AlanRatcliffe
VellaJ wrote
Does elixir spec the gauge of the string including or excluding the coating? So is a 12 elixir the same actual thickness as other non coated 12 strings?
They do, but the coating is only a few nanometres thick - way thinner than even the string's own tolerance, so the overall effect on thickness is negligible. The coating makes them lower friction than the bare metal.
So much goes into the feel of strings that it's impossible to really compare by using specs on paper. The outer diameter is only one small aspect of the string. This is particularly true of the wound strings, where core/wrap ratios, core shape, surface smoothness and wrap compounds all have a huge influence on the feel of the string. Unwounds are pretty much of a muchness unless they are coated.
For me, I can feel when my strings start going, even before the tone starts deteriorating and way before tuning becomes an issue. I like high tensions and rely on the string bounce and percussiveness a lot. And high tension means they age a bit quicker too. So faster ageing + sensitivity to tension = changing regularly ...every three weeks at most. By four weeks (as happens when I am too busy to change them) they are
really annoying me.
StefStoep
Don't know who saw this but here it is.
??10 Tips for Choosing Guitar Strings from Gibson:• Fast Fingers: If speed’s the goal, most shred-heads prefer light gauge strings. They’re easy to bend and promote fast playing by offering less resistance to the fretting and picking hands. Since guitar strings are measured in thousandths of an inch, the typical recommended gauge for players planning to burn in standard tuning are .009s, available in every guitar shop.
• Sound Judgment: Consider the sonic characteristics of the various materials used in making electric strings. Stainless steel strings are the least glamorous, but offer plenty of bright bite and sustain. Pure nickel has a warm old-school sound, for vintage tones. And nickel-plated steel is a bit brighter than classic nickel and responds more adroitly to picking attack. Chrome guitar strings are typically the province of jazz players or blues artists who are looking for the kind of warm retro tones chiseled into history by the likes of Charlie Christian or swinging Gibson ES-250, ES-5 and ES-335 bluesman Aaron “T-Bone” Walker. And then there are coated strings – the most expensive and theoretically the longest lasting. They are, however, not really the best, sonically speaking. Coated strings tend to have less sustain. Also, their Teflon exterior surfaces are slippery, which might take some getting used to for particularly aggressive electric guitar players. And when the coatings wear off, they rust like any other string. • Wound Up: String windings directly affect tone and playability. Round wound strings have more “zing” – sustain, responsiveness and bite. Flat wound strings have a smoother and more consistent tone regardless of attack, which makes them a favorite of jazz players, like the great Gibson ES-350 legend Barney Kessel. Blues guitar kingpin Jimmie Vaughan also uses flat wounds for his vintage tone. And they offer less resistance than round wound strings, so they can be beneficial for rapid, even toned performance and squeak less.
• Heavy is as Heavy Does: For low hanging alternate tunings like open D or dropped D, consider a heavy string gauge – at least .11s, although Stevie Ray Vaughan, who kept his instrument turned down just a half-step, employed a set gauged .13 to .58. Thicker strings will maintain their tension better when they’re low-tuned, which makes for less fret noise and other undesirable distortion. Many players feel thicker strings make for better slide playing, too, since the strings resist going slack under the pressure of the slide. But that’s really a matter of feel and learning to control a slide more than a string thing.
• Gotta Feel It: Ultimately, what feels right under your fingers and sounds right coming out of your rig should determine your strings. It’s important to try different brands before zeroing in on a favorite. Judge a new set of strings by its brightness, sustain, tone and how easily they permit bending, fretting and picking. When a brand and gauge feel like buttah and sing like Circe, that’s the zone. • Fade to Bleak: Since there are no pickups, juice or amps involved in acoustic guitar playing in its purest form, string composition – which affects how a string responds to being struck and the retention of tonal qualities – is particularly important for acoustic guitars. Bronze, phosphor bronze and coated strings tends to be the preferred varieties, ascending in price. Bronze strings start out the brightest, but lose their high voices relatively quickly. Phosphor bronze offers a darker tone, but still with a clear, ringing top and the phosphor allows the strings to produce their optimum sound longer. On acoustic guitars, coated strings trade a longer life for less brightness, but good warmth and presence.
• Lighten Up: Typically, heavier strings project more natural sound when struck, but for most live performers it’s practical to have an acoustic guitar with a pick-up for plug-and-play situations. Having a pickup in an acoustic guitar allows for the use of lighter gauge strings. Some acoustic guitars even respond well to slinky electric sets, like .10s, providing electric-guitar-like playability without sacrificing the chime of acoustic tones.
• Them Changes: Since the strings on acoustic guitars play a much more important role in projecting volume and clarity than strings on an amplified electric guitar, considering changing acoustic guitar strings often to keep an instrument sounding its best. Remember to wipe down the strings after playing and check for string damaging fret wear. Both can prematurely end a guitar string’s life.
• Do the Right String: Some instructional guides advise beginning players to try ball-end nylon strings because they are easier on the fingers and are more bendable than metal, but steel string guitars are called “steel string guitars” because that’s what they require. Nylon strings lack the tension needed to keep steel strings guitars at their peak, which means warping, bridge damage and other issues can occur. Likewise, steel strings on a nylon string classical guitar will warp its neck with frightening speed.
• Keep it Clean: This axiom applies to electric guitarists as well. It’s a good rule to wash one’s hands thoroughly before playing. Dirt can become caught in wound metal strings, dulling their sound and promoting corrosion, but nothing corrodes quite like human sweat. Besides, having clean, fresh fingers is never a bad thing, right?
arjunmenon
Chad Adam Browne wrote
I enjoy it ? I change my strings every 4-6 weeks depending on how much use the guitar has seen. As I'm sure you can imagine when you have 7 & 8 strings this can be a little bit more of a pain in the ass, mainly because those big thick strings don't settle fast. It's a very therapeutic thing for me though, I begin by removing all my strings and then I use earbuds and toothbrushes to remove gunk out of all the hard to reach areas and give everything a thorough clean. I lubricate all the parts that could use it, then I tape up the entire neck fret by fret until the only exposed bits are the crowns, I use silvo and hand polish each fret until they are shiny and look new again. Then remove all that tape and use fretboard cleaner and then lem oil. After all that the strings go on and are tuned to pitch, then the body receives a final thorough clean down and I use string cleaner/lubricant on the strings to help prevent any binding issues and to keep them fresh after tuning up ? This takes about 1-3 hours per guitar depending on how sluggish I'm being ?
Same here, except i use brasso. I finish my frets by using a 10mm buffing wheel on a dremel at a very low speed. Finally i use a microfibre (the kind you get with sunglasses) and i get very shiny frets. And since i'm using my non-floyd guitar, i use the toothbrush to clean the tiny areas near the frets and finish with PRS fretboard conditioner. Wait for 1/2 day, put strings on, stretch 'em, adjust action, intonation, angle of the trem etc. Wait for 2 hours, tune up, put on Dunlop Ultraglide (the little blue bottle) and a basic polish (the orange Dunlop bottle) and wipe down with a microfibre. I have a drawn out version of this as well where i take the guitar apart completely (except for electronics) and sort it from headstock to bottom strap pin. I don't rush myself unless i'm doing it for someone else, in which case i have the entire thing done in about 3 hours.
