Best guitar strings for recording?

[Cacoph0ny]

I've been using Ernie Ball Power Slinkies for a long time because I like them for playing, but they aren't very good for recording. They lose that 'freshness' really quickly after you restring.

What strings keep that 'new strings' feeling for the longest?

 

[metalfanat1c]

I use D'Addario.

 

[Scottxx]

D'addario or DR.

 

[CAlexanderParra]

Elixers Nanoweb coated here. Last me about 9 months if I don't break a string and sound amazing the first couple of weeks.

Anything else feels disgusting, though I'm about to check out some Cleartone coated strings pretty soon.

 

[Boneman]

Elixir

 

[Djentkitty]

Honestly, I kind of hate D'addario strings.. They get dull fast, especially if you pound the living fuck out of them like me. I've tried many different brands of strings. The BEST strings are DR DDT, IMO. They are PERFECT for tuning low like Drop B, Drop A etc.. I use the 12-60 gauge and play around in Drop B, A, A#. I've even gone down to Drop F and it sounded pretty good and stable too. DR DDT have the best tone, life, feel and easily beat any other strings by alot IMO. Since you're asking for strings that will last "freshness" for a long time, DR DDT will probably last you a lot longer than any other AND give you an amazing heavy tone. D'addarios 12-54 lasted me about a week or two before getting dull, same with Ernie Ball. Whereas DR DDT 12-60 lasted me 2 months pounding the living fuck out of them and still have that fresh/heavy as fuck tone.

 

[chesterfieldblues]

I have a dream that one day, someone will come to make some shootout on fresh new guitar strings using same guitar, same pickups, same gears !

 

[Sepultorture]

GHS if you want to use a custom gauged set, Elixer if you don't care about the gauge

 

[AdamG94]

I like the Dunlop Heavy Core's (12-54), they keep their 'freshness' longer than Ernie Ball's and D'addario's in my experience.

 

[Loki Laufeyiarson]

Still rocking Curt Mangan. No coating, but still keep their tone for a pretty long time.

 

[JeffTD]

Bulk from juststrings.com - they're supposedly un-marked D'addarios. I can't tell a difference, and I played D'addario for like 7 years before switching.

 

[Fr0zen]

D'Addario before i discovered Elixir. Now its Elixir always!

 

[Ola Englund]

Bulk from juststrings.com - they're supposedly un-marked D'addarios. I can't tell a difference, and I played D'addario for like 7 years before switching.

I did this from juststrings before when I always used custom sets. For swedes this is a very priceworthy way of creating sets.

But I've never heard of any strings being better than the other brand for recording. I use whatever shit I come by in my drawer at home.

 

[amarshism]

Same. I change em to quickly to notice the drop off. Now if only I can convince guitarists to care as much about their tone in the studio as I do in my living room when I'm practicing...

 

[guitarguru777]

Bulk from juststrings.com - they're supposedly un-marked D'addarios. I can't tell a difference, and I played D'addario for like 7 years before switching.

100% Truth to this. I know the D'addarios, they are what D'addario considers seconds. Basically if they get a bad test string from a batch they take the entire batch and give it to the bulk string companies and guitar manufacturers. Once in a blue moon you will find a bad string but 9 times out of 10 they are just fine. They also sometimes repackage the good ones out of these "bad batches" for artist endorsements.

Oh and for me it depends on the guitar

My shorter scale guitars (Les Paul, SG) I use Ernie Balls. For my Ibanez guitars I use D'addario.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Been shifting back and forth between Ernieballs and D'Addarios for the past few years till I got a pack of Dean Markley Blue Steels. Been about 2-3 days. Let's see how long they last.
I find them a bit too bright, but kinda sweet too!

 

[ForHerDeadEyes]

I've only used D'Addario..
I still have a pack left of a custom gauge.. gonna use that..
But..
After that I guess I should try some new strings..
Elixir is supposedly good, but some say sound dull.. but keeps the same sound longer.. anyone agree/disagree?
I'm thinking of a thicker gauge.. they got the Elixir Baritones with nano-web coating.. "Elixir Nanoweb - baritone strings. Gauges: 012-068"
Anyone tried them? should be pretty fat.. I dunno.. :S

 

[drope934]

I only use Elixir. NOT mainly because of the sound but because a "classic" set of string will last 4 days under my hands... After 2h they are already dead. BUT I love the feeling and sound of the elixir but it IS kinda special, not for every one.

I just ordered some gold plated strings (optima) to see if I can find a set without plastic around them but not sure about how they will last, specially for the thinnest strings.

My only advice: don't buy 10sets of elixir because you can love or hate them. And there is a slight difference between the nanoweb (thier normal sets) and the polyweb (smaller tension sets I think) as well!

 

[Zozobra]

Personal taste I suppose, to a degree.

Gauge > Brand anyway, for the most part. The biggest variable in brand that I've seen/heard is wear/corrosion resistance and breakage. There is a fair bit of difference in sound brand to brand, but its not that important, especially on plains. The biggest effects are, from my tests/experience/measurements, the core/wrap ratio: thicker core is better, I find. But this isnt advertised info by and large, unfortunately, and Hex Vs Round core; hex is a bit tighter and more aggressive sounding/sizzlier, but a bit more prone to breakage, round is smoother(/duller) and floppier.

I like newtones personally, because they sound great (to me), last ages (they're tin plated, rather than putting gunk on em), I've never broken one, and you can request thick cored versions so they have a higher tension at a lower gauge/for the same gauge (tighter sound without more mass/being muddier). You can choose hex or round off em as well.

 

[John_C]

I like newtones personally, because they sound great (to me), last ages (they're tin plated, rather than putting gunk on em), I've never broken one, and you can request thick cored versions so they have a higher tension at a lower gauge/for the same gauge (tighter sound without more mass/being muddier). You can choose hex or round off em as well.

Nice to see someone else showing love for newtone strings. Brilliant strings and you can literally just give them a desired tuning and tension(s) and they'll design you a custom set, along with thicker/thinner cores depending on what's required.