Stings: Whats the difference?

Eng13Capt

Eng13Capt

Over The Top
Still learning about this guitar stuff and bought my first set of replacement strings today for my guitar. I bought some Ernie Ball Regular strings and now when I strum my guitar i hear a real metal tin sounding something going on. Every thing is tuned but the strings just sound different. Before they seemed solid and now they just seem cheap. Don't really understand why, so is it the difference in the strings? Should I go to a heavier string? Or do I just need to chill out and not worry about it?
 
every manufacturer makes them a bit differently. it comes down to preference. Mark loves Gibson "vintage" strings. Paulski loves GHS Boomers, i can't stand them. i played D'Addario XL for 20 years, now I play Dunlop. some people like webstrings. some people can't tell the difference. try a whole buncha different ones and find what works for you.
 
Ok, I will do so. I didn't think there was really much difference until I changed mine. It had SIT strings on it from the factory. I will play around with several brands.
 
How long were the SIT strings on the guitar? New strings will be brighter for a little while.

I tell my students to try a new brand every few months until they get a handle on what they like....
 
Did the string size change from the old to new? This may not be easy to tell if the old strings came with the guitar.

Is the metal tin sound coming from any strings buzzing against any frets? If so, you may need the action set and/or the neck's relief adjusted. You can do it yourself, but I'd suggest taking it to a good pro first and learn this stuff later. There are some good videos online that will help.
 
I got the guitar in December and have been practicing almost daily since then. The strings have sounded the same since I first got it till my string broke. Figured I would just change out all of them instread of just the one. It really is quite a different feel and sound coming from the new strings. Also yes the first string or I believe its called the low E does sound like it hits a fret, which is also wierd because I didn't have that issue with the old strings.
 
Personally, I like DR or GHS strings on my Strat. One thing I would suggest is to keep a small notebook handy and jot down what you put on. Brand, set sizes, things like that.
 
Eng13Capt said:
I got the guitar in December and have been practicing almost daily since then. The strings have sounded the same since I first got it till my string broke. Figured I would just change out all of them instread of just the one. It really is quite a different feel and sound coming from the new strings. Also yes the first string or I believe its called the low E does sound like it hits a fret, which is also wierd because I didn't have that issue with the old strings.
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setup changes when you put new strings on. even if you had used the same gauge from the same brand, there are tiny machining variances from set to set. necks are made of wood, and they take in and release humidity. so it's a whole system that has to be in balance. it becomes a question of what is "acceptable buzz" and what is "no, this guitar needs a setup-buzz".
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
every manufacturer makes them a bit differently. It comes down to preference. Mark loves Gibson "vintage" strings. Paulski loves GHS Boomers, i can't stand them. i played D'Addario XL for 20 years, now I play Dunlop. some people like webstrings. some people can't tell the difference. try a whole buncha different ones and find what works for you.
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This, I always played Ernie Balls. REcently I switched to DAdarrio XLs. Even though the gauges and materials can be the same, there is a difference between all of the manufacturers. It just a matter of trying different brands and finding the one that works for you/the guitar. Some guitars will get along with different brands better than others.
 
Different strings have different sounds for sure. New strings will ALWAYS sound different than the old ones, even if they are the same brand and size.
I find Ernie Balls are just as you describe: thin and tinny. I don't like those at all.

Flatwounds are mellow, stainless is bright, nickel is in between. When I first started out, I tried a different type of string with every change, about once a month or so. It still amazes me how much difference new or different strings make.

EG
 
Well, I have habitually used GHS Boomers 10-46 for 15+ years, but there is no good reason why GHS, really, just habit... I recently tried Dunlaps, and I think they are a bit easier to bend, so I like that... Still, I don't know that my ear has any real preference... What I do know is that when I tried Mark's guitar with 12s on it, I couldn't bend a note to save my life...
 
paulskirocks said:
What I do know is that when I tried Mark's guitar with 12s on it, I couldn't bend a note to save my life...
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This is a most important lesson grasshopper. If you are used to light strings, thicker ones will be harder to work with untill you get used to them. Also, if your guitar has a movable bridge, you will find that the thicker strings also exert more pull. You might need to make a tension adjustment or two to get the balance right.

The reason for using thicker strings are simple. First is tone... bigger strings have a deeper overall tone. Second is that you can basically pound the crap out of them and not break them doing a bend or a whammy bar trick.
 
parrotheada1a said:
This is a most important lesson grasshopper. If you are used to light strings, thicker ones will be harder to work with untill you get used to them. Also, if your guitar has a movable bridge, you will find that the thicker strings also exert more pull. You might need to make a tension adjustment or two to get the balance right.
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Ahhh yes Grasshopper, but the converse is true, as well... If you play think strings all the time and go to much thinner, it is easy to pull the notes sharp...
 
paulskirocks said:
Ahhh yes Grasshopper, but the converse is true, as well... If you play think strings all the time and go to much thinner, it is easy to pull the notes sharp...
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That's assuming you would go to a lighter gauge. Every time I've gone up I have liked the results. I have never gone back. You can still shred on manly strings. :grin:


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My preference is D'Addario, but Webstrings are runner-up. I only change strings when they break or won't hold tune anymore, although most people don't seem to do that. :embarrassed:


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- Sent from my iPhone at a Tijuana donkey show.
 
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