Big Poppa, tell us about strings ...

[robelinda2]

my fingers just eat the strings too, 3 or 4 weeks max and they are gone. fast fret everyday for me

 

[DrKev]

I can't bring myself to put any sort of 'product' on my strings, fast fret or otherwise. At the moment I get about 20hrs playing time out of my strings, maybe 30hrs in the winter when my hands sweat less. I just wipe the guitar and strings down well after each gig, which helps. (A towel is very useful thing to have in the guitar case).

 

[Larry]

Fast fret makes the strings way too slipery IMO

 

[jongitarz]

I have been using Slinky's since around 1966. They were made in Newport Beach, and if memory serves there were 2, 1st strings included in the set(BP?)

Been a fan and user way longer than an employee. Simply put, they are great strings. I used 10-46 until last year. I now play 9-42.... In my golden years, I don't want to work so hard bending notes

 

[phatduckk]

I have been using Slinky's since around 1966. They were made in Newport Beach, and if memory serves there were 2, 1st strings included in the set(BP?)

Been a fan and user way longer than an employee. Simply put, they are great strings. I used 10-46 until last year. I now play 9-42.... In my golden years, I don't want to work so hard bending notes

wuss

 

[beej]

In my golden years, I don't want to work so hard bending notes

Hey, that's just fine so long as you keep the volume cranked up

 

[slukather]

I used Di Adarrio's (sp??) when l first started playing, cause l didn't know any better, but l soon switched to Ernie Ball Super Slinkys (9-42), and haven't looked back, you can't compare the 2, l've used Di Adqarrios a couple of times since switching to EB, and EB strings are far supiour, there are ather nice strings out there, but nothing compared to the Super Slinkys.

Scott.

 

[Big Poppa]

wuss

Echo big phatty

strap some powers on and give me 20!

 

[jeffrey]

Sheesh! I usually change my strings after 2 weeks. 3 max. I'm one of those guys who sheds flesh onto the unwound strings. I clean them frequently with Fast Fret while they're on the guitar.

Weeks?!

Jeezus. I go through about 2 SETS per WEEK with D'Addarios. With EB's (and I hate to say this, I'm totally going to get yelled at lol) I can kill them even faster.

If we have a gig (which we do this week) I'll probably go through four sets. I have to play with a new set or my JP's will not stay in tune (and I'll probably break the low B string anyway if I don't).

I think what I like about the D'Addario's is they last a tiny bit longer for me and they feel just a touch less stiff in the .010-.056 set. It's just about right.

I think it's like Dudley explained to me; the tension in the wrap wire determines the stiffness of the string. D'Addario must wrap it ever so slightly less tight.

Tone-wise when new, they sound about the same to me really.

 

[Bungo]

I used 10-46 until last year. I now play 9-42.... In my golden years, I don't want to work so hard bending notes

I'm with him! Glad I'm not the only wuss around here!

 

[wired]

When I started playing guitar (almost 20 years ago), I tried several brands of strings for the 1st couple of years (GHS, D'addario, Fender, etc).

Honestly, once I tried a set of Super Slinkys, I have never used another brand on my electrics.

 

[Mick]

I tell you that when I read about "inflation under control" I wonder what these fools are smoking. EVERYTHING that we buy has gone up insanely. It is startng to cut into my lavish lifestyle!

Gimme me a call if you can´t afford any meat on your grill, I´ll hook you up with some. My friend is a butcher

 

[Tolerate]

Instead of fastfret, I would really recommend a thing called a Swipe

http://www.stringclean.com/

 

[J-Nick]

I like fastfret. I have very sweaty hands (I know its gross ) and this product doubles the life expectancy of my strings... I'm with larryandrews in that it makes the strings very slippery, but if you wipe the strings before playing it's perfect...

Cheers

 

[Lucidology]

Patrice Vigier is a very nice & concerned luthier who provides great customer service with his guitars... not to mention his guitars are pretty original conceptually...

Makes total sense that Big Poppa would meet up with him... truly Kindred spirits

 

[candid_x]

Any plans for EB to come out with 9.5's? I much prefer the tone of slinkys, but GHS is the only one I know of which has 9.5's, and that guage-set works best for me.

 

[SteveB]

Patrice Vigier is a very nice & concerned luthier who provides great customer service with his guitars... not to mention his guitars are pretty original conceptually...

Makes total sense that Big Poppa would meet up with him... truly Kindred spirits

Yes, plus the fact that Patrice is the MusicMan distrubutor for France!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I hate that fast fret muck!

 

[Adwex]

...And FWIW, I don't think the coloured ends are really any more convenient. I'd still have to grab the pack to see what colour is what gauge, and would take just as much time, if not more, when on stage and doing an emergency string change. For d'Addario it was more a useful means of reducing their packaging cost (in my admittedly poorly informed opinion).

I tried D'Addario once or twice for a couple of reasons...

1- Their factory is/was near where I live. Support local business.

2- The packaging was advertised as "environmentally friendly" (less paper).

3- To see if they felt/sounded better.

Went back to Slinkies for a couple of reasons...

1- I found the packaging annoying. All 6 strings were coiled up and placed in the same plastic bag. They got a little tangled trying to take them out. I much prefere the individual "envelopes" EBs come in.

2- As quoted above, the colored ball ends don't matter if you don't know what color is what guage.

3- I tried to notice a difference, but didn't.

I think I tried GHS once, but it's been Slinkies for me for about 20 years. I like to buy them by the dozen or so from Musician's Friend. Unfortunately for BP, I don't practice/play enough so a set lasts me a couple months.

Adam