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Californiaman

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IMHO every good guitar reflects the characteristics of the strings, and so I would suggest just using those you like to hear on your Telecasters. Since I like their specific wide-range and thus very brilliant sound, I use the rather uncommon and unusual Optima Chrome Roundwounds on all my guitars. The gauges are .010" - .046" on all vibrato guitars, .011" - .050" on all hardtail instruments including Fender Telecasters, and .012" - .054" on my only semi-solid.

 

As for Telecasters with just three adjustable bridges like yours on the picture, changing brand and gauge might require new ones for filing them to achieve correct intonation.

 

By the way, the small Optima factory which makes the strings formerly named Maxima, resides three kilometres from me as the crow flies in the small town Geretsried. They are most famous for their gold-plated Optima Gold Strings, formerly used by Frank Zappa and Earl Slick, and still played by Brian May. All of his signature guitars come stock with his signature set.

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my MexiTele (w/the Orange Drop tone cap) gets Super Slinkys .009-.042

 

GarysCam192.jpg

 

my homebuild (GFS Vintage Wound neck, Kent Armstrong hot twinblade bridge p'ups)

runs Regular Slinkys .010-.046

 

IMAG0113.jpg

 

 

sometime next yr. i'll be building a Muddy Waters Tele, that i'll string up w/ Guild ultralight flatwounds.

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From '78 to '84 I mainly used Fender... I guess... I don't really recall. Super Bullets probably. In '84 I got a coupon for a free set of D'Addarios and I put a set of 10-46 on. That's been my 'go-to' string ever since. I tried other brands but I will state my thought on D'Addarios:

 

They're cheap, they're available, and they work.

 

I'm sure there's better strings out there but I'm sure there's better ketchup than Heinz too. Doesn't mean I'm going to go looking.

 

404910_526421707398710_1907735440_n.jpg

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DR Handmade Blues 0.11 to 0.50 (inc 0.18 plain G) - I use these on almost everything now, excellent strings indeed. The .18 is a tad heavy for a Tele G but it's ok - I put the same set on the Strat but used an EB 0.17 for G. Also have same DR set on the LP and will use on the 175 next change.

Here is my Tele right after putting the DRs on:

 

TeleWeb2_zpsbbe7d0bf.jpg

 

Regards, Happy Xmas and best wishes to all for New Year!

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I just ordered some D'Addario EXP115W for my Gibson ES-175.

They're 11-49 with a wound G.

Wonder how those would sound on one on my Teles?

 

Nairw, nairw, chicka, chicka, nairw, nairw.

 

How would you describe the difference between the Tele and the ES-175 when playing the same lick, BBP? [confused]

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Am I the only person that never uses D'Addarios because they always break?

 

Hmmmmm, :-k I've never had D'Addarios break any more often, than any other

brand. In fact, they tend to not break (for me) as often as other strings.

Have you checked your bridge, tailpiece, of nut for "burrs" or some such?

 

And, to answere the OP's question: D'Addario's (9-46) on Fender guitars,

and 10-46, on Gibson's, generally. [smile]

 

CB

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Am I the only person that never uses D'Addarios because they always break?

 

 

The only reson I'm changing strings on my ES-175 this week is because the No.1 string broke this Sunday.

I was in Orange County for the weekend and told my friend that I needed to stop in at GC and get some strings for Black Betty. Well to make a long story short I didn't buy any.

The very next day I was tuning back to standard tuning and POP!. The E string shot 10 feet across the room.

Fortunately I had two sets in my guitar case.

D'Addario EXL 115W strings seem to last a long time on my ES-175. But I don't change them as frequently as other guitarist do—probably twice a year.

I got a pretty good deal on five sets off Ebay Monday. They were like $24.00 for five sets and the shipping was free. That's a lot better than my local shop's price of $7.00 plus the gass and the time to drive 30 miles.

GC used to have a standing deal of buy one set pf strings get another set for free. I don't know if that's the company policy anymore. But it was a good one.

Anyway, I might throw some of these 11-49 with the wound 3rd on one of my Teles just to see how much tonal difference I can conjure up.

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I got a Squier Affinity Tele in 2002. I can't seem to be able to adjust the truss rod proper because of a bad inside of the nut. This is typical for many Chinese products I'm afraid. I also have a wonderful 2008-2009 midnight wine Highway One Telecaster. It sounds great. I took it all apart and, put it back together how it should go. I love the grease bucket technology in it. this is one cool sounding Tele. The action on it is very comfortable as well. I really like the Ping tuners on it also. They work great. I'm a Les Paul and Strat guy but, Telecasters are what electric guitars are all about.

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