Strings!

[fireglo67]

After many years of being slightly frustrated with the many different makes of strings I'd tried for my 330/6, Rotosound, Ernie Ball, I must have tried them all, I have just bought and put on a set of Rickenbacker 10's.

Wow, so far so good. A lovely bright sound, and because the G string is thinner than the one I usually use in my Rotosound 10's (yellows) it's not a wound string, and boy does that make a difference.
The G was always a tough beast to tame, but the unwound Ric G sings like a bird, and stays in tune lovely.
(Now someone is going to say that Rotosound make the strings for Ric......)

On my accoustic I've just put on a set of Elixir 12's for the first time (another US made string) and again I'm very impressed with the tone.

Two out of two!

Happy Days!

[goofyfoot]

Mateybob.....Now that's one heckuva batting average. The Dodgers need you. Can you swim across The Pond and help us out this summer in Socal? Our bats have been fairly quiet of late. Glad you found the Rickenbacker strings to your liking. They are all I use on my 6's and 12's. Best regards.....G-foot.

[melibreits]

I use Ric 10's on my Ric electrics, and they really are nice....

I also use Elixir Nanowebs on my Ric acoustic, and they are terrific strings on that guitar.... They really seem to bring out the booming bass tones, and lots of sparkle in the treble and mid tones. However, I just put a new set of Elixir Nano's on my 12-string Breedlove acoustic (had to change the strings anyway, because I broke a G string, LOL), but am really disappointed, as the bass end now lacks the punchiness that it had with the previous strings that were on it--this kind of surprised me, because I expected the Nano's to sound as magical on my 12-string as they do on my 6-string acoustic.

[fireglo67]

To be honest, until I recently came across them on ebay, I wasn't aware that you could get the Ric strings in this country, so I'm well happy now.

The Elixirs I saw recommended on another forum. I primarily bought them for the promise of tone and sustain, and they have delivered, but they also have a coating which allegedly prolongs the life. I'll let you know.....

[scotty]

I ve been using D'Addario10s they are all right.I suppose but im open to a change!

[admin]

Scotty: D'Addario makes a terrific string in my view. I have always found their quality control excellent and they are readily available almost everywhere. A big bonus is that you can get them on line for $2.99 a set.

The RIC compressed round wound strings have a nice feel as they are run over a roller in the final stages that allows for a smoother surface. I quite enjoy them when I manage to play ahead to have a supply on hand.

[fireglo67]

I used the D'Addario 10's for about a year, they were nice when new but I got a bit frustrated that they seemed to lose their zing and get dirty very quicky.

Could just be my grubby little fingers though.

I had the same problem with the Ernie Balls, and I wasn't actually that mad on the 'slippy' feel or tone of the Ernies either. And they NEVER stayed in tune very long.

I was initially concerned that the Ric 10's may be too light, particularly on the bottom E, but I plugged my 330 into my old Vox AC 30, turned it up nice and loud so all my neighbours could also partake in this wonderful experience, tried the Riff to REM's 'One I Love' and yeah! I'm having this, I thought to myself. Wonderful tone!

I'd used D'Addario's on my acoustic for years, but I can't ever see me budging from the Elixir's from now on, they are awesome. The bass and mid tones are superbly warm and full but there's enough treble there too.

And no, I'm not on a commission.

[melibreits]

Interesting comments about the D'Addarios; I think that's what were on my 12-string acoustic before I changed 'em, and they sounded fantastic--magical, as I said before--on that guitar... I never would have dreamed that D'Addarios would sound better than Elixir Nano's, but in this case they did. I guess I'll have to order some D'Addarios for the next string change....

[fireglo67]

Interesting comments about the D'Addarios; I think that's what were on my 12-string acoustic before I changed 'em, and they sounded fantastic--magical, as I said before--on that guitar... I never would have dreamed that D'Addarios would sound better than Elixir Nano's, but in this case they did. I guess I'll have to order some D'Addarios for the next string change....

I can't comment on the Elixir 12 strings as I've not used them, but were they the same guage as the D'Addario's?

I found the Elixir bass E and A strings to be a heavier guage in the same D'Addario's. Maybe the elixirs are just a tad too heavy for your 12 string? Either that or you may just have got a duff set and the next set could blow your socks off.

[melibreits]

As far as I know the strings were the same gauge... This was the first time I changed the strings on this guitar since I got it in March, and I'm assuming that it was strung with D'Addarios, since according to the Breedlove factory site, that's what they come with--although my husband bought the guitar for me used, so I'm probably assuming too much.... nevertheless, the strings that were on there were some type of phosphor string that sounded perfect, even though they were showing a bit of wear. The new Elixir strings I put on are light-gauge, which was what the factory site recommends for their 12-string guitars.

[fireglo67]

I've just checked.

The only difference in guage between the Elixir and D'Addario's is that the Elixir G has a 009, where the D'Addario has a 008, the rest of the guage is like for like, so I can't see that making much difference.

The D'Addario's must just be better then.....

[scotty]

Question.does any forum member put electric strings on their acoustics.Ive a set of D'Addario's 10s on one of my fenders and it sounds top.

[fireglo67]

Question.does any forum member put electric strings on their acoustics.Ive a set of D'Addario's 10s on one of my fenders and it sounds top.

Sir, you are mental.

The best thing to put on a Fender is lighter fuel, then burn it, just like Jimmy.

[deaconblues]

Question.does any forum member put electric strings on their acoustics.Ive a set of D'Addario's 10s on one of my fenders and it sounds top.

Sir, you are mental.

The best thing to put on a Fender is lighter fuel, then burn it, just like Jimmy.

Yeah, over at the Fender forum they're saying "the best thing to do with a Ric is smash it into a Hiwatt like Pete!"

[fireglo67]

Fender forum? Oh, you've shown your true colours now.

I guess there must be about 30,000 different threads on that forum, one to cover each model.

I think I remember Pete saying that he stopped playing the Rics cos they used to fall to pieces too easily when he began smashing them about.
The Pete Townshend signature Ric shoulda been made from cast aluminium.....

Oooh, now there's a thought.

A Ric resonator...........