Wanted to add I have a bit of a death-grip on my barre chords which tends to push a string or two a smidge out of tune. That is what got me thinking about it in the first place.
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
String Gauges Poll
• New Topic
Joined: Aug 25, 2014 Posts: 36 Sunshine State 
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Posted on Aug 30 2014 04:29 PM
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Joined: Oct 13, 2011 Posts: 251 Byron Bay, Australia 
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Posted on Aug 30 2014 04:56 PM
11-52 GHS Boomers on both start & jaguar (once I stopped using light gauge like 9's could never go back to them) —'Surf Music Lasts Forever' |
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Joined: Aug 25, 2014 Posts: 36 Sunshine State
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Posted on Sep 01 2014 12:38 PM
Went ahead and ordered a set of these: Fender 150M Original Pure Nickel Electric Strings - Medium They are 11's I'll give 'em a try! |
Joined: Jan 30, 2007 Posts: 448 50,000 Light-Years Beyond Planet Claire
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Posted on Sep 01 2014 04:00 PM
Pyramid 11 flatwound set... the only way to surf. |
Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan 
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Posted on Sep 01 2014 07:14 PM
Are Pyramids really worth the extra dough? Louie7 wrote: — |
Joined: Dec 26, 2013 Posts: 251 
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Posted on Sep 02 2014 02:26 PM
JObeast wrote:
I'm in the process of finding out: I switched to Pyramid Gold flats 12-52's on the Jazzmaster a couple of weeks ago after playing d'Addario Chromes for years and years, and so far I'm pretty impressed. They stay in tune almost immediately after you put them on, they have -to my ears- a richer, warmer sound and they feel a bit more loose than the Chromes do, almost as if I were playing a lighter gauge string (roundcore vs hexcore I guess ?). Now time will tell if they will keep sounding good longer than the Chromes do. I put a set on my Jag last week as well, but I have a feeling 13-56's would work even better with the 24" scale length. I don't know the retail price for Pyramids in the US, but I paid about 2 Euros (about 2.65$) more for a set than for a set of Chromes. "Duck Tape is like The Force: it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together" https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speedball-JR/151771678181829?fref=ts |
Joined: Aug 02, 2012 Posts: 162 Nashville, TN 
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Posted on Sep 02 2014 08:24 PM
SaschaReynders wrote:
Unfortunately Pyramids are about twice the price of Chromes here in the U.S. I believe that if they were as close in price here as the are in the EU, Chromes would become extinct... Last edited: Sep 02, 2014 20:28:22 |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Sep 02 2014 08:53 PM
Its absurd how expensive Thomastiks have gotten and how much Pyramids have been for sometime. Thomastik makes a really really fine string, both roundwound and flatwound. They are not, worth $25 a string. I use to put a 2-4 news sets on each month when I got them for $14 a pop. I even consider $14 too much these days. If I were to go flatwounds... I couldn't go for chromes so I would probably go Thomastik. |
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Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Sep 02 2014 10:00 PM
Chromes on my Teiaco Swankcaster so far sound no better than the "Brite Flats" I replaced with them after more than a year. So I'm not impressed. Maybe when I get the Surfy Bear reverb up it will make everything golden. — |
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Joined: Dec 26, 2013 Posts: 251
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Posted on Sep 03 2014 12:34 PM
mike_fried wrote:
Ah, I see...over here in Europe it's rather the other way around (made in USA vs made in Germany, import taxes, vat etc...pretty logical actually): I've been checking some US sites and Chromes are usually around 10$ or less but in Europe they Retail for 12 to 13 Euros, which amounts to 16 - 17$... Pyramid Golds set you back between 17 and 20$ around here, so for me it's a no-brainer really. —"Duck Tape is like The Force: it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together" https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speedball-JR/151771678181829?fref=ts |
Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1277 San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Sep 03 2014 01:28 PM
I mentioned these Webstrings.com flats in another thread - I didn't like Chromes and was using D'Aquisto flats until I found these. I'm fairly certain they are unbranded (and cheaper) D'Aquisto strings, they look and feel identical. Plus they're under 8 bucks a set... —Bill S._______ |
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Joined: Jan 30, 2007 Posts: 448 50,000 Light-Years Beyond Planet Claire
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Posted on Sep 05 2014 10:26 PM
Well, to be accurate... I use a Pyramid 12~52 set, but I sub the 12 to an 11 and the second string down to a 15. That let's me bend a little easier in the trebles. Are Pyramids worth the do-re-me ? I think so. Reason? I keep waiting for string changing time, but it never seems to arrive. They just don't go bad. I bought three cartons (10 sets each, so that's 30 sets I guess) to start with. I put a set on my Fender Jaguar, my Squier Jazzmaster and my VM Jaguar. That means I have about 27 sets left. The guitar I gig with is the Squier JM-Jazzmaster, and those Pyramids went on about 18 months ago and except for the 1st and 2nd strings (which I do change because they are plain strings), the 3,4,5 and 6th string Pyramids are for all practical purposes the same as the day I installed them. Now, there is one factor. I'm nutty about clean hands, and I do not have the kind of acids in my skin oil that some guys seem to have that tears up strings fast. So that's probably one reason they have lasted so long, but I don't ever get that kind of longevity with round-wounds. L7 P.s. yes, and let me add that I tried a set of 'chromes' once on a Stratocaster and I hated them. And I put some 'Chrome' bass flatwounds on a Jazzbass and they were way inferior (IMO) to the Fenders. Ok.... Last edited: Sep 06, 2014 01:13:14 |
Joined: Dec 30, 2014 Posts: 13 |
Posted on Jan 06 2015 06:44 PM
Been playing D'Addario Medium Top/X Heavy Bottoms on my strats for quite some time now 11 - 56. Great mix. |
Joined: Feb 17, 2015 Posts: 113 Knoxville, Tennessee
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Posted on Mar 08 2015 09:39 AM
I run .012-.052 Chromes on my Tele. really dig the sound. If I'm playing bass, its Labella Flats, 43-104. —PhantomOperators.bandcamp.com |
Joined: Jun 10, 2015 Posts: 172 Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 12:57 PM
I just put D'Addario NYXL medium 11/49's on my new VM Squier Jag. |
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Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 660 |
Posted on Jun 18 2015 01:33 PM
I've been using GHS 10-46 recently. |
Joined: Jan 09, 2014 Posts: 615 Vancouver BC 
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 03:14 PM
GuitarMuk wrote:
I just had my Strat setup and got it 'tuned-up' for 11-49 (just started to use NYXL like you, GuitarMuk) instead of the 10-46 I used to use. The 11s are a happy medium because I use my Strat for both my standard cover band and the surf band...having 12s on it would be too tough for those bluesy string bends when playing those chilly, outdoor gigs I do with my regular covers band. —Lorne Last edited: Jun 18, 2015 15:21:19 |
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Joined: Sep 23, 2014 Posts: 1402 Memphis, TN
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 03:37 PM
11-50 "DR" pure nickel strings on my Strat, love the way they feel and sound. —MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website. |
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Joined: Jun 10, 2015 Posts: 172 Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 10:25 PM
Surprised at how many are using flatwounds........gotta try 'em! I've always used them on my jazz guitars, but never for rock. Surf rock may be the ticket! |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Jun 18 2015 11:51 PM
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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