Choosing strings for a blues, jazz player

Revelation · #1 08-01-2011, 10:35 AM

I just purchased a Carvin SH 575 which came with 010's on it. I love the gutiar but I found the high e string in particular too light sounding. My guitar playing style is more like Larry Carlton, and Eric Clapton. I used to have a Guild Manhattan which had 012's on it which I loved but the 012's were a little much to play the blues on.

I am thinking about getting D'Addario EXL 115 blues/Jazz Rock wound strings. It has the following
011
014
021
028
039
049

What is your opinion on this? They have another set of 115 but the 3rd string is a 018.

kambor · #2 08-01-2011, 11:35 AM

Buy single strings, it's easier to compensate that way than buying stock string sets. If you live in the US, stringsbymail is the way to go, IMO. I live in Europe and shipping makes it very expensive for me, but it's worth looking.

I buy at webstrings, about 3$ per set of roudwouds, so I buy two sets and mix them up, to get my .014-.050 "custom set". Hey, it's only 6$ per set, so it's cheaper than buying strings locally (at least where I live!)

barrymclark · #3 08-01-2011, 11:43 AM

I just grab the D'Addario EJ-21's. I dig 'em. Good thing too. They are easy to get.

Funkwire · #4 08-01-2011, 12:50 PM

I use the EXL 115 with the .018 G string and like them. The balance from low to high is very even to me. I used to play with a .012 on the high E but just couldn't excute some things with strings that heavy. And like you, I find a .010 high E too floppy.

I string my hollow jazz box with .013 flatwounds, but my semi-hollow and solid body guitars are strung with the EXL 115s.

Vihar · #5 08-01-2011, 01:51 PM

Larry Carlton plays the so called light top heavy bottom set, which is .010 - .052. It's kind of the best of both worlds, in case you want thicker sounding wound strings and bendability. But to be honest, regular 10-46 works just fine, if they feel right under your fingers.

Revelation · #6 08-01-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkwire

I use the EXL 115 with the .018 G string and like them. The balance from low to high is very even to me. I used to play with a .012 on the high E but just couldn't excute some things with strings that heavy. And like you, I find a .010 high E too floppy.

I string my hollow jazz box with .013 flatwounds, but my semi-hollow and solid body guitars are strung with the EXL 115s.

I think I will try them EXL 155 with the 018. The only difference with the two sets is this one string. With playing the blues, I may find the 018 more than enough.

Thanks for letting me know about Larry Carltons' strings. I wondered what he used. I personally think his high e string sounds more like a solid body guitar sound. I like his early stuff the best as he got into all this pop style with On Solid Ground, Kids Gloves, and some others.

Vihar · #7 08-01-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revelation

I personally think his high e string sounds more like a solid body guitar sound.

I think you have good ears to notice that! I find that to be generally true about most thinline guitars built with a centerblock inside, like the 335. They don't have the top resonance that would affect the tone like a fully hollowbody would with a relatively free and resonant top.