Has anyone used PRS strings on a Strat? I recently changed the strings on my Eric Johnson RW from GHS EJs to PRS - both sets are 10s. The GHS 3rd, 4th and 5th are a bit heavier and so I needed to adjust the trem, saddle heights etc. But still I seem to get an annoying ring from the 4th and 5th strings. I have adjusted the string clearance but still seem to get the ringing from these strings. At first I thought that I had a faulty valve on my Laney L29t and changed out some valves. But this has not helped. Other guitars play through the amp well, in any case.

I can raise the strings again but that would take them pretty high and not what I am used to. And I'm not sure that it would remove this problem anyway. I certainly don't have the strings exceptionally low.

I know that D'Addario make PRS strings and I used Dadds before GHS without any problem, so I am puzzled why there should now be a problem.

I don't know the height of the clearance, I'm afraid as I did this more by feel than science.

Did you check and adjust the neck relief? That needs to be done by "science", not "feel".

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Bill

Hi, after I posted this I did check the neck relief and the string clearances by reference to Fender's guides.

The relief at the 8th fret is .010" (using feeler gauges) and the string clearances are slightly more than 4/64s (so my adjustment by feel wasn't too far out). I also used a capo at the 1st fret although Fender doesn't make any mention of this.

Eric Johnson strings are 10-13-18-26-38-50.

PRS strings are 10-13-17-26-36-46.

Maybe they are a little looser in the nut and you are getting rattle from there. Try pressing lightly behind the nut on the offending string and see if the rattle changes or goes away.

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Bill

I was going to suggest that also.

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I don't know what PRS uses for the metal on the wound strings, but if it isn't a pure nickel wrap, id say that is probably the culprit. EJ strings have pure nickel wrap around the wound strings. I used GHS boomers for a while, but didn't like the noticeable krangg noise the wound strings gave off, especially higher up the neck. I tried Fender pure nickels, and that metallic klang was gone. If PRS are nickel plated steel, or steel, id go back to the nickel rockers.
The annoying metallic noise from mystrat was definitely from the wrap, there is no fret buzz at all.

Windwalker - interesting. I've seen you mention the nickel wrapped strings before but I'm just now making a connection with a buzzy sound I get from my Am. Std. Strat. I'm using D'Addario 10's - maybe I should try a set of Fender nickel wound?

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That is all BS. Nickle plated steel strings far outsell pure nickle wrapped strings. This is the first time I have ever heard such a claim made. Nickle plated strings are brighter sounding than pure nickle. Stainless steel even more so. Personally, I use Fender pure nickle wrapped strings but it is because they give me the sound I prefer, not because there is anything fundamentally wrong with nickle plated strings. In all the years I have used nickle plated strings on my guitars, I have never experienced anything such as windwalker describes and I have never seen anything like it mentioned on any other forum until now.

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Bill

Thanks, guys. I have spent all afternoon adjusting string height, trem, etc and the noise is still there. I did press lightly behind the nut and on top of the tuner post and it did take away some noise from the 3rd string.

I think that windwalker may have hit on something as far as the wound strings is concerned. The ring from the strings when running your finger along the string and releasing the string is pretty excessive - like a very bright acoustic. It seems to be creating the annoying ring/harmonic (almost like a very noisy spring reverb) especially when moving to another string.

So, it seems like a couple of things - the nut may have been stretched a bit by the GHS 3rd string and the very bright wound strings just don't sound good on a Strat. Especially on the middle pickup.

I'll try another set of strings and see how it sounds.

BTW..........D'Addario make the PRS strings, ckfoley, so it could be the same problem.

Of course you realize that all standard production Strats are sold with nickle plated steel strings and thousands of guitarists have used nickle plated strings for years.

You have a bad set of strings. It is not because they are nickle plated. They are just bad. Replace them with something else that sounds good to you.

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Bill

Well Im happy for you, but I HAVE noticed it, and everytime i have to use nickel plated, i can hear it again. NOt everything is mentioned on forums. I repair gutiars for a living, and have had everything come across my bench. String up ernie Balls, play something (unplugged) on the Low E, and A up past the 9th fret, then compare it to the same thing with a pure nickel wrap, there is most certainly a difference, and the plated give strats a metalic ringing noise. Maybe you should try stuff before throwing BS out there.

I use nickel plated too, but only on humbucker equipped guitars. I challange anyone to compare them, then tell me Im wrong. Its the same on vintage sized frets (and more apparent) to medium. There isnt anything 'wrong' with nickel plated, but it will give you that sound higher up the neck. and most people use nickel plated because; most people use nickel plated. They're cheaper, and put out more output, so thats what a lot of people want.

I would try it if it looks like you have enough relief in the neck. Plus they're only $5, its a cheap way to find out if indeed thats what it is. But I cant keep plated on my strats and tele, that sound drives me nuts. Most guys who play plated strings wont notice, because they really have nothing to compare them too. BUt plated definitely has a strange ring to it on the lower strings at the higher register. Like i said, try it unplugged first. This is your primary tone, and I dont care what amp, or how many pedals you have, your primary tone is always going to influence your overall tone, especially once you add gain.

Also; check your nut, make sure the strings havent worn the slots down to where they're too low, this could cause issues too.


You dont have bad strings, its jsut the nature of the strings. We go throug easily 50-100 SETS of strings a week, and i come across bad strings maybe once every 3 months, but they're always bad in a way you can see before you string them up.

That strange harmonic sound is EXACTLY the sound i was speaking of; its a very metallic sounding KLAANNNGG kind of thing. It seems to be more noticeable on necks with RW than maple for some reason, id figure it would be the other way around. RW, if they change the tone, which we all know from the angry posts is debateable, tend to have a more scooped sound than maple.
Id definitely try pure nickel wrap, even if it is a bad string, which i doubt, might as well ge back to someting you played before and were comfortable with. Ifyou want a brighter sound out of pure nickel, get the GHS Burnished, they will be a bit brighter then Fender pure-nick. as will nickel rockers, just not to the degree. I really like DR Pure Blues, and the Eric Johnson NIckel rockers; i like how they make the hybrid set. Instead of the heavy bottom light top w/ the Low E,A, and the D string being from a 11 gauge, and the G, B and high E from 10's/ they do the Low E, A, and G from 11's and the D,B and high E from 10s. I find its a more even sound across all 6 strings more than typical Heavy Bottoms light Tops. JMIO

Thanks, again for the advice. I guess it is safer to go back to sonething that I know worked. The only reason that I used the PRS strings was because I had a batch of them kicking around.

I don't even like them on my PRS but at least on that they don't make a hellish noise.

Yeah, I've only been playing the guitar since 1969, I build and modify my own guitars, and rebuild and modify my own amps, so I guess I really don't have any experience in these matters. You on the other hand, seem to have super senses because it always amazes me all of the things that you are able to notice which no one else ever seems to. I sure wish I had your ears and fingers.

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Bill