BMU wrote:
Or the short answer: yes for all practical puposes they're all the same and the only difference is the gauge. LOL.
Not at all - there are differences in feel, sound and durability. For instance, EB use a thicker core and thinner wrap on their strings than D'Addario, so the same guage will be higher tension, which make them harder, stiffer and brighter.
Also different metal compounds (steel, nickel plated steel and pure nickel) sound and feel different and coatings affect feel and tone. Even similar compounds will react differently with different players - I get four weeks out of Ernie Balls but D'Addario don't last me a week and both are nickel plated steel. I have a friend who finds the reverse and if he plays one of my guitars I have to change them because they go black and start rusting overnight.
