Which strings are popular (for smoother intonation)?

[rouge]

I realise this may be a redundant question.

 

But i'm having a nightmare finding strings (for my new Dot) where the G and B string will ring-out smoothly.

 

Yes, replacing the G with a covered string certainly helps. But not many sets offer this.

 

But i'm wondering if there are any experienced folks out there who can suggest a realiable "set" with less harsh G and B strings?

 

I never seem to have this problem with the high E-string for some bizarre reason!

[DizzyFingers]

 

Is this your "cup of tea"...?

[twanger]

Boy! Lots of questions to ask yourself on this one.

 

What kind of music do you play most?

The following are just my own general observations of what people use for certain genres

.009 = ?

.010 = general country rock(all kinds), blues, reggae, etc.

.011 = some rock, blues, jazz

.012+ = some blues, mostly jazz

There are factory sets like the Fender set shown in the above post. You can mix & match sizes to your own tastes/guitar requirements.

 

What kind of tone are you looking for?

Do you use a lot of bends/vibrato?

How strong are your fingers?

 

Personally, I use a factory set .010 - .046 for blues/rock. I use to use .009's just because I thought it might help improve speed but I think the tone is just too thin and I've discovered that your fingers adjust to strings you are using. I'm actually considering .011's now just because I want a richer tone. The brand I'm currently using is called Guitar Research. I get them from Sam Ash. I originally bought because they are cheap (12 SETS = $12). They sound pretty good and once the strings settle in they stay in tune well. I used to use Ernie Balls and D'Addarios almost exclusively but they just don't seem to cut it for me any more. The D'Addarios sounded good but they seemed "soft" to me. Not so much in tone but in the way they detuned and were "too easy" to bend. EB's just got to the point that they seemed brash or harsh. Who knows? Maybe it's just me!

 

I've tried Fender, Gibson, GHS, Markley as well as others and was left unimpressed in one way or another. I've never tried the Elixir brand just because I can't bring myself to spend $20 on a set of strings. Maybe someday. Until then I like the GR strings and I'll probably be trying on a set of .011's before summer is over.

[clarkuss]

I use elixirs exclusively without complaint

[Red 333]

I realise this may be a redundant question.

 

But i'm having a nightmare finding strings (for my new Dot) where the G and B string will ring-out smoothly.

 

I never seem to have this problem with the high E-string for some bizarre reason!

 

Hi, Rogue. Since you asked for help from experienced players, I'm assuming you're a fairly new one, but since I don't know exactly, please forgive me if the following suggestion seems too basic.

 

Have you brought your guitar for a good set up? High frets, an improperly cut nut, poorly seated saddles, neck relief, etc. are all likely culprits of the problem you indicated (among others), and replacing set after set of strings might just be throwing good money after bad. If you live in a place where a good tech is available, you might consider having him or her going over your guitar first if you haven't had a set up; you'd be surprised what a difference it can make.

 

You could also check out a couple of Dan Erlewine's books, like "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great" or "The Guitar Player Repair Guide" if no tech is available to you locally, or you want to learn how to set up guitars yourself.

 

Good luck!

 

Red 333

[Axe2Grind123]

.009 = ?

 

Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Difficult to use anything else with a Floyd Rose tremolo (setups are more frequent with heavier strings)

[fenrirlupus]

.009 = ?

.010 = general country rock(all kinds)' date=' blues, reggae, etc.

.011 = some rock, blues, jazz

.012+ = some blues, mostly jazz

[/quote']

i've been using ernie ball hybrid strings... nice fat low strings, thin high strings.

.009-.046.

 

the pure nickel "rock and roll" kind... warmer sounding...

 

i play jazz, classic rock...

 

i thought metal used strings thinner than .009? like this...

 

[brianh]

I have a Dot, and the intonation was difficult to get set up right. I'd suggest that before you worry about strings you either get the intonation set up properly by a guitar tech or learn to do it yourself. I was able to get it close, but no cigar on mine and eventually installed an Earvana nut. After that it didn't matter what strings I installed, they all sound great. For the record, I use GHS Boomer Roundwound Electrics - .10 or .11 depending on the guit.

[Steven Lister]

But i'm having a nightmare finding strings (for my new Dot) where the G and B string will ring-out smoothly.

 

Yes' date=' replacing the G with a covered string certainly helps. But not many [i']sets [/i]offer this.

You don't have a string problem, you have an intonation problem. Fix that and you can put your choice of strings on her. A pro set-up with properly installed strings is in order.

 

Now, having said that, sometimes a wound 3rd is the only "fix" for the G string. Do you know why?

Here is a must read article link for every guitarist that wants to know why and is serious about proper tuning/intonation ---

---> intonation and wound G strings

 

[note: Article is the best explanation I have ever read. Give all thanks to member Ron G for putting this up in another thread, I'm just passsing it on to those who missed it.]

 

WELCOME to the forum rouge!

 

Strings???? Played Ernie's for 13 yrs, then switched to DR Pure Blues and found what I had been missing all those years! Every player has a favorite. Try out a few and you'll find yours.

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby... I'm going to play on:-"

[rouge]

Hey, thanks for the replies.

 

I'd used Dean Markely Blue Steel 10-46 previously. But the gauge was too light/flexible for my habits and were going out of tune every minute or so. So replaced them with X-Rockers 11-56 for the tension and better stability. Although a tad TOO heavy perhaps.

 

However, it's the volume, tone and harmonics of the G and B string which is causing grievances - and is usually considered to be an "electric guitar problem".

 

Yeh, i must try these flat-wound strings.

[rouge]

BTW,

I'm basically an audio-engineer. So, folks often complain that my ear is a bit too "retentive" [to be honest] - and they're probably right.

 

Additionally, i'm fundamentally an acoustic rhythm player (i.e. different string gauge, different finger pressure habits). I have no problems with acoustic guitars but recently returned to using electrics for some recording projects - and playing expensive guitars or cheap electrics was a fairly frustrating endeavour.

 

My new guitar is a Dot Studio. The nut on this thing was ridiculously high/shallow. I sorted the relief, the saddle, and then spent an eternity filing the nut-slots myself, just to get those first few frets to play in tune. On the whole, they are fairly well adjusted.

[rouge]

That Earvana nut thing is pretty interesting.

 

Before i setup my Dot, the first few frets on G and B were about 8-12 cents sharp. a lighter finger press on the fret would be a little better. But the guys in the shop told me this was "normal". I've set it up to somewhere in between the two comparisons [below] now.

 

But still, that annoying G-string just hovers left and right of that 0 cent mark.

 

[timandbob]

I also had intonation issues with my Dot Deluxe. I first paid for a professional set up; then I tried the earvana nut (did not work for me). In the end, I have a gibson tusq nut, which I filed down to properly fit my Dot. I have stuck with D'Addario 10 - 46 and my intonation is pretty close, and I am pretty tough on the guitar intonation.

 

I would really like to try the earvana again and see if I messed it up when I installed it.

 

Anyway my 2 cents.

[brianh]

But still' date=' that annoying G-string just hovers left and right of that [b']0 cent[/b] mark.

Wow, you are pitch sensitive - I'd do handstands to get all my guitars that close. That's a good chart though - is it from the Earvana website?

[tulsaslim]

The Buzz Feiten nut works great for me.

[rouge]

no handstands needed.

Just

1) an electronic chromatic tuner (or guitar rig),

2) a well- adjusted neck with slight relief.

3) intonated saddle/bridge.

4) a nut-slotting file (or smoothed out hack-saw) for the nut.

 

BTW, that article about the G-String (...uhhh, guitar G-string...) makes perfect sense to me, and been trying to use a WOUND g-string for 15+years..... although a lot of shop-assistants think i'm nuts when i ask them about substituting for a wound string.

 

Personally, i don't understand how people are brave enough to perform with poorly intonated guitars, but i'm geeky like that.

[RotcanX]

The Dean Markley Medium set includes both a wound and a plain G string. However 11-52 may be a tad heavy for a lot of players; personally I prefer the 10-52 hybrid sets.

[rouge]

Electric:

I have used Elixirs once in the past. And thought they were great. Would use them again but local shops only have 9-42.

Had awful luck (weird harmonics) with Dean Markley Blue Steels 10-46 and D'Addario standard XL.

However, just put D'Addario Chromes FLATWOUNDS 12-52 (first time ever) on my DOT STUDIO and although it's not what i'm used to, i find it a pleasure to play. Very smooth sound.

 

Acoustic:

Have always used Martin acoustic strings for years and happy. Recently tried the CLAPTON strings which were nice although the low-E is a little dull.

 

[rouge]

BTW, i'm assuming that a 22W means "22 Wound".

 

What about "22P"? What is the P?

[Redddog]

D'addario 11s for 25 years.

[theDeuce]

...22W means "22 Wound".

 

What about "22P"? What is the P?

 

not sure what your quoting from, but 22 Plain (not Wound) would be my guess.

[Guest icantbuyafender]

i've been using ernie ball hybrid strings... nice fat low strings' date=' thin high strings.

.009-.046.

 

the pure nickel "rock and roll" kind... warmer sounding...

 

i play jazz, classic rock...

 

i thought metal used strings thinner than .009? like this...

 

[img']http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/quality,85/brand,zzounds/fit,400by400/ERN2225-66c5c7ab903746ab0b83b19f4f27ce7d.jpg[/img]

 

 

eek. a set like those 8's have been bad luck for me due to some premature string snapping only a few days into having them... although its probly cause i bend notes like a madman.

 

I dont know HOW Mr . Iommi pulls off a set 8-38's and still gets such

a robust tone (other than by rolling the tone knob) ...

 

All friends i have that play metal and such use the .11's (purple slinkys) or GHS boomer 10's

 

meh... i stick to old faithful -- regular pure nickel wrapped rock 'n roll slinks!

 

However i tried out a set of Dunlop 10's and i was quite impressed.

[charlie brown]

D'Addario or Elixir (10's or 11's...depending on the guitar), and Rickenbacker (or Pyramids..if/when I can find them),

for the Ric 12-string.

 

CB

[charlie brown]

Speaking of strings....

 

Had to change strings on my Ric-12-string, and all I had were D"Addario 12's. That's fine, BUT the "G" primary is "plain,"

and that was NOT good! I put up with it, for a day or two...then scrounged around, and managed to find a D'Addario 21

wound. Replaced the plain primary "G," and MAN...What a difference, in tone. Before, with the plain primary G, it was

way too bright (even for a Ric 12-string), but just changing that one string, made a world of difference. I'm now even more

aware, of what ONE little change, can make, in tone. I know this seems like a "Duh" situation, but...in all honesty, I had

never used D'Addario 12 string lights (10's), and wasn't aware, until I used them, that the "G's" were BOTH Plain! I'll

never let THAT happen, again, I can tell you. IF I can't get Ric, or Pyamid Gold's for it, I'll use the D'Addarios, but just oder/buy a wound (20-21)"G," for the primary, as the D'Addario 12's, are fine, otherwise....

No one around here, carries Ric strings, much less Pyramid Golds. So, I'll have to order them, from Sweetwater or MF, I guess? (I had a lot of sets, of Ric strings, prior...but finally, ran out.)

 

CB