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Leafs
by Gary E. Andrews - 03/04/24 12:47 PM
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Joined: Aug 2002
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They say there are only two or three companies making guitar strings. When you buy brand name strings they come from one of these companies, but you pay more because of the brand name, while they are the same strings as a non-brand name generic strings. Is this true? Some people will only buy certain brands, swearing they are the best. What is the truth here?
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Joined: May 2001
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Humm, Can't say for sure. When we visited the Martin Factory in 1994, i think, they had a new String Division and were making strings. Things change so anything is possible. I would guess the parts used in the strings may come from the same supplier but don't know.
Ray E. Strode
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Joined: Apr 2001
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JPF Mentor
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JPF Mentor
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It was the truth years ago. There were just a few large manufacturers. That was until the popularity of the guitar exploded in the seventies and eighties. Nowdays, there are several manufacturers.
You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash It's only music. -niteshift Mike Dunbar Music
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http://www.guitarstringguide.com/drupal/content/guitar-string-manufacturersEverett It looks like there might be several manufacturers. Unlike many Guitar brands who have Generic Factories in Indonesia and Korea who make guitars for various vendors. Samick Guitars come to mind. They make guitars for several big names. They make them to their specs and put their name on the Guitar. Epiphone(Gibson) Squier(Fender) Washburn(Marshall?) Hohner and others. Greg Bennet is their main line.
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Martin has a factory in Mexico where their strings are made. Some are sold under the Martin name and some are sold as Darco. I don't think there is any difference in the strings and I use the Darcos on both acoustic and electric. If you buy them in quantity on line, they are about $2-3 a set. As good as any strings I have tried. http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-MAT-D5100-LIST
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Thanks guys. I have a 12 string guitar.I hate changing strings on a 12 string guitar, takes me the best part of an hour to do so, but I like the sound of a new set of strings. I buy them on line but usually buy the no name brand. Why pay extra just for a name.
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If you make a habit of wiping off the fretboard after each time you've played it, the strings will last much longer. A lot of the tear on strings is due to hand sweat and grease.
I've tried a bunch of different strings, but find myself returing to the D'addario's a lot. They are not the most expensive ones, but not the cheapest either. I've found the cheap strings doesn't sustain as well, and doesn't last as long as the others, so I suspect there are more to it than a name. You mostly get what you pay for in my experience, allthough not allways. Also the coated strings last much longer, so the extra price may be worth it for those who don't like to swap as often. They sound good longer. I've used Elixir a lot, and still like them, even though they are expensive.
I believe especially for recordings meant to go somewhere it's important with fresh strings. I never do recording sessions with old strings or cheap strings that don't sustain well. You need to capture something that sparkles from the source, and fresh strings are very important for that. You can't easily fix dull strings in the mix.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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Back in the nineties we did a search for musical wire. There were only 2 manufacturers of musical grade wire in the US then. Now days there are about 10. I didn't see any from Mexico but there is one in Quebec.
So, most string brands buy the wire, twist a nut on it and cut it to length, then package it. It stands to reason that there could be several brands of strings that are the same product just packaged differently.
Personally, I use D'Addario. But we try all things reasonably priced.
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Everett-- When I was a kid in THOMASVILLE, NC we had BLACK DIAMOND for my STELLA they were 50 cents a pack--that's the only brand our store had! There are like the others say a few to choose from--I like the strings that are sealed: D'Addario-- Here's a list with some info and websites: Guitar String Manufacturers There are many many guitar string manufacturers, makes and brands around the world, but here's an overview of some of the most popular: D’Addario"The Players Choice"
Both electric and acoustic guitar strings are supplied in sets packaged within a single 'corrosion intercept' environmentally-friendly package. Individual strings are identified by the colour of the ball-end and a key to colours is supplied on the packaging.
See our home page for a great video of guitar strings being made in the D'Addario factory.
www.daddario.com Dean Markley"Every product the very best in its field"
With their headquarters in California and with their own manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Dean Markley Strings - or DMS for short - manufacture a wide range of popular electric and acoustic guitar strings that are used and endorsed by a wide range of artistes, the most famous of which is probably the incredible guitarist that is Yngwie Malmsteen! ( http://www.deanmarkley.com/EndArtists/YngwieMalmsteen.shtml)
Acoustic strings include Alchemy, Vintage and Blue Steel ranges, whereas electric strings include endorsed versions named after Yngwie Malmsteen, Jimi Hendrix and Floyd Rose among others. Floyd Rose "speedloader" strings are specially designed to be used with the incredible Speedloader Tremolo Bridge that enables you to change your strings and have them in tune in under a minute!
www.deanmarkley.com DR Handmade Strings"Born in NYC, wound up in New Jersey"
Founded by Mark Dronge, son of the Guild Guitars founder, DR Handmade Strings make a diverse range of acoustic, electric and bass guitar strings which, not unsurprisingly, the test on Guild guitars! DR believe in combining old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern materials to create strings that give the feel and tone that players want. Endorsing artistes include U2's Adam Clayton. Voted Number One in Bass Player magazine's 2008 Reader's Choice Awards.
www.drstrings.com DunlopHeavy Metal Favourites
Dunlop electric guitar strings are made in California by Jim Dunlop, famous for the Cry Baby Wah-Wah pedal amonst other things. Bright, well balanced and punchy, these guitar strings are designed for extremely long life and provide low tension with minimum break-in time. Popular with Heavy Metal Artists like Zak Wylde
www.jimdunlop.com ElixirHi-tech coated strings
In 1995 Elixir started experimenting with coating strings with PTFE. After much trial and error and analysis, prototypes were tried by over 5,000 guitarists and other musicians before Elixir final released their masterpieces. Today their NANOWEB and POLYWEB coated strings are used by guitar players worldwide. Not cheap to buy, but claimed to last 3-5 times longer than 'regular' strings!
www.elixirstrings.com Ernie BallProbably the most famous brand of all

Ernie Ball invented the trademary 'Slinks' range of guitar strings back in the 1950s and built a world-wide brand known for it's wide choice of 'custom' gauge sets. The regular choice of millions of guitarists worldwide.
Read the Ernie Ball Biography.
>> Details of Ernie Ball Slinky range of electric guitar strings, including gauges.
www.ernieball.com FenderIconic maker of the Tele and Strat
Fender invented an alternative to the ball end - the bullet end - especially for Fender guitars
www.fender.com GHSGHS Boomers
www.ghstrings.com La BellaAmerica's largest string maker
E. & O. Mari, Inc., the maker of La Bella Strings, is one of America's oldest and largest manufacturers of fine strings for virtually every kind of stringed instrument including guitars. La Bella are one of the only companies in the world still making traditional, real gut strings for antique and Baroque guitars. Other materials used include three different types of nylon, Kevlar, copper, brass, bronze, silver, aluminum, in addition to numerous types of steel. Each string is created using a combination of tradition and technology. Sophisticated, computer controlled and automated string-winding machinery is used where applicable, but hand-winding is still used where it delivers the best results.
www.labella.com Martin Guitar StringsAcoustic favorites
A wide range of Bronze, Phosphor Bronze and Coated strings in every conceivable gauge and type. CF Martin & co are well known as makers of top quality acoustic guitars and their strings are made to the same high standard. Core and wrap wires must meet strict requirements to make the grade and Martin Strings are wound to precise specifications
www.martinguitar.com Optima Guitar StringsGold plated magic beloved of Brian May and others
Quirky, elusive, sometimes hard to find, but some top guitarists will use nothing else but German made Optima strings. Previously know ans Maxima strings, they are best known for their gold plated electric strings used by Brian May, James Dean Bradfield and others.
Optima do not seem to have their own website (I said they were quirky!), but they can be contacted via Andrew Morgan at UK supplier "A Strings", who also ship Optima strings worldwide.
www.astrings.com RotosoundAs British as the Beatles

Famous for ROTO Color strings (ROTO Pinks, ROTO Yellows etc) developed in conjunction with some of the worlds top artists, these unique sets deliver a smooth powerful tone that lasts while other strings have long gone dead.
www.rotosound.co.uk SfarzoSuperior strings for superior guitarists
Based in Santa Rosa, California, the Sfarzo String Company produce a range of strings including Nickel/Iron SFT Screamers, Signature Series Studio sets, Super Screamers (for a classic Rock ‘n’ Roll sound) and more.
Their following is growing, especialy in the Heavy Rock and Metal genre where they are renown for long-lasting strings that hold their tuning well.
www.sfarzo.us Mackie
Last edited by Mackie H.; 10/13/11 07:15 PM.
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I would think a poor guitar player would still "sound" poor with the most expensive, top rated, great strings. And, that a great guitar player would still "sound" great using the least expensive, lowest rated strings made.
Fingers usually provide "much" of what comes out to then go to others ears,,,no?
I read where Paul McCartney was asked what stings he used. He didn't know the make or kind, and said it never mattered to any of them. If he or they didn't care!...???
I once played on a very cheap drum set in a friend's home, where he was just starting to learn how to play. His parents came in the room and said, "wow,,,those drums sound a lot better with you on them". It's knowing "how" to get sounds on anything that counts more than what strings, heads, picks, amps,,,whatever.
Don't fret the frets! Or the strings! Just play! Music will either come out or not, in all degrees of good sounds or not,,,from the "player".
Listen to a beginner piano player on a Steinway! Then listen to a pro on some spinet. Somehow, the inherent crappy sound of the spinet will come alive and somehow "please", with a great player, regardless.
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Mackie"s got the whole run down! Although they are more money I only play Elixir's any more, hear me out. They have that teflon type coating so stuff gets on them but not in them. When you wipe them down they are clean and do not get that dead sound that I used to get so much from Ernie Ball's. The other guitar player in my band breaks a string almost every gig- I have had the same set on for about a year and a half now. I used to break alot of them too years ago but I have more finesse in my attack now so I tend to do less that is unintentional now. After playing for 40 years now I should about be getting the hang of it. Thats my 2 cents...c ya.
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I started playing Guild Phosphor bronze strings for acoustic guitar 30 years ago. Later, I found a mail order place that sold bronze wound strings in bulk. I bought a dozen sets at a time. They weren't indivually wrapped, but were really cheaper than buying off the shelf and lasted just as long as the Guild strings did.
Nowadays, I just look for bronze wound strings. Martin's "Darco" strings work just fine at 5 bucks for a set.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Serious Contributor
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For Acoustic and Electric guitars - D'Addario's are the studio standard. They make the best strings that stay in tune the best.
Had a Dean Markley endorsement...but I don't now, so I can admit...not good. Won't stay in tune.
Elixir's are nice, partially because they feel cool, but when the web starts coming off, they're kinda weird.
I use the Martin's on my Mandolin and Banjo, because there are very few companies that make those strings. They seem fine
I haven't used Ernie Ball's for years, but they weren't bad as far as I remember. I used the Light Top / Heavy Bottom
Strings matter. Alot more than some things...like cables, picks, etc.
For any and all guitar players...try some String Lube - It sounds silly, but I can highly recommend Big Bends "Nut Sauce". Get some of that stuff. It's keeps strings from binding at the nut and going out of tune. You can use it anywhere the string interacts with the guitar. Miraculous stuff really. There's some generic stuff that does the same thing.
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