So You Need Some Guitar Strings?
Okay so I've been told that most guitar strings are the same and come from the same place, then are packaged and labeled differently. I've personally BEEN to the Ernie Ball Guitar String factory in the desert in Indio, CA and saw them making strings, etc. It seemed pretty legit to me. As for which types? i've used Dean Merkley, D'addario, DM, Elixir and Mainly Ernie Ball since about 2000 because of our endorsements obtained after our MuchMusic (canada's MTV / VH1) sponsored video for THERMOclinE's 'Vacant Lot' which aired nationally back in tha day. I think its really a matter of personal preference. I basically use the Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys all the time, I used to use Hybrid Slinky (.9's up top, regular on the bottom three strings - .46, .36, .26) but because of the mainly Eb tuned songs in my musical repertoire and catalogue I've switched to .10's (regulars - .46, .36, .26, .17, .13, .10) So lets really look at the differences here: 1) I think the main reason for buying certain brands would be something to do with the different guages they offer you. For example: I really liked the hybrid slinky's by Ernie Ball that were much similar to the custom guages Eddie Van Halen was using and promoting. Having that 'hybrid' light on top for easy soloing and heavier at the bottom for the chug guitaring was perfect. - Again my use of Eb tunings and some Drop D in 1/2 down tunings already caused me to switch to a regular guage. 2) so really aside from getting the different variations..... most of the strings perform quite similar, you may find that some break more often, if so, BUY A DIFFERENT KIND!. I'm so in tune with how and when my strings break that I pretty much NEVER break a string on stage unless it is put on wrong to begin with - which never happens now. The KEY to not breaking strings live is as follows: a) CHANGE your strings in following frequency: EITHER every 8 songs (if switching between lots of guitars... keep track of how many songs you have played) OR before every show, but be sure to stretch them out good before performing. b) Make SURE you change your strings before every show or after 8 songs. c) Again, CHANGE THEM, so buy in BULK silly, or try to score artist pricing - you can do this if you are playing nationally and have music to promote and generally are not a douchebag. Most of the companies want people out there playing their gear. For Example: the nice folks over at Digital Music Corporation who make the KICK ASS GCX Audio Switcher - which EVERYONE uses for custom racks - repaired my GCX for FREE although I had never been on their artist roster. Elixir Strings: these are COATED, so they are MUCH different and kinda weird slippery than normal strings. They cost quite a bit more and some people love them. I don't personally, I did try to get sponsored by them, mainly (this is silly) because I had a pet cat named Elixir. They (Gore - the people who make Gore-tek and can sell strings for a lot cause they don't care) basically didn't sponsor anyone that wasn't massively attacking the airwaves...too big for the smaller 'emerging artist as it seems'. But thanks to ErnieBall i have John Petrucci guitars (like the gold one Lyndsey Jolley's holding on the front 'Cover' of Guitar Technician. Enough, here are All types of guitar strings and Links to purchase them directly online, saving you or all of your friends and bandmates and people you buy gifts (these make great gifts, just find out what strings your guitar friends use) for. Link here please and use the word Guitar Strings to help us be able to put more cash back into the site (more traffic=more we can spend on new features here, such as giveaways and free guest blogs posts). - NOTE: if you are interesting in writing for GuitarTechnician.com please contact us via THIS FORM and let us know if you will right for free, for the love of it, for a fee (if so how much) or for simply some exposure of your businesses of sorts. STRINGS: Direct Purchase Links
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