LR - Mon 1-3-11

[jamie d]

Name is Jamie and live in NC.

Hope everyone had a great Holiday Season.

Received Keith Richard's "Life" autobiography. Good read.


Now back to the salt mines. The beatings will continue until morale improves. Ha.


Lunch will be to finish off the "Hoppin' John" I made for New Years Day. Corn bread on the side and milk.


I joined the Board way back in 1998 or 1999

My interest with G&L is basses. Have a few models, BBE and Leos.


Who received their dream G&L under the XMAS tree? Pics?

Any other music related gifts?


Monday Topic is strings.

Which brand[s] and gauge are your favorites?

Which vendor[s] get your business for strings?

Do you buy strings in bulk?


I've primarily used D'Ads XL110s and Fender 150s. Strongly prefer nickel strings.
Used to buy in factory 10 packs from a local dealer years ago.
Buy from JustStrings now.

Have a gooderun,

Jamie

[darwinohm]

Thanks for stepping up today Jamie. Holidays are always fun and we usually eat more than we should, at least I do.

Nothing under the tree here but I will say that Les no longer lives here. Yesterday, I traded Les for a 52 Tele reissue that is Ash, Crimson Red with rosewood fingerboard and is chambered. Very light, a looker and plays sweet after a good setup. I am now without a Gibson. I only had it for wall art anyhow. So, Ginny said "another Red Guitar"? It Crimson Transparent and a special build model. I probably now have 10 boring Reds. I am going to try and do better on colors in the future buts Reds just jump out at me.

I have settled into D'Adds, usually use 10-46 and buy them in 10 packs. I usually go through at least a couple of packs a year. I have found that they stay bright for a long time when not used. I have never had a problem with string breakage.
---Darwin

[willross]

No new guitar under the tree; just an iPad which was an early present. Strings: G&L's - EXL's 10-46, G****n's - LP pure nickel 10-46, Acoustic's - D'ad's EJ16 12-53 p-bronze.


Cheers,

Will

[zombywoof]

No geetars or anything under the tree but I did get a fully restored 1930s Philco "Bullet" radio and RCA tube caddy.

Not real picky on electric strings - I like 'em a heavier guage and wound on a round core. On acoustics I prefer nickel strings - like the D'Aquisto Tony Rice Customs 13s. On lap steel I have been experimenting with semi-flatwounds. The jury is still out. You get less string chatter but they don't quite have the snap of the typical round wounds.

[Kit]

No music related goodies this holiday season since I'm out of a job for the first time in over 3 decades.

For the first 30 years of my electric guitar playing I used Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings, gauge 9-42. But the last couple of years I started mixing in D'addario EXL110 10-46 on some guitars. I'm to the point where I can't tell what strings I'm playing on unless I look at the ball end to see if they are color-coded. I almost never break a string. In the 35 odd years of playing I can only remember snapping a string less than a handle of times. Most recently I broke a new string tuning up too high; the last time I snapped a string playing is at least 4 years ago. The one exception for strings is a set of flatwounds on my Heritage H535. It is a set of D'addario flat 10s. They sound very good but very stiff to bend on the wound strings.

I look for good deals on strings and buy them bulk like in 10-packs.

Kit

[sickbutnottired]

No new guitars for me. I did get a new pedal board, from myself, and am getting a couple new pedals as well. I haven't used any affects for a long time and am really enjoying fooling with it.

I got a copy of Life as well. Just getting underway with it...fun read though.

Strings. For electrics I just use the EB Slinky 10-46. I have close to 30 set's of D 'Add 9-42's around, they are good strings, but I just don't like them that light on my guitars. Further more, I have no idea where they came from. I buy strings in 10 packs, most often from Musicians Friend. On my F-100, strings really matter. I change them every week when I am playing it a lot. Do others with MFD's find this?

I am a little pickier about acoustic strings, I have been using D 'Add EJ16 phospher bronze, but am working some Guild's and D 'Add 80/20 in just to make sure I like what I am doing. Using .12's though in all types.

I never break strings on my hard tails, like maybe 3 times in the past 20 years. I had a USA Strat with a locking Floyd Rose on it, and I broke strings all the time.

I don't play base that much, but my brother has started putting some monstrous strings on his rigs. He has been experimenting recently, but I think is settling back on round wound nickels. I can blister my plucking fingers in one song on these bad boys. But the sound (when he plays) is outstanding.

[blargfromouterspace]

Nothing musical under the tree for me either. I got a gift voucher for a really good record store from my girlfriend. I'm going to use that up today. I've bought myself an exotic compressor from an Argentinean company to compensate for the lack of musical gifts.

I've been using Ernie Ball strings for a long time, 10-46, on all my guitars. I used to buy them one pack at a time from shops until I recently discovered the internet. Now I buy in bulk from whoever is selling them cheapest on the day I need them.

[westsideduck]

I've been buying myself a guitar for christmass the last three or four years now, 30 years I've been looking under that darn tree and nothing! so I figure i must be on santa's bad list. This year it's my first Classic, it's OK, it'll be better after I take a grinder to the sides of the bridge where my fingers and pick keep hitting.



Ernie Ball reg. slinkeys for me, I think they have a very natural sound to them, they don't color the tone of the guitar.

gary

[darwinohm]

Gary, it is a coincidence that you mention that. I just got another 52 Tele yesterday and same issue. I have an American Deluxe bridge plate which is much thicker with no side plates. It is longer but drilling three new holes will do the job. I am tempted to convert but I may just put a Bigsby on it. This one is very light as it is chambered. But the Fender classic and G&L classic bridge plates are not comfortable for me iether and I hadn't given it any thought until you mentioned it. They are also thin so they are easy to stamp but not finished very well. The American Deluxe is a beautiful chrome plate. By the way, that is a sweet signature classic. What year is it? -- Darwin

[yowhatsshakin]

Jamie, thanks for picking up the Monday! Beyond my copy of Keith's book, Santa also got me a guitar (the one on the right) for X-mas to complete a nice set


I use D'Addario on all my guitars, mandolin, and bass. I like the 10's on my axes and converted all my 9's, although my Legacy Special is set-up for 11's. I use JustStrings.com and indeed buy 10-packs since that makes sense to me now. But I change frequently enough and have enough guitars that I'm thinking to switch over to the 25-set boxes. Only thing I don't like is that in that case the strings are not packaged so if you do not change frequently enough it might not be your preferred solution

- Jos

Edit: fix image link after album was lost.

[darwinohm]

Jos, those Spalted ASATs have to be just what the doctor ordered. Your newest one really has a beautiful pattern in the center.--Darwin.

[bassman]

No G&Ls under the tree, but my daughter did by me a guitar strap.

I use GHS bass strings or whatever I can get on sale. I should try to get some strings online, but I haven't really pursued it.

[jdavies]

Hi there
First post as a G&L guitar owner (although I have an L2500 tribute bass with an audere pre)
For early christmas I got a Will Ray Tribute in clear orange to which I have added:
dropped D Hipshot lever
improved 5 way switch (neck position was intermittent)
smoother volume pot
star earth wiring to minimise noise

I am running it stereo through a timefactor into an egnater tweaker and a blackstar ht5 and it sounds great!
It is also light and easy to play everywhere on the neck - a great design!

I use GHS burnished and Curt Mangan nickel 9-42 or 10-46 strings at the moment depending on mood and guitar selection

Cheers and Happy New Year
Jeremy

[vinnyk]

Hi Jamie.

Holidays were great, and glad they are now over!
Always good to get a book suggestion, so thanks.
WTH is a " Hoppin John" anyway?
No new guitars or anything music oriented but did just buy a new laptop with intent of setting up a DJ rig and possible recording studio.o I use D'Addario XL110's and buy the ten box(scored a few boxes at GC for 9.99 a couple of years ago).
Good first day!
BTW,Love the Spalted Maple G&L's posted above!

Cheers.
Vinnyk

[de Valcourt]

Very many thanks for picking up the LR at the last minute.

I'm also glad we've got a bass player in here for a slightly different perspective.

Nothing either under the tree in the music department - technically. I was given my Fender Pro Jr practice amp early and it is both extremely impressive in terms of tone, but enough volume to make the neighbors call me to get me to turn it down (better than calling the cops).

I also use D'Addario 10s and my friend has the hookup through his company for strings so I'll be buying them through him.

Partly for amusement and partly for the sound, I picked up a set of Black Diamond strings for my Tacoma jumbo. I don't play acoustic very often, but it is interesting when I do to get past my eyes since the strings are black and practically invisible if you are looking down at the sound hole to pluck.

Phillip