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I've been using daddario and Ernie ball for years and years. I've tried Sadowskys and loved them, even splurged for Thomastiks once...which were very good but still overpriced.
I wanted to to try what I call one of the "other" brands that I always just skip over while string shopping. Anybody have any thoughts on:
Black Diamonds (especially the coated ones)
Benedetto
DR
GHS
Pyramid
RotoSound
Any positive and/or negative reviews or recommendations are appreciated...thanks.
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03-13-2014 04:05 AM
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I'd suggest Curt Mangan strings. They are a small but very well made brand from Cortez, Colorado. I've used their Pure Nickel strings for years on my electric guitars. They are the most consistent from pack to pack of any strings I have ever tried and they last longer than most other brands as well.
curtmangan.com
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I like Pyramid and Benedetto.
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Round wound or flat wound?...
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I've recently switched back to Elixirs after going back to D'addarios a year or so back. I'm really digging how they feel and thus far how they're lasting. I was spending way too much money on strings as I was having to change them every couple of weeks, so I thought maybe I could save some money with coated strings.
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Originally Posted by Laro
A suggestion for each would be great...
I'd like to find a nice new brand of flat wounds to try out for my El Rey. I don't go higher than 12s. I've used Daddarrio Chromes for years and I can't complain about them...solid string and moderately priced. I tried Thomastiks...felt great but just priced like they were made out of some rare metals.
Reccomendations?
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Try the Galli flatwounds. Quite a nice feel on my El Rey. I use .011
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I find Thomastik Infeld Swing flats not only sound the best but are not overpriced as they last for a long time. I've had a set on my Telething for almost 6 months and they sound great. At $23 a set here, that's under $2 per month. They sound so much more alive and feel so much more subtle than D'addario Chrome flats.
For roundwound electric, I still have never found better than D'addario. I've also enjoyed the GHS line of pure Nickel but have always come back to standard Daddarios.
For roundwound acoustic strings, I've been a long time John Pearse Phosphor Bronze man. But recently, I've really enjoyed using D'Addario EXP PB.
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agreed 100% on the Thomastik count. Originally Posted by DRS
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I've used Thomastic 13" Swing flatwound for over one year without any problems...
I paid 20$ for set here in Poland.
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Rotosound flatwounds for me, the TopTape variety. Love them, never seem to corrode, very clear tone, stay in tune nicely.
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Rounds - Newtone Archtops
Flats - TI Swings
If you want to try the Rotosounds I have a set to which you're welcome, if you pay the postage. Really don't like 'em at all. Dull and dead.
If you're in the USA, that might not be the offer that it seems, as I would guess the postage will cost far more than buying a set over there.
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If you are looking for a really acoustic sounding string (very different then flats) you might look at DR Zebras. They are made with alternate winds of phosphor and nickel. Weird, but they sound like acoustic strings yet they are magnetic and sound great plugged in. I have and Eastman 805CE that I like to play acoustically and these strings are a good fit for me. I agree with everyone about TI, but my experience is that they are so much lower in tension that you kind of need a heavier gauge then you might be used to or you will risk buzzing.
Bill
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TI BeBops .013s (archtop)
Pyramid Nickels .011s (solid body & semi hollowbody)
Argentine .011s (gypsy)
John Pearse Phosphor Bronze .012s (flat top)Last edited by iim7V7IM7; 03-13-2014 at 09:24 PM.
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Not a recommendation (yet), but I'm about to try some Newtone Django strings. Newtone gets a lot of love in the acoustic world.
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Hi Bluewater,
This is a subject which seems to come up very frequently on these pages, and it's great to see others opinions on the different qualities each brand possesses. It would perhaps be helpful to know if you like round vs. flat, high/lo tension, pick or fingerstyle etc. If it comes to flats, I get the impression many posters here regard D'Addario Chromes as the average, basic, reliable quality, decent sounding, mid-priced flatwound string. However, many players feel they need something more specific to get the sound/feel/lifespan they require.
You say you liked Thomastic, a very high quality string. Personally I think the Swing series f/wounds are excellent sounding, but they are low tension, which doesn't work for me, and I didn't think they retained their new sound for very long.
The Rotosound Top Tape is an interesting product. AFAIK they're the only Monel wound string on the market ( I could be wrong), average tension, but a unique sound. Very dark sounding, with a shortish sustain, but a very comfortable feel to the fingertips. Very affordable for f/wounds. I'd probably suggest these are suitable for electric , plectrum style only.
Galli Jazz F/wounds are very good. They're a bright, high tension string. Again, very smooth wound, but the tension may not be to everybody's preference. They're not cheap but for me they're the longest lasting string I've ever encountered. I'm one of these guys that likes new strings, but after a year with these I still can't justify changing them because they're still playing perfectly.(And I have several more sets of these waiting to be put on).
So that's why I can't comment on any other brands.
All the best,
Puby.
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I tried Have you tried Cleartones? They're the only coated strings I'd use. And the company is owned by the Everly Brothers. Originally Posted by Gabe
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Yes +1 for the Rotosound, if you're the kind of person who likes D'Addario Chromes after they've worn in and are going dull then the Roto Top Tape strings are ready to go out of the packet!
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I use D'Addario flats 12-52 but you guys going on about Thomastik Jazz Swings aroused my curiosity, I've ordered some 13-53's £11.21/$18.6286 a set.
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Dan, Originally Posted by Foulds Jazz Guitars
Enjoyed your playing last night at Trefor's Guitar Club, you both played some very nice melodic music and the club members really appreciated it.
Have fun.
Guy
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You were right, but last year Martin re-introduced Monel strings as the Tony Rice signature set, in though only in 13's. This year they added "Retro" strings, which are the same Monel in 11's and 12's. Originally Posted by pubylakeg
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Wow, I'd never heard of the Martins. Presumably these are roundwounds. Would that mean these would be similar to the type of string that electric players of the 30's & 40's (pre flats) would have used ?
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Monel is tradename for a specific nickel-based alloy. So, I'm guessing the current monel isn't drastically different than the monel of the 30's-70's. Martin and Gibson both made them until the 70's. Based on my research, I think most non-gut string guitars of the 30's had them, but by the mid-to-late 30's more acoustic players were switching to bronze (first shown in the martin catalog of 1935, and the gibson catalog of 1937) for more volume. It wasn't until 42 that you see any differentiation between "acoustic" and "electric" strings, which was at first simply alternative gauges to remedy the high B string problem, and then by 1944 you see references to specific alloy differences for electric.
Having tried out the Tony Rice strings on my '39 ES-150, I found them louder acoustically than the D'Addario Pure Nickel's I've been using. However, the G string is pretty low in volume, especially jumping to the B. I should say, I'm using 13's, with a 14 swapped out on top. I would've put and 18 on the B, but the B is plenty loud already.
Because the Tony Rice set comes with a 16 for B instead of 17, I just left the D'addario E and B on. I have noticed that on both the Martin SP 80/20's I use on my acoustic archtops, and the Martin Monel strings, the plain E and B state that have "bronzed" or "tin-coated" which I guess is to make them blend more with the wound strings. I haven't checked to see if the E and B that come in the set make much difference electro-magnetically.
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Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7
i will sign off on those, too. though i use the john pearse slack key sets, they are the best acoustic strings i've used. they bring the power and the rock and all that sort of thing. the newtones i like too- they are a sort of flat wound string; they still make plenty of finger noise, but they are nice. neither/nor, but not in a bad way. not too affordable, but they do last. Originally Posted by mangotango
i've very much liked the ti stings when i've had them, my issue with them is cost. not that they aren't worth it (they totally are), its just a large investment to experiment and try out different sets. and since the gauges are lighter than i'm used to, its a little worrying, though with the tension and all, they don't feel all that different. pricey leap of faith. they'll sound great and they'll last, but i wish i knew which sets will feel like what i'm used to.
tried a couple of sets of rotosounds here and there- they're fine. no worse than anything out there. possibly better than some things. i was content with them. they come with an extra high string, which is handy. my world wasn't rocked, but i wouldn't kick them out of bed for eating crackers, if that makes any sense. that was my experience with round wounds on solid bodies; the purple set, i think. i'm not the pickiest with strings. if there is enough tension and they last, i'll probably be fine.
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Hi mangotango, Originally Posted by mangotango
if you want to send them to me I am willing to accept them. I tried them once and sort of liked them (maybe not like the D'Addario).
I'll pay the postage.
By the way it seems I am the only one who likes Gibson strings (Brite Wires) that I put on my 175.
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