talk about?

Good point!

[rokdog49]

String choice is still not overrated.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

String choice is still not overrated.

String choice may (not) be overrated.

But discussion about it sure is.



MGF

[Rosewood99]

I should have been specific and say string brand choice. String weight (medium, lite, etc) and type (PB, 80/20, coated or not) are not overrated. But, once that's settled the rest is a bit overrated.

[Edgar Poe]

I would have to guess, that a string tuned to E is an E. The basic variation is how the Guitar transmits the E. I would say the difference would be,

How the string stays in tune. Even that can fall mostly to the guitar itself.
Are the strings comfortable.
Do the strings corrode easily.
Do the strings break easily.
Are they expensive.

I would say after those 5 criteria are met to your satisfaction, the rest is how the Guitar projects those strings. Which could easily be mistaken for a flaw in the strings. With exceptions of course, problems you experience with your strings sound, is most likely the guitar itself, and not the strings.

JMHO
Ed

[Yrksman]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Just keep in mind when I say overrated, that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. It just means they’re not as important as you think.

Until you’re on stage in front of an audience and they lack sparkle or feel greasy or generally not right.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Yrksman

Until you’re on stage in front of an audience and they lack sparkle or feel greasy or generally not right.

You just proved my point. It's more about weeding out the bad brands more than it is finding that unicorn of a string. I doubt your audience could tell the difference in "sparkle" but if you have a brand that feels greasy, those are definitely a brand you would not want to use again.