Living with the "Blues"

[BluzDaddy]

What are people using out there for strings?

Here’s my story:

I picked up some DR “Blues” strings at a Guitar Convention on the cheap and slapped them on my new Bluesboy this past week thinking they would be great and go on without a hitch. These were the first string replacements since new.

What a disaster!

Can’t believe how awful they sound! Buzzy and won’t stay in tune as the gauge of the lower strings might be lighter than the OEM, come to think of it now. Anyways, I read a review on Musician’s friend site written by someone who installed the same strings with similar findings and after paying a guitar tech $60 they were told that it was the strings and that the guitar was fine. Well I’m glad I read that as they are coming off this weekend if I have time. I have some new D’Addario 10’s that are going back on to return my BluesBoy to its magnificent sonic state. Apologies are in order to my Bluesboy…"I’m real sorry and I’ll make it right I promise!"

There’s always a hitch, isn't there?

The Elmore James tune “It Hurts Me Too” has been kicking around in my head all week and now I know why. “…When things go wrong, go wrong with you (BluesBoy), it hurts me too!”

Have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend!

[sirmyghin]

Buzzy = your neck moved likely due to strings having different tension than the previous strings. How many wraps are you putting on the tuners? Did you stretch the strings? Neither the guy who wrote that review, or it sounds like you know how to do a setup, I recommend a bit of reading on truss rods in particular, as when changing string guages/brands, etc they are the most likely adjustment point. Different companies use different cores, which cause the strings to have different tensions. DR typically makes good strings, seeing as your issues are buzzy in particular, this is more than a little of a user issue. Setups are pretty easy, and learning to do them will give you a good in depth understanding of exactly how a guitar behaves as a mechanical system.

I use EB coated 10-46 ore 9-42 depending on the guitar.

[BluzDaddy]

Sirmyghin,

Thanks for the support.

The goosebumps and good times are back, however!

I swapped out the DR strings with D’Addario’s last night and the real blues are back! Live and learn I guess!

Everything is good again!

[BadJaxx]

and i've never cared for D'Addarios much....
custom ordered a guitar once with DR Blues on it....eventually sold it about 5 years later...with same set of strings on it....still sounded good...

[KenC]

I have a set of DR Blues 11s on my ASAT Classic, and probably won't put a pair on any of my other guitars. The wound strings aren't bad, but the B and E "died" shortly after I put them on. They play the fundamental note, but lack any overtones. I also get a bit of a pinched buzzing out of them.

[sirmyghin]

I have a set of DR Blues 11s on my ASAT Classic, and probably won't put a pair on any of my other guitars. The wound strings aren't bad, but the B and E "died" shortly after I put them on. They play the fundamental note, but lack any overtones. I also get a bit of a pinched buzzing out of them.

Something to note with DR strings, is before you cut them, give them a sharp bend (make it bend 90 degree when released) before the cut. They seem to be prone to unwinding otherwise, but this alleviates it. Can happen with any string, but I have seen it more often with theirs. The symptom is generally as you describe, albeit I don't hear much about it with guitar strings, it is typically more a large bass string thing.

[Dave_P]

Keep in mind the DR Blues are pure nickle wound on a round core, compared to standard strings (D'addario, Erinie Ball etc.) that are nickle plated steel wound on a hex shaped core. The round core is more prone to unwinding and really does require that sharp bend as sirmyghrin said, but supposedly have better tone. Hex core has been described as "edgier"

The pure nickle will have a more vintage, softer/warmer tone compared to nickle plated which is brighter/louder. I find my '06 ASAT sounds excellent with the DR Blues but my '90 ASAT sounds better with standard strings, it probably has something to do with the pickups, the '06 has hotter brighter pickups and the DR Blues gave it a little sweeter of a tone, the '90 already had that sound and the DR Blues were overkill, sound became muddy.

Sometimes it's just how everything plays together, glad to hear your Bluesboy is back to your liking

-Dave