• Registered: 2008-03-14
  • Posts: 60

Topic: New Guitar Strings - check

Hi everyone.

I have successfully changed all my strings. smile

However, the strings I got from the store are Earthwood Medium. The guy at the store told me they are the best strings. When I took the first one out, it seemed to feel thicker. I checked it against my existing one, and sure enough, slightly thicker.

My question is, if my guitar originally came with medium lights, should I stick to medium lights? I read somewhere that one size up doesn't matter.

I need advice.

Thanks!
anastasia

  • From: Anchorage
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 82

Re: New Guitar Strings - check

The heavier strings, when tuned, will create more tension and thus will bend your neck a little more and you may have to adjust the truss rod.  It's no big deal, but if you don't know what your doing, you should have an expert do it.  If you are playing an acoustic . . . heaver strings usually produce a louder sound, but are a little harder to fret.  If you like to strum hard, then heavier strings are a better bet.  If you like to solo and do a lot of bends . . . then the lighter strings are better.  For general all around . . . the mediums are probably a good bet . . . but have the neck properly set up for them.

  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Re: New Guitar Strings - check

If you like to play in the cutaway zone, down where the frets are narrow then you might want to check intonation with the new strings. Gently hold the strings at the 12th fret and see if they are in tune when the string is tuned open. If they are sharp or flat you may have gone a gauge out of where your bridge was setup for.

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • Registered: 2008-03-14
  • Posts: 60

Re: New Guitar Strings - check

Okay, here is my adventure, so that no other newbie will make my mistakes! smile

First of all, I ended up getting the wrong gauge strings for my guitar. I honestly had no clue that there were so many different gauges. (Please, don't all laugh and point like I'm an idiot, because I feel kinda silly right about now.)

At first, I bought mediums, but when I called the store where I bought my guitar, they said that my guitar takes extra light strings (because it's a beginner's guitar pack). I should have gone there originally, but being a little further away, I opted for the closer store.  Anyway, lesson learned (and I certainly got some practice changing guitar strings!!)

Now, onto yet another learning process:  I'm not so crazy about the sound of these strings.

I mean, they're all in tune, but I don't know, I don't like the sound.  I have D'Addario 80/20 Bronze extra lights, and I'd like to know what others enjoy. I'm pretty sure I'll be changing brands again, maybe several times before I'm happy, but I'd like to start off with some advice from you all out there.

Thanks!

PS: I have posted in another category another question about what songs I like to play, so that might help in deciding what type of strings I should have, if that plays any role.

5 Reply by Tibernius (edited by Tibernius 2008-04-12 18:19:25)

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2007-09-16
  • Posts: 369

Re: New Guitar Strings - check

Ernie Ball Earthwood. I'm using Medium-Lights at the moment, first time I've bought new strings for my acoustic and they're much better than the ones that came with it.

I hate D'Addario strings, bought a pack of 3 sets for £10 and they were terrible. Just personal preference really, but I'd never buy another set of them.

  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2007-07-16
  • Posts: 282

Re: New Guitar Strings - check

I've had one set of D'Addario's and the corroded so bad they were off within two weeks.  I'm a DR fan--I play the .12's but that depends on set up & personal preference.  Don't mind the Blue Steel  and used to play the Martin SP's, but have really settled on the DR's.