Official Luthiers Forum!

Also, how often do you change them, especially if you use standard, non
coated strings.

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

I shunned coated strings as too expensive until my guitar teacher gave me a set of Elixrs. (He endorses them and they send him cases of them!) My first set lasted over seven weeks of hard (2+ hours a day) of playing. AND, they sounded just as good, if not better than when I put them on. Finally changed them when I broke a G - something that never happened with my Phos Bronze D'addarios, 'cause they never lasted longer than a week and a half.

I'm sold on coated strings.

-MarkMark Tripp38909.5284375

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
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Thomastik-Infelds (spectrum bronze) when I could find them... Superb string for the money. Check it out: Thomastik-Infeld


Now I'm game to try a bit of everything. I just put on a set of Kevin Ryan True Lights on my first and they sound really good.

I want to try some of those coated Elixir's, though.

I'll change them about every 3-4 weeks, depending on how much I play and if I'm using a pick or not. Sometimes even sooner.Alain Desforges38909.5347685185

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

For the past 3 years, Ive been buying strings in bulk from Euphonon. It works out to under $2.00 per set and they sound as good as anything I've ever used. At that price one can afford to change them quite often.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I usually use 10-47 Martin SP Phos/brnz, or D'Addario EXP15 10-47. I find that they seem to last about 3 times longer than the uncoated strings and keep their tone more uniform over their life. My main 3 guitars get changed every month or so.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I buy these in a ten pack from musicians friend. Three bucks a set, free shipping if you can put together a 99$ order. I tape them with clear packing tape and toss them on the shelf. The tape keeps them organized. When I need a set I run my pocket knife between the edges of the packages. The lights in this series are M140 and are sold in single sets only.

When you consign instruments, coated strings are a must - all it takes is one guy who has the wrong sweat chemistry and a set of ph-bronze are done in ten minutes. I shun 80/20 bronze as I find them too bright, but seeing as thats whats in the standard Elixir, they arent bad - but I prefer EXPs ... 16s on the std guitars, 17s on my own. I also use the EXP baritone sets as well, on baritones of course - unless you want to tune your std guitar way down and keep the tension higher.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Regular Martin Mediums, from Stringthis.com (in bulk), change them when they need changing (between 3 weeks and 3 months, if I'm in a build-not-play mood). I've tried a few coated strings, but for the 2-3 bucks a set of strings costs...dunno. Maybe if I played more/recorded.

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] I use these:



If I play the specific guitar at all they get changed 3-4 times a year.....(I know, I know....). I do have guitar that I have built that have the original set on them.....

I tried the EXPs and do not find them to be as bright when new but brighter during a longer life.[/QUOTE]

These are my favs too. Maybe the medium guage depending on the type of music being played.

Elixir's are ok, but they sound a little dead compared to the D'Addario's IMO.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Same as Brock, medium gauge D'Addario's, and i change them whenever a string breaks and whips a fly!

I use GHS Phos. Bronze lights. To me, the best sounding string I've ever used. I'd never used them until I started building, but I have always used GHS on my banjo.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

i second the vote for euphonon bulk strings. i get them in large quantities so get a good price.

as to changing; at least once a month and if i'm playing a lot once a week. most professional touring musicians change every night.

as to my thoughts on the coated strings -- i reckon they sound like old, dirty strings right out of the box...

[QUOTE=Dickey]

I buy these in a ten pack from musicians friend. Three bucks a set, free shipping if you can put together a 99$ order. I tape them with clear packing tape and toss them on the shelf. The tape keeps them organized. When I need a set I run my pocket knife between the edges of the packages. The lights in this series are M140 and are sold in single sets only.[/QUOTE]
I second your choice. I have always used martins mediums and love them. I change every month or so. I dont play in a band anymore so i dont feel the need to change as often as I used to.

My favorites are D'Addario EJ-16,with Martin SP-lights my 2nd choice.DaveAndy38909.950625

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Although it is said that all strings are manufactured by two or three companies, I really hear a pleasant difference with John Pearse Phosphor Bronze Mediums. I have played just about every bronez string and I enjoy most of them (although I am not a fan of coated strings), but it seems the Pearse stings bring out the best in my guitars - full bass and beautiful highs and mids that sing.

Hmm... they left mine off... 13-56 D'Addario Stainless Steel. Without a doubt, the best I've ever played.

D'Addario EJ16's here, however I would like to try the Euphonon strings Michael refers to, I have a catalogue and cannot believe the value for money, only problem is they don't do credit card or paypal This puts us outside the USA behind the eight ball by about $30.00 a transaction for an International MO and kills the deal.

EDIT: Oh and as for how often I like to change them, like kids, only when they crap themselves.

Cheers

Kimlarkim38911.3940856481

Here's what I use...

Because I only have a couple of dreads, I like the extra brightness.

I have tried the Elixers and even the Optima Acoustic Gold strings, both were too expensive for me. Although I am one of those with "bad" body chemistry. I go through strings about every three or four weeks aometimes longer if I don't play a lot.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

I second the Pearse strings. If they're good enough for Doc Watson, they're more than good enough for me. They stay in tune, the base doesn't fade after 3 hours of playing, I can flatpick and fingerpick and the tone is consistant. Been using them for 20 years, I've tried coated strings, but I don't like the feel I get with Pearse Ph/bronze mediums.
As for how often do you change 'em, when I played gigs, I'd get a month out of a set. Now I change them about every six months or so. I do have an old Epiphone that I pick up and play every now and then that hasn't seen new strings since 1998. The more you play, the more in tune with your instrument you'll become and you'll "know" when you need new strings, just like you "know" when your car needs washed... some folks never do either and get by OK.vpelleri38911.4514467593

The only time I wash a car is when I accidental steer off the road into a lake....but that has'nt happen yet either

Cheers

Kim