How much difference do strings make to your sound?

[Sonics]

Originally Posted by Lakewood_Lad

While I'm waiting for my Larrivee OM3 Silver Oak to be delivered (should be in the next 30 minutes) I decided to start a thread.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that different strings really don't make much difference to the sound at all. They might look different or come in different coloured packaging but to me they all sound pretty much alike.

IIRC someone from this forum put in the time and effort to produce this:



YMMV...

[nopicknick]

From my experience different string alloys make quite a significant difference. I've narrowed it down to Daddario Nickel Bronze on my Eastman E10D, and Martin monel's on my E20D.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

I find my guitars really don’t sound very good without strings. The strings really do make a big difference.

Originally Posted by musicman1951

It really depends on the player. Occasionally they are an improvement.

Touche! It sounded like a joke at first, but then as I thought about it, I realized that this must be the reason some people think the metallurgy doesn't matter. I can put any set of strings on top of my guitar, and it really doesn't matter what they're made of, whether they're for a viola or just plain cotton - the sound of the guitar doesn't change. Hmmm, maybe user error.

[cdkrugjr]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Hey, somebody else said that so it must be true. The same post said bass strings wouldn't sound good on an acoustic. Can you confirm that?

Well, the body's a bit small for it to ring out properly, but if that's the sound you're after . . . .

I've heard of a couple low-tuning metal guys who use a short-scale bass string for their 6th, with just a smidgen of filing to their nut and bridge . . .

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by cdkrugjr

Well, the body's a bit small for it to ring out properly, but if that's the sound you're after . . . .

I've heard of a couple low-tuning metal guys who use a short-scale bass string for their 6th, with just a smidgen of filing to their nut and bridge . . .

I've got to work on my sarcastic humor.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

I've got to work on my sarcastic humor.

I guess I do, too. I replied with another sarcastic comment and today I find my comment attached to a different quote in an entirely different context.

[rstaight]

I think it depends more on the gauge of the strings. I listened to some of the video posted. With the same gauge strings all of the manufacturers sounded pretty much the same to me.

I watched a video recently where different gauges were tested on an electric. They used only Ernie Ball strings in gauges from 11 down to 8. You could hear a distinct difference from one gauge to the next.

[DesertTwang]

To me, the strings' contribution to the overall sound are huge. They make more difference in tone than pretty much anything else on a guitar.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

To me, the strings' contribution to the overall sound are huge. They make more difference in tone than pretty much anything else on a guitar.

This is true for any guitar regardless of size. The sound can change significantly by using different strings on that guitar. Strings, however, cannot make a 00 guitar sound like a dreadnought. In this case, body size would be the main contributing factor.

[AgentKooper]

Everyone will have their own string preference (mine is monel). But I don't think string type (or anything else on a guitar, for that matter, as long as the guitar is well-made and set up properly) is all that important. Playing technique is the only thing that really matters. Ask 100 great players what string type or string guage (or setup, or guitar style) they prefer and you'll get dozens of different answers. Fun to talk about on a forum, perhaps, but not worth obsessing about.

[Drak]

Technically speaking, the guitar (the wooden box)...
Is just a 'Sound Pump'.
Yes, colored and flavored by wood selection and build techniques...
But basically, it is like a microphone diaphragm.

So, what goes into the diaphragm absolutely makes a difference.
From various string types and gauges to string manufacturers, some variations, maybe not HUGE...
So maybe not as different as a woman singing into that diaphragm vs. a man.
Maybe different versions of tenor male voices...
But yes, there must be a difference, there has to be.

[Sonics]

[FoxHound4690]

SRV always used .13's on his stratocasters and that's how he got that big meaty tone, on top of having his action sky high.