Do you mix your own string sets?

[miroslav]

How many of you like to mix your own string sets?

 

I use to always just use the factory sets…but awhile back I was not happy with the tone balance I was getting between high/low strings on my one guitar…so I ordered a bunch of loose strings and made up my own set (using GHS Boomers).

 

But now…I bought a couple of more guitars, and I now have 4 electrics to pick from.

I guess I'm thinking that it's a lot easier/simpler to just go with a factory set…

…plus some of the “specialty” sets, like the Fender 150 Pure Nickel Wound which I love on my Tele, are not easy to come by as singles.

 

Also, I am wondering if there is some “rule” as to what the proper “thickness spread” should be between the stings.

 

As an example:

 

Most “Light” sets are : 10 –13 – 17 – 26 –36 – 46

 

My “custom” set is: 10 – 12 – 17 – 24 – 32 – 42

 

I have never seen any factory set that used this kind of gauge combination…though I do like the sound of it…it's seems to be a very smooth balance/transition between all six strings.

 

I'm wondering how much I am splitting hairs with this…or do some of you also get real picky (no pun intended) with your string gauge selections, and you make your own sets?

 

Any suggestions/opinions…?

[Dak Lander]

I use factory sets that suite my sound just fine.

 

I'd look hard at Ernie Ball over GHS for electric right off the bat, but, I'm really a DR Strings lover. For electic the Hi-Beams or Pure-Blues are excellent and several forum members are using them too. Look at the new Black Beauties too.

I have DR Strings Rare Phosphor Bronze on ALL my acoustics, running either 10-48 or 11-50 sets. I started with the 10s but I'm using the 11s more now a days and I may take a look at the Sumbeam or Hi-Beam acoustic strings just to see if they're as good.

[miroslav]

Originally posted by daklander:

 

I'd look hard at Ernie Ball over GHS for electric right off the bat...

Why exactly?

 

I've tried several brands over the years...always came the Boomers...though I don't remember using Ernie Ball in quite sometime...except on my pedal steal that I bought this summer.

I would consider giving them another try.

 

Don't know about the DR strings...are they one of those esoteric, real expensive brands?

 

I'm definitely an old-school guy on all this...I guess that's why I really like the Fender 150 Nickel Wound on my Tele...they have that vintage "twang".

 

Tell me more...

[Dak Lander]

Originally posted by miroslav:

Originally posted by daklander:

 

I'd look hard at Ernie Ball over GHS for electric right off the bat...

Why exactly?

Personal preference. I've never had good luck with GHS strings & the Ernie Balls were always close to the Fender strings in tone.

 

I've tried several brands over the years...always came the Boomers...though I don't remember using Ernie Ball in quite sometime...except on my pedal steal that I bought this summer.

I would consider giving them another try.

 

Don't know about the DR strings...are they one of those esoteric, real expensive brands?

More expensive for the initial outlay of cash but I find they outlast other brands of strings by at least double so in the long run they're cheaper. In my experience & with my finger chemicals & playing style the DR Strings I use last as long as the d'Addario coated strings I've used. I pay around six bucks a set at my nearest Guitar Center. They're normally tagged at about seven bucks but the sales people always knock the price down.

 

I'm definitely an old-school guy on all this...I guess that's why I really like the Fender 150 Nickel Wound on my Tele...they have that vintage "twang".

I'd stay with the Fenders too if the sound is there & very often it's the only way to get that sound.

 

Tell me more...

Generally what I do is try different strings until I find the one that sounds best, with good life, on my guitars. What I'm finding is the DR Strings are the one string that sounds good on all my guitars.

I have four six stringers strung with DRs, a 12 string, a resonator and a mandolin also strung with DRs. There is no other string that I've tried, and I've tried most of them, that sound and play better or last longer on my instruments.

I just got a Les Paul copy that I'm changing out to DRs and a banjo I just got that I'm trying to find DRs for. They didn't have them at GC last time I was there.

[Tedster]

I do mix sets for my 12 strings, electric and acoustic.

[Funk Jazz]

check out the GHS TNT's (thick n thin) it's like combining a set of 11's low e through d, and a set of 10's g through high e. great for the twang on a tele, bendable but eith som throat to growl on the low end.

 

you would probably also like the DR "pure" strings. they are not esoteric or expensive.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

I did for years, but now I'm too lazy. I like a solid thick G for intonation purposes, and I like the meaty sound of thicker low end strings, but I was tearing out the skin under my nails with heavy top strings, so I dropped down to 10s and 12s. The premade "custom" sets from some manufacturers get me close enough. For a lazy guy.

 

Bill

[Guitarzan]

a good reason that DR's last longer is they are round core, most others are hex core. if you think about it the hex core strings leave air gaps which i would guess allow sweat and dirt to penetrate the windings and fill the gaps. thus killing tone and letting the strings corrode earlier. EVH uses (or used to) a lighter low E than normal. his low E is a 40 as opposed to the regular 42 in most 9 guage sets. probably gives him better balance in the low end...Miroslav how does your handpicked set feel (tension wise) across the board? i have contemplated this but have never tried making up a set.

[miroslav]

Originally posted by Guitarzan:

Miroslav how does your handpicked set feel (tension wise) across the board? i have contemplated this but have never tried making up a set.

The guitar that made me start to mix my own, is my '75 Hagstrom Swede.

 

Way back (probably all the way back to the late 70's)...I use to string it up with an extra light set (9-11-16-24-32-42)

 

Then some time ago (probably in the late 80's)...I decided to go to a slightly heavier set, 'cuz I wanted a different tone/sustain...mostly with the high strings...so I went up a notch in the factory sets (10-13-17-26-36-46).

 

Well...that sorta' felt better with the high E...but I was not happy with the rest.

 

So I dropped the B from 13 to 12...and the three low strings back to the extra light gauges (24-32-42)

And...it just seemed to work out really nice on the Hagstrom.

 

Of course as I bought my other guitars...I noticed that they all came with the 10-13-17-26-36-46 sets...so I just left them alone.

 

Now, I have more guitars and I can't decide how much I want to mess with it all anymore, especially since some of the guitars seem to sound quite nice with these factory sets...though I still think my Swede sounds better with my own string mix!

 

I'll probably sit down one of these days and really compare them all a bit more in detail.

 

I was just wondering how many other people mixed their own for al their guitars.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

Miroslav,

 

Yeah, undoubtedly having a pile of guitars cuts down on the desire for messing around with multiple string sets.

 

Bill

[Caevan O’Shite]

I use the DR Pure Blues nickel-wrap strings, gauged .011" through .050", for my electric needs; however, I do mix a "custom" set of the same DR Pure Blues strings for open-D tuning (D-A-D-F#-A-D, low-to-high) on one guitar. For that, I use .012", .015", .024"(w), .028", .038", and .052" strings mixed from their .011"/Heavy and .012"/Extra Heavy sets.

 

If DR made 'em, I'd try a .023" for the 3rd/F# and a .053" for the 6th/Low-D, for better balance of tension. So, I don't think that you are splitting hairs too much at all, miroslav!

 

I've thought about getting some brass-alloy coated plain strings that Thomastik-Infeld makes for some of their acoustic guitar sets, to try for the high, plain strings on both guitars, to see if they'd yield an even fatter, rounder tone for the high-notes. Haven't gotten around to it yet, though!

[Blue Strat]

I always get the same string set for all of my electrics - Ernie Ball Super Slinky (.009 - .042, in the pink package). For my Ovation I've used Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and Dean Markley Blue Steel strings. I'm open to suggestions on acoustic strings, although a set of .011's are what I need on the Ovation for the intonation to work out right. I'd have to check the Yamaha and see what it's strung with; it's still got the strings the factory put on it.

[Dak Lander]

Originally posted by bluestrat:

I always get the same string set for all of my electrics - Ernie Ball Super Slinky (.009 - .042, in the pink package). For my Ovation I've used Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and Dean Markley Blue Steel strings. I'm open to suggestions on acoustic strings, although a set of .011's are what I need on the Ovation for the intonation to work out right. I'd have to check the Yamaha and see what it's strung with; it's still got the strings the factory put on it.

Try the DR Strings, especially the Yamaha will like them and I'm sure the tone will improve on the Ovation too. 11s on both should be wonderful.

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by daklander:

Originally posted by bluestrat:

I always get the same string set for all of my electrics - Ernie Ball Super Slinky (.009 - .042, in the pink package). For my Ovation I've used Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and Dean Markley Blue Steel strings. I'm open to suggestions on acoustic strings, although a set of .011's are what I need on the Ovation for the intonation to work out right. I'd have to check the Yamaha and see what it's strung with; it's still got the strings the factory put on it.

Try the DR Strings, especially the Yamaha will like them and I'm sure the tone will improve on the Ovation too. 11s on both should be wonderful.

Does DR make nylon strings? I should have mentioned that the Yamaha is a classical guitar. I think that Ernie Ball makes classical strings with a ball end, don't they?

[revolead]

I used to use 9-42s and about a year ago swtiched over to hybrd (9 11 16 24 36 46). They come prefabricated by Ernie Ball as Hybrid Slinkys.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

I use the Blue Steels, too. I don't know or claim that they are the best for all of my guitars, but they sound good on all of my guitars.

 

About a year ago I worked on the mounting of the Def Leopard tour, and they had just gotten a deal with Elixr, and they had a couple of cases of white boxed packages. I've never tried them...I didn't even know that they made electric strings....anyone tried them?

 

Bill