Changing guitar string brand...

[Keregioz]

Hey guys...

I have a schecter C7 blackjack. I put a 10-52 set of ernie balls and a d'addario .070.
Yesterday i changed strings and i thought i should a try a new brand so i got deanmarkley blue steel 10-52 and again a d'addario .070 for the low A.
What happened is that it was impossible to tune them. The intonation was screwed. Specifically this happened only on the wound DMarkley strings.
Then i removed the dmarkleys and i installed again an ernie ball set. Everything is ok now...
So... is it normal that different brand strings require re-intonation even if they're the same gauge or is there something wrong with the guitar?

 

[Carrier Flux]

Hey guys...

I have a schecter C7 blackjack. I put a 10-52 set of ernie balls and a d'addario .070.
Yesterday i changed strings and i thought i should a try a new brand so i got deanmarkley blue steel 10-52 and again a d'addario .070 for the low A.
What happened is that it was impossible to tune them. The intonation was screwed. Specifically this happened only on the wound DMarkley strings.
Then i removed the dmarkleys and i installed again an ernie ball set. Everything is ok now...
So... is it normal that different brand strings require re-intonation even if they're the same gauge or is there something wrong with the guitar?

were all the gauges exactly the same? one set of 10-52 might have a different G or B string etc than the next 10-52 set. even so if there's hardly any difference there I wouldn't expect the intonation would change noticeably unless you're going to an entirely different gauge, or have very good ears.

you're changing strings one at a time as opposed to taking all 7 off and replacing them at once correct?

also were the dmarkleys new? if they were very old they might have degraded somewhat, making tuning difficult. otherwise I wouldn't worry about it too much if your regular strings are working fine. just adjust the intonation if you decide to switch manufacturers..I don't think it means there's anything wrong with your guitar.

 

[dawnofadreamx97]

what scale is that guitar? is that 24 3/4 ? or 25 1/2 ?

 

[Carrier Flux]

what scale is that guitar? is that 24 3/4 ? or 25 1/2 ?

26 1/2. man if they made that as a baritone 6 string I'd probably buy it. looks pretty nice.

 

[Carrier Flux]

26 1/2. man if they made that as a baritone 6 string I'd probably buy it. looks pretty nice.

*currently eating own words*

apparently they do:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Electric?sku=513083

 

[Keregioz]

were all the gauges exactly the same? one set of 10-52 might have a different G or B string etc than the next 10-52 set. even so if there's hardly any difference there I wouldn't expect the intonation would change noticeably unless you're going to an entirely different gauge, or have very good ears.

you're changing strings one at a time as opposed to taking all 7 off and replacing them at once correct?

also were the dmarkleys new? if they were very old they might have degraded somewhat, making tuning difficult. otherwise I wouldn't worry about it too much if your regular strings are working fine. just adjust the intonation if you decide to switch manufacturers..I don't think it means there's anything wrong with your guitar.

The gauges were exactly the same...
I took all 7 off and replaced them. I know people say that it's supposed to be bad for the guitar but i want to do it that way so i can clean the fretboard. And besides i change strings once every 2-3 months so i don't think it's that much of a strain for the guitar...
The Dmarkleys were new...

One thing i can think of, that could possibly be the cause, is that the dm strings were a little shorter and i managed to wound it only one time around the tuner, with the ernies i wound 2-3 times around the tuner. The difference is that because the string is wounded more times is lower in the tuner and so the angle of the strings leaving the saddle is sharper. I have no idea though if that's supposed to make any difference...

 

[EdguyRocks]

Doesn't matter.....Whenever you change strings, even same brand, you might have to reintonate. So Yes! Sorry. I know it sucks.

I am not trying to suggest a different string, but I thought the EBs sucked once you get to a thicker gauge past the Hybrids. Just dead sounding.

I used to use Blue Steels and kinda dug them....I use D'Addarios now. but it is all preference.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Doesn't matter.....Whenever you change strings, even same brand, you might have to reintonate. So Yes! Sorry. I know it sucks.

I am not trying to suggest a different string, but I thought the EBs sucked once you get to a thicker gauge past the Hybrids. Just dead sounding.

I used to use Blue Steels and kinda dug them....I use D'Addarios now. but it is all preference.

I can reccomend DR Hi Beams. They seem to last longer than most strings that I have tried. Very good strings.

-Joe

 

[EdguyRocks]

I can reccomend DR Hi Beams. They seem to last longer than most strings that I have tried. Very good strings.

-Joe

I know....I keep wanting to try some. Probably will on one of my ibanez RGs. I think I am gonna switch gauges as well to 10-46. I use 10-52 now, but want a little more bend. Tuned to standard D. I was going between 9-46 and 10-52s. The 9s weren't holding the intonation. The 10-52 do...but I think I will try the 10-46?

 

[cobrahead1030]

watch out with those dean markleys, if you're a heavy handed player or do a lot of bending...they'll eat up your frets QUICK!

i used DR's for the longest time, pure blues on some guitars (the brighter sounding ones) and hi beams on others...decided to change brands because i wanted a different string gauge, finally settled on EB 10-52 and 11-54 gauges (tuned to drop Db) and i'm pretty happy with em

i've noticed i had to re-intonate when changing gauges, but not everytime i change strings...you guys must have a better ear than me; or maybe i spend too much time trying to correct my sloppy technique and don't really notice

 

[Mendel]

3 months ago u put on the new elixer anti rust strings. now after 3 months, they sound, ply, look exactly the same, as new guitar strings fresh outta box

 

[EdguyRocks]

3 months ago u put on the new elixer anti rust strings. now after 3 months, they sound, ply, look exactly the same, as new guitar strings fresh outta box

I used elixirs many years ago....probably about 7 years. Then I went to Blue Steels for about 3 years. Now I have been with d'addarios for about a year. I haven't tried the Anti Rust ones? They are steel too huh? Are they bright? Fast? How much are those puppies? When I tried Ernies, they lasted about 3-4 weeks. GHS last about a week. The D'addarios last me about 6-8 weeks. I like bright spank attack with bite.

 

[cobrahead1030]

i'm a really heavy handed picker, so it doesn't matter what brand i use, when it comes to how long they last...i'll have the 3 low strings broken in 2 weeks max; my strings never sit on the guitar long enough to sound dead

which is good for my tone...but can be expensive

 

[cobhc]

i'm a really heavy handed picker, so it doesn't matter what brand i use, when it comes to how long they last...i'll have the 3 low strings broken in 2 weeks max; my strings never sit on the guitar long enough to sound dead

which is good for my tone...but can be expensive

shit dude, i use dr 11's on my rrv, and i beat the shit out of them and never break a string, and i do a lot of pull ups on my trem till it bottoms out

 

[DougDoppler]

I will give my vote to D'Addario for all the above reasons. First of all, the thickness does not have a guaranteed amount of tension from brand to brand, so yes you will need to possibly make truss rod adjusments if you switch brands. That would effect the bottom frets' intontation-wise if the neck is bowing and you need to move the string more to get it to the fret...

The Blue Steels have a poor string life tonally and become very midrange heavy, which if your playing the heavy stuff is the last thing you want...

If you play too hard, you break strings. I personally can pulverize an A string into breaking in a day or so - especially with a lot of sawing at the bridge. Check your saddles if you are experiencing above average breakage on a particular string. In the studio you want to be careful not to hit the strings hard, which is you get excited is hard to avoid doing. I remebmer years ago seeing a Judas Priest special on MTV and noticing how softly Glenn and KK were hitting the strings. Point noted is that even life you can kill your properly set intonation by hitting the string too hard - especially if you tune down...

 

[cobrahead1030]

shit dude, i use dr 11's on my rrv, and i beat the shit out of them and never break a string, and i do a lot of pull ups on my trem till it bottoms out

i've tried everything, but i'm one of those guys who likes to back off the gain and pick with a little more oomph to compensate (ok...maybe a lot more) even my carvin with graphtech string saver saddles didn't help me much

using the 52-54 gauge on the low e helps some, i like the sound and feel of the heavier strings a lot better than the light ones, but they still don't last long...i think it's the death metal tremolo picking stuff that i play to build/maintain my technique, in addition to those addictive pinch harmonics that do it

 

[cobhc]

i've tried everything, but i'm one of those guys who likes to back off the gain and pick with a little more oomph to compensate (ok...maybe a lot more) even my carvin with graphtech string saver saddles didn't help me much

using the 52-54 gauge on the low e helps some, i like the sound and feel of the heavier strings a lot better than the light ones, but they still don't last long...i think it's the death metal tremolo picking stuff that i play to build/maintain my technique, in addition to those addictive pinch harmonics that do it

Lol, fair enough man, i dont do much trem picked stuff but i wail with harmonics like i'm in a fucking glam band.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I tried D'Addario Chromes this weekend...oops.