I'm sure that this question has been asked before but.......

Do Fender Bullets actually work better for Strat trems? I've been using Ernie Ball 10's on my Les Paul for years and love them. I've used EBs on 3 other Strats that I have owned over the years but frankly I didn't ever do a comparison.

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Tim

Yea...this question does get asked from time to time, but no sweat. "In theory" the bullet's supposedly seat better in to the trem block than "ball end" strings and as such in theory, should provide better tuning stability and should even contribute to better sustain and such. However...

The reality of it is that it really just doesn't matter that much. If it really made -that- much of a difference, Fender would use them on ALL new Strats...and they don't. In fact a good many new Strats come with Super 250's or other Fender strings. Certainly a great many players use something other than Fender strings...the legendary Eric Clapton for example is well known for using Ernie Balls.

Personally I've tried the Bullet's and they were "ok"...I'd use them as backups if my usual strings weren't available, but I wasn't really that impressed. I used GHS Boomer's on all of my electrics for a great many years but in the past year or so I have started moving my Strats over to the Super 250's as they have a bit brighter tone than the GHS strings (to my ears at least)...although I am still keeping Boomers on my old Kramer and a couple of other "non Strat" electrics I own. What it really comes down to more than anything is simply personal preference...there really is no "right" or "wrong" here. If any single brand or style of strings was really "better" for a Strat (or any other guitar) we'd all be using them! LOL! Just try a few different brands of strings and use the ones that sound and feel best to your hands and ears.

Peace,
Jim

Ernie Ball, Dean Markley, and Cleartone have been on my strats. Its really all about which strings maintain their tone the longest...

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Thanks for the advice. It is just as I suspected. I'll have to set up this Am. Std. Stratocaster with EB 10's when I finally take delivery of it in mid April.

I ordered this guitar from my local dealer on Feb. 3rd. The wait is killing me.

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Tim

I actually got to appreciate Fender Super Bullets when I purchased my Highway One earlier this year. My older Strat was an American Dlx which I strung with Ernie Ball Slinkies (.10). I believe that the stock strings that came on the HWY1 .09s. I went up to Fender Super Bullet .10s so that I could make a side by side comparison. I don't know if the bullet ends are functional or just a gimmick but I have noticed that the Super Bullets were just a tad more flexible than the Ernie Ball Slinkies. It could be the strings but I guess it could be the meaty Jumbo fretwires also.

I did add an extra spring--totaling 4 when moving up to the .10s. The slacker springs seems to react better than just 3 stretched out--or it could all be my mind. All of this stuff is so subjective.

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"If I don't see you no more in this world I'll meet you on the next one and don't be late... don't be late." -Jimi Hendrix

I actually like the Bullet strings. I prefer them to my other favorite brands for my Stratocasters which are D'Addario and Dean Markley.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I used Bullets on my Strat for around 5 years or so but when I took it in for a tune up a couple of years back, the tech recommended EB 10s. I tried that (and I have EB 9s on the HSS Strat) and I haven't noticed any difference.

However, I use the vibrato sparingly and never do any deep dive bombs so I may not be a fair test.

I get better stability with Bullets, they dont seem to lock into place in the block like ball ended strings do. I currently have diaddarios in my gig guitar, cos their near indestructable. No matter how hard I hit em, I cant break em.

Now what I'd like to see is a set of six plugs that fit into the string channels of your tremblock. Nice and tight up against the ball/bullet of your string and completely stop the thing moving when you depress the trem. I reckon that would improve stability a good deal. Everyone looks at the headstock end of the guitar for tuning but the bridge is nearly as vital. If not more so in the case of trem use as it is the moving part.

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No no and no

I recently purchased a Custom Shop Stratocaster. Does anybody know what type of strings came with it?

Welcome to the Forum. To answer your question we need to know which custom shop guitar you bought. There are several different models. If it was the Custom Deluxe then Fender Super 3250R, Nickel Plated Steel, (.010 to .046), P/N 073-3250-006. If it was the David Gilmour then they are GHS®, DG Boomers, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.010, .012, .016, .028, .038, .048) . So you see there are different types of strings on different Custom Shop guitars. A good place to look is: http://www.fender.com/customshop/home/

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

GHS Boomer's 10-46's for 20+yrs.Love em too death.