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http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=15270		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Stephan1972 [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:59 am ]
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Hi folk's,


Hope you all have had a great Christmas and fun New Year


I have a question relating to strings, for 15 years my choice of string has been he Martin Medium .13-.56... They have been great.


So I purchase a guitar online and its fitted with another string, not sure size or make but they feel good. I play them for a month and decide to change to my preffered choice of string. Low and behold my guitar now sounds so dull.


I want those old strings bac, but I dont know what they were, the gauge felt like a medium string .13-.56 the end of the string had a "chrome" barrel I think, and they sounded and looked so bright compared to Martin normal medium strings. I cant get over the difference in playing ability and brightness.


Can anyone help me on my string search? I contacted seller though he has no idea.. "help"



Thanks Folk's


Stephan...


 


 


 


 
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:11 am ]
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About 15 years ago, I bought a set of about 5 different brands. I evaluated them for 1 month each and took notes as to my impressions. I eventually settled on the Martin something lights.

10 years later, I bought a bulk purchase (12 sets) of generic, unpackaged strings from Euphonon. Turns out they cost less than $2.00 a set. They sound as good as any string I ever used...I'm sure the price had a psycho-acoustic effect on my decision! Since that time, the bulk, D'Addario purchase changed my opinion on brand favorite.

I am told that there are actually only 3 or 4 string manufacturers and that the major brands simply re-package. Perhaps others will have more info.
Author:  Stephan1972 [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:45 am ]
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Hi,


Thanks for the response JJ, 3 or 4 string manufacturers? You are probably right!


Maybe I just need to buy a few different sets and try them out?


Love & Peace..


Stephan..


 


 


 
Author:  Wes McMillian [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:32 am ]
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The string search thing is an interesting one and part of the fun of maximizing a guitar's potential. One person's favorite won't be another's. Heck, one person's favorite string on one particular guitar may not be their favorite on another! Different boxes just seem to like different strings, IMO.

My personal old standby are still good ol' EJ17's. But, I confess, I usually play medium Nanowebs most of the time. John Pearse PB's, Martin SP's...lots of good strings out there. Depending on your particular playing style and particular guitar, you may want to brighten it up, you may want to tone it down...really hard for somebody else to answer that for you. Heck, there are flatpickers out there who use flatwounds!

I realize that's not what you're asking for, and sorry I can't identify the strings you're looking for. My point is to not worry about it, but start your string search from scratch. I'd start myself (with my playing style, at least) with a good Phosphor Bronze like EJ17's and go from there. If your body chemistry is really hard on strings, I highly recommend medium Nanowebs. (But stay away from Polyweb Elixers...YUCK!)

Happy hunting!
Author:  Wes McMillian [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:37 am ]
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BTW, following up on JJ's post, you never know - you may be pleasantly surprised with those bulk, unpackaged strings, though I've never tried 'em myself.

But if I wasn't clear on those EJ17's, they are made by D'Addario. They will be the same strings JJ is talking about that changed his opinion on brand favorite (EJ16's will be lights, EJ17's are mediums). Can't go wrong with 'em...
Author:  AndrewGribble [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:24 am ]
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Stephan, not sure if your guitar was new or used, but (if new) you may
try to contact the builder or company who made the guitar. My 2c
Author:  FishtownMike [ Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:07 pm ]
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I use Darco brand strings. Martin makes these. They are a cheapie brand but I think they sound great. I use their mandolin strings also. Also there are more than 3 or 4 string makers by the way.
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:58 am ]
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One thing to keep in mind is you may have just gotten a dead set of Martins. It happens

But on the other hand If I was choosing a set to ad life the tone my first impulse would be to try as set of DR Rare Phosphorus. I love them for their sound feel and overall life. Personally I think almost any hand wound will out preform machine wound but this is probably a bit bias. I also like D'Addario's
Author:  Hesh [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:12 am ]
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I have always used D'Addario and think that they are the best strings that I have never changed......  I have a guitar with an 11 year old set on it and they still sounds just as bad as they did the day I put them on.....

Hey, isn't it about time for another group buy........  (whoops - I just got banned.....)
Author:  KenH [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:50 am ]
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This would be a good subject for the A.S.I.A. publishers to research and do a story on. I have always felt like there are only a few manufacturers of strings and then others put their label on them too.


It may be that these few string manufacturers actually blend metals and wind strings to their customer's specs??


The things I do know:


1. nickle wound electric guitar strings sound like mudd on an acoustic guitar.


2. there is a BIG difference between bronze strings and phospor-bronze strings.


3. there is a difference in sound between coated and non-coated strings.


4. string guage can change the sound, feel, and playability of a guitar.


5 silk wound strings sound different.


In general, I like the sound of phospor-bronze strings and I have been playing with both the coated and non-coated versions of these strings in light guages to see which ones suit my tastes better. The jury is still out as to which one actually sounds better. Sometimes it is a guitar specific decision as the same brand and style of string will sound bad on one of my guitars while a different style will sound outstanding.


Hesh, I have a friend who has been using a set of strings for almost as long as you have. He likes the sound that set produces. The main difference is that when they begin to sound dead, he takes them off og the guitar, rolls them up and boils them in water and soap until they are clean, then he oils them with WD-40 and puts them back on the guitar. I have never heard of this before, but it obviously works for him.


It would be good for someone to actually do some research on strings and report on them. I have problems with "guitar magazines" doing reports because I always feel like it is just advertising for the string company that is currently paying their advertising bills at the moment and not honest research.
Author:  FishtownMike [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:40 am ]
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Ken I use wd-40 as a string cleaner. Does a great job and is way cheaper the the string cleaner sold in music stores. I keep my strings until they start breaking. Sometimes i only replace the broken one. But i'm no pro playing to a crowd everynight.
Author:  Doug-Guitar-Buckler [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:16 pm ]
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I highly reccomend D'Adarrio brand strings. I swear by the bluegrass gauge on my main guitar and use lights on my others. John Pearse are also very good for flatpicking. Martin strings seem to not sound as good to my ears ever since they moved the string production down to Mexico. Musiscians friends brand is decent for the low price, cheaper than many bulk sets too. I dont buy the "2 or 3 factories make most of the strings" hype. Call me crazy, but I can really hear the difference between string brands.


 The more I build, the more I reach for the aspirin.
Author:  FishtownMike [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:47 pm ]
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I just bought some John Pearse irish tenor banjo strings. I never tried their guitar strings but i'll have to give them a try. Yes I don't believe that either about 2 or 3 manufactures...Mike
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:55 am ]
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I too boil strings in distilled watter and dish soap to remove oxidation and extend the life every now and then. I never use any lubricating oil on them after cleaning them figuring I would just be causing an issue entrapping grime in the valley of the windings and after all that is the real tone killer.

I am one of those that have a high ph in my sweat and I discolor stings in a very short period. I have just gotten use to the fact that I change string every couple weeks when I am playing casually and prior to darn near every other performance back when I performed.

I thought for a while that Elixir's Nanoweb and poly-web were a god send till I figured out that the coating was wearing out and getting fuzzy just as quick as I would oxidize as set of non coated string. I am not sure why by DR Rare Phosphorus seem to last longer than all others I have used and I like the tone and playability.
Author:  Dennis Leahy [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:33 am ]
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In addition to string degradation caused by atmospheric chemistry and body chemistry...

When you push down on a fret, you put a dent in the string (at least the wound strings.) Can't boil that out! As those dents grow in severity, the lion's share of the overtones of the string die - forever.

Brand spanking new D'Addario EJ-16s produce so many overtones that (depending on what I'm playing) they are either incredibly inspirational, or sometimes just too lively for my taste. (I have heard others, real players, say the same thing.) Sometimes the strings actually sound *better* to me after being played for a few hours, and there are slightly less overtones.

Hesh, eleven year old strings is a crime against humanity! If you do not change those strings, then I will contact your visitors to the next Heshfest, and deputize them to form a posse. You will be bound with Polyweb Elixers, and be forced to watch your guitar being restrung. Then, you'll be forced to listen to off-key cowboy chords until your head explodes. Eleven year old strings on a guitar is like putting a sweater on your dog that says, "I Love Cats!"

Dennis
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:37 am ]
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Dennis is the LAW GUVER
Author:  grumpy [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:56 am ]
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Could have been Elixir coated strings. My favorites.... Try both the Nanoweb and Polyweb in the medium gauge.

On the other hand, why not ask the person from whom you purchased the guitar? They'd know fr sure.
Author:  James W B [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:18 am ]
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Dennis that was really funny.I was in Heshland and could have been part of that Possy.
                      James
Author:  James W B [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:25 am ]
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A lot of the real players down here in Nashville like D`Addarios because of the way they are packaged.They claim they are fresher being sealed in as they are.Also they don`t like any kind of the coated strings ,that claim to have longer life because they feel slimey.Pretty much phosper bronze is the favorite .
                    James
Author:  grumpy [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:42 am ]
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I know a couple studio guys who swear by Elixirs because they can go back and do punch-ins the next day, or the next week, with the same strings, and the tone will be consistent. They also eliminate the accidental and always unwanted string squeak.

The slick feel takes abut a few hours to get used to.... even for a "real" player.
Author:  Rick Turner [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:45 pm ]
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A few comments:

The notion that there are only three or four actual string manufacturers is an old myth; there are probably well more than a dozen companies actually winding strings.   Yes, there are more brands than string winders, but there are at least D'Addario, Martin, Fender, Dean Markley, GHS, LaBella, DR, Mapes, Black Diamond, and then several makers of classical guitar strings.   Then there are all the European, and of course there are Asian string companies as well.

D'Addario has the most automated string winding facility in the US with the highest degree of computer control.

Very few companies literally "hand wind" strings these days, and those would be mostly for very specialized instruments like harps.   "Hand wound" is mostly marketing talk, and I think that well machine wound strings are likely to be better and more consistent.



Author:  Steve Walden [ Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:29 am ]
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I hope this is not too far off topic...


I used to buy D'Angelico stings.  Do they still exist?
Author:  Steve Walden [ Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:30 am ]
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Yes, I know that it stings when a stRing breaks.....
Author:  tommygoat [ Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:36 am ]
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Stephan, your description sounds like 'John Pearse' brand to me. 
Author:  Jody [ Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:38 pm ]
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 I have always liked phosphor bronze strings... after about a week of play ... when all the  jingly... tinny....thin....metal... sounding tone ... mellows out a bit .... Jody
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