String purchase

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String purchase

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flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

String purchase

Just placed an order for guitar strings. The confirmation of despatch email says:

“Now what? Well, may we suggest perusing our site? Click here, no one has to know.”

The final phrase suddenly had me feeling guilty. OK I can never resist trying
a new type of string in addition to my normal, and orders tend to creep up to
over a hundred pounds before I know it, but should I feel guilty????

After all I did resist buying a new capo (only due to the fact it was out of stock).
And I did buy some single strings to use up the odds and 5ods in the draw.

My previous hobby was scuba diving (not great for the nails). Now we are talking
real expense. I worked out that a 40 min dive was costing over 120 pounds!!!

Obviously, it is different if you are a pro (guitar player). When I see a set of strings
at more than 25 pounds it makes me shudder. But do other hobbyists keep their
buys secret or feel guilty (I’m assuming that no one is starving their kids).

What is your annual string budget?

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 8:22:59

mrstwinkle

Posts: 551
Joined: May 14 2017

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

Sales psychology is fascinating. Like all the diet foods proclaiming they're 'sin free'.

Strings £2.50 a set Alice AC130H. Tried pricier brands and benefit is negligible so might as well save the money and change them a bit more often.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 8:46:36

jalalkun

Posts: 276
Joined: May 3 2017
From: Iraq, living in Cologne, Germany

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

i used to buy a set of Luthier 20 every month. they wore out quite fast on my classical. my new one sounds great even with strings that are 3 months old, with regular playing. right now i'm not changing strings very often because i'm not gigging as much as I used to about 2 years ago. might change when i'm back in the game though

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 14:09:52

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

I always drop $100+ on string orders, usually last me 3-5 months. I used to experiment more and sure it cost a lot. But somehow all my guitars end up with old strings on at any given time!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 16:05:06

jalalkun

Posts: 276
Joined: May 3 2017
From: Iraq, living in Cologne, Germany

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

how long does it take you to smash down a set? or do you change basses multiple times while keeping the trebles?

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My name is Jalal.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 19:46:16

Piwin

Posts: 3559
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

Sometimes I try out more expensive sets but usually I stick with Daddario EJ44 or La Bella 820. Around 7 euros a full set IIRC. When they start sounding dull, I just take them off and put them back on and they're good to go. I change full sets maybe once every 2 or 3 months depending on how much I'm playing. Then you throw in replacement strings (I'll probably replace the G string due to breakage at least once or twice before changing the full set). Dunno, I probably don't go much higher than 50 euros a year.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2019 20:57:16

Goldwinghai

Posts: 215
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

I spent $207 on strings in the last twelve months with one third of that was gift for friends. The black La Bella black nylon strings seem last forever. I used 2 sets of bass strings for every set of treble.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2019 2:56:34

rombsix

Posts: 7807
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: String purchase (in reply to Goldwinghai)

I change my strings once every couple of years. I've perfected the technique of being a guitarist who does not ruin strings: I never practice...

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2019 4:26:00

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: String purchase (in reply to Piwin)

quote:

I'll probably replace the G string due to breakage at least once or twice before changing the full set)

Certainly you mean the D string????

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CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2019 16:21:19

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: String purchase (in reply to rombsix)

Ramz

Hey we have it lucky. Violin strings are like $60 for a decent set right?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2019 18:31:02

Piwin

Posts: 3559
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: String purchase (in reply to Ricardo)

No, it's G alright. And I know it's nothing wrong with the instrument (not a sharp bridge or anything like that) because I have the same problem with any guitar (at least classical/flamenco). So it's definitely me that's the problem.

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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2019 20:25:02

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: String purchase (in reply to Piwin)

piwin that seems strange to me. I have a glut of G strings (keep it clean folks

) as not sure I've ever broken one. and D'Addario used to offer two different G-Strings per set. Don't know if they still do.

I used to break many high Es but I seem to have resolved that. Maybe a rough nut or bridge. Although logically maybe high-Es should break more easily?

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2019 2:26:52

Piwin

Posts: 3559
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: String purchase (in reply to flyeogh)

The ones with 2 G strings are the composite sets. You get 1 nylon G and 1 composite G. But with the basic EJ44, you just get 1 G string. I know I've tried the composites and decided against them, but tbh I don't even remember what it was that I didn't like about them. Since they're supposed to be more resistant and keep their tone longer, it'd make sense to use that. Maybe I'll have to give them another try one of these days.

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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2019 5:16:57

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: String purchase (in reply to Piwin)

Weird. I’ve got so many extras I use them for cejillas cuz they almost never break.

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CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2019 13:32:41