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Post by Soxfan63 on May 10, 2005 11:12:42 GMT -5
I've found a definite lack of product reviews online for strings. Like anything else, I'm sure there are great strings and crappy ones. I'd like to hear what you more experienced players think about string brands.
It's time to re-string my Ovation and my LP.....all I've ever put on my Ovation are Elixers, and that's basically only because that's what the previous owner had it strung with. The LP still has the stock strings...whatever they are.
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Post by CAFeathers on May 10, 2005 12:05:32 GMT -5
I use a combo set of Dean Markley Flatwound Electrics and Dean Markley Blue Steel Electric Strings on all my guitars.
I love the feel and tone of the Flatwounds, however the plain strings that come in those sets feel and sound too brittle for me, so I use the plain strings from the Blue Steel sets.
On my Acoustics I use the same combo. The tone is great and there is none of that annoying string squeal like you get with regular acoustic strings.
And by making up my own sets I can have a set of 8's, 9's or 10's on any guitar, as the Flatwounds only come in 11's, 12's, and 13's.
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Post by ZacAttack on May 10, 2005 16:49:49 GMT -5
Just my 2 cents. I don't own an acoustic guitar so I have no info for ya there. But for my electric guitars I have found the Dean Markley Blue Steel Cryogenic regulars suit my playing style the best. My second pick is Ernie Ball regular slinky. My dad taught/raised me to be a guitar player and swears by Ernie Ball Slinky as do I. But the Dean Markley strings seem to suit my Gibson and Epis just a bit better. (Dad plays a Strat and a Gretsch) Another good thing I like about both brands is that you can find a gauge match between them at almost any gauge, I think Ernie has a heavy top light bottom gauge that doesn't match with the Deans but for the most part they match up well. Also IMHO there is little difference between the brands. There is a difference in wound but it is slight, therefore if you pop a Dean and only have an Ernie to replace it with, its no problem. Lately the choice between which brand to buy has come down to which brand is on sale when I go to GC.
Z
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Post by Ol Geezer on May 10, 2005 20:34:38 GMT -5
It's time to re-string my Ovation and my LP..... Ovation acoustic/electrics are currently being shipped with D'Addarrio coated phosphor bronze EXP 16 (light gauge -- 12 to 53) strings that sound great. I used to like some called Studio Bronze that I can't find anymore (that was in the 70s). Composition of strings makes a big sound difference on Ovations. |
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Post by Soxfan63 on May 11, 2005 10:23:39 GMT -5
Composition of strings makes a big sound difference on Ovations. Mine's a shallow bowl Custom Balladeer....I assume with the shallow bowl it would make an even bigger difference. What should I look for as far as compostion? |
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Post by CAFeathers on May 11, 2005 10:59:53 GMT -5
I use my Dean Markley Flatwound/Bluesteel string combination on my mid bowl Ovation Celebrity Deluxe as well as my shallow bowl Agile Ovation Copy with excellent results.
I went to lighter guage strings (10's on the Ovation, 9's on the Agile) and lowered the action. I still get the rich full tone I like with Acoustic guitars.
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Post by Ol Geezer on May 11, 2005 11:22:18 GMT -5
Mine's a shallow bowl Custom Balladeer....I assume with the shallow bowl it would make an even bigger difference. What should I look for as far as compostion? I have a shallow-bowl acoustic Artist made in 1976 and a current super-shallow acoustic/electric Celebrity Deluxe; it seems to me the Artist projects more of the sound of the strings whereas the Celebrity acts more like a hollow-body electric and depends on preamp and amp adjustments for its tonality. I'm not up on all the current string specs, but I see 80/20, 85/15, and 92/8 copper/zinc composition alloys with phosphor bronze windings, and from what I'm reading online 80/20 strings tend to be on the mellow side. I'm more confused now than ever! What I wanted to remind you was that different types of strings sound even more different from one another on an Ovation, and you need to seek out the type of sound you want. I like hearing Chet's advice, since he does a lot of string changing and experimentation, though I've stayed away from stainless steel. As a note, Ovation does recommend staying with light gauge (12 to 53), for optimum projection. |
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Post by Soxfan63 on May 11, 2005 11:23:55 GMT -5
I used to use Elixer Poly's which I kind of liked...especially the lack of string squeek when sliding, and they do seem to hold thier tone for quite a while. The last change I went with the Elixer Nano's and frankly am not very impressed....they just seem dull and lifeless.
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Post by Ol Geezer on May 11, 2005 11:44:28 GMT -5
I used to use Elixer Poly's which I kind of liked...especially the lack of string squeek when sliding, and they do seem to hold thier tone for quite a while. The last change I went with the Elixer Nano's and frankly am not very impressed....they just seem dull and lifeless. Sounds like you already found a winner in the Polys, unless you're looking for something brighter. Just remember that Ovations won't have that deep woody sound like, say, a Martin -- they're designed to be flat across the audio spectrum and may not sound as good to a naked ear in a room or "around a campfire" but when you put a mic on 'em they become incredible (and without having to roll-off all that bass!). |
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Post by CAFeathers on May 11, 2005 11:44:46 GMT -5
I have tried the Elixer's and they were on my guitar a whole 5 minutes, they really suck.
I have also tried GHS, D'Addario's, Martin's, Gibson's, Fender's and God only knows how many other brands and I keep returning to the Dean Markley strings.
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Post by ZacAttack on May 12, 2005 17:33:07 GMT -5
I have tried the Elixer's and they were on my guitar a whole 5 minutes, they really suck. I have also tried GHS, D'Addario's, Martin's, Gibson's, Fender's and God only knows how many other brands and I keep returning to the Dean Markley strings. DEAN MARKLEY STRINGS RULE!!!!! ;D  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by NattyBumppo on May 12, 2005 19:29:17 GMT -5
I have to give Dean Markley strings a try next time around. I've heard and read so many good things about them.
I don't fit into the classification of the more experienced players here so take what I say with little more than a grain of salt (and a shot of tequilla while you're at it ;D ).
In the past (mostly the way past) I've used D'Addario, Gibson, GHS, Darco and Ernie Ball and out of those I've mostly stuck with the Ernie Ball Slinky with the occasional Super Slinky snuck in from time to time. The EBs seem to last at least as long as the others and longer than at least one. If I recall, the Darco Funkys were the worst in the longevity department. I also like the sound of the EBs. It's hard to describe but they seem clearer than the others with my second choice being the GHS Boomers. Lastly, I'm not sure why this is but for some reason I'm able to get funky sounding harmonic overtones easier with the EBs than with the others. I have no idea why that is but I confirmed this again having recently replaced a set of Gibson strings with Slinkys. Maybe Chet or someone else can offer some possibilities why this could be?
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;D