moonlander Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi guys, i'm looking for strings for my gibson j-50, and i like the sound of old strings - dull and kinda dead. i hate the metallic zingy sound of a new string set. it takes a really long time for the strings to sound dead enough for me, i'm not talking about a month, a lot more then that. i play mainly folk fingerstyle and i love that dead sound with it. i'm sure some of you guys understand what i'm talking about.. are there any string sets that sound like what i'm looking for? i would prefer that even the higher (usually non coated) strings would be "old" sounding, maybe they can be coated too? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi guys, i'm looking for strings for my gibson j-50, and i like the sound of old strings - dull and kinda dead. i hate the metallic zingy sound of a new string set. it takes a really long time for the strings to sound dead enough for me, i'm not talking about a month, a lot more then that. i play mainly folk fingerstyle and i love that dead sound with it. i'm sure some of you guys understand what i'm talking about.. are there any string sets that sound like what i'm looking for? i would prefer that even the higher (usually non coated) strings would be "old" sounding, maybe they can be coated too? Thanks! I Love the sound of old strings mine are probably going for about 7 months on the guitar now . I use gibson masterbuilts . JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 I Love the sound of old strings mine are probably going for about 7 months on the guitar now . I use gibson masterbuilts . JC Ok but did they sound like that from the beginning? I'm looking for something that i won't have to wait in order for it to sound like that. I want strings that deliberately sound like this from the beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Ahhhhhhhh! Good things in Good time....grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Martin Marquis 80/20 Bronze (red box) were my preferred strings for my J-100 for several years, until I tried Elixirs on it. The Martins sounded broken in after just a couple days. The down side is they sounded dead a few weeks later, but that may be music to your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Ok but did they sound like that from the beginning? I'm looking for something that i won't have to wait in order for it to sound like that. I want strings that deliberately sound like this from the beginning. Maybe we could send you our used ones... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Maybe a set of flats? I've never tried them on acoustic, but started using them on most of my electrics recently for the same reason(flat "old" sound). So far, i'm loving it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rar Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 are there any string sets that sound like what i'm looking for? i would prefer that even the higher (usually non coated) strings would be "old" sounding, maybe they can be coated too? Sounds like you want to try nickel strings. I like the John Pearse Pure Nickels, but I expect D'Addarios J-21/22s and other choices are okay too. (You don't need coating, since they last more or less forever.) -- Bob R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Maybe a set of flats? I've never tried them on acoustic, but started using them on most of my electrics recently for the same reason(flat "old" sound). So far, i'm loving it! I'll second this statement. Try a set of D'Addario Chromes in your favorite gauge. The experiment will cost you less than $10, and then report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Neil Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Yes those flatwound nickel strings they use on archtops would be the closest I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The other thing you might consider is a change of picks, depending on what you are using now, and depending on whether or not you use a flatpick. Some of the high-end picks like the Blue Chip can mellow down the brightness of new-sounding strings pretty dramatically, particularly the picks with a rounded tip profile. Buc McMaster turned me on to that one. Picks and strings are the two simple changes that seem to most significantly impact on the tone of many guitars. Flat-wound strings may also dramatically change the tone of the guitar, as has been pointed out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Gibson Masterbilts would be a pretty decent choice, they get 'old' sounding in a few weeks. I would also give the D'Addario Flat Tops (EFT16) at shot, they have a mellow tone, I'm just not sure how they age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I agree, for me the Masterbuilts go flat after about 5 days, no other string goes dead as quickly, at least in my hands. Gibson Masterbilts would be a pretty decent choice, they get 'old' sounding in a few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Sounds like you want to try nickel strings. I like the John Pearse Pure Nickels, but I expect D'Addarios J-21/22s and other choices are okay too. (You don't need coating, since they last more or less forever.) -- Bob R That is what I was thinking - I like the the D'Addario Tony Rice Custom 13s. If you use a magnetic pickup like I do they have an additional advantage in that the pup reads the nickel strings real well. I have tried flatwounds on an archtop but not a flattop. Alot less finger noise but I did not cotton to the sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I agree, for me the Masterbuilts go flat after about 5 days, no other string goes dead as quickly, at least in my hands. One could, for the price of a 6 pack of glazed donuts get the effect. Eat the donuts while playing the guitar, don't wipe it down. or Purchase two new sets of un-coated strings. Remove them from their oxidation protection envelopes, hang them on the wall to 'age'. Then when the bright bronze turns a dull brown, install one set. Purchase a new set, hang them to age, then continue the rotation. One wonders if dousing them in a mild saline solution before hanging would help speed the oxidation along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 One wonders if dousing them in a mild saline solution before hanging would help speed the oxidation along? Maybe, but I guarantee you don't want to get salt on your guitar. It has a corrosive effect on everything it touches. If it's on the strings, it will be on your fingers. If it's on your fingers, it will be all over your guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Grateful Dead - I see why you would like fallen strings – they allow the guitar more space and a good Gibson can bear that. I was reluctant to change the Martin SP '12's on my J-45 Standard for a looong time, simply because they had found a precious blend. When I finally did, the 45 went through the roof after a couple of days. My 1963 SJ has had DR Rare '12's on since late August and still sounds like heaven after midnite. I will suggest any set of bronze strings (play a little P. Townshend the first week) – had some John Pearse bronze that died down rather quickly. Did you ever try Silk & Steel, , , , or the fine art of boiling old strings between 5 and 15 minutes* ?? Very interesting fresh/vintage flavor - add a pinch of salt and I'm talking about the soup also. . . *here you need to wind up instead of cutting the ends in the first place - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'll go out on a limb and say that I quite like the Gibson masterbuilt strings, I can get a reasonable amount of time from them and I quite like the 'less than brand new' sound, I change them after about 6-8 weeks anyway if the guitar is seeing some playing time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'll go out on a limb and say that I quite like the Gibson masterbuilt strings, I can get a reasonable amount of time from them and I quite like the 'less than brand new' sound, I change them after about 6-8 weeks anyway if the guitar is seeing some playing time. I'll second that. I only play for about an hour a day (and I'm not playing like Pete Townshend), but I leave the Masterbuilts on my J-45 for a month or so, and they usually sound pretty good for that amount of time. IMHO, they do sound best from about day three through about day 14. On a related topic, we talk a lot here about a guitar "opening up" over a fairly short period, sometimes measure in days, weeks, or months. I wonder how much of our perception of that "opening up" is just becoming acclimated to the sound of the individual guitar? Has anyone here done recorded comparison testing over a period of months, using strings of the same type and age, same pick, same songs, etc, to really evaluate our changing perceptions of our guitar's character? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 On a related topic, we talk a lot here about a guitar "opening up" over a fairly short period, sometimes measure in days, weeks, or months. I wonder how much of our perception of that "opening up" is just becoming acclimated to the sound of the individual guitar? Has anyone here done recorded comparison testing over a period of months, using strings of the same type and age, same pick, same songs, etc, to really evaluate our changing perceptions of our guitar's character? No, but it's a good topic and there's an individual thread in it. As some might know I'm in the process with my TV Bird. So many factors as we go, but things are happening. It really dawned on me recently when I saw a clip on the Tube with a not yet opened H-bird. Think I'll post that sooner or later. P.S.- You should spoil yourself with some P.T. explosions once in a while – it's healthy on at least 3 levels (just don't smash the guitar). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 come on guys !!! boil them..... leave them hangjn on a wall ..... tie them to the rear bumper/fender of your car..... i'm now picturing men with a guitar and wearing a white lab coat well what happens if we put the strings in the freezer for a week , then boil them with oregano , made my guitar play like a dream if you have to mess around with strings to such extreme measures to get your guitar to sound like u want it to .....you have the wrong guitar the time spent practicing would have done more for your sound than any of this crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 come on guys !!! boil them..... leave them hangjn on a wall ..... tie them to the rear bumper/fender of your car..... i'm now picturing men with a guitar and wearing a white lab coat well what happens if we put the strings in the freezer for a week , then boil them with oregano , made my guitar play like a dream if you have to mess around with strings to such extreme measures to get your guitar to sound like u want it to .....you have the wrong guitar the time spent practicing would have done more for your sound than any of this crap I'm not sure if you've been there or not. What I know is that I boiled strings in various periods of my life – with satisfying results. Especially in my young years, but in a particular phase also before recording (remember putting them in a rotating microwave-oven in the studio kitchen once). Btw. some months ago a luthier told me I might have overboiled my whole life - As said in post 17, you get a rather fresh yet second-hand like voice, which during the first takes dims down into something quite cool. An oldies sounding, still clear character. The opposite of artificial - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hi, Have you ever tried Dadddario Silk and Steel Strings? http://www.juststrings.com/dad-j40.html They have a mellow tone. To me, they sound similar to nylon guitar strings. Also, the package describes the strings as soft feel for fingerstyle-folk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The nearest that you can get to the sound of 'old strings'...IS old strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Maybe, but I guarantee you don't want to get salt on your guitar. It has a corrosive effect on everything it touches. If it's on the strings, it will be on your fingers. If it's on your fingers, it will be all over your guitar. Yup, corrosion is the name of the game. It would be prudent, then, to give the aged/salted strings a good rinse before installation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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