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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 13:55:00 GMT -5
Todd, Todd, Todd đł
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Post by Marshall on Apr 2, 2023 14:37:02 GMT -5
What string gauge do you dudes and dudesses use? I find I am favoring the lighter or hybrid gauges rather than the mediums I used to put on my guitars. I use True Mediums a lot & have lights on a couple others. Playing finger style on mediums is not âdigitâ friendly. I can do it, buy why bother? I have a feeling most of you favor lights? Is this a sign of aging or just good sense? <dudettes> Elixir Nano-web lights (12s) - phosphor bronze. They last forever. Work great. I put them on every guitar. Except the GS-mini. Because of the shorter scale I'll use 13s of that. I'm really not interested in trying anything else. One silly reason to look forward to the Blackbird Savoy, is it has a 24.5 scale and if I sell the GS-mini, I can eliminate having to have a couple packs of 13s in my gear box.
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Post by millring on Apr 2, 2023 14:46:36 GMT -5
I liked medium when I did more flat picking. Now I'm pretty much all light.
Black Diamond Bob War extra rusty.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 14:52:10 GMT -5
I liked medium when I did more flat picking. Now I'm pretty much all light. Black Diamond Bob War extra rusty. I used to buy Black Diamond single guitar strings at the drugstore when I was a kid. Iâd ask for a 3rd string or a 2nd string. I had no idea what the gauges were. Still donât. I was probably 16 when I learned you could buy strings in a full set and change them all! At that point I used DâAngelico lights because someone in Old Town told me all the Chicago performers used them. I used them for many years until I switched, in the 70s, to DâAdarrio.
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Post by james on Apr 2, 2023 16:06:23 GMT -5
Michael Watts is experimenting with flat top guitar sounds other than his usual shimmering Kostal style. This old Gibson with years old strings is pretty different.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 16:09:13 GMT -5
Michael Watts is experimenting with flat top guitar sounds other than his usual shimmering Kostal style. This old Gibson with years old strings is pretty different. That guitar sounds wonderful.
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Post by james on Apr 2, 2023 16:19:48 GMT -5
Here's a Kostal with Elixirs. Same tune, different sonic colours.
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Post by Shannon on Apr 2, 2023 16:42:11 GMT -5
I've played all kinds of strings, but I'm honestly not all that picky. I prefer 12s, and generally phosphor bronze. I've enjoyed D'Addario, GHS, Martin, and DR strings. DR makes a nice set of round core strings called Sunbeams; they sound good on my Worland. I don't mind coated strings usually, but never cared for the original Elixirs.
I guess I buy DR strings most often, usually just DR Rare phosphor bronze.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 17:03:51 GMT -5
Didnât say you were. I was just expressing an opinion. I wonder why I took it personally... hypersensitive, maybe.
It wasnât meant as anything other than string talk/opinions. No big deal. You & I have talked about these same things many times.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 17:07:36 GMT -5
Seems like he has wondered about this stuff, too. Itâs basically an Elixer advertisement, but itâs interesting hearing how different the guitar sounds.
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Post by james on Apr 2, 2023 17:59:49 GMT -5
That strumming middle part in standard tuning is pleasant and looks quite doable. I now fancy putting new strings on the Foley and trying it. Irritatingly, my suggestibility to adverts is confirmed.
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Post by millring on Apr 2, 2023 18:53:02 GMT -5
I've always felt as though I hear more of the guitar with older strings. I like new strings after a week or two.
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Post by Village Idiot on Apr 2, 2023 20:02:16 GMT -5
I do understand that, Millring.
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Apr 2, 2023 20:21:06 GMT -5
That Gibson sounds magical. I hate the sound of brand new strings.
Mike
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Post by aquaduct on Apr 2, 2023 20:21:13 GMT -5
All Markley's on the electrics. They've long been dialed in for those and they always work (and never break).
0.12 - 0.54 on the ESs (335 and 150). 0.10 - 0.46 on the S1
And then 0.11s on the acoustic J180. Don't play that one much so I can't recall the current brand. Again, mostly because that works and intonates well. Acoustics are harder to dial in intonation so I try to avoid having to.
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Post by Rob Hanesworth on Apr 2, 2023 20:39:04 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure the reason I can't play guitar is because I haven't found the right strings.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 21:01:22 GMT -5
Interesting, John & Mike. I really like the sound of fresh strings. They do change a bit after a day or two but, to me, hitting that first big chord with new strings sounds great. The crazy guy I used to play with never changed strings. His guitar always sounded dull, thuddy(is this a word?) and dead to me. He thought it sounded wonderful. Of course, he was crazy. I do find that the DâAddarrio XS strings will sound great to me for 6-7 months which is amazing. Those suckers last and last.
Now, one thing I have to confess is that I have high frequency deafness in one ear. Itâs up in the pretty high frequencies, but maybe new strings donât sound as bright to me because of that and maybe older strings sound more dull to me. The guy I used to play with was crazy whether I heard his guitar accurately or not, though.
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Post by drlj on Apr 2, 2023 21:15:31 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure the reason I can't play guitar is because I haven't found the right strings. Get one of those magic capos. Problem solved.
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Tamarack
Administrator
Ancient Citizen
Posts: 9,390
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Post by Tamarack on Apr 2, 2023 22:12:05 GMT -5
Always light gauge, even when I played dreadnaughts and attempted to play bluegrassy stuff.
Have been playing Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze on my Taylor 414. They sound great, not too bright, and last about a year. Not particularly interested in experimenting.
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Tamarack
Administrator
Ancient Citizen
Posts: 9,390
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Post by Tamarack on Apr 2, 2023 22:17:58 GMT -5
You may recall a commercial for Clairol (or some other women's hair product) from the 1960s "Only her hairdresser knows for sure"
As Todd's IdiotJam guitar tech, I can attest that his all-mahogany Larrivee likes Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 bronze strings.
(I don't particularly like 80/20 bronze strings on spruce-topped guitars, they sound kinda tinny to my ears. But on a mahogany or cedar topped guitar, they add some needed brightness and some color to the overtones)
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