Stupid But I have to ask about strings

[billhart22]

I would like to know your opinions on what kind of strings are best for a Hamer STD USA.....I love Judas Priest, but would like to play blues also....

Thanks in advance for your respones,

Bill Hartley

[atquinn]

I like GHS Boomers on my Hamers. I tried out Snake Oil strings (classic and rock formula), but they were just, eh.

-Austin

[tgoss]

I think as long as it's a 10 gauge just about anything will do. Boomers, DR, Ernie Ball, etc. I'm kinda liking the Gibson Les Paul's cause they have a groovy red wrap at the ball end. I think it was supposed to stop the string from ringing in the stop tail piece but I've never had that problem with any other string.

[Hamer_SS_guy]

Even a 0.11 set will give you a good feel on a Standard. I don't recommend stainless steel strings though, as they seem to wear out the frets very fast, at least i made this experience.

[tobereeno]

Snake Oil Strings, Rock formula. Original is too mellow, but rock does both smooth leads and crunches reasonably well. Some may not like them but I totally dig them - they're never harsh sounding, no matter how much I crank the gain or the treble.

[tomteriffic]

On most of mine, I use a mix of DR's and good ol' D'Addario's, 9's or 10's, mostly 10's. For slide, I use 11's with a 12 on top.

[Brooks]

On most of mine, I use a mix of DR's and good ol' D'Addario's, 9's or 10's, mostly 10's.

+1. d'addarios mostly, but if we're recording or doing something special i'll get DR's.

[hardheartedbill]

DR pure blues, Snake Oil Rock, D'Addario XL's, I use all 3 in 10-46. Keep in mind Priest uses very light strings, as light as .007 for KK , most blues guys use at least 10's

[sw686blue]

I normally use Ernie Ball 10-46 but have tried Snake Oil and DR. I think I'll stick to Ernie Ball or DR but don't think that I'll be re-ordering the Snake Oil brand. I don't like the feel of them and I don't find their tone any better than the other 2 brands.

Nick

[Guest teefus2]

intersting about the mixed reviews on the snake oil strings. i emailed the maker/seller of snake oil striing to inquire about $$ since nothign was lsited on their web site. they are about $10-11 a set if purchased as 6 sets or so. a little high for my tastes especially witht he aforementioned mixed reviews. i am a big fan of dr pure blues nickel 10-46 sets. i get them by the case form the local dr dealer and end up spending $5 a set or so. they sound great and hold up well. i recently was given a sample of the dr color coated 10's and have them on my korina artist hb right now. they sounded dead to my ears at first but really opened up after an hour or so of playing. the peacock blue is about the ugliest color i have ever seen. they sound o.k. now but nothing i want to spend $11 on a set for.

[wyldbil]

My answer is short, but honest. The best strings for your Hamer are the ones that work best for YOU. Play around with different brands and gauges. You'll find the right ones, I promise.

[silentman]

Hamer uses d'addario 10's installed at the factory. I use Ernie ball 10 gauge on most of mine. I'm not picky though.

[darc]

Stings are best in bands named The Police.

[kurtsstuff]

I use whatever strings I take off customers guitars when they're brought into the shop to be restrung...man...I save sooo much money that way!!!

[JohnnyB]

I'd suggest either Tomastik-Infeld Power-Brites or Ernie Ball Pure Nickel Wrap Classic Rock'n'Rolls, depending on your amp settings, your tonal preferences, and how much your Standard's maple top contributes to the tone.

My short list includes Tomastik-Infeld Power-Brights (GREAT-sounding and sustaining string, especially for guitars with a lot of mahogany), Ernie Balls -- either Slinkys or pure nickel-wrapped Classics, and Elixirs. Add GHS Boomers if you like more steel in the sound of the wrapped strings, but I personally am not fond of them.

Elixir 11's made my Newport stand up and bark like no other string, but that's a hollow spruce top guitar. The TI Power-Brites had a similar effect on my Anniversary. Given the mass of mahogany in a Standard, that may be a great one to try out.

[tobereeno]

I used to use TI Power Brites. A little pricey, but there is no string on earth that crunches harder or better than those strings. Can't imagine getting a blues tone outta those though, and the coating on the plain strings is high friction - I was constantly using String Ease as I couldn't get used to them. But Thomastik-Infeld was definitely far and away my #1 string until I came across Snake Oils.

[KeyOfZ]

Everly B52 Rockers 9-42 on my 94 Daytona and 95 Diablo

Everly B52 Rockers 10-46 on my 2004 SuperPro and 93 Daytona

Great sound without being to boomy and they seem to hold up pretty good as I tend to tear strings up pretty good.

[clmazza]

I've been a huge DR fan until I bought a guitar that was strung from the factory with Elixer 10-46 nano webs. Love 'em! At ten bucks a pop and over thirty guitars.... I'll be running up quite a bill!

[LordOfTheThighs]

I don't know what's the best, but I know what sucks, for me anyhow.

ERNIE F'N BALL Strings. I bought a box of'em off Ebay a

couple of months ago, and restrung 3 or four of my gits with'em. Every

single guitar has popped the D String at least twice. I've never had

a problem with Ernie's before, but this batch sucks out loud. I'm a bit

of a flogger , but not so much where I have to wear safety googles when

I play, so I don't put an eye with strings busting all the time.

Before the ERNIE F'N BALL fiasco, I usually

use Dean Markley, and no D string time bombs in the whole time.

[bobsessed]

Try them all....Everly B-52's are my new favorites....10's. -Bob-

[JohnnyB]

I don't know what's the best, but I know what sucks, for me anyhow.

ERNIE F'N BALL Strings. I bought a box of'em off Ebay a

couple of months ago, and restrung 3 or four of my gits with'em. Every

single guitar has popped the D String at least twice.

Every company can produce a bad batch from time to time (except, perhaps, D'Addario). Personally, I've found EB to be one of the most reliable and consistent and DR one of the least.

Your whole box-o-strings is exhibiting the same flaw from set to set -- that indicates it's a batch problem. And since you got them off eBay, it makes me wonder if someone intercepted some "seconds" headed for the trash and decided to make some money.

To cut your losses, you might want to go to the local shop and get a dozen "D" strings since the others seem to be OK.

[jettster]

Elixers, 9's on the floyd equiped guitars and 10's on everything else.

[billhart22]

Wow!! The responses are great? I loved the comment about stainless wearing frets out..may be good for a while, but getting the frets replace....I.E. Markley.........hmmmm....you guys are making me think! Any probs with Elixir strings??

Thanks,

Bill

[David B]

I use d'addario 11's. You can use any gauge as long as the guitar is set up for it.

[holLoWskull]

...Any probs with Elixir strings??

Never had a problem with Elixer electric strings (I currently have them on all my Hamers and they sound good...not as bright as uncoated strings at first, but will still hold up well tone-wise after a couple months of gigging with no string breakages thus far for me). Elixer acoustic strings are a different story...TOTAL CRAP IMHO! I know Taylor and other companies use them from the factory on their guitars, but I've had D and A strings break near the saddle on my Takamine, and the guy I'm in an acoustic band with has had the same problems with the strings on his Yari (this is only after a few shows, different batches of strings, and neither one of us "beat" the strings when playing). Plus I've heard the same complaint from another guy who does acoustic gigs around me. I switched to D'Addario EXP's and am very satisfied....might try them on my Hamers next.