Opinions on DR strings?

[Freeman Keller]

Dan, I for one would hope that you become part of our little community, contribute as you see fit and help us with your experience. I plan to pursue your web page when I get some time - from what I can see your music might appeal to me and I may want to add some cd's to my collection.

 

Consider making a short clip and submitting it to the VOM this weekend and maybe a thread about harp guitars. Whatever you do, welcome to HCAG

[Freeman Keller]

Update. I stopped in my local music store last night to pick up some DR's. They had never heard of the Dragon Skins, but said that if I gave them a list of what I would like to try they would order for me. I like DR's in general so I'm going to let them get several difference sizes for me - will probably throw some Rares on a couple of the 12 strings. I'll get a couple of more sets of Extras too, been pretty impressed with them on the 000. Obviously I could order on line but I am pretty anal about giving business to my local store.

 

Previous forumite DaveW turned me on to DR's - I've been grateful to him for a long time.

 

(While I was in the store I played a new Clapton sig OM. Damn GAS, get away from me Temptation)

[colejustesen]

I just put some DR Rares on my Yamaha LL16 yesterday and my initial response wasn't too pleasing. They sounded kind of tinny at first. After I came home and played on them some more they seemed to warm up a bit. It is interesting, because I love the sound of new strings on my electrics and it took a bit of time for the strings to break in it seems...

 

Has anyone compared the DR stuff to Red, SIT or Dean Markley Helix strings?

 

Cole

[Freeman Keller]

 

Has anyone compared the DR stuff to Red, SIT or Dean Markley Helix strings? Cole

 

 

No, but the round core Sunbeams were part of the great String Test - they were compared with Martin SP's (two compositions) as well as Polys, Nanos, and Alchemys. I've currently got their Extras on one guitar and I'm going to order some more today, along with a set of the Dragon Skins to try out.

 

fwiw - my experience with the Extras has been very good - very long life and sweet mellow tone (rosewood 000).

 

When you bought your Rares, I hope you checked the gauges. DR strings run one or two sizes on the light side.

[colejustesen]

I bought a set of the light DR Rare strings (.011-.050) but I don't know what size strings came on my Yamaha LL16 to begin with. No matter how much I tried searching on the internet I could never come up with an answer to that.

 

Cole

[Freeman Keller]

 

I bought a set of the light DR Rare strings (.011-.050) but I don't know what size strings came on my Yamaha LL16 to begin with. No matter how much I tried searching on the internet I could never come up with an answer to that. Cole

 

 

The Yamaha web site doesn't specifically say what the LL16 comes with, but they have a little bit of information abou their string gauges, which I would assume is what they put on everything. They list 0.012 to 0.053, which most brands would label as "lights".

 

http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/ac-guitars/796/6032

 

In my opinion, a jumbo, like a dread, can go with either lights (12's) or mediums (13) depending on whether you finger pick or flat pick. Notice that your DR's are what other manufacturers would call "extra lights" - they may not have enough tension to really drive the big top of a jumbo. However, since you play a lot of electric, you may appreciate their lower tension - bends will be a lot easier.

 

Just trying to point out that you aren't really comparing apples to apples, and to others that if you want to try DR strings read the box label

[knockwood]

DR Rare is my string of choice for my Guild GAD-25. That git has never sounded better since I switched to them. Though phos bronze, they're just a tad brighter than the D'Addario I used to use, which is perfectly suited to the all-hog Guild. Life span is excellent, too. I'm changing strings every other month instead of once per month.

 

I used DR Rare exclusively for a couple years. Great strings. I only switched back because they're a little more expensive than D'Addario p/b, which I also love. I agree with you about the longevity of DR p/b strings. Strange, but it does stand out. I also love the green boxes.

 

In general, among non-coated strings, plain old p/b in the approx. 92/8 to 95/5 ratio does tend to maintain tonal consistency much longer than 80/20 or 85/15. This is because the more rigid 80/20 and 85/15 windings will tend to fray off the steel core of a string faster than windings with a higher copper to phosphor tin ratio.

[knockwood]

 

Previous forumite DaveW turned me on to DR's - I've been grateful to him for a long time.

 

 

DaveW lives! I believe he lost his handle somehow and is now posting as floridapicker.

[colejustesen]

 

The Yamaha web site doesn't specifically say what the LL16 comes with, but they have a little bit of information abou their string gauges, which I would assume is what they put on everything. They list 0.012 to 0.053, which most brands would label as "lights". http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/ac-guitars/796/6032 In my opinion, a jumbo, like a dread, can go with either lights (12's) or mediums (13) depending on whether you finger pick or flat pick. Notice that your DR's are what other manufacturers would call "extra lights" - they may not have enough tension to really drive the big top of a jumbo. However, since you play a lot of electric, you may appreciate their lower tension - bends will be a lot easier. Just trying to point out that you aren't really comparing apples to apples, and to others that if you want to try DR strings read the box label

 

 

Thanks for the information... I thought that 11s would be better for me, especially since I own/play primarily electric guitars. I might have to try some 12s to see if I get a better result.

 

Cole

[floridapicker]

 

DaveW lives! I believe he lost his handle somehow and is now posting as floridapicker.

 

 

I do indeed live, in Florida now. I some how lost my DaveW handle during the crash/changeover. Before moving to Florida I owned a small printing company in Emerson NJ and DR was one of my customers. Over the ten plus years I worked with them I became good friends with Mark Dronge, the owner, and the son of Albert Dronge the founder of Guild guitars. So while I may be biased towards DR I can honestly say that their Sunbeams make my Martin OM21 come alive. Since I did not pay for my strings their longevity did not matter to me, but I have used my share of D"Addarios and can't say they lasted any longer. At my request, Mark was kind enough to send Freeman several sets of various DR strings gratis, with no expectation of positive feedback. I have visited his factory many many times and their strings are truly wound by hand, one at a time.

[Freeman Keller]

 

I do indeed live, in Florida now. I some how lost my DaveW handle during the crash/changeover. Before moving to Florida I owned a small printing company in Emerson NJ and DR was one of my customers. Over the ten plus years I worked with them I became good friends with Mark Dronge, the owner, and the son of Albert Dronge the founder of Guild guitars. So while I may be biased towards DR I can honestly say that their Sunbeams make my Martin OM21 come alive. Since I did not pay for my strings their longevity did not matter to me, but I have used my share of D"Addarios and can't say they lasted any longer. At my request, Mark was kind enough to send Freeman several sets of various DR strings gratis, with no expectation of positive feedback. I have visited his factory many many times and their strings are truly wound by hand, one at a time.

 

 

I knew you were back Dave, and am really glad that you are. All I can say is that I am impressed enough with DR strings that I ask my local music store to special order them for me. I wish they were a little easier to get and I wish they made some different gauge sets (for example, I would like 12 string sets in what I call a medium gauge) but in general their Extras have become my string of choice. I just ordered a set of the Dragon Skins to try on my harp guitar, er, triple ought - I'll report as honestly as I can, my reactions.

[floridapicker]

 

I knew you were back Dave, and am really glad that you are. All I can say is that I am impressed enough with DR strings that I ask my local music store to special order them for me. I wish they were a little easier to get and I wish they made some different gauge sets (for example, I would like 12 string sets in what I call a medium gauge) but in general their Extras have become my string of choice. I just ordered a set of the Dragon Skins to try on my harp guitar, er, triple ought - I'll report as honestly as I can, my reactions.

 

 

Honesty is always the best policy, and nobody any better at it than you Freeman. Mark is a businessman and he focuses on what sells. He once told me his prime buyers we sixteen year old male electric players, so that is what he concentrates on, but seeing his dad was the founder of Guild, his heart belongs to acoustics.