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In connection with bends, there was also a discussion about the strings used in the last challenge.
I’d also be very interested to know, in general, which strings you use, what good or bad experiences you’ve had, how and when to change and care for strings, etc.
Personally, after a long search, I’ve strung all my electric guitars with D’Addario’s uncoated 8-gauge strings.
My reasons for this: they make bending easier, require less effort with high string action, and generally suit my preference for more melodic songs (rather than hard rock, etc.), and put less strain on the guitar neck…
By the way, I once played with an excellent guitarist for a while who took this to the extreme: He replaced the B string with another E string, and the G string with a B string.
If I need a heavier sound for a video, I can always correct that afterward with the appropriate effects
For my German Lakewood acoustic guitar, which is specifically designed for fingerpicking, the manufacturer strictly recommends 12-gauge strings; for my Hoyer Dreadnought, I’ve probably strung it with thinner ones.
Both of my resonator guitars are strung with very thick 15-gauge (?) strings for open tuning.
The classical guitar has medium nylon strings, and the Spanish guitar has hard flamenco nylon strings.
The bass is strung with soft strings for a warm tone. (In the past, polished bass strings were used.)
Here’s a video on the pros and cons. I’m really looking forward to hearing your opinions and insights.
Dieter
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I tend to fall on the light or Med-light end of the spectrum. 9 or 10 on electric, 11 or 12 on acoustic, and 40-100 or 45-105 on bass.
I prioritize feel over tone. I just seem to notice nuance in feel but not really the tone differences of the strings I’ve tried. I like flexible feeling strings, often choosing round core over hex when available, or just going down in gauge when needed. I like easy bending electric strings, and smooth feeling bass and acoustic strings. I usually go as low in gauge as I can, but stop before they give me any setup issues (average fender spec setup, and distaste for excessive rattling.) I like an easy playing experience, and try to minimize strain.
I’ve tried some flats. While there’s a lot I like about them, they’ve never stayed on as regular strings. Probably because of increased stiffness in most cases.
Brands, I tend to grab D’Addario or DR. They’re both semi-local and my local shop always carries a good selection. But also I am usually happy with basic Slinky or Fender strings as well. I don’t change all that often, usually when the stop holding tune, if the fretboard needs cleaned, or if I just get a wild hair to try something different!
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