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Post subject: Best Strings
Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 7:48 pm
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I'm a newbie and would like some information on the best strings for my Stratocaster, s/n MZ9420635. I don't play hard rock or blues. I mostly play country and oldies. Some light rock but no wild stuff. I want to stay with Fender strings, but don't know which is the best, i.e. stainless steel, standard, nickle plated? Also, what would be the best gauge for the type of music I play? Any help is greatly appreciated. :)

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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:32 am
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IMHO, there isn't a single "best strings" option, different players prefer different gauges, materials, surfaces etc.

My advice to you is (as long as you feel you're a newbie): stay with same type of strings the guitar came with, until you feel the need to alter from that.
Usually the factory installed set is .009"-.042", Super 250 Nickel Plated Steel (but you can check your guitar model on the product page). Stick with Fender strings if you want to.

More important is that the guitar is set up for the string set you use. It's not a bad idea to have it checked and set up by a good pro once a year - but at least get an "initial setup" done for a new guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:48 am
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D'addario , Ernie Ball are very good strings. Nobody ( good guitar players ) use Fender strings on their guitars.
Who make Fender strings ?


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 3:33 am
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Best strings? Any that aren't rusty when I get them out of the pack!

Seriously, I'd suggest D'Addario (which I use in 9-42 gauge) or any others that come in sealed plastic bags as opposed to paper 'envelopes'. Either that or unwrap and inspect them before leaving the shop.

To find rust on new unwound strings (kept in a warm house) is very annoying. As you probably bought them and ditched the receipt ages ago, you can't get a refund and all you can do is throw them away. But I have 10-set multi-packs of D'Addarios that are several years old and when I open a pack, they're perfect. And even their single strings come in sealed plastic!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:07 am
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Elixir Nanoweb...

Image

In what ever size you like.

I'm not kidding, they will last 3 to 6 months depending on how much you play. I usually break a string before they need to be changed.

8)

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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 9:51 am
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long time D'Adarrio XL user. Tried a bunch, but these I always come back to


I did try Ernie Ball Cobalts and M-Steels.. the cobalts do what they are hyped up to do, (more clarity touch response and more output/tone over all) but these feel way different from nickel.

The M-Steels are an improvement in feel IMO, and are supposed to be all the cobalts are. I can't say I noticed a difference with M-Steel vs Cobalts,

But I do definitely notice the difference of both when compared to Nickel.

The EB's Cobalts and M-Steels seem to last quite a while too, which is good because they are a bit more expensive.

after trying them a few times, and preferring the M-Steels to the Cobalts, I went back to the Xls anyway, I have a number of axes, so I guess I go for the best bang for the buck, and that for me is the D'Addario XLs (10 gauge)

the 10 pack for around 30 bucks on line is usually my opt.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:06 pm
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Just your standard 9-42 sets are fine. I would not experiment to other gauges until you become enough of player that you want to. I agree with the earlier post that D'Addario and Ernie Ball are my favorites, too. The other "name brands" are all mostly just fine, depending on the price (if they are on sale, etc.). That being said, Fender strings are about the only brand that I will stay away from ... I love just about all Fender gear, but just not their strings.

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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:49 pm
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Nobody use Fender strings ?


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:08 pm
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I consider myself somewhat of a newbie with the electric and even I can tell the difference in the various strings. As many have said, I have found the D'Addario XL nickel wound (9-42) to be far superior to the Fender stock strings which are the same spec, material and gauge. I don't know what it is exactly, but they seem to be more stout (better tension?) and sound more musical. I like the plastic wrap and they last awhile. The stock Fenders were OK, but I would never buy them again unless that's all there was, but there are many different brands and types out there Just keep it simple..

I did try the 10-46 gauge, but they weren't for me yet. I liked the sound and feel of them very much, but think I need to learn with the lighter gauge before I move up. Bending was more of a chore for me.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:54 pm
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Thanks for all the good info. The top strings seems to be the D'Adario XL nickel strings. I'll get a set of those first. I'll take every ones advice and stay away from the Fender strings. I'm sure that's what came on my guitar. I'll post back later after I install the new strings and let everyone know how they sound. :)

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2017 Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro-II
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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:32 am
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KidBlast wrote:
I did try Ernie Ball Cobalts and M-Steels.. the cobalts do what they are hyped up to do, (more clarity touch response and more output/tone over all) but these feel way different from nickel.

The M-Steels are an improvement in feel IMO, and are supposed to be all the cobalts are. I can't say I noticed a difference with M-Steel vs Cobalts,

But I do definitely notice the difference of both when compared to Nickel.

The EB's Cobalts and M-Steels seem to last quite a while too, which is good because they are a bit more expensive.

after trying them a few times, and preferring the M-Steels to the Cobalts


The EB Steel, Cobalt and M-Steel are the same strings for the three treble strings. For the bass strings, the Cobalt and M-Steel have cobalt iron winding, which is more paramagnetic than plain steel or nickel. So for the bass, you get more boom for the same gauge. In my experience, it's easily the difference of having one gauge thicker strings, if not more.
The Cobalt and M-Steel appear to be identical except for the Cobalt being round core and the M-Steel being hexacore. This makes the M-Steel stiffer. Personally, I don't like that, and prefer the Cobalts.
The only "bad" things I can say about the Cobalts are that they cost more, and tend to color my fingers black.

Now if anyone wants to try something completely differerent, the Thomastik-Infeld jazz and bebop strings are the most responsive and clear sounding strings I have ever tried. The Thomastik-Infeld guys are one of the extremely few that actually make their own strings all the way - most of the "manufacturers" just buy pre-made wire and wrap/ball them. They are awesome, especially if you want to try a wound third string, but costs are also high.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:43 am
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Ron37388 wrote:
I'm a newbie and would like some information on the best strings for my Stratocaster, s/n MZ9420635. I don't play hard rock or blues. I mostly play country and oldies. Some light rock but no wild stuff. I want to stay with Fender strings, but don't know which is the best, i.e. stainless steel, standard, nickle plated? Also, what would be the best gauge for the type of music I play? Any help is greatly appreciated. :)
Hi Ron and welcome to the forum.

A while back I did a comparison of various string types when I switched from 10s to 11s and if you're interested you can check out this thread but ultimately it comes down to personal preference. What sounds great for me or anyone else may not for you so you'll have to try different sets and decide for yourself.

Regarding Fender strings, I may be in the minority but I've been using Original Bullets for the longest time and when the price went up I switched to Fender Pure Nickel 11s. I love the feel and the sound.

HTH

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:27 pm
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Hey Ron, you came to the right place for questions, there are folks here with decades of experience with nearly all Fender products and their necessary accouterments. String choice is a very subjective matter, and differs wildly from player to player, and from guitar to guitar (some instruments just seem to sound and play better with a specific brand and gauge of strings-and once again, "better" is subjective).
The thickness of the string is another consideration: super lights? (high e is .008 mm) to super heavy (high e maybe .013 mm) and every possible combination in between, or outside that spectrum. Light gauge strings are usually easier to play (particularly for bending, and fast leads), but they tend not to last as long or sustain as long. Heavier gauges last longer, sustain longer and are generally louder, but require more finger strength. Most players seem to prefer .009 or .010 gauges for most rock/pop music. Those who play mostly rhythm, or country, or slide, or in drop tunings may like heavier strings; metal shredders may prefer super lights.
It's up to you to discover what brand/gauge you like best for a particular instrument. Remember, a set up is generally required when switching between string gauges. This is good for you, believe it or not- after a few times you'll learn to do this yourself (and to your own preferences) in a matter of minutes, rather than paying some guy at the GC (or wherever) $35-$50 to do it for you. On my Strats, I usually use Dean Markley electric .010's-but that's just because I'm comfortable with them, they're relatively inexpensive, they last, and I like the way they sound. Everyone's opinions will vary. Get out and experiment. Good luck...O.


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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:07 am
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I gotta say that my last 3 sets of Fender Super Bullets (made in U.S.A. - according to the packets) were "rusty" out of the packet.
I do prefer their tone and "playability" on my Strat and Tele - but have to use Finger Ease to bypass the rust in a live environment.
EB? Bought two sets and replaced the first after one live gig.
The 2nd set is in my trapping/snare kit to assist catching local vermin. Don't like them personally.
BTW: Guitar strings make the BEST traps!
Dean Markley - not bad but way over priced down here.
D'Addario - also good. Love their acoustic range however my local music store doesn't stock them regularly so it's always "hit and miss".
I tend to buy multiple sets of my favorite strings if/when they become available at my local store.
This way you can haggle on bulk price.
A Pro tip: Make sure you have at least one set of identical replacement strings when gigging live!
One "popped" string on a Strat will ruin your performance until restrung (think out of balance tremolo tension - everything drops tune).
This is another reason why I have a Tele as a either my main instrument or backup to my Strat.
Your paying audience (or band) won't cop "Soz ppl - hang tight whilst I restring my Strat - back in five".
They'll go to another venue.
One other tip: Keep the packaging from the last set of strings you were happy with in your guitar case.
Makes it easy to get another set of the same!


Last edited by AussiePicker on Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:53 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Best Strings
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:37 am
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I always went for Super Bullets when available as I was/am taken in by the whole "Contact with the block" bit. However, I have had some recently where the string pulled out of the bullet during stringing, so I'm inclined to look elsewhere.

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