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guitar players - strings question

S

Special K

Diamond Member
I just broke a string on my guitar but I do not know what kind of strings the local music shop put on there when they adjusted and cleaned it last July. I am up at school right now and will be returning home tomorrow, but I cannot bring my guitar home with me. I thought about cutting the strings off and taking them home with me and having someone at the shop identify them for me, or at least the gauge (I think they were 10's). They may be able to pull up a record of the sale when I was there last July but I am not counting on it. Would it be a bad idea to leave a guitar unstrung for a couple weeks? I read that the pressure the strings apply to the neck (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the guitar's tone, and I don't want to mess it up.

Any chance anyone here could identify the size of strings if I posed a macro shot of them or something?

thanks
 
Originally posted by: Special K
I just broke a string on my guitar but I do not know what kind of strings the local music shop put on there when they adjusted and cleaned it last July. I am up at school right now and will be returning home tomorrow, but I cannot bring my guitar home with me. I thought about cutting the strings off and taking them home with me and having someone at the shop identify them for me, or at least the gauge (I think they were 10's). They may be able to pull up a record of the sale when I was there last July but I am not counting on it. Would it be a bad idea to leave a guitar unstrung for a couple weeks? I read that the pressure the strings apply to the neck (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the guitar's tone, and I don't want to mess it up.

Any chance anyone here could identify the size of strings if I posed a macro shot of them or something?

thanks
Click to expand...
Yeah, I can get close. Give me the best pic you can of the strings.
. Give me one of the guitar also.

< Guitar tech for over 20 years.... for....Neal Schon, Ross Valory, John Cain, Randy Hansen, Dave Meneketti, Tony MacAlpine, Howard Leese et al

 
You could always buy a couple of packs of cheap strings and restring it yourself. If you get a couple of packs, you won't have to worry about messing one up while you learn how to do it. You can't always depend on the guitar store. 😉

Just so you know. Most of the time guitar strings are classified as Light, Medium, or Heavy. The most common is light because they're cheaper, easier on your fingers and they break easier (which manufacturers and stores love)....but they sound really good too.

The mediums are what I use because they don't rattle as much and usually take a little longer to stretch out. I'm sure AlienCraft could give you even more detail. I'd just buy a few packs of cheap light steel guitar strings and give it a try. 😉
 
Why go through all the trouble? Buy a pack of strings and use them. You're doing yourself a disservice by just sticking to one string choice forever. I mean, why would you not want to try something different?
 
Originally posted by: Special K
Would it be a bad idea to leave a guitar unstrung for a couple weeks? I read that the pressure the strings apply to the neck (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the guitar's tone, and I don't want to mess it up.
Click to expand...

Don't take all the strings off at once! You'll put the truss rod out of whack and possible warp the neck.

 
PS: If the strings were 10s just get a pack of these. You can't go wrong. You shouldn't keep strings on your instrument for six months either. If you play often, change them at least once a month.
 
Strings is strings, as long as they're decent quality. If you are asking this question here, you are definitely not an expert. (neither am I, btw). It just seems like a reputable guitar store will have a good set. Obviously, strings go from larger to smaller. That's not hard to figure out.
When I played in the band, as a youngster, if I broke a string, I would just replace all of them...one at a time, of course, as you don't want to shock / stress the guitar.

I'm gonna have to go rummage around and find mine, now that you have me thinking about it. It's a 1976-1977 era Martin D-28 in rosewood. It's been a good 15 years since I played it, or any guitar. 🙁
 
If the strings were on since july, I'd change the whole bunch, one by one. Replacing a set of 010s with any other set of 010s will at most give you a few minor inaccuracies in your intonation if some of the new strings were a different gauge eg. if the old low E was 049 and you replace it with a 050 or vice versa. I am talking electric guitar here and in that case it can be compensated for at any future service.

I try to avoid this by sticking to a brand and type of strings, after I tried out a few different brands. Any brand like Ernie Ball, D'Addario or GHS will serve you well. If you're not a regular player, I would stick to the (extra/ultra) light gauges. Rock on!
 
I like heavy gauge accoustic D'Addario strings. The thicker the better. Its painful to play, but I just love the sound.
 
definately learn to restring your guitar yourself, its like changing your own diaper after you dirty it..

I really like elixirs... i have found that they dont last as long, but I am abusive..

GHS boomers are generally cheap, and are pretty decent.

If your unsure about what kind of gauge you like, and you are remotely serious about being a guitar player, you need to buy a few sets and experiment. light strings rattle, especially if you start detuning...
 
oh yea, carvin makes good strings, and also sells elixirs.... I bought a 10 pack of 7 string guitar strings (70 srtrings total) and the whole pack was like $8.... thats really good price, yea know?

www.carvin.com
 
I agree with the above guys. Learn to re-string your guitar. If you're nervous about it, take it to a local shop, buy some new strings and ask them to teach you how to re-string your guitar.

As for the gauge, if it's an electric, you're probably using 9's or 10's. Acoustic could be 10's, 11's, or 12's, according to your taste.

Brands: I like Blue Steels (pricey), but I usually use D'Addario. Lately I've been ordering from www.webstrings.com. They compare to D'Addarios favorably and they are cheap.

Good luck!
 
Alright, I have pics:

All Strings
High E
Low E
The Guitar

Originally posted by: dwell
Originally posted by: Special K
Would it be a bad idea to leave a guitar unstrung for a couple weeks? I read that the pressure the strings apply to the neck (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the guitar's tone, and I don't want to mess it up.
Click to expand...

Don't take all the strings off at once! You'll put the truss rod out of whack and possible warp the neck.
Click to expand...

Really? When I brought it into the shop the tech there took them all off at once, ground down some of the frets, oiled the fretboard, and did some other stuff, then put the new ones on one at a time.
 


Originally posted by: dwell
PS: If the strings were 10s just get a pack of these. You can't go wrong. You shouldn't keep strings on your instrument for six months either. If you play often, change them at least once a month.
Click to expand...

What is the difference between those and the super slinkys?

Originally posted by: ceefka
If the strings were on since july, I'd change the whole bunch, one by one. Replacing a set of 010s with any other set of 010s will at most give you a few minor inaccuracies in your intonation if some of the new strings were a different gauge eg. if the old low E was 049 and you replace it with a 050 or vice versa. I am talking electric guitar here and in that case it can be compensated for at any future service.

I try to avoid this by sticking to a brand and type of strings, after I tried out a few different brands. Any brand like Ernie Ball, D'Addario or GHS will serve you well. If you're not a regular player, I would stick to the (extra/ultra) light gauges. Rock on!
Click to expand...

Will those inaccuracies require an expert to correct them though?

 
Originally posted by: Special K
Alright, I have pics:

All Strings
High E
Low E
The Guitar

Originally posted by: dwell
Originally posted by: Special K
Would it be a bad idea to leave a guitar unstrung for a couple weeks? I read that the pressure the strings apply to the neck (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the guitar's tone, and I don't want to mess it up.
Click to expand...

Don't take all the strings off at once! You'll put the truss rod out of whack and possible warp the neck.
Click to expand...

Really? When I brought it into the shop the tech there took them all off at once, ground down some of the frets, oiled the fretboard, and did some other stuff, then put the new ones on one at a time.
Click to expand...


probably 9 gauge....


and I have never heard of anyone telling me that it was bad to take all teh strings off at once. i would guess it is probably something someone told someone so they would not wind the strings in the wrong direction.
 
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Strings is strings, as long as they're decent quality. If you are asking this question here, you are definitely not an expert. (neither am I, btw). It just seems like a reputable guitar store will have a good set. Obviously, strings go from larger to smaller. That's not hard to figure out.
When I played in the band, as a youngster, if I broke a string, I would just replace all of them...one at a time, of course, as you don't want to shock / stress the guitar.

I'm gonna have to go rummage around and find mine, now that you have me thinking about it. It's a 1976-1977 era Martin D-28 in rosewood. It's been a good 15 years since I played it, or any guitar. 🙁
Click to expand...


Do it! That's too fine a guitar to let sit
 
Originally posted by: Special K


Originally posted by: dwell
PS: If the strings were 10s just get a pack of these. You can't go wrong. You shouldn't keep strings on your instrument for six months either. If you play often, change them at least once a month.
Click to expand...

What is the difference between those and the super slinkys?

Originally posted by: ceefka
If the strings were on since july, I'd change the whole bunch, one by one. Replacing a set of 010s with any other set of 010s will at most give you a few minor inaccuracies in your intonation if some of the new strings were a different gauge eg. if the old low E was 049 and you replace it with a 050 or vice versa. I am talking electric guitar here and in that case it can be compensated for at any future service.

I try to avoid this by sticking to a brand and type of strings, after I tried out a few different brands. Any brand like Ernie Ball, D'Addario or GHS will serve you well. If you're not a regular player, I would stick to the (extra/ultra) light gauges. Rock on!
Click to expand...

Will those inaccuracies require an expert to correct them though?
Click to expand...


No....they are inaccuracies that change when you mix new strings with old strings. The new strings have more life than teh onld strings, so the tone may sound different. If you are jus beginning, you probably wouldn't be able to notice.
 
Originally posted by: Special K
Really? When I brought it into the shop the tech there took them all off at once, ground down some of the frets, oiled the fretboard, and did some other stuff, then put the new ones on one at a time.
Click to expand...

Well, he's a tech and he probably did it quick. If you let it sit long enough without strings the truss rod goes out of whack and it ruins your action. He probably checked the action as part of the tune-up. It also depends if your guitar has a bolt-on neck or not. I'm talking about Les Paul style fixed neck guitars.

What is the difference between those and the super slinkys?
Click to expand...

Super Slinkys are 9s. I don't really like them myself, too easy to bend. To each his own.
 
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Strings is strings, as long as they're decent quality. If you are asking this question here, you are definitely not an expert. (neither am I, btw). It just seems like a reputable guitar store will have a good set. Obviously, strings go from larger to smaller. That's not hard to figure out.
When I played in the band, as a youngster, if I broke a string, I would just replace all of them...one at a time, of course, as you don't want to shock / stress the guitar.

I'm gonna have to go rummage around and find mine, now that you have me thinking about it. It's a 1976-1977 era Martin D-28 in rosewood. It's been a good 15 years since I played it, or any guitar. 🙁
Click to expand...


That's extremely bad for the guitar man... I wouldn't be surprised if there is serious damage to it when you open the case. 🙁
 
Come to think of it, the strings on my main guitar are about three months old -- and I play about an hour a day 🙂 The low strings are getting nice and brown. I don't know, I personally like the tone of old strings in some cases. When recording though I'll throw on a new set for brightness.
 
Black Diamond Strings on a Catalog Guitar
That?s pretty high cotton whoever you are
You break one you change one, that?s as good as it gets
You can play all year long on two or three sets
 
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