what kind of guitar strings do you like?

[garww]

I'm rediscovering strings. I'm trying some low tension Martins and d'addario on the acoustics, and some house brand 8's on the electric. I miss the twang of fender 7's.

[Freddy G]

I like D'addario phospour bronze on acoustic.
D'addario is OK on electric. GHS or Ernie ball sound and feel quite similar to each other, they have a bit more "rawness" to the sound than D'addario.
DR can be interesting for low gain blues.
Elixer....is there a "puke" icon

Oh yeah, I forgot to add...if you ever want a Beatles sound, you absolutely must try Pyramid strings. These strings sound so different than anything else, the first time I tried them on the same authentic vintage instruments that the Beatles used my jaw just dropped

[TD5_23]

Originally Posted by Cailyn

Curt Mangan strings are better than anything else I've played. Curt evidently worked with Ernie Ball for many years before going off on his own. Great tone, great durability--I break maybe one string a year and I play hard. Further, you can order custom sets if you order a dozen at a time that have cool vanity labels.

How often do you change strings? You don't actually leave the same set on for a year do you?

[garww]

Originally Posted by TD5_23

How often do you change strings? You don't actually leave the same set on for a year do you?

Three years or more is not uncommon for me : ) Remember when strings used to rust !!

[Freddy G]

If I play 3 nights in a row, I have to change my strings for the 3rd night or I break at least 2 without fail. It's a combination of my corrosive sweat (my strings turn black after the first set, I can wipe them down and dry them aff all I want, doesn't matter) and I play hard!
I love my 2 and 2 1/2 whole tone bends....yep, I have big fingers

[Post Toastie]

1. GHS Boomers - nothing better in life. smooth and soft to the touch. strong sound.

2.Elixers are very nice on my friend's guitar.

3.Fender regulars - good starting point.

hon, mention: Dean Marley - tried some back in the day, not bad - very Boomer-like - but alas....not Boomers.

acoustic ?

Spectrum Phospher Bronze (i think) - i googled them and they seem to be hard to find....i lent a friend my guitar once and that's what he put on...they were very nice (i think). still looking though.

jazz ? i think i may try D"Addarios after reading you guys' opinions. same for acoustic.
______________________

and now for the most horrible strings ever invented.

3. Ernie Balls - they always feel rusty to me - straight out of the pack.

2. Fender Super Bullets - always seem dead - straight out of the pack. these came out during the first 6 months i started to play and was breaking a lot of strings. i thought the bullet end would be the solution. nope. at the time i thought maybe they hadn't worked all the bugs out of the design, but i tried some in the 90's and - still dead.

1. Black Diamond - there are songs written about how horrible Black Diamonds are. google it. it's so true.

[Post Toastie]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

I only have one rule for strings.... the must be new.

I never noticed a difference between brands.

Brandon

thanks for a great forum. intelligent, pithy and big fun with no attitudes. kudos.

ps: you've obviously never played Black Diamonds . fingers will bleed.

Chorus

Black Diamond Strings
Black Diamond Strings
Drinkin’ 1 W. Harper
Playin’ Black Diamond Strings
Black Diamond Strings
Are like white flour and grits
You play Black Diamond Strings
‘Cause it’s all you can get

Black Diamond Strings on a Catalog Guitar
That’s pretty high cotton whoever you are
You break one you change one, that’s as good as it gets
You can play all year long on two or three sets

J.W. Crowell was a hell of a man
He played two nights a week in a hillbilly band
He played at the Ice House on Telephone Road
He played in the yard just to lighten his load

Chorus

Hey J.W play that frogline
Let Rodney sit in, hell, he’s goin’ on nine
His fingers are bleedin’, but he’s keepin’ good time
Playin’ Black Diamond Strings, he’ll never quit tryin’

Causette told ‘em both
You boys pack t up, it’s time to go home
We got church in the mornin’, it’s comin’ up dawn
Don’t make me say it again or I’m gone
You can stay here forever, but you’re gonna walk home

Guy Clark, Black Diamond Strings Lyrics

[garww]

Bending strings isn't a big stress. It's the crappy pick and attack force that will break them - assuming the nut and saddles are good. Some guitars will break strings at the ball end. That should suggest a fix : )

[cakewalkgg]

new strings.. I hate old strings and I hate stringing my guitar.. its right up there with repairing the garbage disposal.
I may be mistaken, but I think that many brand of strings actually come from the same places anyway.. The tone of my strings goes from new sounding to ass sounding in about 3 hrs of playing so I really dont care what brand.. For no particular reason, I have been using the dean markly slinkys .9-.52

edited: said "dead markly" an appropriate accident... they go from dean to dead in about 3 hrs

[garww]

I had to go look..I'm with the Markley XL 8/38. I called them a house brand before.. maybe because I think I picked-up that same fact about they are all made in the same factory. Quite often in the little stores, I have to choose the E. Ball of some type.