Does anyone like to play with "dead" strings?

[Snaglpuss]

Does anyone else like to play with "dead" strings?

 

I just changed the strings on my Blues King Electro and it's driving me crazy. I guess I'll have to wait a couple of months till things get back to "normal". The shimmer and mettalic overtones of new strings are just not my thing.

[Yggdrasil]

Yes! I hate the zing of new strings. Can't wait until they are broken in.

Gives them more of a thick bass rich tone.

[tedkul]

I find that flatwound nickel strings (Pyramids or D'Addario Chromes) give me that "dead" tone, from the get-go.

[Yggdrasil]

I find that flatwound nickel strings (Pyramids or D'Addario Chromes) give me that "dead" tone' date=' from the get-go.[/quote']

 

Interesting - those are a couple of my favourite bass strings. maybe I should try them on my guitars.

How about Thomastik-Infeld flats?

[dadeedo]

That is worth a try. I've never taken note of the chrome strings, though I usually do buy the D'Addario 80/20s. I play them until the coils separate and start to rattle.

 

DDD

[Snaglpuss]

tedkul,

Thanks for the tip.

I'll try some.

[Snaglpuss]

tedkul,

Are you using electric strings on an accoustic?

Did a string search at MF and see only bass and electric chromes.

Do you know the "model number"?

What are Pyramids, not familiar with them?

Thanks

[dodge]

I think Gibsons sound best with a fresh set on them. I like the Elixir PB lights on my J-45 makes it roaro:)

[anthonyc007]

I don't like dead strings, but brand new is no bueno either. IMHO they are best about 1.5 - 2 weeks after initial string-up.

[Gilliangirl]

Not me.... I love love love new strings! Give it a day or two to set in, and I'm happy. I find dead strings so discouraging. When I win the lottery I'm going to hire someone to change my strings for me!:^o/

[Always_Black]

Gilliangirl,

 

Accepting applications?

[Gilliangirl]

Gilliangirl' date='

 

Accepting applications?[/quote']

 

Always_Black, I have to win the lottery first, but I'll let you know as soon as I do. Should be any day now!

[woodruff]

i know what you mean. my strings sound best after 7-10 days, and then stay theat way for a couple weeks. i change them out every 3-4 weeks. but gibsons, over every other guitar i have played, really shine with worn in strings. which means, they are amazing in spite of the strings.

[tedkul]

tedkul' date='

Are you using electric strings on an accoustic?

Did a string search at MF and see only bass and electric chromes.

Do you know the "model number"?

What are Pyramids, not familiar with them?

Thanks [/quote']

 

Other than in extremely strange circumstances (i.e. a weak neck with high-tension strings) the choice of strings for your guitar should be determined by your ears and musical taste, not the label on the package.

 

I use Pyramid Gold Flatwound Mediums (11-048). I buy them here: www.thestringguy.com

But you can get them here too: http://www.tone-man.com/pyramid.htm

And probably some other places too.

 

Flatwound strings appear acoustically on most of the Beatles records. To my ears, the 60-65 period Dylan sounds like Flatwounds to me, as do the early Donovan records. But those may also have been "deadened" bronze strings. From what I understand, many players in the early sixties preferred flats due to the disappearance of "Fingernoise" when changing positions on the neck.

[Zaphod B]

No, I cannot stand old, dead strings. I love the bright sound of new strings. They really bring my old Martin to life.

[onewilyfool]

I once tried some Elixir's and it took me 3 weeks to break them in.....they were so jangly......I know a guy who uses electrical guitar strings on his 1960's J-50 acoustic......says he likes the sound. Claims they don't go dead as fast? Who knows??

[Gilliangirl]

I once tried some Elixir's and it took me 3 weeks to break them in.....they were so jangly......I know a guy who uses electrical guitar strings on his 1960's J-50 acoustic......says he likes the sound. Claims they don't go dead as fast? Who knows??

 

Haha! I love that jangly sound! Medium Elixirs are a treat!

[QuestionMark]

There is a strange phenomena with keeping old strings on lap style resonator (dobro) slide guitars. They actually sound better. Most square neck resonator guitar players I know, myself included, keep strings on for a realllllly long time. As they stiffen from age, they actually play better with a bar slide. I haven't changed mine on one square necked guitar of mine in probably over five years. On another square necked guitar of mine, the strings are relatively new on it....a year old. Also, 5 string banjo players don't generally like to change their strings either...being a five string banjo player also, I have two 5 stringers that haven't had a string change in years on them. Pete Seeger even once condoned the practice of barely changing strings on a five string banjo if I'm not mistaken.

 

QM

[Rosewoody]

The deader, the better--up to the point where intonation is noticeably off. "Dead" strings allow you to hear the guitar; new strings make all guitars same about the same to me--loud and clangy. I hear of folks wanting new strings put on a guitar in a shop so they can hear what the piece sounds like with fresh strings, but I would rather judge a guitar with so-called "dead" strings every time.

[guitarstrummer]

The deader' date=' the better--up to the point where intonation is noticeably off. "Dead" strings allow you to hear the guitar; new strings make all guitars same about the same to me--loud and clangy. I hear of folks wanting new strings put on a guitar in a shop so they can hear what the piece sounds like with fresh strings, but I would rather judge a guitar with so-called "dead" strings every time.[/quote']

 

I've never thought of it that way, but I suppose you have a point. I guess some people want new strings so that they can judge the guitar's best potential, while others (like yourself) would rather judge a guitar based on "worst case scenario". Now, I'm not sure which would be the better way to do it. They both sound logical to me and both methods would have merit. I suppose you could play it with the dead strings first, and then put new ones on to hear what it's potential will be.

[onewilyfool]

A lot of professional acoustic performers change their strings for every concert.....Possibley to avoid a broken string....but also to get the brightest sound for the concert....

[QuestionMark]

What you said about performers changing their strings before each gig is very true. I think in addition to the reason you mentioned, it likely also has to with ensuring the sound is constant at each gig, feeling prepared, no surprises, etc.

 

QM

[audiophil]

I find my J50 sounds much much better when the strings are very well broken in. Warm, mellow and lovely. Can't stand the bright tone of new strings on most of my guitars, and even more on the Gibson.

 

To me new strings doesn't represent well the real tone of a guitar, because of the excessive jangle and brightness.

 

 

 

Phil

[peiplayer]

I love the sound of new strings. I like that real jangly ringing sound that they have. Although I change them every 3 to 4 weeks, I'd change them every week if I could. I also change them if I'm going to play at a concert.

[ballcorner]

My feeling is that dead strings make a good guitar sound like a cheap guitar because you lose resonance and tone - worse still is the fact that dead strings seldom tune accurately.

 

I have played on old strings when I was a street performer and if you are in a situation like that where tone isn't going to carry, I guess it doesn't matter -- but if you are playing in an acoustically interesting room you want a fresh set of John Pearse strings and quiet. I unplug the fridge and the water cooler when I play. Quiet means quiet.