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What strings do you use on your guitar?
I saw this question the Twins posted on Facebook, and since I don’t do Facebook anymore, I thought it be nice to answer/expand on it here.
First of all I have to admit that I procrastinate quite a bit on changing strings. I’ve heard that touring acts change strings for every performance. I’m sure not everybody does that, but for the rest of us, that seems extreme. I change them, or aim to change them, when they start looking raggedly and sound dull. The high end chime goes fast on the acoustics. For me new strings sound great after they’ve settled in (a day or so for steel, and about a week for nylons).
- For my classical acoustic (nylon): I use mid tension. I tried the high tension, but it’s Brazilian Rosewood and it lost a lot of the warmth with the high tension strings.
- For the lead guitars (Les Paul & Strat): I like light gauge, and more so for bending, so .90 work great for me.
- For my other electrics (Casino, ES 330): I use .10 and all nickel for some reason.
- The Gretsch Country Gent: I love the flat wounds I’m using (wound 3rd). They make it sound and feel very “jazzy” a very nice warm tone. They are probably .11
- On the acoustics I like the Bronze Elixir and .11 or .12, on the Dove I use .11 and .12 for the 12 strings as the high G gets too thin otherwise.
- I’ve also put flat wounds on the basses as they feel great to play over the longer neck.
I’d love to know what you guys do. Before it would be just pick up what the guitar store had, but now with Amazon, there’s a lot to choose from.
And if Mona, Lisa or Rudi want to chime in, I’d love to hear it too! 😉
Tomás
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35 Replies
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Ernie Ball regular slinky (green pack) on my Tele. I change them about once a month. Or sooner if they start sounding dull.
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Wow, once a month? I’m lucky if I get to them at the 6 month mark, by then they are sounding really dull, especially the acoustics.
Thanks Tommy!
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Just slightly off topic, but curious. On Time Of The Season, that part where the classical guitar come in instead of the synthesizer in the original, was that nylon strings used? It sounds really beautiful.
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Hi Jung, yes, it seems to be 2 “dueling” classical guitars with nylon strings. Again, incredible skill completely underrated.
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Now the smart aleck answer is often all of them. Mike.
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Unless you’re “Keef” Richards and take off that low E string.
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Well, I haven’t played guitar for 40 years and because of MLT’s tremendous inspiration I just went out and bought a brand new Gretsch G5422TG double cut-away hollow body for a new toy. I gave my Gibson acoustic to my musician son-in-law years ago. Of course its like starting completely over but I am having fun. I am thinking of replacing the strings that came with it with a little heavier gauge to feel a little more like my old acoustic cause I like to finger-pick it.
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Hi Stephen, that’s very nice, that you gave your Gibson away, not sure I could part with one of mine… The guitar you got is very close to the Country Gent, I like it. I really like the flat wounds I got for mine, as they have a sweeter sound and are easier on the fingers too. I got very light gauge (10s) but you can get them in any gauge. Here’s a link to them on Amazon if you’re interested.
D’Addario ECG23 Chromes Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings
Hoping this helps!
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So pretty!!!!! I have two Gretsches (sp??). Really like them both. Mike.
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Beautiful guitar! Glad you are back in it. The Twins have been such an inspiration for me, too!
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Thank you Tomas and Michael! Even if I never become a good player I love to just look at it. Thanks for the tip on the flat wound strings Tomas. I didn’t know they were available in the larger gauges. I am ordering some today.
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I’m going to save myself some typing and copy the Facebook post! Depends on the guitar. The Fenders have Bullet 9-42s, the Gibsons/Epiphones have variations on 10’s (all Brite Wires) except for the Casino with the Bigsby that has Slinkys. The Ric 12 has a standard set of Ric strings, the Fender 12 has a hybrid set that starts with 9s (D’Addario xl). The acoustics are all strung with some variety of D’Addario EJ15 10 sets. The Guild F-412 (vintage) still has Guild strings but I’m going to have to change pretty soon since they’re out of production and my stockpile is running low. The classical has La Bella Studios, and the SG bass a La Bella 45-105 set (short scale).  I’ve experimented with a lot of different stings and found that the manufacturers generally seem to know what sounds best with their product. (To my tastes anyhow!)
I will add that my favorite answer to this question was supplied by Paul McCartney who was asked several years ago and responded with: “Long shiny ones!”
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Just curious, does sanding down a guitar like the Beatles did give a better sound? Anyone try it? I guess the logic around that would be by removing all that heavy varnish and paint it would help the body breath better and I suppose produce a richer sound.
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Sigh…wishing I had GuitarFingers ..then I could try and learn to play guitar, uke, etc…but alas my arthritis and short stubbylike hands and fingers…not meant for guitar playing but I can do a mean Air-Guitaring…lol…at least that way, I can play… I’d be having better luck at playing drums and sticking to cowbells and Tambourine…..LOL.. Although, I have on hold at the library, a BANJO , as the Public Libraries here where I am have introduced the program to borrow some limited used musical instruments for folks to borrow on loan for two weeks. I’m on a waiting HOLD list for my turn to have the banjo,….I’m willing to tackle it, have no clue on keys or notes I’m playing, I just play by ear and go with the sounds it makes…..LOL…I can’t read much music and rather play and learn by ear…..I’ll just stick to playing my tambourine and singing somewhat …..LOL
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D’Addario 9-42 for me.
I have short stubby fingers too Jacki but I manage OK.
The only thing I can’t do is the Status Quo chugga chugga type stuff on the 1st or 2nd fret. From fret 3 onwards I can reach 🙂
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Jung Roe – On a solid body it does nothing, on an acoustic it might, although we have friends with expensive string instruments (violin, viola, cello) who say the finish contributes to the overall sound of the instrument. But those use a shellac finish while guitars generally use nitrocellulose (generally more expensive) or some type of polyurethane. On an electric hollowbody or arch top (Gretsch, Casino, Gibson ES 335) it probably doesn’t do much since they’re still electric guitars where the pickups respond to via induction rather than by picking up vibrations like a microphone or piezio pickup on an acoustic. The movie “It Might Get Loud” starts off with Jack White nailing a pickup to a board and stringing some steel strings on it then running it straight to an amp. That’s a pretty elemental electric guitar, but that’s all you really need and It doesn’t sound too bad… Les Paul’s original solid body electric guitar was a 4X4 with strings, a bridge and a pickup glued to an acoustic body that was just for show.
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Thanks Jim for the detailed explanation. Makes sense that it wouldn’t make much difference in the electric guitar. It was interesting read about how Donovan suggested sanding down the guitar to the Beatles and they did it to their guitars, but not sure if they continued doing that with all their guitars after that. Certainly wouldn’t have made a difference with their electric.
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I agree with Jim, and it should be noted that the Beatles all refinished their guitars after they sanded them down. Paul’s Rick went back to the factory where it got a full refurbish, though left in natural color.
That being said, I know from my own experience that guitars sound better with time. I have a 1960 Gibson ES 330 (essentially a Casino) and the tone is much better than my 2007 Casino, both with untouched finishes. My classical guitar which I got new from 150 yo old rosewood has improved its tone in the 5 or so years I’ve had it. Maybe the lacquer needs settling in too?
Personally, I like the “silk” finishes better, it does feel like the tone can breathe, but no tone difference notice really. What it may do is influence the way I play and hence dramatically influence tone, since our fingers are the biggest determination of tone, right?
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Tomas – It’s not just age, it’s how much they’re played too. I know of several high end acoustic makers who condition their instruments before they’re released from the factory. They condition them by putting them in a room full of speakers and play music to them. This sets up vibrations in the strings and body that seems to simulate playing. In theory, it should work for solid bodies too, it would just take longer because of the greater mass of wood. I store most of my guitars where they’re exposed to music if I’m listening through speakers and keep them out in the room where I play. Some of the difference between your Casino and ES-330 is simply that the Gibson is going to generally sound better due to the construction. (Unless your Casino is an Elitist). My 2010 Elitist Casino (Made in Japan) sounds way better than my 2005 (Made in Korea) Casino even though the basic Casino has more playing time on it.
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It’s pretty amazing the craftsmanship and know how that goes into crafting a quality guitar. Conditioning them in a room full of speakers playing music to them, storing them exposed to music, 150 year old rose wood.. wow. It’s not unlike pianos where makers like Steinway and Bosendorfer in order to create the right sounding sound board use only wood from trees grown in very specific places in the world, and then they store the wood in climate controlled rooms for years just to get the perfect age and condition.
I gotta layoff these quotes, but I couldn’t resist.
I never would have guessed guitars existed even in his day. I wonder what kind of strings he used? 🙂
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