Reddit mentions: The best guitar strings & bass strings

So you have a fender p bass with the standard roundwound strings. Based on what you've said about your physical abilities, this might be the worst combination for you and it's what I was afraid you were going to say tbh. A precision bass has a thicker neck and a wider width near the nut than many other basses. Not only that but you're playing a full scale bass with no offset body on high tension roundwounds. If you've had it for a week, it might still be possible to return it from where you bought it and look into a short scale, but anyway, I'm going to link you some products to look into. Starting with strings and working into different guitars that might be a better fit for you. If you have a squier P, I'm assuming you don't have a huge budget, so we're going to keep it relatively affordable. Keep in mind a luthier could also help you set the action and stuff on your bass to make it easier to play.


First some different strings. These nylon strings have a lower tension than roundwounds and offer an old school thumpy sound. The best part is that unless you break a string, you will never need to replace a string and these will get better with age.

D'Addario ETB92 Tapewound Bass Guitar Strings, Medium, 50-105, Long Scale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0046XSEA0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yltMDb6RM28A4

Now I'm going to show you some basses. Most of these will be available at guitar center or a similar music store and I'll give you some quick bits to help you out.

If you want to soldier on with full scale I'd recommend at least getting something with a smaller neck that will be easier for your hands to handle. Jazz basses have smaller necks, and typically any of their PJ basses and jaguars do too. This might make it easier and is worth a shot
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-basses/jazz-bass/classic-vibe-70s-jazz-bass/0374540506.html

Now we're going to get into short scales.

The bronco bass is one of the cheapest new basses you can buy, but they sound pretty good and have pretty decent build quality for the price. It's possible to upgrade the factory pickup with a blade stole guitar pickup. It's cheap, looks good and plays well too. Most importantly, it's short.
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-basses/other/bronco-bass/0310902506.html

The squier Jaguar short scale is the next step up. Two pickups, really killer looks, a more contoured body, a skinny neck and a short scale. These are pretty rad but I don't know if they still make them, you might have to buy a used one.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier/Vintage-Modified-Jaguar-Bass-Special-SS-Short-Scale.gc

The hofner violin bass is known for being used by Paul McCartney, but what's really important here is that this bass has a small body, a short scale and a teeny tiny neck. Idk if you've seen paul but he's just a really tiny dude making that bass look normal sized. I'm fairly certain very young kids could play it comfortably. They sound really cool. It's a little pricy but they are much cheaper used, and rogue makes their own version that's very affordable and decent. They sound killer with flats.


https://www.guitarcenter.com/Hofner/Ignition-Series-Vintage-Violin-Bass-Sunburst-1389832990308.gc

Gretsch isn't a brand I'm super familiar with but I've never picked one up and thought it felt like a cheap piece of shit. They're very nice instruments all around with their own unique sound. Plus their short scale has a really awesome distinct tone and it looks fantastic. I'm seeing these used for less than 200 bucks all over the place.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G2220WLN--gretsch-g2220-junior-jet-bass-ii-walnut-stain?gclsrc=aw.ds&&mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3248788516&product_id=G2220WLN&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%2520-%2520Core%2520-%2520Bass&adgroup=Bass%2520-%2520Bass%2520Guitars&placement=google&creative=226299461018&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjw_uDsBRAMEiwAaFiHaypsPGR43zSFRp7B1nXIFg0ezcT6VmgmoQr4Ltd3VoMIuTBlspgwRxoCRjMQAvD_BwE

Edit: forgot to add the kala u bass. I've heard tons of great things about these. They sound awesome and they're tons of fun to play. And they're tiny. They actually are the size of a ukulele but with the sound of a big boy bass. I had a blast with one when I tried it and playing them is so easy.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Kala/Sub-Series-U-Bass-Electric-Bass-Guitar-115685455.gc?source=4WWMWXGP&gclid=CjwKCAjw_uDsBRAMEiwAaFiHayaTtC2W2Ih9bZAMKM59tU7mADV6bC7WXV3STG3q6P-jfRRmghk1UxoCfY8QAvD_BwE

Anyway, go to your local big music store and see what they have, and ask about these specific guitars. I don't want you to give up on this, especially since the first week is the hardest part anyway. I spent my first week playing "come as you are" over and over and telling myself I was cool. You're already off to a great start. As far as playing comfortably, my other advice is to make sure to have your thumb on the back of the neck, not on top, and to try to keep your wrist perpendicular to the fretboard instead of at a weird angle. If you do decide to take lessons, it's very possible that your teacher will work with you adjusting your technique to your body's limitations. But until then, look at some short scales and stuff, have fun and don't hurt yourself.

Although it seems boring, if you know/or can find out what kind of strings in particular he uses (brand name/string model/string gauge), a bulk set might be in order. I change strings on my 8 electrics quite often so a 25-pack of D'addario's (example) make sense for me. But I know a lot of the factory made string brands make multipacks.

You mentioned picks not being very special. I agree, but several dozen of his favorite kind is an awesome gift. It doesn't say 'clever' but it is certainly practical. I also like basic options like this because it is viable across all budgets. (example)

If your boyfriend is a more academic guitarist, get some cool music books. Maybe hes mentioned wanting to learn some modern jazz theory, classical guitar techniques, or even just wants a transcription of the Led Zeppelin discography. A hardcopy book just does things that an online .pdf or video can't do, and vice-versa. (example)

Lastly, find a good guitar teacher in your area and pre pay for a lesson or two. I've been playing for 15 years and have had some highly talented professional musicians as teachers, but I would still get a huge kick out of a blind lesson. I would like to note that in order for this kind of gift to be effective, you're going to need to do a bit of research. In addition, if you are stuck between a few good candidates, I would go for the pricier and more experienced one. Quality over quantity!

For tangible goods, support a local mom&pop music store if you can. I use amazon and guitar center when I don't have a choice but I worry that my future children won't have the benefit of visiting local/old/music shops like I did.

Good luck!

a lot of those bands use guitars like Les Pauls and SGs with a HH pick up configuration. i personally would point you toward the epiphone Les Paul or SG. They are made from mahogany which will give you a darker sound for heaver stuff. http://amzn.com/B007AGR6KE this is an epiphone SG that would kick ass for your first guitar or a cheaper one here http://amzn.com/B0002D01IG that would work alright, on the les paul side here is a great one http://amzn.com/B0002CZURO
but for a cheaper one i would recommend this one http://amzn.com/B0002CZUV0 . however, the same guitar comes with a bundle with an amp and everything to get you started for 200$ here http://amzn.com/B00A6D50L0 . also because your going to be getting into guitars im going to point you to some places for you to learn how to to play and reliable places to buy stuff from

for lessons http://www.justinguitar.com/

for guitar tabs http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

to learn how to read a tab http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/for_beginners/how_to_read_tabs.html?no_takeover

places to buy stuff

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/

http://www.zzounds.com/

http://amazon.com/ <it works but i would not use it as my primary for guitar stuff

also try to stay away from guitar center until you have a good knowledge base or they might just rip you off. Sam ash is a good store and any localy owned shop will probably do you good. if you live in the Atlanta GA area i highly recommend Ken Stanton Music but they only have 5 stores :(

oh yeah also your going to need to replace guitar strings when you do buy one (well you don't need to but i would do it) so here is a video on how to do that http://youtu.be/DrLKlJS1wEo . now your going to have to buy new strings at some point. The 2 brands i highly recommend is daddario and erine ball (i personally like daddario) a pack of string from them is like 5-6$. now strings come in different sizes for beginners i would recommend a set of 9s like these http://amzn.com/B0002H0A7E or these http://amzn.com/B0002M6CW6 . just follow the video on how to replace strings and you will be good.

you will need a tuner also. for a beginner i would get on that clips on the head stock like this one http://amzn.com/B005MR6IHK also with that you need to learn what notes to tune a guitar to E standard tuning is EADGBE (Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie) but with your music taste you are going to need to learn E flat and Drop D aswell. E flat is (Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Bb,Eb) and drop D is just E standard with the 6th string tuned down to D (DADGBE). any way that should be enough to push you in the right direction for learning guitar. hope it works out for you. if you have questions you can just PM me or something.

Went through this whole dilemma this past week. I'm not the most experienced but I learned that the strings are definitely going to go with what you want to play.

The three kinds of strings you have are: round, half-round, and flat. They'll all give you different tones. Flat strings will give you a warmer and more mellow tone and round will give you a cooler and more traditional tone.

Since you're playing the following sitations

• Jazz band, pep, and the pit for school
  
• Your youth group
  
• Your band
  
  I'd recommend going with round or half-round as you have a diversity to play. I've only played with rounds and flats, so I can't speak for the half. You'll also want to decide on a material, but just to be safe: choose nickel. It's common and you can't go wrong with it.
  
  So I'll give you something good, but just take it as a recommendation, not a law or anything. Get these. They're cheap, but damn good. They'll get the job done. Just remember that the genre you play influences what strings you should get. I'm learning all this. Playing with some of my first flatwounds, and it's interesting. Best of luck to you!

Here’s my recommendation:

The guitar: this it’s really an excellent guitar, for price you can’t beat that.

The strings: used for The Wall

Additionally you could replace the pick ups depending on your amplifier: with these personally i would not recommend it on the specific strat I recommend for you to buy cause it cost twice the guitar. But if you get one, try to find one second hand!

Also remember its not all in the equipment, you also they way you play the guitar! Learning the proper style of playing can get you a long way!

Now pedals and amps:

I personally think this is the most important no matter what guitar you have, if you put it threw a good amp it really does miracles!

I personally have a Fender M-80 amplifier, the distortion on that amp sound extremely good so I don’t really use disto pedals!! But I do have 2 disto pedals that sound like him,

1: Real Tube Overdrive: this

2: Big Muff: here ya go

3: Definitely get an Echo Pedal thats a must! Any one should do! like this

Just use a decent amplifier, if you already have one it’s probably fine, around 200-300 Watts is great.

Additional links:

This website called Gilmourish is excellent if you want to find the exact correct pedals and techniques! Here: http://www.gilmourish.com

And this video:

this! and this

Hope this helps!

Edit: if you dont have an amplifier, try looking for a second hand Fender amp, either on ebay, craigslist, facebook market place! You can send me a pm if you found one and I could tell you about it!

Edit 2: really depending on your budget I can tell what to get so feel free to pm always happy to help a fellow Floydian.

So you'll definitely want a guitar stand. Don't put your guitar away, the more you see it, the more you'll want to play it. Grab one of the small clip on tuners, the snarky brand one's are pretty good, and they're dirt cheap. You'll want a string winder too, and keep a couple extra sets of strings around. My favorite strings are the martin SP series strings, very lively tones.

As far as lessons go, while I know a lot of people get a lot out of them, I'd say your best bet would just be finding songs you want to learn how to play, and learning how to play them. These days, you can find a Youtube walkthrough on how to play almost any song. After learning songs you want to play, the abstract concepts of what actually makes up that song will start to soak in. This in addition to learning all your basic chords, and you'll be off and running in no time. The thing I'd be worried about as far as lessons go would be if it ends up feeling like a chore. That being said, it's all up to you.

String winder : https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Accessories-Pro-Winder-Guitar-String/dp/B0002E1G5C

Tuner : https://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN5X-Guitar-Violin-Current/dp/B01H74YV56

My Favorite Strings : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002CZST4

One string set you might want to consider is the EXP Coated Phosphor Bronze. Here are links to the 11's, 12's, and 13's on Amazon. The coating helps with string life, and it also helps the strings not go through that overly bright period when you first put them on. The EXP's are more expensive, but the lifetime really makes it worth it, so if you tend to not change your strings every month, these are great.

Note that the 11's are called "custom light" by D'Addario, the 12's are "light", and the 13's are "medium". The 11's and 12's would be more for fingerstyle (though there are some fingerstyle players who go really heavy) and the 12's and 13's would be more for flatpicking (again, there are exceptions). The 11's and 12's should sound great on your Yamaha for a variety of styles. Good luck!

Honestly it barely matters...

People have their brand loyalty, etc, but for a beginner, there is little difference. I'd go with light strings, because it's a bit easier on your fingers when starting out. Here are a few selections from three top brands.

Also, don't let restringing them be daunting. You tube has around a million tutorials for it, and it really isn't that hard.

You can download easy apps for free on your smartphone to use as a tuner, too.

Happy pickin

Martin strings
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BMHLHC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_3GvOCb5NSJA4S

Ernie ball (6 sets)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009AGEJ0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_GJvOCbYN0A1TE

D'addario 3 pack (super popular brand)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OR2RNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_ALvOCbET0C0W8

HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY!!!

I love being able to portray certain characters. What I would love to do is be able to have a full Doctor Who cosplay of a Cyberman, or a Tron cosplay of Sam Flynn with the full LEDs and whatnot.

The ultimate costume, though, would be an Iron Man suit, considering that he is my favorite super hero.

I could use some new strings for my guitar considering that the ones I've had are starting to wear down.

I've gone to my legendary "best-in-class" Luthier for my Strat and string changes: 9-42 all the way to 10-52 and he says you really DO NOT need to mess around with the truss rod at this level. If you go to a 12-56 set, then yes, a truss rod adjustment may be needed then.

The Strat is a more complicated machine due to the floating bridge. If you don't use the whammy, block/lock the bridge down for easier tuning stability. I use a Tremol-No device for $50 at Guitar Center, etc (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/tremolo/allparts-tremol-no-tremolo-locking-device--pin-type) and installed it myself (very easy)...in this manner I can use the whammy or lock the bridge with the screw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiZnipHc1ec).

This aside, 9's are a bad idea if you ever want to tune lower like Eb or D Standard for songs on Rocksmith 2014, for instance.

If you constantly stay in E standard, the 9's are definitely fine & preferable for easier bending, but as you grow as a musician, you'll hit into the LOWER tunings for TONS of songs in those tunings, and for this you need the heavier strings. One day or another, you'll be frustrated with 9's as they flop wobbly in the lower tunings.

Horses for courses as they say. But by then, maybe you'll have an extra guitar for lower tunings. I have 3 guitars all tuned to different tunings AND different strings, like many other guitarists do. Ever see a touring musician and his slew of differently tuned guitars?

Bottom line: If you strictly stay in E Standard tuning, change to 9's. But, if you play with different tunings and only have one guitar, stick with "all-around" 10's. A good all-around string set is the GHS Gilmour 10-48. They are a touch heavier/bassier on top and a bit THINNER gauge at bottom (versus a regular 10-46 set) for string bending, which Gilmour does a ALOT of, as you know, LOL. https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-GB-DGF-Signature-Nickel-Plated/dp/B00135HFK4

....Also, maybe your friend uses COATED strings (i.e. the popular Elixir brand, 9-42: https://www.amazon.com/Elixir-Strings-Electric-NANOWEB-009--042/dp/B0002E1O2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1473624391&sr=1-1&keywords=elixir+9-42) which is why you liked that "sliding feeling". Ask him what model strings he uses if you liked them so much. Changing string sets is cheap and won't affect your guitar's truss rod. The intonation should stay relatively fine, but you can always "refine" intonate (i.e. sharpness/flatness) it yourself when doing string gauge changes and you SHOULD definitely(!) learn this aspect as a budding guitar player (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSRqdmXBSAQ).

The guitarists there play almost exclusively classical or Spanish-style acoustic guitars. I wasn't sure before I went, so I brought some metal and some nylon strings. The nylon ones were far and away more appreciated, as most of the musicians who I encountered didn't have much use for the metal strings (what most strumming guitarists in Western music use). You'll want to look for sets labeled "tie end", as "ball end" strings didn't seem to be as common (though they can still be used). Here are a few options on Amazon:

One

Two

Three

There are some more options at varying price levels, but those are for sure safe bets. If you have a Guitar Center or local music shop nearby there will absolutely be somebody knowledgeable there who can help you if you're still stuck. I promise that whatever you bring will be much appreciated!

You're right, the instrument does not factor in as much as one's interest. Totally right.

Of the packages listed, the first Yamaha one for $159 looks very nice. You'd definitely get more than your money out of it. Yamaha has a great rep. for longevity.

I own this Rogue for $79 and love it to death. I taught Grade 6 and students were allowed to play whenever they wanted - it never got any rest from students or teachers.
I'd get this Snark tuner, this guitar strap, these strings, this string winder, and finally this stand. Oh, and these thin picks.

That gives you a grand total of $119.24. I've either owned or used all of these products and can vouch for them.

Now, the other thing I'm thinking of... there's this instructional book on Google Books, where you get the first 64 pages for free. It's a great resource, but the name escapes me. If I think of it, I'll write back. I hope this helps.

It would really help to have pictures and brand/model information. This probably isn't a big deal you can almost definitely save it and you can probably do so without spending more than $60. The idea that it's bad to store a guitar without strings is really only true of older acoustic guitars. Electric guitars are built to be adjustable. As long as there weren't heavy boxes stacked on top of it, sitting in a closet won't have caused any lasting damage.

My advice would be to share a few pictures of it here so someone can verify that there's not any obvious damage and then take it to a guitar store (most non-Guitar Center shops also do repairs or can refer you to a repair shop) and let them know it's been sitting in a closet for 8 years and ask them to string and set it up. They'll clean it, string and intonate (make sure all of the fretted notes are in tune) it, and adjust the neck and string height. Basically make it as playable as possible. You'll get it back in a couple days and be good to go. Most shops charge $40-60 for a set up.

​

Alternately, Just buy a pack of strings, find a "how to string a guitar" tutorial on YouTube, get the Boss Tuner app on your phone, and go nuts. You can screw around with it to see if you want to play and then invest some money in getting a professional set up if it seems like something you might want to pursue.

Tell them you'll string the guitar, and that you just want the fretwork. Ask them for a detailed description of what they're going to do to your guitar's fretboard (say it's because you're curious or whatever, just get them to humor you). The key is to understand enough about the service that you can learn more about it on your own time. My guess is that they're overcharging you by trying to do more to your guitar than you asked for.

If it sounds like you could do it yourself and you're confident, then proceed to do it yourself with internet guidance -- you'll absolutely learn something. If it doesn't, come back and tell us what they told you. I'm gonna guess that they're looking to do unnecessary work on your starter guitar. Hell, I'd just buy a new guitar (without accessories) for that cost and try doing repairs on the old one by myself. You should definitely try to string the guitar yourself; that's not too hard to do. It should take you maybe a few hours on your first stringing; buy two packs of strings (I'd recommend light D'Addario's, (but experiment!) like so: http://amzn.com/B000EEJ8CS).

You shouldn't have to lie to a guy to get him to give you proper service. New players are worthy of respect, too.

Okay, If the top of the guitar(headstock) looks like this:

>http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4615510364720152&pid=1.7

It's A nylon string. If it looks like this:

>http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=acoustic+guitar+head&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=acoustic+guitar+head&sc=5-20&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=1CAA97FA30D02EC26C4BB9141ED059A628B5B87B&selectedIndex=2:

You've got yourself a steel string guitar.


If you've got nylon strings, then your best bet is to buy nylon strings:

>http://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ45-Pro-Arte-Classical-Strings/dp/B000EEL6J6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373375203&sr=8-1&keywords=nylon+strings

...and if steel string, then something like this:

>http://www.amazon.com/Martin-M130-Steel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B0002CZT0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1373375250&sr=1-1&keywords=steel+string




This is all on the assumption that your Franciscan has a big hole under the strings.
If it's solid, then go for electric guitar strings. As for the sixth string, the sixth string is the thinnest string in the pack. Although it would be worth replacing them all as the strings will probably be a bit old and tatty anyway.

Mine is a knock-knock joke. Would you like to hear it?

edit: that was the best joke ever.

Can you feel the love? These guitar strings can

Lol, thanks. My advice is to try a few sets of strings over time and decide what ones you like best. D'Addario, ErnieBall, Gibson, Fender etc. All of those are great brands. I use ErnieBall Cobalt regular 10s on my Gibsons. They are a little bit expensive, but they seem to last the longest for me. Take a look at these and the strings /u/Pokegamer posted. Those are probably the two most popular sets. You can also get both in a 9 gauge too if you want something thinner.

D'Addario EJ40 Silk & Steel Folk Guitar Strings, 11-47 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OR88JE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1B2DAbDH717QG

Good luck and enjoy! I love them.

A good setup will help. You can do this yourself, and it will help you "bond" with the guitar.

Personally, I think Strats are best with 9s. I feel like Ernie Ball Super Slinkies are pretty much the perfect match. A set is like 5 bucks so it is cheap to try.

I am not sure what to say about the pickups, but really the Signature Strat Sound is from single-coils

Sorry for replying so late. Haven't been at my PC so I couldn't link the strings easily. I usually play on the EJ46C's (https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ46C-Pro-Arte-Composite-Classical/dp/B0002IKZM8) but if you're more of a beginner I'd recommend learning on something like EJ45's (https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ45-Pro-Arte-Classical-Strings/dp/B000EEL6J6/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=d%27addario+EJ45C&qid=1566738783&s=gateway&sr=8-2). They have a lower tension which makes it easier to play clearly.

Take everything with a grain of salt, including this. But here's what I would tell "beginner me" if I could go back in time.

Technical Information: I think this is too often overlooked in beginner lessons.

• Use light gauge strings 12-53 (example). Even after 4 years, medium gauge is hard for me to play on. It will hurt your fingers a lot.
  
• Learn how to change strings properly.
  
• Tune your guitar with an app before you play, almost every time.
  
• Get a capo (example). You will encounter songs that are unplayable without one, and it's also easier to play with a capo on because it brings the strings closer to the fretboard.
  
  Music Stuff: Videos, videos, videos
  
  
• Youtube will have everything. Watch "beginner" lessons, choose whichever you are most interested in.
  
• Be super patient. It will be worth it, but acoustic guitar is kind of difficult to play. Nothing changes overnight, but you do get a rush every time you get part of a song right.
  
• Learn how to read tabs. It's easy, and there's a million of them.
  
  Have fun!

Oh I hope things would get better for you :O Try to relax a little bit I hope, too much stress and worrying will just make things worse X_X

A little pack of guitar strings would be useful for when I'd have to replace the old strings on my guitar :D

Here's Godzilla Junior aka Minya :D

Here's an overly joyful turtle eating a strawberry lol :D I want my own turtle now so we could munch on strawberries together :D

You might want to try half-round or flatwound strings. They sound warmer and darker than roundwound strings, they keep a consistent tone for longer and they feel silky smooth. I use Thomastik flatwounds on nearly all my guitars - they're expensive, but they sound great and last forever. Other good options include D'Addario Half Rounds, GHS Brite Flats, D'Addario Chromes and GHS Precision Flats.

I am having a fantastic day because my foster dog (who has bad emotional problems) FINALLY let me give him a bath without thrashing around and trying to bite me. He was so brave!

At least you've got Mitch. What does it mean??

I would really like these guitar strings that have free shipping and are under $4. They are a NEED and a want, as well. Thanks for the contest!

oh, shoot. those are an add on. How about these sticks

Thanks for all the help dude you've been great! Someone also recommended these strings over Ernie Ball so i was wondering if you had any experience using them :)?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000EEJ8CS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_paging_btm_2?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent&pageNumber=2

I use these for my E-standard tuned guitar:
https://www.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-2626-Slinky-Nickel/dp/B0002M6CW6?th=1


You can go even thinner with the Extra Slinkys if you want, but the Super Slinkys are already quite easy on the fingers.

I am trying to buy some guitar strings on Amazon and I found this image on this product page. I had been trying to figure out what the difference is between the two types of strings pictured, and this image appears to explain, but it's in Japanese. If someone could translate it would be really helpful - thanks!

I have no idea what you mean by "strings for that'll cut through sound wise" but these are great, inexpensive strings. A 2 pack is only 10 dollars more. If you're using standard tuning I'd recommend them.

Here is my advice, buy some new strings and a feeler gauge. Grab an allen wrench, a screw driver, and your tuner. Restring your bass with the new strings. Then watch this video for neck adjustment. It helps to have a capo, if you dont and pen and some rubber bands will do fine. After you watch that video set up your bass neck relief. Then set your intonation. This covers most of what you need to do to get it sounding more accurate. This should help with the fret buzz.

Here's something that'll be a great stocking stuffer that most people don't know about: Guitar strings that are the same colors as those in the game. They work great: https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8

try these... they are a good compromise and have a great warm sound

http://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ40-Acoustic-Guitar-Strings/dp/B000OR88JE/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1320775989&sr=1-3

I've been playing these Gilmour Boomers for a while now and they don't sound dead at all to me. They stay pretty bright for a long time.

Ddario make very good stings, additionally if you have a smartphone they have tuner apps. I use gStrings for android. Try out different picks, they all have differences, I use Dunlop nylons .73, they are soft enough for fast strumming and still strong for solos plus they are very durable. I only had to buy some more because They get lost easily.

Try the D’Addario ETB92 nylon wrapped flatwounds. They are a fantastic string with a nice mid range, normal gauge and lower tension then most flats. I have a 5 string set on my fretless gwb-35 they are wonderful. These strings are my sound!

D’Addario ETB92

Try silken string, they're more or less the same as metal strings, except they have a silk core so they're a lot easier to play. I picked these up and it was a huge upgrade: https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ40-Steel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B000OR88JE/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=silk+string+guitar&qid=1550197516&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I don't own a seagull, although it's the next guitar on my list. I always like Elixer Lights, polyweb coating. I love the way they feel. I'll link them if you need it. Link

Thomastik Infeld are among the more expensive but IMHO the finest flatwound strings around. Silky smooth, they last forever. Great old school vibe in my view.

check out the product and the reviews at the bottom of the page:
https://www.amazon.com/Thomastik-Infeld-JF344-Bass-Guitar-Strings/dp/B00162ZSW6

Saw that and got goosebumps of pleasure.
Found a better deal, tho.

More specifically I'm pretty sure he uses skinny top heavy bottom strings

Flat wound stings like these will minimize squeak noise between the chord movements.

D'Addario ECG23 XL Chromes Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings, Extra Light Gauge, 10-48 (1 Set) - Ribbon Wound and Polished for Ultra-Smooth Feel and Warm, Mellow Tone - Sealed Pouch Prevents Corrosion https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006OHVK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eoeHDbW4R54FZ

A fret muter might help the open strings


Gruv Gear FretWraps String Muter 1-Pack , Large, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y0N18EK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9peHDbG7BGMGH

And they're cheap. AND apparently you can set them up as a recurring purchase on Amazon! Oh amazon, how I love you.

I like to use Ernie Ball Slinky Top/Heavy Bottom 10-52. Basically standard top strings (10-13-17) and Heavy (30-42-52) bottom strings. I like having standard 10s I find the slinky and super slinky there to be too loose (I pick and bend pretty aggressively) but the 11s/12s to be too much of as struggle. For the bottom strings I like the heavy tone of the 30-52s especially with SRV style riffs on those strings. They're also not that expensive <$5.

My guitar teacher recommended these when I first started and I love them. Not too expensive either.

Standard gauge is made for E-standard tuning, so dropping to D with a standard set of strings will leave you with a slightly-looser-than-normal lowest string.

Moving one gauge up for the lowest string (e.g. from 105 up to 110 as /u/ir1dium mentioned) will give you standard tension when tuned to D, and slightly tighter tension when tuned up to E.

Personally, I really like Ernie Ball Slinkies, excellent tone-to-price ratio in my experience. The Hybrid Slinkies are my favorite for normal tuning and the occasional drop-D jamming, but if you really want that .110, you can order a custom gauge set through Bass Strings Online (a highly reputable site run by a well-known face over at TalkBass.com).

EDIT: So I meant to make the point earlier, that string gauge is pretty much up to your preference of how much tension you want on the lowest string. Also, /u/glubaloo mentioned trying the D'Addarios, which are also really good strings, and tend to come a bit cheaper than EB Slinkies.

The high e on that is probably a 12. Any set of light gauge acoustic strings (12s) would work fine. I like D'Addario. Change all of the strings at the same time. If you only change one it'll sound weird because they mellow over time and you'll have one really bright sounding string.

https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ11-Bronze-Acoustic-Strings/dp/B000EEL6GY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1497712644&sr=8-10&keywords=acoustic+strings

Roundwounds for sure. Brand is all about your preference really. Some of those bands use drop tunings (D/Db) so you may want to consider a slightly thicker gauge for the low E. Just keep in mind that thicker gauge generally equals harder to play but gives you a thicker tone. Personally I'm a fan of D'Addario and would suggest These.

You can toggle between some of the different gauges on there if you don't like those.

Best of luck!

Phosphor bronze strings are pretty much the standard acoustic sound. Make sure you buy the same gauge of string that your guitar is set up for (probably light gauge). I use D'Addario EXP Lights.

DR Strings NMCE-10 DR NEON Electric Strings, Medium, Multi-Color

Great contest! :D

FWIW, when I strictly played acoustic, I would swear by Elixir Polywebs. They have a very smooth feel to them & they sound very good IMO.

Give them a shot. I think you'll dig them.

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000EEL6GY/ref=twister_B007MY5BDI

---

^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

I've been using these Flatwounds for a year and a half and love them.

Yeah, I'm using D'Addario EXP16 Strings. Some of those whole step bends in the opening solo are pretty tough!

http://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EXP16-Phosphor-Acoustic-Strings/dp/B0002E3CJ0

There's always these.

I intended to purchase these for my first string change but after three weeks I don't hesitate on what color = what string. as /u/Aircommando12 said, it might be easier for me since i'm a wet-behind-the-ears newbie.

I also invested in slightly heavier gauge, (medium) DR NEON Hi-Def MULTI-COLOR Medium · Electric Guitar Strings. They've really helped starting out, particularly since, after much umming and aahhing I decided to invert the strings in Rocksmith to better match with the tab I'm also teaching myself with. I also believe the medium gauge strings deliver a stronger signal to the pickups and hold their pitch better as I grapple and squeeze too hard at unfamiliar chords. Sure they might be slightly harder to bend but they're still featherweight compared to even the light strings I'm using to teaching myself elsewhere on my Gretsch Jim Dandy Acoustic. The Neon strings are a bit gaudy, must be said and I think, once I get around to changing them again they'll have served their purpose and I'll get some Elixirs perhaps.

Thanks. I got these Ernie Balls off Amazon in 50-105 gauge. A lot cheaper too

https://www.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-Regular-Slinky-Nickel/dp/B000MFL7UU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=ernie+ball+tapewound&qid=1564074149&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSkpHMjdWUFQ2SVdCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTU2NTM4SENETENMTVVYTDdaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MDY2NTVRMDI4SURKNzZLOEMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I use these on my acoustic. 12's are pretty standard (even though it's labeled as "light") and Daddario is a pretty reputable company although there are others too if you want to shop around. And the price is right.

As you learn more, later on if you want to go heavier/lighter or whatever you can, but I would start here.

I don't mean to nitpick here, but these are the silk and steel strings I am familiar with: https://www.amazon.com/Martin-M130-Steel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B0002CZT0M

They are intended for use on a regular steel-string acoustic guitar. According to the manufacturer, they are made with tin-plated steel core wire and silver-plated copper compound wrap wire.

Classical strings are quite different.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002CZT1G/

Strings 6, 5, & 4 are silver (or bronze) wound around a fiberous core, with strings 3, 2, & 1 in clear nylon.

It is a classical guitar. They use a mix of nylon and wound(metal) strings so don't be alarmed. If you go into a music shop just ask for classical guitar strings and get something reasonably priced and decent, here's some good ones. You can pay a shop to change the strings for you, usually goes for around 20 bucks, or you can try it yourself by following a video like this

DR color coded guitar strings

https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481154810&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+colored+strings

Snark Tuner

https://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN1-Guitar-Tuner-Blue/dp/B003VWJ2K8/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1481249934&sr=1-3&keywords=snark+tuner

Both good stocking stuffers

I guess it depends what they're selling. If you wanted to set up as a specialist selling, say, guitar strings you'd be disadvantaged against Amazon. It gives Amazon a 7% advantage against the mall or retail in general. And there may be other online merchants who are based in SC but who were not big enough to attract such an exemption, or who were founded there so were never "headhunted" with tax breaks.

For the DI, I use the standard one. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/tech-21-sansamp-bass-driver-di It's ridiculous how much of a difference it makes in your tone. You can get a huge range of different tones on it. I can even make my 4003 w/ flats on it sound insanely funky if I play with the bridge pickup with the tone all the way up, and the treble/high-mids boosted on my amp and DI. I always suspected I needed one but put it off for a while due to the price. Once I finally coughed up the money for one, I called myself an idiot for not having bought it any sooner.


And right now I actually have a pair of old D'Addario flats on my ric, but I plan to buy some TI's pretty soon. https://www.amazon.com/Thomastik-Infeld-JF344-Bass-Guitar-Strings/dp/B00162ZSW6 I'm not exactly sure what flats are the absolute "best" for the ric, but I've seen people recommend these quite often so I'm excited to get some in and deaden them up soon.

https://amzn.to/30oA5Xh I've heard the colour wears off pretty quickly

Thanks! Is this the set of strings you meant? https://www.amazon.com/Martin-M130-Steel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B0002CZT0M

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "One"

Here is link number 2 - Previous text "Two"



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^Please ^PM ^/u/eganwall ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^Delete

I don't really remember but I'm fairly sure it was these Daddario 80/20's

These are a good starting point. Just get these and go from there.

I recently changed my strings to Ernie Ball 09 (http://amzn.com/B0002M6CW6) and that seems to make my bends better.

Guitar, Amp, Instrument Cable, Headphones, Auto-Tuner, Metronome, Capo, Picks, Strings, Stand, Strap, Bag, String Winder, Polish & Cloth

Don't make them spend more than ~$200 on this. Consider pitching on for some of the accessories at least (though be aware that some of them are quite necessary right off the bat, such as a tuner).

You won't be able to appreciate the difference between a $100 guitar and a $5000 guitar by sound for at least a year and just to get started you need a bunch of supplies (see list above) and the cost adds up quick.

The guitar won't break unless you abuse it. Squier instruments are decent. In fact, you could even get something like a First Act at Walmart for under $100 and still not be able to appreciate the difference for quite a while.

omfg candroth

It's a new experience, you might like it, you probably will :D

Item

Looks like they are on sale on amazon for about 9 dollars a pack.

They are colour coded to the string colours in Rocksmith 2014 as I'm using that to learn how to play.

http://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8

would you choose these over the Rotosound?

https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EXL160-Nickel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B000EEHDM0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1487047002&sr=8-3&keywords=bass%2Bstrings&th=1

and does heavy just mean lower tones, and light means brighter?

does stainless steel vs nickel make a difference?

I have had two sets of DR Neon 10-46 on my beloved PRS SE245 and they match the colours on the game strings. As a musically challenged nerd, I love that!

I've had 2 sets of them, because I think they look awesome! I still suck, however, but that's down to me, not the strings ;)

Is guitar strings an example of a product, or the one you plan on selling? Because just a quick google search, that looks like a brutal market to compete in. Made in USA strings on Amazon for less than $4.
http://www.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-Regular-Slinky-Nickel/dp/B0002M6CVC/ref=zg_bs_11968641_1

Not to mention, assuming even a massive profit margin of $3.90 per $4 set of strings, you'd still need to sell 1,000 units a month to maintain a middle class lifestyle. And that's a lot of units for a semi-durable product with lots of competition.

Should I change the stock stings? Do these.look alright -- Ernie Ball 2221 Regular Slinky Nickel Wound Set (10 - 46) https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0002M6CVC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SGVCzbBDMASER

I found these: https://www.amazon.it/DAddario-ECG23-Corde-Elettrica-Chromes/dp/B0006OHVK2/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&keywords=D%E2%80%99Addario+ECG23+XL&qid=1564960806&s=gateway&sr=8-1

But it says they are for electric guitar. I need it for the acoustic. Not sure if they are ok anyways or not...

Amazon, search for DR-NEON you got from 9, 10, and 11 sized and up.

https://www.amazon.ca/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464098840&sr=8-1&keywords=DR-neon+strings

If you have a guitar you don't mind having colorful strings on, these DR strings (http://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8) have the same color scheme as rocksmith.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OR2RNM/

It's not for every product, but many will give you a 15% discount to subscribe to auto purchase of strings every X months

[Silk and Steel] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Martin-Steel-Phosphor-Guitar-Strings/dp/B0002CZT0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1466796469&sr=1-1&keywords=silk+%26+steel+guitar+strings)

Any recommendations? Was on a light DA phos bronze string.

https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ16-3D-Phosphor-Acoustic-Strings/dp/B000OR2RNM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1487644718&sr=1-2&keywords=guitar+strings

These are the exact strings he uses.

D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Light

D'Addario EJ16 are crisp and sparkly on my Yamaha APX500.

Yep

Minus 40 degrees Celsius is exactly the same as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Prove_that_minus_40_degree_C_is_equal_to_minus_40_degree_F

http://www.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-Regular-Slinky-String/dp/B0002M6CVC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=208Z4IJU21IXY&coliid=I11A8JHRJU1NIQ

I usually buy D'addario 25 set pack. They sell the 25 packs for a couple of their most common gauges, if you need a custom or specialized set of gauges you'd have to buy smaller packs or individual strings.

Under 4 bucks on Amazon.

As an aspiring Rockstar myself (not really, I haven't even touched my equipment in months) I could use some new guitar strings for the beat up acoustic.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EEL6GY/ref=twister_B007MY5BDI?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8

If you are looking for steel strings. Check out a set of Martin Silk and Steel.

​

|Part|Link|
|:-|:-|
|Strings|https://smile.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-Regular-Slinky-Nickel/dp/B0002M6CVC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ernie%2Bball&qid=1574123633&sr=8-4&th=1|
|Neck|https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G491NF4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1|
|Neck Plate|https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LMDLRFK/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1|
|Back Plate|https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06VY7HHGG/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d|
|Tuning Pegs|https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00GGMW5UY/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d|
|Bridge Set|https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01IN8WPPI/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d|
|Input Jack|https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00R15FHTG/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d|
|Pickguard Assembly|https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Pickups/Electric_Guitar_Pickups/Pre-wired_Pickguard_Assembly.html|

I need this so I can play/sing you a song when I get it!

GET TO SLEEP

Amazon to the rescue

YouTube with the assist

So the bad news is all that shit you did to the bridge probably fucked up the intonation pretty bad. You might want to run through setting the guitar up as if it had just come from the factory. Or take it into a shop and have them do it which will cost some money.

The good news is you probably just need a lighter gauge of string. Something like this will set you straight http://www.amazon.com/Ernie-Ball-Super-Slinky-Nickel/dp/B0002M6CW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457822494&sr=8-1&keywords=super+slinky