What guitar strings do you use?

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NickS
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Post by NickS »

ekwatts wrote: and they come as standard on Fenders, I believe? Not sure about Gibsons.
Both Fender and Gibson sell their own brand strings. Gibsons sell 6 different lines including "Brite Wires" for electric. Fender specify their Bullets (bullet-end strings) for Strats with tremolos.
No matter what gauge of strings you use, for the best tuning stability we recommend using Fender Bullet® strings. The patented bullet-end is specifically designed for all styles of tremolo use, from extreme dives to smooth vibrato passages. The design allows the string to travel freely in the bridge block channel during tremolo use and return afterwards to its original position, seated snugly in the bridge block. This is accomplished by eliminating the extra string wrap and the ball-end (the ball end doesn't fit properly into the string channel). The bullet end has been shaped and sized to match the design of the bridge block channel.
I suppose what they come with from the factory might be different, but I wouldn't have thought so. I can't remember whether I've changed a string on my 2008 Strat yet.
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hotrodperlmutter
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Post by hotrodperlmutter »

for my strats i use d'addario XL110's. i haven't replaced the strings yet on my jaguar (need 66RI lil e vintage style kluson, ;)), or my jagmaster, but i think i'll be using those d'addario XL111's like thom(?) is always posting. the 11's with the thicker bottom strings? do want to try.

wot's anyone use on their les pauls/set neck gibby styles?
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George
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Post by George »

9s or 10s

Set neck humbucking guitars don't need any more girth than they already have IMHFO
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Post by ekwatts »

NickS wrote:
ekwatts wrote: and they come as standard on Fenders, I believe? Not sure about Gibsons.
Both Fender and Gibson sell their own brand strings. Gibsons sell 6 different lines including "Brite Wires" for electric. Fender specify their Bullets (bullet-end strings) for Strats with tremolos.
No matter what gauge of strings you use, for the best tuning stability we recommend using Fender Bullet® strings. The patented bullet-end is specifically designed for all styles of tremolo use, from extreme dives to smooth vibrato passages. The design allows the string to travel freely in the bridge block channel during tremolo use and return afterwards to its original position, seated snugly in the bridge block. This is accomplished by eliminating the extra string wrap and the ball-end (the ball end doesn't fit properly into the string channel). The bullet end has been shaped and sized to match the design of the bridge block channel.
I suppose what they come with from the factory might be different, but I wouldn't have thought so. I can't remember whether I've changed a string on my 2008 Strat yet.
I'm certain I've picked up Fender guitars in shops that have been strung with D'addarios and have a little D'addario tag on them, too. It does seem odd considering Fender make their own strings.
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Post by JJLipton »

Wow! You guys use some thick strings here.. Heavium...12's in standard tuning?? That is some amazing hand strength. I currently got D'addario 10's on my LP and strat which is tuned to Eb. For my next guitar purchase i want something with .9's. In the words of Master Shake: "I need some light gauge if i'm gonna thrash!!"
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Post by Mages »

GeorgeF wrote:9s or 10s

Set neck humbucking guitars don't need any more girth than they already have IMHFO
agreed. they're all bass, I need more top end. I really only use 11s on shortscales. everything else gets 10s.
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Post by Rhysyrhys »

I use elixir light heavies on everything. 10 - 52 is the bollocks firstly, and second of all elixirs are badass. The coated string shite actually works!

Also Ernie Balls are wank ----- Except for there coated strings. Fucking. Good. Strings. Which surprised the arse off me when I tried them. Funny ole' world ay?
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Post by weeping_moon »

paul_ wrote:I do not have a brand because I'm not full of shit; they're pretty much all the same.
no theyre not... maybe if you play punk rock, or power chords only.. if you play solos, you want thin, slinky strings. and when youre bending the strings you feel a big difference between the strings youre using..

thats about it!
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Post by kim »

JJLipton wrote:Wow! You guys use some thick strings here.. Heavium...12's in standard tuning?? That is some amazing hand strength. I currently got D'addario 10's on my LP and strat which is tuned to Eb. For my next guitar purchase i want something with .9's. In the words of Master Shake: "I need some light gauge if i'm gonna thrash!!"
my guitar is tuned D G C F A D and sometimes i tune the top D to C so not standard tuning.

on bass i used 110 for a while, then i got this thing on my index finger (fretting hand) chronic tendon infection or whatever it's called in english so i went back to 105's.
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Post by weeping_moon »

kim wrote:
JJLipton wrote:Wow! You guys use some thick strings here.. Heavium...12's in standard tuning?? That is some amazing hand strength. I currently got D'addario 10's on my LP and strat which is tuned to Eb. For my next guitar purchase i want something with .9's. In the words of Master Shake: "I need some light gauge if i'm gonna thrash!!"
my guitar is tuned D G C F A D and sometimes i tune the top D to C so not standard tuning.

on bass i used 110 for a while, then i got this thing on my index finger (fretting hand) chronic tendon infection or whatever it's called in english so i went back to 105's.
why dont you tune your guitar to E,A,D,G,B,E ?
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Post by James »

Why should she tune it to EADGBE?
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Post by Noirie. »

ekwatts wrote:I'm certain I've picked up Fender guitars in shops that have been strung with D'addarios and have a little D'addario tag on them, too. It does seem odd considering Fender make their own strings.
I tried out an older MiM Strat once and i'm pretty sure it had d'addario tags aswell. It was one of the older models though, with the white Fender decal.

I know Eastwood, Ovation, Taylor and Ibanez guitars come straight from the factory with d'addarios. And according to the D' addario site Schecters, G&L and PRS do aswell.
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Post by crowleyisamuff »

Ernie Balls regulars, them super slinky ones are terrible in my opinion!
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Post by kim »

weeping_moon wrote:
kim wrote:
JJLipton wrote:Wow! You guys use some thick strings here.. Heavium...12's in standard tuning?? That is some amazing hand strength. I currently got D'addario 10's on my LP and strat which is tuned to Eb. For my next guitar purchase i want something with .9's. In the words of Master Shake: "I need some light gauge if i'm gonna thrash!!"
my guitar is tuned D G C F A D and sometimes i tune the top D to C so not standard tuning.

on bass i used 110 for a while, then i got this thing on my index finger (fretting hand) chronic tendon infection or whatever it's called in english so i went back to 105's.
why dont you tune your guitar to E,A,D,G,B,E ?
i like being able to just tune the top string to C if i need it, just on the go, i don't know what it is but i really like it more and it's more easy to go into drones when i can just grab a one finger bar with the top string to C, when my guitar would be EADGBE standard, i would turn the top string to D but it never sounded so heavy as with the top to C. if that makes any sense. might seem lazy to tune it so that you can play nice full chords with just one finger but for certain things if you want to do fast riffing with chords it can be really nice.

why did hendrix tune everything to Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb i guess because he thought it sounded more like he wanted than standard eventho making the chords stays the same you know. i like what sonic youth do with all the weird tunings but it's just not handy if you want to use only two guitar max and different tunings for each song. because nomatter how much you like a certain 'weird' tuning, if you tune your one guitar to that all your songs will sound so similar because that weird tuning is much more distinctive than standard. you'll get sick of it. so it's a bit of a compromise : less guitars, less tunings. but i like being able to change the tuning of the top string in the middle of a song if i need it for fast riffing etc.
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Post by Skip »

DR Pure Blues 11's
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Post by weeping_moon »

kim wrote:
weeping_moon wrote:
kim wrote: my guitar is tuned D G C F A D and sometimes i tune the top D to C so not standard tuning.

on bass i used 110 for a while, then i got this thing on my index finger (fretting hand) chronic tendon infection or whatever it's called in english so i went back to 105's.
why dont you tune your guitar to E,A,D,G,B,E ?
i like being able to just tune the top string to C if i need it, just on the go, i don't know what it is but i really like it more and it's more easy to go into drones when i can just grab a one finger bar with the top string to C, when my guitar would be EADGBE standard, i would turn the top string to D but it never sounded so heavy as with the top to C. if that makes any sense. might seem lazy to tune it so that you can play nice full chords with just one finger but for certain things if you want to do fast riffing with chords it can be really nice.

why did hendrix tune everything to Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb i guess because he thought it sounded more like he wanted than standard eventho making the chords stays the same you know. i like what sonic youth do with all the weird tunings but it's just not handy if you want to use only two guitar max and different tunings for each song. because nomatter how much you like a certain 'weird' tuning, if you tune your one guitar to that all your songs will sound so similar because that weird tuning is much more distinctive than standard. you'll get sick of it. so it's a bit of a compromise : less guitars, less tunings. but i like being able to change the tuning of the top string in the middle of a song if i need it for fast riffing etc.
okay.
i know what youre talking about.. everyone does it almost...
thats why i have 4 guitars so i can tune them different.
and on my acoustic i always have a half step down tuning.. its easier to play, sing after and so on. and it sounds heavier!
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Post by weeping_moon »

James wrote:Why should she tune it to EADGBE?
i didnt ask you, did i?
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Post by weeping_moon »

crowleyisamuff wrote:Ernie Balls regulars, them super slinky ones are terrible in my opinion!
and i like them super slinky..
never had a problem with them.
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Post by Reece »

weeping_moon wrote:
James wrote:Why should she tune it to EADGBE?
i didnt ask you, did i?
it's a discussion forum.
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Post by weeping_moon »

Reece wrote:
weeping_moon wrote:
James wrote:Why should she tune it to EADGBE?
i didnt ask you, did i?
it's a discussion forum.
i know it is.. but i asked kim first..
are there a problem with that?