Am I the Only Person Who Doesn't Use Ernie Ball Strings

Antonio · 08-09-2013, 10:30 PM

D'Addarios all day son.

~~Lord Larehip~~ · 08-09-2013, 10:47 PM

Damn right.

Sequoioideae · 08-09-2013, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Larehip

Name them, please.

DR Strings
D' Addario
Ernie Ball
GHS
Dean Markley
Martin (not sure if they still do, but they did manufacture their own strings).

Quote:

There's different quality strings obviously. Otherwise all sets would cost the same. There's a difference between round wound and flat wound obviously. There's a difference in gauge obviously. But nevertheless, all these so-called different brands come from the same small set of companies.

So you're telling me the all have the same manufacturing methods, same type of quality control?

Quote:

All this stuff about coatings on the strings sounds like a lot of bulls-hit to me. Sure when you put them on they sound bright and clean--ALL strings do when they are brand new out of the box.

Who's to say, have you tried strings with coatings on them? I'm pretty sure most strings sound bright and clean right out of the pack depending on what they are actually wound with, and how they are wound.

Quote:

When they get clunky, you can taken them off and soak them in rubbing alcohol and restore them quite significantly. That will work pretty much with any string.

Sure that can clean off all the gunk, but strings start to wear out after a few months of playing for me and I usually end up changing all of them when the winding around the G string starts to unravel. As for my electric, the strings last a much longer time (mainly due to the fact I don't play it as much).

Quote:

Some claims certain strings like elixirs last forever, s-hit, I've had cheap strings that lasted forever. I've had expensive strings that broke quickly and I had a set of nylons were one string snapped when I wasn't even playing the damned thing. I opened the case and there's a broken string.

I've had 5 five dollar pack of strings last me 8 months, and I've tried more expensive *high quality* strings that I down right hated.

Quote:

It doesn't matter. One set to another has different characteristics. The rest of it is your damned imagination.

Well, obviously, so why can't different manufacturers of the same type of string be different? I find it hard to believe they all use the same techniques and manufacturing processes.

~~Lord Larehip~~ · 08-10-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Well, obviously, so why can't different manufacturers of the same type of string be different? I find it hard to believe they all use the same techniques and manufacturing processes.

They pretty much do. It's all the same machinery located in countries where labor is cheap. New techniques and machinery costs a lot and that cost will be passed to you the consumer. How much are you willing to spend for a set of strings? So machinery might get replaced if it breaks down or might get upgraded to remain competitive but I doubt it's anything revolutionary. Occasionally, some company comes up with something new that isn't too expensive and the public loves it and that forces a change in the industry but I don't think that's really happening. I've used the coated strings and while they do sound very good at first, like any string, they succumb to use and to temperature and humidity changes. They last a long time but most of my strings do anyway.

My only two rules of strings is:

-Always change the strings when you buy a new guitar or uke or what have you. The factory strings really are low-grade crap.

-Always buy round wound. People are going to argue that but why would you buy some clunky sounding flat wound thing?

ddawson2014 · 08-12-2013, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Larehip

They pretty much do. It's all the same machinery located in countries where labor is cheap. New techniques and machinery costs a lot and that cost will be passed to you the consumer. How much are you willing to spend for a set of strings? So machinery might get replaced if it breaks down or might get upgraded to remain competitive but I doubt it's anything revolutionary. Occasionally, some company comes up with something new that isn't too expensive and the public loves it and that forces a change in the industry but I don't think that's really happening. I've used the coated strings and while they do sound very good at first, like any string, they succumb to use and to temperature and humidity changes. They last a long time but most of my strings do anyway.

My only two rules of strings is:

-Always change the strings when you buy a new guitar or uke or what have you. The factory strings really are low-grade crap.

-Always buy round wound. People are going to argue that but why would you buy some clunky sounding flat wound thing?

This isn't quite an accurate depiction of the string industry. My name is Don Dawson and I work for D'Addario. We have our own in-house engineering team, as well as our own milling and machinist division. We design and manufacturer our own machines, which are truly cutting edge from the standpoint of technology and design. Many of our competitors purchase machines that are available commercially and then rework them to their specifications but our machines are truly our own and unlike anything available in the general marketplace. This allows us to have greater quality control. We are also the largest string manufacturer so the need to have increase quality control capability is essential. We produce over 650,000 strings a day.

Additionally, Rotosound, Thomastik and a few other string makers are located in the UK and Europe - each with their own machinery and most importantly, their own core to wrap ratio, which gives the strings its feel and tension. So there are differences.

That being said, many string manufacturers do make strings for guitar makers as well as other string companies who choose to not identify that they "purchase" strings from another party.

Hope this helps

Don Dawson
Product marketing specialist
D'Addario / Planet Waves

Plankton · 08-12-2013, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddawson2014

This isn't quite an accurate depiction of the string industry. My name is Don Dawson and I work for D'Addario. We have our own in-house engineering team, as well as our own milling and machinist division. We design and manufacturer our own machines, which are truly cutting edge from the standpoint of technology and design. Many of our competitors purchase machines that are available commercially and then rework them to their specifications but our machines are truly our own and unlike anything available in the general marketplace. This allows us to have greater quality control. We are also the largest string manufacturer so the need to have increase quality control capability is essential. We produce over 650,000 strings a day.

Additionally, Rotosound, Thomastik and a few other string makers are located in the UK and Europe - each with their own machinery and most importantly, their own core to wrap ratio, which gives the strings its feel and tension. So there are differences.

That being said, many string manufacturers do make strings for guitar makers as well as other string companies who choose to not identify that they "purchase" strings from another party.

Hope this helps

Don Dawson
Product marketing specialist
D'Addario / Planet Waves

Nice insight, and welcome to the forum. I've been using D'Addario 10's for about 20 years, and I have to say the consistency has been outstanding.

_VincentAnthony · 12-16-2015, 01:29 AM

no, you're not, obviously

at the end of the day, it's subjective dude, we as musicians like what we like

SatoshiNak · 12-16-2015, 12:13 PM

I've tried Ernie Ball's several times over the years along with a host of other brands and each time go back to my D'Addario's. I used 10's for years but recently gave the XL Super Light top/Regular bottom 9-46's a try and have been digging them.

1so-static · 12-27-2015, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio

D'Addarios all day son.

ooooo yus

I've tested a lot of strings - I'm not budging from D'Addario superlights - nothing has bettered them.......................yet !

Mister Mushroom · 12-30-2015, 01:55 PM

I usually use Musician's Gear strings. Cheap and strangely last the longest of any string I've used. (I've had my current sets on for about 3 months and still play well, I play at least 30 minutes a day with tons of bends and vibrato)

12-30-2015, 01:55 PM	#40 (permalink)
Mister Mushroom Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 91	I usually use Musician's Gear strings. Cheap and strangely last the longest of any string I've used. (I've had my current sets on for about 3 months and still play well, I play at least 30 minutes a day with tons of bends and vibrato) __________________ Last.FM

08-09-2013, 10:47 PM	#32 (permalink)
~~Lord Larehip~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 899	Damn right.

12-16-2015, 01:29 AM	#37 (permalink)
_VincentAnthony Groupie Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 17	no, you're not, obviously at the end of the day, it's subjective dude, we as musicians like what we like

12-16-2015, 12:13 PM	#38 (permalink)
SatoshiNak Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 51	I've tried Ernie Ball's several times over the years along with a host of other brands and each time go back to my D'Addario's. I used 10's for years but recently gave the XL Super Light top/Regular bottom 9-46's a try and have been digging them.