The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    So in my mind guitar strings are not NASA launching the space shuttle. Nothing complicated although very important as the life of the guitar to some extent. That said how many truly independent string manufactures really exist? I know some big names simply contract string manufacturers to build them custom sets and others I assume buy and rebrand the name on some deal. I know D'addario and GHS and Thomastik make there own strings in house but the rest I am not sure. Does anyone know it would be helpful to know when picking out strings.

    In fact buying string in bulk which I do, I believe I am getting strings from D'adarrio plant but not sure they won't release the name. I respect that but at the same time it is the same strings for a lot less money. Some things generic are good and others not so good what about strings?

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  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    Some things generic are good and others not so good what about strings?
    If you like 'em, they're good.

  4. #3

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    strings are very complicated!!! just a slight difference in the size of an inner core can totally change tension and feel..is it round or hex core?...flatwound, half round, burnished, groundwound or roundwound? what kind of wrap?? materials...from 80/20 bronze to gold...pure nickel to cobalt..alloy 52 to monel,etc etc


    thomastik, maxima, pyramid, ghs, labella, d'addario, dunlop, ernie ball, newtone, rotosound all make their own strings

    d'addario is probably the biggest oem maker of other brands...they make fender strings..which is huge...as fmic uses them on all their guitars..as do many other guitar manufacturers use d'addarios as standard

    cheers

  5. #4

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    MAPES Strings of Tennessee used to have a webpage where they would list all the labels they oem-ed for. No surprise that page was taken down. I recall seeing some big names that surprised me.

  6. #5

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    Soap box tangent.... Too much plastic wrapping

    Why do many string sets come in boxes then the set put in a plastic bag with each individual string them in a plastic bag? Sad.

    Can’t string just be placed in a box and/or in a paper (recyclable sleeve) like a few companies use the package strings?

    — end soapbox about responsible packaging...

  7. #6

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    todays string packaging is all about being anti corrosion based ...nobody wants to open a pack of strings and find rusty strings...a few years ago many string companies used chemically treated envelopes that were touted as being corrosion proof..well it turned out they added to the problem!..sent the string companies scurrying for new packaging

    corrosion is a string companys worst nightmare

    cheers

  8. #7

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    labella and pyramid will actually custom wind strings on an individual basis! can't beat that!

    cheers

  9. #8

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    D'Addario uses plastic to prevent corrosion, but all the strings are in one package. I haven't seen any string sets packed in individual packages, but I haven't seen nearly all the available strings. I agree that one is enough.

  10. #9

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    Anyone know who makes John Pearse strings? They're my current favorite for a couple of my guitars.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    D'Addario uses plastic to prevent corrosion, but all the strings are in one package. I haven't seen any string sets packed in individual packages, but I haven't seen nearly all the available strings. I agree that one is enough.
    I have a recent pack of GHS 900 strings where the individual string plastic packaging is working for me, as I had to take one string out of the pack to replace a broken string. I had really stressed one string while trying to lubricate a tuner.

    I suspect that when you a buy a package of strings, we can't assume all strings were manufactured on the same day. I would think the individual packing gives the manufacturer more flexibility when it comes to making the strings and then later putting them into string sets. This set actually has dates on each string package. Although they were all made in the same month, some were made weeks apart.
    Last edited by DanielleOM; 01-25-2020 at 12:12 PM.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    MAPES Strings of Tennessee used to have a webpage where they would list all the labels they oem-ed for. No surprise that page was taken down. I recall seeing some big names that surprised me.
    Jabber, you might be talking about this page, courtesy of Archive.org:
    specialty wire

    They say (said), or to be more accurate, implied, that they supplied "specialty wire" to these 14 brands of guitar strings, so it's possible some of these brands still wound their own using Mapes wire, or they simply cut unwound Mapes wire to length and added their own ball end, or Mapes did 100% of the manufacturing, or...?

    It's interesting, if you want to get into the guitar string business, just fill out this form:
    Mapes Wire | Guitar WireGuitar Wire - Mapes Wire Their website says, "We can do OEM guitar strings for guitar makers and luthiers, and private label sets for companies or individuals."

    I'm going to respectfully disagree with Deacon, and agree with Neatomic, that strings are probably very complicated. There's tension, tone, feel, variations in size for your product offering, metallurgy, alloys, tensile strength, elasticity, elongation, and so on.

    -Jon

  13. #12

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    The Rotosound factory, Unit 3B, Morewood Close, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2HU:


  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by jonh
    There's tension, tone, feel, variations in size for your product offering, metallurgy, alloys, tensile strength, elasticity, elongation, and so on.
    That's why I always prefer D'Addario strings because I always know what's in the package.