If you love DR Strings, you all need to check out GCS strings. They make sets especially for offset guitars. They are really great, they are just balanced very well!
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
String Gauges Poll
• New Topic
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle 
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 11:51 PM
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Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 658 |
Posted on Jun 19 2015 11:02 AM
SixStringSurfer wrote:
@SixStringSufer how has your experience with the DR's been? I used then for a short spam but found they broke too quickly. Possibly a bad run of strings (?) - Do they stay in tune ok and last for a while with out breaking ? |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2015 01:03 PM
DRs are fantastic strings. The low e tends to unravel at like two months, but you shouldn't have roundwounds on your guitar for that long! And you can always solder them. Maybe every four sets this happens to me. They stay in tune as well as any string, strings aren't the issue of going out of tune. It is bad stringing, bad nuts, and wonky bridges that cause tuning issues(not strings, vibratos, or the tuning machines). |
Joined: Sep 23, 2014 Posts: 1351 Memphis, TN 
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Posted on Jun 19 2015 01:44 PM
I love the DR's. They have never broken on me once, and I play a lot of Dick Dale. Great strings, would highly recommend them. —MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. |
Joined: Oct 22, 2014 Posts: 38 Eastern Seaboard
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Posted on Feb 20 2016 10:34 AM
I've become pretty accustomed to .11s. How would one describe the difference between 11s and 12s? From what I can tell I like the thicker gauges. How do 11s stack up to 12s in terms of sound and playability? —https://soundcloud.com/mantisrex |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Feb 20 2016 05:37 PM
Sound, I honestly don't know. Unplugged, they are a little fuller. Thicker strings equals higher action for me so I also get a clearer sound and don't flirt with buzz. With .11s, some buzz is acceptable to me. .12s are a noticeable step up because you are almost always going to find a wound g string on there. Your vibrato will fill different, you'll have less play in the strings(for bending/expression), and they strings won't give as much when you strike them. |
Joined: Jul 14, 2013 Posts: 333 |
Posted on May 30 2016 12:36 AM
ive always used cleartone strings |
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Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 658 |
Posted on May 30 2016 10:19 AM
I go back and forth with DAdarrio Chromes 10-48 - i don't know if NEW they sound much different then standard dadarrio strings (roundwound). I have not coughed up the cash for thomastik - with flats at least the chromes I find I lose the string bounce and even the 10-48 feel pretty stiff to me. Maybe I' try the DR Blues again or a Pure Nickel string OR a diff flatwound brand. FOR years I used GHS Boomers 11-50 and never thought differently until a few years ago, now I switch brands it seems every month. I actually thought the Ernie Ball Pure Nickel had some nice harmonic overtones that were pleasing when I used them. |
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Joined: Apr 01, 2016 Posts: 89 
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Posted on May 30 2016 07:17 PM
I have had the same set of DR flats 11-50 on my Jazzmaster for 4 years!! I play 2 to 3 gigs a week! Yeah, they've got a heavy thud but, I thought that's how they were supposed to sound! |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on May 30 2016 07:27 PM
derekirving wrote:
Keep in mind Chromes are hex core and that is one reason, and being stainless, that they feel so stiff. Your GHS Boomers are a roundcore, something I swear by. Regular D'Addarios are hexcore. For roundwounds you might like GTS strings, DR Pure Blues and for flats Thomastik or Pyramids. Thomastik also makes a fantastic roundwound, but it isn't worth the premium over the GTS or even Pure Blues, for recording it it might be worth the splurge. |
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Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 658 |
Posted on May 30 2016 08:15 PM
@jakedobner thanks for the ideas. Today i switched to dadarrio pure nickel (still hexcore I know) but it's what was at the store. I may go back to GHS but maybe pure nickel. I tried the DR Blues before but I don't know something didn't work for me and they would break pretty fast and some tuning challenges. The pure nickel are not as dark as flat wound, but defiantly way warmer that normal nickel, plus I get some of the round wound string bounce back. I'll keep what you say about Thomastik and Pyramid. |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on May 30 2016 09:27 PM
Tuning issues would be down to the nut or bridge not quite liking the new set. Never known DRs to cause tuning issues. And the only issue they have with breaking is unravelling of the ball end, although rare for me. Once a year maybe. If the string is breaking anywhere else, bridge or nut fault. |
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Joined: Jul 14, 2013 Posts: 333 |
Posted on Jul 02 2016 03:12 AM
Anyone use string joy and what do they think of em |
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 76 Tucson, AZ
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Posted on Aug 09 2016 01:32 PM
Sounds like a 'new' version of Fenders silicon-based "String Ease" spray. |
Joined: Jan 28, 2016 Posts: 37 Omaha, NE.
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Posted on Aug 20 2016 05:53 PM
I'm currently trying a couple of sets of GHS Boomers 11-50. So far so good. Last edited: Aug 20, 2016 21:51:01 |
Joined: Dec 07, 2014 Posts: 1222 
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Posted on Dec 08 2016 08:46 PM
- Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 12:14:23 |
Joined: Dec 31, 2008 Posts: 284 Riverside, CA
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Posted on Dec 09 2016 03:22 PM
Sometime shortly after Christmas 1961 when I received a Strat for Christmas I broke a string, an E or B string, so after school off to the local music store I went. The salesman talked me into buying a complete set, the same set that came with my Strat, Fender Pure Nickle Wrap No. 10 (maybe No. 100) Medium set consisting of 13, 17, 28, 34, 44, 54. To the best of my recollection I don't recall if a lighter set was available then, I just bought what the salesman said came with my guitar I vaguely recall sometime later, maybe the summer of 63, a friend got some Slinkys and because the gauges were smaller, he was teased for using girly strings. The next time I went to the local guitar store to get another replacement for an E or B, or whatever string, the No. 10 set was out of stock, or no longer available, so, I bought a set of Pure Nickle Wrap Black Diamond, 14, 18p, 28W, 34, 45, 56 and have been using them since, although they don't come in set except for Flatwounds, so I have to buy individually. I never change a string unless one breaks and several have been on for many years. I know I am on the minority side of players who never change a string unless one breaks, or refuses to use Flatwounds, but I am old school and don't plan on changing. Give a listen to a record my Showmen recorded and judge for yourself whether changing strings is such a big deal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2IitWk23cI Last edited: Dec 11, 2016 18:39:08 |
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Joined: Sep 23, 2014 Posts: 1351 Memphis, TN
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Posted on Dec 09 2016 04:14 PM
My Strat has .11-.50 DR Pure Blues on it. I had to put an .18 gauge wound G string on it to balance out the sound. My Jag has .12-.52 DR Pure Blues on it, and I actually had to put an .18 gauge wound B string on it to balance out the sound. The B string was way too loud, but the string replacement took care of the issue. —MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. Last edited: Dec 09, 2016 16:15:25 |
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Joined: Dec 07, 2014 Posts: 1222
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Posted on Dec 09 2016 04:26 PM
- Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 12:20:23 |
Joined: Mar 27, 2006 Posts: 197 Newington, CT USA
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Posted on Dec 11 2016 07:48 AM
I'm currently switching my 3 guitars over to GHS DYXL Guitar Boomers...10-46 with a wound G. If I don't like them, it's back to the D'Addarios. I would have liked 9's with a wound G for my Strat, but I don't see that anybody makes them. Sure do miss the Gibson Sonomatics and the L5's. I was also about to replace the original round wound strings on my Gibson SG bass with a set of GHS Stainless Steel Precision Flatwounds, 45-95, but I just looked at the package and it's very confusing. The upper right of the packaging says "short scale light" and the bottom says "long scale plus". |
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