Blues strings?

[Jazzcat83]

This is my first nonsolid body guitar, so I'm not sure what to go with for strings. I'm a blues player, and these are going on an ES-359... so I'm thinking 11s? ... any suggestions on string types? I always put PRS strings on my PRS guitars, so I wanted to get suggestions from you guys for this baby :) Thanks!

[L5Larry]

I have been using D'Addario 11's (EXL-115, I think) on my 345 for years, and have been very satisfied. They sound good, last a long time, are readily available and inexpensive.

[jmjohnson]

1st instinct would be DR Pure Blues 11s. Any pure nickel 11s would be cool though I bet. They should be a bit more mellow then nickel plated strings. Gibson's own (signature) Les Paul or Vintage Reissues come to mind (the LP strings have thread-wrapped balls - VERY cool!). D'Addario Blues/Jazz EPN115s would likely be a real good choice too. D'Addarios are indeed priced right!

 

If you want your sound a bit brighter, you may want to go with the plated versions of these strings. Brite Wires, Humbucker Special Alloy, EXLs, DR Tite-Fits, etc.

 

 

Hey L5, have you ever tried EXLs with a wound 3rd string? I bought a few sets and will give them a whirl next string change - likely on my gretsch.

[kaicho8888]

Interesting subject!

 

This is one area that I haven't really experimented as much. On Gibbys, I always end up with Ernie Ball 10 since the sixties. Prior to that I substitued the B and E string for G and B; and used a banjo string for the high E.

 

Would 11 give a fuller sound and not make my nails bleed on high bends?...LOL....or maybe minimize string breakage on bends.

 

The problem I have with vintage Gibbson are the thin low frets...makes it harder to grab the string with your fingers to bend strings. I guess I just got accustomed to newer Strats with jumbo frets.

[jmjohnson]

Not sure about the bending, but when I bought my Gretsch the guy said "First thing I would do is put on some 12s". I took his advice a little and went with DR 11s instead of 10s, which was good 'cause I needed a little more relief out of the neck then stock would allow. I wasn't thrilled with 12s on my acoustic, so was wary about going up that far.

 

I find I don't mind the bigger 11s at all, and I do seem to get a bit more oomph out of them, so no need to go back. Could have those other positive affects you mentioned too!

 

Kept 10s on the Les Paul and 336 though - don't need to change them to get 'more' anything. Though I wonder how that 336 would sound with some 11s? Hmmm..

[Mr. Natural]

Any brand-name nickel round-wounds will do you fine.

[jmjohnson]

Just a follow-up on the EXL-W strings...I swapped the EXLs for the Vintage Reissues on my Les Paul last night. I was expecting them to be a bit brighter, but they are a big difference in general. At 1st I didn't like them - the string balance was way off (B string was louder and the bass E was booming), and I thought it sounded just a bit muddy too. I kept checking the amp to be sure nothing had gone wacky. Overall it sounded a bit...dirtier, like adding more gain w/o adding volume. After tweaking the PUPs & pole screws, and tweaking the EQ settings a bit, the tone really started to grow on me. It has a creamy & fat growl now w/o being too dark at all. Kind of what I imagine a vintage LP to sound like (and much like a '58 VOS).

 

No big diff on the wound vs plain G string yet, though I like the idea of a wound 'cause it seems I always have issues with my G strings (chiming, ringing etc).

 

Made sure again this am, still sounds great! Ordering a few more sets now...including 11s to try on the 336.

 

Also ordered some XL Chrome Flats to try on my T5 (way too bright w/elixirs) and maybe my Grestch; these are supposed to be very mellow, so should be good blues strings too...we shall see.

[L5Larry]

Hey L5, have you ever tried EXLs with a wound 3rd string? I bought a few sets and will give them a whirl next string change - likely on my gretsch.

 

Back in the 70's I used Rotosound guitar strings with a wound third on a Strat I used strictly for rhythm playing. It was a fantastic balanced sound for what I was looking for out of that guitar (at the time). For songs where I soloed, I'd grab the Les Paul strung with a plain third.

 

For playing the blues as the thread title states, the wound third would not be very good for soloing, specifically third string bending.

 

Now for my Jazzboxes (L-5 & L-7) I use LaBella Nylon tape wound strings (800M). They are 14-67 with a wound third. Even in jazz guitar solos you don't do much string bending, but the wound third does bend OK when needed, even at .036 ga. These are about the "jazziest" strings you can find for a full bodied archtop.

[jmjohnson]

For playing the blues as the thread title states, the wound third would not be very good for soloing, specifically third string bending.

 

 

Thanks - that is GREAT information!...the kind of stuff I was wondering about (i.e. wound not good for bending).

 

Cheers!

[AlanC]

For a blues sound 10's or 11's are good with a flat 3rd string. I prefer 11's because of the tone benefit. However I understand that many long time blues players prefer 10's because they are easier to bend.

 

I really like Ernie Balls 'Power Slinkies' and have played their 10's or 11's for 30 years. However D'Addario's and Gibson LP's are also really good. I'm not into the coated or long life strings. However that's because I enjoy playing these strings fresh for the first couple of days that they are put on.

[vincentw]

Don't believe the hype about heavy gauge strings and blues. A lot of great blues guys use light gauge

[AlanC]

Don't believe the hype about heavy gauge strings and blues. A lot of great blues guys use light gauge

 

I agree that many great players have used lighter gauge strings and some styles of music probably benefit from the tonal qualities of lighter gauge strings. However try using heavier gauge strings and in my humble view there is a noticeable difference. A diffrence that I particularly enjoy!!

[Versatile]

An interesting subject to say the least !!

I have experimented every which way on various guitars

down to 9's (Ernie Ball) on a Sheraton for bendy bits

9's and 10's on a dot 335

both 13's and down to 10's on an ES175

For some reason 10's can feel quite heavy on occasion

12's on a hollow semi can be really good for that extra 'airy' tone

Moving bridges can be a problem (if floating) on semis with light strings

It can be nice to 'dig in hard' with heavy strings on any guitar

But bends can be awkward and the 'wound 3rd' issue comes to the fore

[vincentw]

I recently played my friend's gretsch and uses .013s -- I couldn't bend.

[L5Larry]

I recently played my friend's gretsch and uses .013s -- I couldn't bend.

 

That's not the fault of the guitar or strings, that's a lack of hand strength. If you worked up to it, like you would strengthen any muscle, or limb, you would be fine.

[jmjohnson]

OK - so WHY aren't wound 3rd strings (as) good for bending vs the plain steels?

[AlanC]

I agree with L5Larry. It is possible to gradually build up hand strength and be able to play and bend heavier gauge strings. Having played 10's for years and not believing that I could ever play heavier strings, I now play 11's on solidbodies and 12''s on everything else mainly because I much prefer the tone from the heavier strings. However enjoying playing the heavier gauge strings will take time and a lot of work.

[rml]

the dr-blues are great, but i find they wear out quicker with bending than the dean markley blue steel strings (which are also excellent, but take bit longer to bed into the blues)-

 

i personally use 9-42's so i can bend 3-4 frets easily

 

cheers, rml-

[JazzGtr]

I use D'addario 10 (s) on my 356. It's pretty hard for me to get the quick bend and release using heavier strings. I also find myself playing jazzier blues with heavier strings. I slide with 11-13 (s) more versus bending with 10 (s)which is not how I want to play.

 

JazzGtr