Members Jav Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 Hi i dont have alot of money right know but play a lot, and really hard, i dont use a thick pick, its around .5 but need advice in buying strings with longest life posible. Thanks Javier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 I haven't tried them all, but as far as non-coated strings go, D'Addarios aren't too bad. The electroplated plain strings are particularly long-lasting, but they're only available in five-packs for each gauge (e.g. a pack of 5 x 0.010"). Buy the six-pack full sets of nickel-plated strings in bulk and they work out quite cheap. I found Ernie Balls to be the most rust-prone. I've seen their plain strings develop rusty spots after only 25 mins under my sweaty fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members humbuckerstrat Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 Cleartones are supposed to be very long-lasting, but they're also very expensive (14.99 a set @ MF). That's ridiculous. D'Addarios are long-lasting enough for me, and you can get 3 sets for under $10.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MojoFilter Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 Originally posted by One-armed Alec I haven't tried them all, but as far as non-coated strings go, D'Addarios aren't too bad. The electroplated plain strings are particularly long-lasting, but they're only available in five-packs for each gauge (e.g. a pack of 5 x 0.010"). Buy the six-pack full sets of nickel-plated strings in bulk and they work out quite cheap.I found Ernie Balls to be the most rust-prone. I've seen their plain strings develop rusty spots after only 25 mins under my sweaty fingers. Funny...I have sweaty hands, but I've found that Ernie Ball's are much better than GHS Boomers for life, tone, and string breakage...and I was playing GHS's for a long time. A lot of it can be body composition (a famous example is Rory Gallagher's Strat...his sweat was so alkaline it wore straight through the finish of his guitar) The main thing to remember is to WIPE DOWN YOUR STRINGS after every play...any string of any brand is going to rust and goop up if you don't do this. Do it immediately after you play...don't wait 10 or 15 minutes. Get underneath the string when you wipe them down, as well...and go string by string - not all at once. I'm also a big fan of GHS Fast Fret as well...I find it works pretty well at keeping the strings a little slick, even on older strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HMKRich Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 D'Addarios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldBluesGuy Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 +1 for Earnie Ball's. I've used them now for 10 years and they provide great tone at a great value. They last a good long time, but as one of the previous replies stated: you have to wipe them down after playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 Originally posted by MojoFilter Funny...I have sweaty hands, but I've found that Ernie Ball's are much better than GHS Boomers for life, tone, and string breakage...and I was playing GHS's for a long time. A lot of it can be body composition (a famous example is Rory Gallagher's Strat...his sweat was so alkaline it wore straight through the finish of his guitar) The main thing to remember is to WIPE DOWN YOUR STRINGS after every play...any string of any brand is going to rust and goop up if you don't do this. Do it immediately after you play...don't wait 10 or 15 minutes. Get underneath the string when you wipe them down, as well...and go string by string - not all at once. I'm also a big fan of GHS Fast Fret as well...I find it works pretty well at keeping the strings a little slick, even on older strings. Yeah - individual chemistry has a lot to do with it. My skin excretions seem to have a particularly corrosive composition. I've never tried GHS strings, but if you're saying that they're even easier-tarnished than Ernie Balls, then I can only imagine they'd disintegrate within fours bars of my playing . Nothing so far has come close to the D'Addario Electroplated plain steels for me. I routinely wash my hands before playing and wipe my strings down after playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DenverDave Posted October 23, 2006 Members Share Posted October 23, 2006 The longest lasting that I know about are either Elixer Nanowebs, or Firewire strings. The problem is that both are expensive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joe Vocht Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 thomastik-enfields are fantastic strings that never seem to get dull or rust...a little expensive, but last a very long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weldon51 Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 The trick here is one I discovered: Stainless Steel. Less bright than nickel at the start but they hold tune quicker and are far more consistent in tone as they age. Much less vulnerable to sweat and flat spots too. You pay a bit more, but they have a much better "performance curve". D'addarios seem as good as any, though I suspect that most stainless stels are rebrands of the same thing, seeing as not so many are made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jbird Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 my strings never corrode, and i never wipe em down afterwards. I must be blessed I dont know how LaBella's regular strings are (I usually use GHS on my regular0strung guitars) but my Steinberger loves LaBella double ball strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members randy rhoads jr Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 DR Pure blues have lasted wayyyy longer than anything else for me, but are about a buck more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AtomHeartMother Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 A pack of strings is like $4. I don't get what the big deal is. What is that, like $4 a month (or even less or possibly more depending on how often you change them). I'd avoid coated strings, personally, for electrics. Sure they last 2-3 times long...but they cost 2-3 times as much. Plus, they feel funky and sound different. I have been using Elixers on my acoustic though. That'll probably change once I finish off the free sets I got with my guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eyeball987 Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 My hands destroy strings. I recently switched to either Elixir Nano's or the DR coated strings. I think that the Elixir's sound marginally better but they cost about $5 more per pack too. The DR's last just as long but are ugly. They come in black, blue, red, and silver. Yes, all 6 strings! Interesting look but ugly and strange to play if you look at the strings while playing. I find that the coated strings more than quadruple string life for me and my sweat so at double the cost, I am way ahead. I like the tone of newer to just broken in strings too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whatever Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 I think the best sounding strings are the ones you should be buying. Dean Markley's blue steel sound great and are long lasting. GHS boomers last a long time and sound great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted October 24, 2006 Moderators Share Posted October 24, 2006 Originally posted by MojoFilter Funny...I have sweaty hands, but I've found that Ernie Ball's are much better than GHS Boomers for life, tone, and string breakage Rusty fencing wire is better than GHS Boomers for life, tone and breakage:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PolyFmorf Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 In the Summer I notice Ernie Ball's tarnish rather quickly, whether I wipe 'em down or not. This time of year a set lasts me about a month. I like EB because they make the hybrid sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheAtomicJeff Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 Elixir Nanowebs. Thread closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NewYorkNewYork Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 Originally posted by TheAtomicJeff Elixir Nanowebs. Thread closed. +18 Elixir's are like Goonies, they never say die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Greg Bogoshian Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 For me, Elixer polywebs are just awful sounding things. nanowebs are acceptable, but D'Addario EXP16 strings just sound and feel way better than the Elixers, cost less, and last longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmtnt Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 I've used DR's, D'Addarios, and Ernie Balls. DR's are my favorite and seem to last the longest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GibsonQC Posted October 24, 2006 Members Share Posted October 24, 2006 D'addarios last the longest of the brands I've tried, but Ernie Ball "Classic Rock" nickel wounds sound the best, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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