#1941318 - 05/12/08 07:29 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Zack Pomerleau]
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Caevan O'Shite
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I believe that Eric Johnson uses those strings, though (I think) in a lighter-gauge set.
They'll be a little stiff and tight, but you could also get away with a slightly lower action than you would with "tens" or "nines", as the excursion of the vibrating string will be tighter and closer- not swinging as widely- and thus less likely to buzz against the frets. Fuller, more solid tones with more robust mids will probably result, but losing a little bit of some twang and yelp (think EVH playing "nines") may be the trade-off.
The solid-nickel wrap imparts a lot more midrange; by comparison, nickel-plated strings sound like they have "sucked-mids".
As far as the increased tension goes, it's nothing you can't get used to, and even come to like. And "elevens" are GREAT for tuning-down a half-step to Eb on a Strat or Tele, too! Perfect, in fact. "Best of both worlds". Think SRV, amongst others...
You'll probably get more sustain, but, not necessarily- you could even get less- this varies depending on the guitar's response under a higher tension load, and also to a degree on what your ear perceives as sustain.
(This may seem like double-talk voodoo, but some folks DO find they get less sustain with medium and heavy strings on some guitars, and I think that the way a lighter string, picked hard, goes slightly sharp and loud with over-excursion and then settles-in, is perceived as sustain by some. "Elevens" and heavier gauges, by comparison, have a more even sound as they go from attack to decay through a note's envelope, almost as if compressed and limited.)
ANYWAYS- I like "elevens" and even heavier gauges on many guitars, but I'm also coming back around again to appreciate what "tens" have to offer for tone, particularly on longer-scaled Fender Tele- and Strat-style guitars.
And it's primarily my (fingerstyle) picking-hand that likes the medium- and heavier-gauges, so to speak; my fretting-hand kinda likes "tens"...
I'm really not a "nines" kinda guy, though. And eights??!!?
As for pure, solid-nickel wrapped wound-string sets, give DR "Pure Blues" a try, as well (they're incredibly perfect for a Les Paul, in either "elevens" or "tens"). That's what I string my sunburst LP Classic Premium-Plus with, in a .011"-.050" set. They have a round core design (as opposed to a hex core) and are "compression-wound" at tension, and that adds a little extra mass, a little flexibility, and a LOT of tone... Think Derek Trucks tone... 
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~Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite~
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#1941396 - 05/13/08 02:12 AM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Caevan O'Shite]
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GeoffB
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Personally I find 11s too heavy on the top strings, but love the tone on the bass, so recently I've been using 10 - 52s (Ernie Ball) And I like the balance of tension on those - they are currently on all my guitars.
G.
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#1941469 - 05/13/08 06:22 AM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: miroslav]
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Caevan O'Shite
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Regarding their being pure/solid-nickel (the winding/wrap on the wound, bass-strings), I recently tried some nickel-plated strings of the exact same brand, type, and gauges as the pure/solid-nickel strings that I had been using for a long time.
I left the guitar's set-up the same, including the height of the pickups and their polepieces; I found that there was a dramatic difference in tone. The nickel-plated strings had more lower-bass and higher-treble, with decidedly reduced, "sucked" mids. I tried to learn to get used to 'em and like 'em for several days...
I found that I really missed the warmth and fullness of the pure/solid-nickel strings, which, by comparison, had a MUCH greater amount of mids, from low-mids on up to upper-mids; and they definitely made chords sound nicer and more homogeneous. I couldn't get the pure/solid-nickel wound-strings back on there fast enough! (I left the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd plain/treble-strings on, only changing out the wound/basses... )
The nickel-plated strings would probably be shown to be higher in output by a VU-meter or the like, but the warmer, fuller mids and more robust overall tone of the pure/splid-nickel strings seem to be perceived as being a little louder to the ear.
I would tend to think of either type as good, just different, and great for zeroing-in on just the right tone for a given guitar (and its pickups), and player and style of music...
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#1941483 - 05/13/08 06:39 AM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: GeoffB]
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Greg B.
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Personally I find 11s too heavy on the top strings, but love the tone on the bass, so recently I've been using 10 - 52s (Ernie Ball) And I like the balance of tension on those - they are currently on all my guitars.
G.
Same here. I've been using them on all of my guitars for about 15 years now. I found that the heavier low strings give a Strat & a Tele a better low end response.
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#1941685 - 05/13/08 01:08 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Greg B.]
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Zack Pomerleau
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Well, I will try different things, but I ain't much of a downtuner, honestly, so that was the wonder.
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#1941718 - 05/13/08 04:13 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Zack Pomerleau]
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Caevan O'Shite
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Well, I will try different things, but I ain't much of a downtuner, honestly, so that was the wonder.
(In case you misunderstood 'em, I think that they meant "low tones" to mean the tone of your low-strings, tuned to standard-pitch.)
So, what kinds of sounds are you going for, and what sorts of styles of music?
I think you'll really like the overall tone of those, in both their type (roller-wound solid-nickel) and medium gauges.
The will take a little getting used to, if you've been playing "nines" or "tens" all along, especially being on a 25.5" scale-length Strat. But they won't be too crazy stiff and tight! Not like "twelves" or "thirteens"... !!
If you like the pure-nickel tone at all, give those DR Pure Blues a try as well, in whatever gauges you decide on after this; I'd be very surprised if you weren't impressed with their feel and tone.
If you decide that pure/solid nickels aren't for you, I also recommend that you try DR's "Tight-Fit" (Sp? "Tite-Fit"?) nickel-plated strings; they feel very much like the Pure Blues, but are brighter and more "scooped" sounding.
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~Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite~
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#1941789 - 05/13/08 06:07 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Caevan O'Shite]
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Zack Pomerleau
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No, on the lower tones, I meant I have heard these should be down tuned, that is not me. I am pretty strict on Blues and older rock, this will be on a 21 Fret Stratocaster.
So I have no idea how these will go. I use .11's on Stratocasters, but on my Les Paul I always use .10's. Someone told me I should use .12 Guage with my average strings instead of GHS .11's as they will feel similar. Who knows?
I want a bright sound, and something that won't sound dead too fast.
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#1942022 - 05/14/08 06:52 AM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Dave da Dude]
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Caevan O'Shite
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Zack- If you've been using "elevens" on a Strat, then you'll be fine with these strings; I think you'll like them.
Using a .012"-gauge string on the 1st/High-E-string (and/or the 2nd or 3rd strings from a "twelves"-set), tuned to standard-pitch, will probably be a little too tight and stiff feeling, especially if you do any bending. You'd be approaching acoustic-guitar feel there...
Their nickel-wrap design will warm up your Strat's single-coils, and help tame any tinniness.
You really aughtta try those GHS "Nickel Rockers" (or the DR "Pure Blues") .011" through .050" gauge strings on your Les Paul! The LP's shorter scale-length (24.75", as opposed to the Strat's 25.5") lowers their tension a little, and makes the medum/heavy gauges a breeze compared to how they feel on a Strat. And the pure/solid-nickel goes very well with the humbuckers/set-neck/mahogany/shorter-scale/etc. recipe of a Les Paul! Beautifully, in fact. (And the round-cores of the DR "Pure Blues" take that even further.)
Dave- Aaaah, for "Folk, Folk Rock, CCR and some "Classic Rock"", you probably would LOVE the "Pure Blues".
The "Tite-Fits" are very nice, too, though, and also have the same "round-core/compression-wound" design and construction as the "Pure Blues", and thus a very similar feel (particularly when bending or vibrato-ing). The difference is their tone; both are great, just different.
The "Tite-Fits" have a more 'modern' sort of tone, more scooped in the mids, accentuating the higher treble and lower bass, kinda like a "smile" curve on a graphic-EQ, with a more "low-strings-on-a-piano" tone on the low-strings.
The "Pure Blues" have a more 'vintage' sort of tone, rounder, fuller, and warmer, with more low-mids and mids, very nice for either fatter single-notes on the basses or smooth, homogeneous chords. I kinda wish I could have a cross between the two! 
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~Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite~
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#1942301 - 05/14/08 07:56 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Caevan O'Shite]
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Zack Pomerleau
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Hey thanks, with these Lindy's they'll need some warming up (1954 Style Baby!). I once didn't have any new Electric strings, so on my Les Paul I put a set of .13 Acoustic Strings on the treble strings, those ROCKED! So I may try these elevens, thanks!
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#1942305 - 05/14/08 08:19 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Zack Pomerleau]
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miroslav
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I want a bright sound, and something that won't sound dead too fast.
Then go for nickel-plated...not pure nickel.
If you like GHS...try their Boomers, I used them for many years and liked them...though now I'm using only Curt Mangan strings.
D'Addario nickel-plated are also fairly bright and last well...so do Ernie Ball...
The pure nickel is a bit warmer sounding...maybe even duller to some. With the Curt Mangan strings…I use pure nickel on some guitars, especially the ones that are a bit higher output...and I'll toss the nickel-plated versions on guitars that have a lower output and that need a little edge.
If you like 11's on your 25.5 scale Strat...then I would use them on the 24.75 scale too.
If anything the lighter gauge will work better on the 25.5 scale and the heavier gauge on the short scale...
..or try it vice-versa too! 
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miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1942306 - 05/14/08 08:29 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Zack Pomerleau]
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Caevan O'Shite
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Hey thanks, with these Lindy's they'll need some warming up (1954 Style Baby!). I once didn't have any new Electric strings, so on my Les Paul I put a set of .13 Acoustic Strings on the treble strings, those ROCKED! So I may try these elevens, thanks!
Aaaah, so you are a heavy-strings-guy and can hang with 'em, huh? Cool!
I like how medium and heavy gauge plain-strings feel smoother and less physically thin and sharp under my fingers, even though they have more tension. I like their rounder, fatter, warmer tones, too.
Back in the '50s, I believe that most (maybe all) electric-guitar strings had pure/solid-nickel wrapped wound-strings. So, they aughtta get along very well with those Lindy Fralin 1954-style Strat pickups.
Hell, you might even like a wound 3rd/G-string instead of a plain one, even! If you can hang with that, it'll fit perfectly with the vintage Fender polepiece-stagger, which was originally designed with wound-3rds in mind. (Funny how most makers don't address this on guitars that are almost always strung with plain-3rds now... That's why the G always seems to ring out exceptionally well over the other strings... )
I like a plain-3rd on my LP, but on another that I tune to Open-D (the one currently shown in my avatar-image; D-A-D-F#-A-D, low-to-high), I use a wound-3rd tuned down a half-step to F#. Very nice, just a different feel and tonal color.
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~Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite~
_ _ ___ _ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _
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#1942578 - 05/15/08 12:33 PM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Caevan O'Shite]
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Zack Pomerleau
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Whats the deal with those wound gs, were those common then?
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#1943403 - 05/17/08 09:30 AM
Re: GHS Nickel Rockers
[Re: Zack Pomerleau]
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Caevan O'Shite
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Yeah, used to be ALL guitars had wound 3rd-strings onnemm; then gigging and session players started using banjo-strings and lighter-gauge guitar-strings, when they could get 'em, for the top three strings to get a slinky feel with a lowered, easier action for leads or, as Leo fender used to call it, "take-off guitar".
After a while, makers of guitars and strings started to pay attention, and the plain-3rd became more and more common. I think that Ernie Ball may have been the first to offer string-sets that reflected this, note their use of the name, "Slinky"...
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