whats up guys!

i just picked up two packs of strings: ernie ball regular slinky custom gauge .010's and d'addario XL super light gauge .009's.

my rewired ibanez sa-160 with a V8 humbucker is ready for some new strings. it's my daily axe and i'm wondering which ones i should throw on her. i'm pretty much working on scale position shifting and speed picking at the moment.

obviously one is a slightly lighter gauge than the other but i'd like some input if you guys have any. everybody's got their preference and i'd like to know yours.


thanks guys

nate

Lighter gauge = less tone ...

I used to be a hybrid slinky kinda guy (9-11-16...)- I thought it was easier to play lighter strings. Then I got my Variax, whcih came with Regular Slinky's (10-13-17). Initially it was a little wierd, but now I like it a whole lot better. Heavier strings are harder to bend but more resistance gives you better control IMO, and they sound better.

Having said that, I'm not a shredder (yet!) so the speed demons among us might have a different perspective.

how come gibson strings loose their tone in about 3 days (extra light)! Whenever I get d'addario they last for about 1 week (also extra light) so I agree with him. What strings can I get that will have a long lasting tone and not sound muffled so quickly. Thanks.

wait, you're supposed to change the strings?!?!?!

thanks for the advice guys... beebo - i've played ernie balls before and i definitely feel that the tone is longer lasting than others i've tried so i'll definitely throw them on. i'll probably end up putting the d'addario's on my telecaster because i don't play that nearly as much and it also needs some new strings!

i wanna hear what others have on their guitars... andrew, are you still playing on slinky's?

nate

Its marketing hype from the string manufacturers ...



Yes, I've used them exclusively for many years - I like the way they stay in tune as soon as you put them on, and if it ain't broke don't fix it. The only change I have made recently is to go to the regulars.

I play on D'Addario XL 120 (009-042). This gauge seems the best for me. But it all depends on you - you must try both gauges and then decide what's better.

so whats the diiference between ernies and D'Addarios?

honestly there really isn't that much difference between the strings themselves other than what gauge you want... d'addario goes out of their way to give you recyclable packaging with their anti corrosive plastic back that they come in (very clever i must say). where as ernie balls have got to be one of the most popular type of string on the market right now with all of the different artists that use them. there are plenty more string manufacturers out there. some have special types of coatings on the strings to make them last longer and also keep it free of corrosion. corrosion can lead to rusting and tonal degradation.

personally i've played on ernie balls for a long time and i like them... they can usually keep their tone really well, but personal preference prevails in choosing the strings you like. some guitar players don't really care what they play as long as they are a specific gauge. it's all up to you man!

nate

Agree - I have stuck with EBs because they do the job, not out of any fanatical loyalty - they have't let me down so I have no reason to change, laziness and habit really

I used to use DR strings but now I use Ernie Balls.

I'd say put the Ernie Ball strings on, but hey : They're just strings right?

I use Ernie Ball. If you buy it and you look on the back of the package you could see all of the amazing pro guitarists that use them.