Major Malfunction

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Major Malfunction

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Conrad

Posts: 533
Joined: Jul. 16 2003
From: Toronto, ON, Canada

Major Malfunction

Hi all,

What does everyone do about new string sound? That is, don't we all hate the metallic, noisy, boomy sound of new strings? The pro's never expose this, so what's the trick? Trouble is that eventually the D intonation goes wonky anyway, so you gotta change them some time, I just hate that new sound. Sounds like a classical guitar, boomy, noisy. And they meddle with your nails more. Ayayay I'm flummoxed.

thanks

-Conrad

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 20:25:55

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

Conrad..I know what you are saying man!
I hate the sound of new strings...all kind of bongy and uncontrollable.
Like playing a goddam zither.
Squeaky too!

Nah...I prefer after the've bedded in a while and are getting a bit worn.

I really leave it to the very last before I change strings now.

Too traumatic IMO..

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 20:40:46

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

I always change strings every three weeks.

I love the sound of new strings.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 20:51:25

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

I like new strings but then I probably play too soft. Anyway I now see a market opportunity. "Warn in strings" We have the 2 hour version, the 10 hour version, or the most expensive 24 as used by the American guy in his recent video posted here (McQuire???). Am I on a winner???.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 21:29:26

edgar884

Posts: 1975
Joined: Nov. 16 2005

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

I know a great trick. check it.

Either take your new strings(works best on old ones)soak in amonia or windex for 15 20 minutes and then rinse off with water let dry and put back on the guitar. They will sound brand new with out the sqeeking.

It works I swear. You can do this with old strings and it makes them sound brand new for a couple days or so.

I like to change my strings before they wear out, and I save my old ones, so when I'm broke I just wash a set and put em back on.

THis works wonders but you can also buy special strings for recording that don't have the sqeek but they dont last as long.

By the way I have a whole **** load of trebles if any one wants them.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 22:18:28

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

From what I understand, a lot of pros actually love new strings because of the rapid deterioration of the basses. Ricardo mentioned that pros in flamenco are addicted to them, and that's why they always sound sharp in recordings. A byproduct of stretching and then using new strings before they've had time to settle in.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2006 22:23:15

Ricardo

Posts: 14902
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

Yeah I feel the opposite. I always hear bright new strings on recordings. I love the squeeks and stuff. When I play intensely I kill the strings in one night. Depends on how much you sweat. You can take the basses off and put them back on and they sound new again if you flip them around or slide them toward the bridge. It is good to keep the slack on the machine/peg end. If the guitar sounds boomy with new strings, maybe it is the guitar. Is it a blanca or a negra?

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 21 2006 3:52:13

Conrad

Posts: 533
Joined: Jul. 16 2003
From: Toronto, ON, Canada

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Ricardo)

Much obliged friends,

I am reassessing this situation... Could be that I'm itching for a new guitar instead. It is a blanca, Ricardo, and with a long scale. And it has always doled out a lot of bass. Maybe that is what I dislike. Or maybe it's the brand of strings themselves. Or maybe it's the nervous act of tuning them up which poisons the whole vibe of getting new strings. Traumatic as Ronny said... A psychological hurdle for me!

Well observed guys... I'm hearing new strings everywhere on recordings now that you've enlightened me. My explanation is that my guitar is out of balance from bass to treble. I'm sure this must be it. When the basses wear, the proportions are corrected, in a sense.

thanks again,

conrad

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 21 2006 5:08:19

Ricardo

Posts: 14902
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

Yeah, a guitar with more response in the trebles would make a difference in "boominess'. I find new basses give brightness to even the trebles. Also, I sometimes find brand new trebles are more dull than old worn trebles, the opposite of what happens with the nickle wound basses. You can also try different brands and tensions. I have played miss balanced sets on certain guitars. When you slap on a fresh set, no need to change the trebles unless they are really old or miss balanced. I buy tons of basses from strings by mail of my favorite brands. (I like Luthier for the basses).

So just change the basses, but tune them a half step sharp and leave the guitar in the case for an hour before the gig or whatever. If they have not stretched down to pitch or below, then you can tune them down to standard. They will hold. Make sure to tie them to the machine or peg so they don't slip.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 21 2006 6:08:07

John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

I use Hannabach Silver Special and loooooooove 'em brand new. I admit I have a string fetish

There are three things that helped me a lot with getting new strings on, you all may know them all already. In case not:

First, don't wind the whole string up, not only is it bad for your guitar, but it takes so damn long! Pull the string as far through at the head as possible before knotting it.

Second, at the head, knot the string only once - doing it twice isn't necessary if you hold tension while winding and they'll be much easier to unknot when taking them off.

Third, when you notice it's time to change but it's not urgent, change only the D-string for a day. Then change the rest the next night before bed after the D is stretched and can serve as a tuning helper. Let the rest stretch overnight.

John

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 22 2006 15:08:58

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

quote:

That is, don't we all hate the metallic, noisy, boomy sound of new strings?

The La Bella 820 Basses sound different. That is because of the much softer material. Also they are differently wounded I guess, I dont hear any "picado" noise (from the nails) on it.

New trebles are always great IMO.
I have to insist that you try Hannabach Goldin. At least buy one e-string, if you bother spending money on it.
It motivates you so much, when you get such a nice tone from your guitar to play with.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 22 2006 16:35:57

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

quote:

ORIGINAL: cnotecon
What does everyone do about new string sound? That is, don't we all hate the metallic, noisy, boomy sound of new strings?

I have a motto - 'happineess is a new set of strings'. I dunno, I just find that when strings are dead I have to work hard to get any response from them, then when I put on a new set everything comes alive again, its great. They need a day or so to settle in - loose the metallic sound and stop stretching silly amounts, but thats no big deal, I usually change them last thing a night so they settle over night.

Don't understand the guys that like to change strings just before a gig though. Yikes! Tuning nightmares..

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2006 11:27:30

Guest

RE: Major Malfunction (in reply to Conrad)

Ricardo wrote

quote:

Also, I sometimes find brand new trebles are more dull than old worn trebles

Yop, I agree. A lot of treble strings take quita a long time to settle in sound. I change the trebles very rarely because of that.
With respect of basses, I find that Daddario composites maintain their "trebliness" better than any other string, but they dont work on all guitars. Luthier20 are quite good in this aspect as well but a bit softer in the touch and sound.

Just my five

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2006 6:49:11