[ARCHIVED THREAD] - guitar strings (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 10/29/2016 11:07:27 AM EDT
| popped a string on my new to me LP yesterday. I know absolutely zero about guitar strings. School me GD. |
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Quoted: 10-46, buy a few different brands and see which ones feel the best to you and last the longest. Like everything guitar oriented it will be an individual thing, I run Dean Markley Blue Steels on all my guitars. I prefer heavier strings on my TC90, but it is all about your personal taste. |
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It probably shipped with 10s. That's the size of the thinnest string. Look at the Guitar Center or Amazon Website. You'll see strings sets with 9,10, 11, 12etc. I'd stick with the 10s.
Find a youtube video on how to change them. It's rather easy. Only a fool would pay someone to do it, unless the guitar needs a setup (intonation, etc..) Be careful not to scratch the finish on the guitar. As far as string brands... everyone has their favorite. Just don't get them from ToysRus. Buy extra sets. You'll probably want to change them every now and then depending on how often you play. New strings sound better. New strings will also stretch when first put on. Tuning may need to be done a little more often. God help you if you have a Floyd Rose and this is your first time. |
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It really depends on what kind of music you're playing. I'm guessing, you've just started playing guitar, in which case I'd suggest a brand of string that is easy for you to find and in the same gauge as what's on your guitar right now.
It's probably a .009 -.046 set of strings. |
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If you have a nice guitar, change them frequently. The material of a new string is a softer metal than the frets and should not wear them much. If the string oxidizes, the oxide of the softer metal becomes harder than the fret metal and will wear it like sandpaper. |
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Quoted:
If you have a nice guitar, change them frequently. The material of a new string is a softer metal than the frets and should not wear them much. If the string oxidizes, the oxide of the softer metal becomes harder than the fret metal and will wear it like sandpaper. Stainless frets laugh at your oxidation! 
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Quoted:
Join a guitar forum. Really. You'll get more info. I've been playing and working on guitars for 30yrs, and believe me, most of those forums are either full of kids that have no clue what the fuck they're talking about, or you've got old guys that like to spend money on shit, to make it look like they know what the fuck they're talking about. Changing strings on a Les Paul is not brain surgery, stick to same gauge it came with and you won't need to worry about intonation, nut slots, action or pickup height. I think we can handle this conversation just fine over here with us GD retards 
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Quoted:
I've been playing and working on guitars for 30yrs, and believe me, most of those forums are either full of kids that have no clue what the fuck they're talking about, or you've got old guys that like to spend money on shit, to make it look like they know what the fuck they're talking about. Changing strings on a Les Paul is not brain surgery, stick to same gauge it came with and you won't need to worry about intonation, nut slots, action or pickup height. I think we can handle this conversation just fine over here with us GD retards Quoted:
Quoted:
Join a guitar forum. Really. You'll get more info. I've been playing and working on guitars for 30yrs, and believe me, most of those forums are either full of kids that have no clue what the fuck they're talking about, or you've got old guys that like to spend money on shit, to make it look like they know what the fuck they're talking about. Changing strings on a Les Paul is not brain surgery, stick to same gauge it came with and you won't need to worry about intonation, nut slots, action or pickup height. I think we can handle this conversation just fine over here with us GD retards Yep. There are a bunch of players, here. Most everything has been covered but I have a couple points. It does take a little experience to figure how much slack to start with in the string. The smaller strings should have a smidge more. I like to start with about 4 inches (string can be held 4 inches off the neck in the middle), kink the string on the tuning peg and start winding. Get yourself a key winder. Make sure the string winds from the hole, toward the head stock and ends up coming off the base of the tuning peg. Otherwise it puts unnecessary torque on the tuner. Give them a good stretching once you have them all on and somewhat tight, before attempting to tune. It will save some of the retuning as they stretch in. Wipe your strings down with string cleaner of your choice each time you finish playing. It will make them last longer by removing the acids and salts from your fingers. I use a silicone based one that I also spray on before playing. Makes slides easier. |
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So whats the significance of the gauge, and things like nickle plating, pure nickle, steel, round wound/flat wound, coatings?
Can I replace the one broken string or do they all need to be replaced? I'm assuming since I cant be sure what they are I should replace them all. |
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Quoted:
So whats the significance of the gauge, and things like nickle plating, pure nickle, steel, round wound/flat wound, coatings? Can I replace the one broken string or do they all need to be replaced? I'm assuming since I cant be sure what they are I should replace them all. String gauge is mostly personal preference but when you find a string gauge you like stick with it as changing it will also change your intonation and you will have to make adjustments when switching string gauges. And yes, always replace the whole set when you break a string or else you will have one string that sounds lively while the rest still sound dull/old. |
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Lighter gauges are easier to bend and get harmonics off of. so I like 9s.
Some pros like the tone of heavier gauges too, so there is no right answer. Try a set of 9's, then 10's, then 11's. You can replace strings one at a time. Mostly the thinner non-wound strings will break, so a lot of people buy a number of the first and second string mostly. I replace mine one at a time only when they break. Some people like to periodically replace all strings. So again, there is no right answer. |
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Quoted:
So whats the significance of the gauge, and things like nickle plating, pure nickle, steel, round wound/flat wound, coatings? Can I replace the one broken string or do they all need to be replaced? I'm assuming since I cant be sure what they are I should replace them all. Lighter gages are easier to bend but go dead faster. Heavier gages can sustain longer depending on the material. Different materials can sound different depending on the pickups. They can really sound different on a flat top. Flat wound feel smoother and you don't get that "zzzzzzzt" sound when you slide as much. I don't care for them, though. Never had great luck with coatings. I hate fuzzy strings. If the rest of the strings are fairly new (like 2-3 weeks) you can get away with replacing one. But, as another poster said, as the rest of the strings get dead, that new one will sound funny. If you play a lot (more than an hour a day, or so) you'll probably be replacing strings every month or two, anyway. (if you care about the bright sound. If you don't, you can play til the break.  ) This is probably more true for a flat top than electric. I play much more acoustic than electric.
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| And this is why you need multiple guitars. One set up with 9s, one with 10s, another with 10s for drop d, one with 12s for c tuning, and another for b tuning so you can play all that Amon Amarth stuff. Through in a couple of acoustics and you'll be off to a good start. |
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Quoted:
Lighter gages are easier to bend but go dead faster. Heavier gages can sustain longer depending on the material. Different materials can sound different depending on the pickups. They can really sound different on a flat top. Flat wound feel smoother and you don't get that "zzzzzzzt" sound when you slide as much. I don't care for them, though. Never had great luck with coatings. I hate fuzzy strings. If the rest of the strings are fairly new (like 2-3 weeks) you can get away with replacing one. But, as another poster said, as the rest of the strings get dead, that new one will sound funny. If you play a lot (more than an hour a day, or so) you'll probably be replacing strings every month or two, anyway. (if you care about the bright sound. If you don't, you can play til the break. ) This is probably more true for a flat top than electric. I play much more acoustic than electric.Quoted:
Quoted:
So whats the significance of the gauge, and things like nickle plating, pure nickle, steel, round wound/flat wound, coatings? Can I replace the one broken string or do they all need to be replaced? I'm assuming since I cant be sure what they are I should replace them all. Lighter gages are easier to bend but go dead faster. Heavier gages can sustain longer depending on the material. Different materials can sound different depending on the pickups. They can really sound different on a flat top. Flat wound feel smoother and you don't get that "zzzzzzzt" sound when you slide as much. I don't care for them, though. Never had great luck with coatings. I hate fuzzy strings. If the rest of the strings are fairly new (like 2-3 weeks) you can get away with replacing one. But, as another poster said, as the rest of the strings get dead, that new one will sound funny. If you play a lot (more than an hour a day, or so) you'll probably be replacing strings every month or two, anyway. (if you care about the bright sound. If you don't, you can play til the break. ) This is probably more true for a flat top than electric. I play much more acoustic than electric.Thanks! Trying to keep a warm thick tone on it. Seems nickle or nickle plated steel might work according to what I'm reading online. |
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Try Curt Mangan strings.
Pure nickle Great strings http://www.curtmangan.com |