Best acoustic strings?

> > > Best acoustic strings?

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Member Since: Feb 17, 2004

I have been using chronogenically frozen strings (medium) by Dean Markley on my acoustic/electric for quite some time. Beleive it or not, dispite they're awesome quality, I am not getting the tone and sound that I want. If you guys have any ideas or brands that I should check out, that'd be great. Also, please let me know of some strings that are very good for live performance as well as home recording. Overall, please tell me a brand that is an all around good string. Thanks a lot.

-Chris

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Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Feb 17, 2004 02:34 pm

chrono = time
cryo = cold
gene = to make or to come from

i like the sound of phosphor-bronze strings but they rust too quickly unless you play everyday. I used to get Martin .013 - .056 bronze but now i usually just get some cheap D'Addario nickels. Not sure what's on there now. I don't play the ol' acoustic too much anymore. Maybe it's time I break it out :O)

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Feb 17, 2004 02:36 pm

I prefer 80/20 phosphor/bronze for acoustic. Of course, that's about all I've ever used...be it Ernie Ball Earthwoods or D'Addario. They're bright, and they stay that way for a while.

Also, I prefer heavier strings (usually .012) because they tend to be louder and project better than lighter strings. The trouble with heavier strings is that most guitars come from the factory set up for light gauge strings, and putting heavier strings on them usually requires some action, truss rod, and intonation setup, which can be a bear on an acoustic.

And I've mentioned this a couple of times, but I like to use a medium thickness, sharp-pointed pick for a brighter, crisper attack.

Member
Since: Feb 17, 2004

Feb 17, 2004 02:50 pm

Thanks a lot guys, I will definately check those out

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003

Feb 17, 2004 05:33 pm

For my electric I prefer D'Addario's nickel, my Acoustic 12 string I prefer the bronze, either Markley's or Ernie Ball. I use 10's for both the electric and Acoustic.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Feb 18, 2004 02:07 pm

if you want thr brightest strings in the world, search out and buy BRASS strings. i had a set once and they blew my mind. i can't find them anymore.


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 18, 2004 09:48 pm

D'Addario Phosphor/Bronze as well. They seem to last the longest staying bright. Forty, these are as close to the brass strings, I have tried them as well. Very hard to find now. I have tried some custom wound strings as well and just couldnt justify the extra money.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Feb 18, 2004 10:24 pm

i wonder what happened to brass strings. those made playing the acoustic fun again. i'll try these phosphor/bronze and see if they're similar. thanks for the tip.

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 07:22 am

what the hell are chryogenically frozen strings? never heard of them...

isnt that when they freeze you and bring you back to life?

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 07:25 am

yes, it is flame. It freezes them like with nitroglyceran (sp?) it changes the atomic structure of the object making them very hard, very bright and very strong. In theory. It's got to be a fad with bass strings a while back.

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 07:33 am

hmmm. i bet they cost about double as well...

might try a set though cos my gibson jumbo's well overdue some new ones...


Freeleance Producer/Engineer/Gtr
Member
Since: Aug 11, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 11:39 am

i use Elixir strings on all my guitars and love'em.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 11:56 am

I've heard lots of raves about elixirs. dont they have some sort of coating on them so that they resist corrosion/going dead? do they feel different when you play them?

sloppy dice, drinks twice
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 12:12 pm

I don't actually have a steel-string acoustic... I just have a classical guitar. I can't really say I have a favorite brand.
For my electric, though, that's a different story... I've used the Blue Steels .10 for years and love the sound I get out of them. I've also tried D'addario, which were good, the Ernie Balls, which were great. Also another brand *like* D'addario... had a "D'" at the beginning and a slightly longer name... they were average.

sloppy dice, drinks twice
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 12:20 pm

Oh... it was D'Angelico (sp)

Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 01:05 pm

not nitroglycerine (sp?) but liquid nitrogen. (big difference hehe). nitroglycerine is what they give heart attack patients and is also the main ingredient in dynomite. cryogenesis lines up all the electrons by cooling the atoms to absolute zero (about -457 F, no molecular movement). While vibrations and therefor sound are entirely dependant on the electromagnetic force somehow it seems like a waste of time and $ to me. I can't hear a differece at all.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 01:13 pm

yeah, thats the stuff, I knew I was wrong when I wrote it, but it was not coming to me. In the machine shop I used to work in (I was a machinist for about 8 years) we used to use liquid nitrogen to freeze-harden metal pieces for machinery we had built quite often.

I heard a big difference when I tried them on my bass, but I didn't like the difference, they were way to bright for bass.

Yeah, Nitroglycyrin (sp?) is the stuff they mention often in my copy of "The Anarchists Cookbook"

Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 01:18 pm

yeah but getting ahold of the nitric acid is the tough part ;O)

Freeleance Producer/Engineer/Gtr
Member
Since: Aug 11, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 01:45 pm

tadpui, yeah they have this coating on them that fills the wounds so they feel smoother and they last for quite a while.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 04:45 pm

actually, liquid nitrogen will only take you down to 77 degrees kelvin, or -321 fahrenheit, not absolute zero. that's never been acheived by us.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 08:30 pm

Point on the Elixers. I tired them and found them to not sustain as well becasue of the coating I would assume. I did like the feel, but again, they just were not as bright as I like on an electric. And on my bass they were hidious. But everybody like a differant tone, so they might be worth it. I have heard they last a bit longer then most though.

Another good string is made by DR, but they are more of a blues type string. They had amazing sustain and very good playability. They taek forever to break in though so if ya try them be prepared for a few days of stretching an such. I found playing for an hour and using heavy whammy bar helped a bit.

sloppy dice, drinks twice
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 08:37 pm

I don't know if freezing the strings was what gave them the sound I liked, I just know that for my guitar, I liked the nice, bright, loud and clear tone I got out of the Blue Steels. I'm pretty skeptical of marketing gimmickry. I just liked the sound. I tried Blue Steels for my bass too, db, and also thought they were too bright. And I remember thinking, I'm not hearing tone, I'm hearing string buzzing - you know what I mean? Too metallic and bright. Kind hummy. I dunno... It was quite a while back...

Come to think of it, my old beater bass could probably really use a new set of strings - anybody have any bass string recommendations? I've only gone through three sets in all the time I've had the poor thing... and I've had it about 12 years now

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 19, 2004 08:43 pm

I use Ernie Ball's on any electric stringed instrument I have...

sloppy dice, drinks twice
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 08:47 pm

oh, fyi, the bass is a solid body electric peavey fury

ernie ball makes a nice guitar string, i'll give them that...

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003

Feb 19, 2004 09:28 pm

For my bass I like the Earnie Ball Super Slinky's. Wanna talk about beater of a bass guitar mine's been kicking around with me since 1965 and it's never had a case <G>

Dan

Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Feb 20, 2004 03:28 am

forty, what do they use on superconductor's? helium?

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002

Feb 20, 2004 10:21 am

I use D'addario 80/20 phospher bronze .13's on acoustic.

on electric, D'addario .11s with the wound G (tunes better, and the unwound G in the regular .11's packs feels too light and loose).

On Bass, ive had this bass for 3 years, never changed the strings, i just give em a good cleaning every time they start getting black, i like the sound of dead strings on bass, and am too cheap and lazy to buy a new set.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Feb 20, 2004 12:27 pm

i think it depends on a lot of things. i think you can use liquid n2 sometimes. cold is cold, eh?

Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Feb 20, 2004 04:29 pm

tooo cold for me

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