Cheap vs Expensive Strings! - Will They *REALLY* Change Your Tone?
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2024
- Today I do the "Broke vs Pro" challenge with guitar strings!
Will the price difference make a difference to your tone? Watch to find out!
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SOLI DEO GLORIA!
What are your "go to" guitar strings? Have you found any cheap brands that sound good and last over time?
Which set did you like best from the video?
My go to are Dean Markley Helix, followed by NYXL as a close second
Ernie Ball Nickel Wound 10 to 52. 11s on my Jaguar.
Try Musicians Friend Brand strings both elect & acoustic are really good they leave a residue like many strings do that aren't coated they are like less than $2 a pack. Wipe em down real good before stringing & no residue.
I always loved Elixir optiwebs, best feeling and sounding strings for my taste on electric. For acoustic I really like the feel and sound of the Earnie Ball paradigm strings. You should make a similar video on acoustic string sets, that would be really interesting. :)
Daddario xl series. 5 -5.50 per set
For once a “cheap vs. expensive” comparison where I can actually afford the expensive option 😂
Heh, jokes on you. I live in a country where a $1 is equal to ₱50, so i cant afford the cheap version either
@@toonix1015 feelsbadman
Hahaha bro you not even lying 😂
@@toonix1015 but then you should have a ratio of 50:1 to it so no it’s still cheap
yeah youre right... but my mother keep telling me to buy the cheap ones cuz she dont care about the tone instead she only cares about the durabily of the strings
edit : she said "why did u buy expensive strings if they still can break"
What can I say?
I'm just an expensive strings, cheap guitar kinda guy.
As long as the neck works for you. Strings and neck are what you interact with most.
@@rickc2102 yeah the feel is the only thing that matters- all tone is subjective
I'm the opposite lol.
@@tomrabbani lol just because something is "subjective" doesn't mean it doesn't matter. I'd actually say tone is the most important factor, as that's why you're playing in the first place. I play guitar to make sounds, not just go through hand excercises.
@@josuastangl7140 I misspoke. Feel is the only thing that matters from an objective point of view, price is an objective thing. a well playing guitar is a well playing guitar, but a "bad" sounding guitar could be a $60 guitar to one person or a $3k one to another.
I have been an elixir user for years now. And many bash on them, saying they don't sound good and the coating is all a gimmick.
And now I sit here....smiling.
Joshua Benton thomastick infleds are way way better and a bit pricier
You can stop smiling now
Me too, you spent double money for nuffin :-)
@@33cattt49 I like Thomastik Swing 12-50 for jazz archtop. But I really prefer Elixir Nanoweb 10-46 for my single coil, more sparkling , brightness tones, and much longer lasting.
Yep I have been using them for several yes myself and have heard it all from sound quality to" oh you must be doing well to use such a pricey string set"
I put the elixirs 4 years ago on my main guitar, still bright in look/feel/sound, I still haven't replaced that set (yeah 4 years going strong) and I laugh every time someone bashes elixir and say "yeah man, they sound awful and the coating is just a gimmick"... So... $16 spent on strings in 4 years vs people who change strings every 2 / 3 months??? Elixirs all the way man...
This video was WAAAAY overdue.. Thanks a million Darrel!
Yes you're right Mr. Braun
n I love what you do with your teaching
When you have several guitars, its great that you can leave Elixir's on for a year and they still sound good after not being played.
Recently tried the Ernie Ball Titanium Coated 8's from the Elixir Nano 9's. Was pleased with the results. I just don't know if they'll last yet!!!!! There are no Elixir coated 8's :(
@@darrenshebell3563 Never really tried 8's, but Ernie Ball(9's) are really good. Also, NYXL and Paradigm are great too, and are very durable. These are usually what I use on all my guitars. I'm thinking of trying out Elixir's and Cleartone :)
@@darrenshebell3563 What are you doing playing 8's?!
Can you get a pack of just titanium .008s and otherwise run with the Elixir 9-42 or (as I use) 9-46 or whatever? That might be a workable compromise if you really like Elixirs, to change only the one string in question.
I like to borrow guitars and make sample sets from them. I may or may not turn these into full VSTs, but I always fit the borrowed guitars with Elixir strings and set them up as best I can -- so that when I give them back, the owner feels like they got something for their largesse. It has, on occasion, made them almost eager to lend me the next one.
@@onelove101unity LMAOOO SAME THOUGHTS
Just use Ernie Ball, doesn't bust the bank but perform perfectly!
The Sovereign Onion I agree
Yea buddy 👌🏽
Uh no, i toured on ernie balls and broke strings every night. Got some DR's and have waay less breakage.
@@kenny6920 How on earth did you manage to break strings every night? I play pretty consistently on eb's and I only seem to break strings when tuning down from E to Maybe B and back up. Never really just normal play.
@@mrp7874 Because punk rock music. Gotta say DR's worked better at the price range. Sounded better too.
Sweat chemistry and how it affects longevity is pretty important. To me, most high-end have great tone, but I've taken to using Elixir because they just sound bright and new for a long, long while. Meanwhile, for example, regular Ernie Balls are great when they're new, but they're dead after only a few days in my hands. For me, paying 12€ for a pack of Elixirs actually _saves_ me a lot of money and grief.
Same. My hands sweat a lot, I tried Ernie Balls once, and in a week at most they were all rusty. D'addario or other cheaper strings were slightly better. Haven't tried other coated strings, but Elixirs last a crap ton longer than regular sets. They're expensive but totally worth it for me. My luthier makes an oil for strings/hardware that helps as well.
Recently tried the Ernie Ball Titanium Coated 8's from the Elixir Nano 9's. Was pleased with the results. I just don't know if they'll last yet!!!!! There are no Elixir coated 8's :(
Your diet and lifestyle will play a big part in the corrosiveness of your hands sweat/oils, I can go 2+ years (actually maybe even 8-10 years) without changing string and still have good tone/sustain/playability, and the strings looking in good condition.
@@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE if you actually use the same strings for 8-10 years you probably pick up the guitar just once in a year, or you just don't recognise when the strings don't sound good anymore
Just switched to paradigm Ernie Ball on my seven, best strings I've used, mainly use other Ernie Ball strings and Dunlop used daddario , never tried much else if I'm honest.
I have been using the Elixir strings for over 10 years.
I love that they create overtones on their own. The strings are long term tone stable and don't rust under your fingers.
Can confirm your experience with the Elixirs. Upgraded to Elixirs for my seven string lately and I'm staying with them for good.And I love the coated feeling. Really worth the money.
that's because you have never actually tried actual high end strings. darrell think he is making an expensive vs cheap, but he is really doing midrange vs cheap. try some thomastik infield power brights or some optime/maxima strings.
To my ear the elixer sounded clearer on all accounts. And being a massive NY XL fan I was hoping they would come out on top. Great video thanks 👍.
@Darrell Braun Guitar We give duitars away "Pimp My Ride" style on our channel. Do you wanna collab with us on a design for a give away! I'm sure your subs would love to see what you could come up with!
Man, you channel is AWESOME! Good work, thanks for all the wonderful information!
Cool video. In the video the Elixir's seemed the loudest, maybe this is due to you trying to match levels after your recording? I would like to see a follow-up to this video of 'middle of the road/standard' strings: D'addario XL vs. Ernie Ball Regular Slinky
Great comparison! Thanks for sharing Darrell :)
Darrell, Great Review! I have been following your vids for a long while and I learn something almost every time. I appreciate the various styles in your demo, and after listening carefully I could pick up on subtle differences. I use D'addario on my 12 string, Martins on my other acoustics, and Elixirs on my electrics. It is my opinion, once again, you get what you pay for!
It's crazy that *the 'premium' strings seem louder fuller and clearer* than the 'budget' ones.
I didn't want to hear much of a difference but there it is! I wonder if there's just more high-quality ferrous content and less overall dilution in the alloys, and/or better and more careful manufacturing process. For the marked cost difference this would make total sense.
Lol they do matter a lot actually. Wood type and wood quality matters mostly for how long your guitar will hold up over time before falling apart and breaking lol. As for sound though... Wood type and body shape have about 5-10% of what your sound will be like.
Pick ups...
Strings...
Amp...
And you. Comfort and a guitar that's not breaking help too lol. That's what matters most in enjoying a fine playing and fine sounding guitar : )
I've been playing for 50 years. I dabbled with various brands early on, but D'Adarrio XLs were my mainstay for most of my playing time. I switched to their NYXL series shortly after they came out. They seem super tough and feel great. You can bend them all day - 3 or 4 semitones without fear of breakage. I've never broken one yet (and I switched to 8's over a year ago as I'm starting to have some joint pain, and the light strings help reduce this a lot). And they seem to retain that new string brightness forever. I know some people prefer "broken in strings" (EVH is a notable proponent of keeping his strings dirty and never changing them - but I like the new string brightness). So the higher price tag is really not an issue. I get more than double the life out of them. So I'm sticking with NYXLs, however, when you consider how cheap strings are compared to your other gear (guitars, amps, effects, etc.) , and how vital they are to your sound and playing enjoyment, I encourage everyone do do their own tests. A lifetime of playing happiness is well worth a one time $50 test. Feel and sound are subtle and certainly different people will have different tastes.
Love the NYXL….now we should try the new Daddario XS…they just came out!
Great video. Lots to think about and very well explained.
Great video Darrell! Please make more like these, and one with picks please.
Trying different brands and alloys is fun but my hands are so corrosive that Elixers are the only strings that make sense for me. They last infinitely longer than anything else and have a great slippery feel.
Where can I buy original elixir strings? Here in Brazil there are only fake ones.
I switched from elixir to NYXL (and now I'm trying out daddario's XT line). I'm seeing a similar longevity between the two when wiping down the strings before and after playing, but the treble is sticking around longer with the NYXLs than with the elixirs.
As for longevitty, I've never seen a set of strings last longer than those orphee.
Sure all you mentioned in the video is true. Weak output, odd feel, lifeless sounding...
But I've put one set in my strat in september 2019 and it lasted until this month. Yes, february 2023.
I played the guitar regularly. The strings never seem to get old. No sign of rust. They hold the tunning just fine. They sound "like new" (or maybe they sound like old when new).
The only string that broke a few times and wasn't from the original set anymore was the 1st. But It always broke mid set or reharsal - so I ended up just quickly changing the 1st and kept the rest of the set going.
The only reason I swapped the strings was I was planning on installing a treble bleed in the guitar. When finally came the day another string broke (4th, mid reharsal), I decided it was long enough.
Now my strat has the second set of orphee on it. They sound and feel like the old set did the whole time. Not good, but I got used to them. I bought 20 sets in 2019. I fear these strings will outlast me.
That's amazing! I never really thought about the differences in tone when switching guitar strings.I mean I'm always using EB Cobalt Slinkies, I really like them. They sound incredible to me but they don't last as long. It's really cool to see this comparison
I've tried both D' Addario NYXLs and Elixir Nanowebs. The NYXLs seems to produce brighter sounds while Nanowebs are warmer. Both produce outstanding tones. I just sticked to Elixirs since they last longer with my sweaty hands.
NYXL's are my favorite. Gus G. from Ozzy fame, has said, with coated strings, he's played an entire tour with one set. Wow!
Very good idea to compare stringsets; I don't recall anyone does that before. Big One! Also my impression on Elixirs- amazing vibe.
I love love love your channel - Thanks so much for the great content.
My observations regarding Elixirs are the same. Not quite as bright at first (though plenty bright) but does last a long time. And like you I use them on my acoustics! For my electric I haven't found any that match the tone, playability and longevity of Fender's nickel plated steel strings.
Ari Koinuma cool, I've got a several sets of the fenders I got for a deal and haven't used them yet.
I was using the original XL 9s when I started my journey into lead just over 2 years ago. I was going through a treble E every two weeks (double tone bends et al) and it was costing me quite a packet. I then tried Dean Markley Blackhawks, which sounded awesome and lasted me about 3 months before the treble E went. I then installed Elixir Nanowebs and they are nearly 1 year old and probably have over 500 hours of playing clocker up. I say this not in reference to the tone drop associated with string age (I'm not a professional player anyway) but to the strength of the strings. So yeah, Elixir 3 for 2 boxes are my chosen strings now.
Man, you make so many informative videos. Where do you get all of the ideas?
Great video as always! D'Addario XT vs Elixirs should be next comparison video ;)
Been using Ernie Ball Slinky's 10's on my Electrics and Elixir PolyWeb Custom Light 11's on my Acoustic's = Tone from Heaven. Love your informative-content & comparisons. Telling all my Musician Friends to check-you-out. oNe LovE from NYC.
Michael Caz same two sets I use on my acoustics and electrics
I wish you had also done the StringJoys. I’d love to hear them head to head with the others.
Hi Darrell, really love your in-depth review regarding different type of strings, I have question regarding how the strings impact the fret-wire of a guitar, will it possible of certain brand of strings to be more brutal towards the fret-wire of the guitar? Could you share your fret-wire maintenance routine to us? Would be so grateful for you to share some experience about that. Thanks man, and stay safe :)
Great video, thanks for sharing! Have you tried the new Elixir Optiwebs? if so, how do they compare to the Nanowebs?
I don't have a trained ear but I liked the Elixir the best :)
I definitely thought the same, I’m gonna try them out and see what I think
"Use headphones"
-Uses pro headphones
-Hears all the hum, backgound noise and clipping
I have to take my hat off to you Darrell, you’ve made me feel a lot better about how I’ve found those Orphees, your comments mirror my own experience with them completely. My experience of 10 packs of 10 gauge Orphees left me calling them ‘Orphuls’ , 8 out of 10 packs saw the high e break when tuning to pitch on five different guitars, a set of 10s felt no heavier than 9s if that, they feel very uneven and struggle to output properly, I’ve had expensive and cheap strings but have never encountered something quite so consistently poor. I did find another relatively cheap brand called Adagio, which are not too bad at all, I’d definitely recommend those over Orphees if you’re on a tight budget!
My favourite strings for electric are Pyramid, however I did try a set of the NYXL,s a couple of months ago and was very impressed, like you I use Elixirs on my acoustics, haven't found anything better yet, keep up he good work.
As an aside, I purchased a Shigie strat last year, so I was so pleased to see you do a review, these are unbelievable value, anyone looking for an affordable strat would do well to check them out, the build quality is better than my MIA, 100%
I've noticed the most difference in my strings with acoustics rather than electrics. But this is useful nonetheless!
I use Elixir Nanoweb 10’s for almost 7 years now. Since they last for more than 2 months (sometimes even 3 months) per pack and really sound great and punchy i never considered using different brand or price range. Just to say, i never needed to change them because of string breaking. I only broke one (low E if i remember right) during practice session with my band, and that was the only time i needed to change strings because one of them broke, for almost 7 years. I always change them only because i kinda feel it is time to change them. So for me, Elixir wins :) and yeah i tried tons of other brands before, Ernie Balls are awesome too, but for me they needed to be replaced every 20-30 days, and i reeaally hate replacing the strings :D
Yeah I'm an Elixir user also, but I forget which one I use. It's the green label or green color. To me they have less string tension for bends then the other elixir, I like them all even for my acoustic. But that's something I notice for bending. And since I have 8 guitars I have hanging in my room and I play em all, just varies from day to day, I bet I do a string change once a year or even 2 years depending on how much use and doing different tunings
I've used polyweb on my acoustic and the longevity definitely makes them worth it.
Mark Red Wing those are called Elixir Optiweb i believe. I used them once or twice when local music store have run out of Nanowebs (or they moved them out of pult on purpose to sell only Optiwebs because back in the time Optiwebs were new on the market, who knows). Anyway they also are great. Also if you change them once per year that’s awesome! Im giging musician with over 100 gigs per year, so i have to do a string change more often :) and believe or not i always play only one particular guitar, my Fender Telecaster. NEVER broke Elixir string during the gig :) and my gigs always last for 2,5 - 3,5 h :)
Yeah personally I think the optiwebs are the best coated strings since they dont feel as slippery as the nanoweb and I dont feel like I have to fight with the strings lol
You broke a low E? How TF did you break a low E and what is your guitar neck made out of? Titanium?
You should've also include a set of the very widely used classic D'addario or Ernie Ball Nickelwounds as some strings that are halfway between the cheap and expensive ones. I think those are also the ones most people use, at least the people I know.
Except of that nice comparison video as always!
Very interesting, i didn't knew the differences would be that high!
In my opinion the NYXL feels gripier than Elixir's and for my pickup set I prefer the Elixir tone. But guess i'm buying a set of NYXL again to compare next time
I bought a set of NYXL’s, and I am extremely impressed with them. They bend further, stay in tune better, and have lasted longer than any other set of strings I’ve used. And they feel super smooth and easy on your hands after hours of playing. Definitely worth the extra money in my opinion.
I tested NYXL this last string change, as the video said the sound was awesome, laud and clear, also they feel smooth. But as I tend to practice many hours a day I find that they started to rust after a month of use, those times when you can even smell the rust. And they started to lose the tone a little bit. But overall they are good. I'm going to test the elixirs now.
I have tried all kinds of strings and always return to my D'addario XL's , I just bought a 3 pack from Amazon for $13 so what's that about $4.33 per pack? I play 7 or 8 guitars pretty regular and have about 12 others as well and I have found that these XL's seem to be the best for what I do. I was just thinking today that I need to change the strings on my two favorite guitars, it's only been a little over a year since the last time I changed them lol. But they still hold tune pretty good, although the one set has been fighting me lately. Since I record a lot of my stuff i have compared what they sounded like brand new and what they sound like today, playing the same songs of course, and I found, basically little difference! I did notice the bottoms had lost their chug a little bit. The main difference or should I say effect is that the tuning is not as stable. We all have our "go-to" sets I guess and for me and millions of others i's the good ol D'addario XL's.
The daddario coated are good...an elexir knockoff though
@@e7thstar I just use the regular XL's and they always perform well for me and last quite a while as well. I have tried the coated ones but I don't care for them. A couple of years ago I bought like 6 or 7 sets of different types of strings just to compare them and see if my good 'ol D's were really as good as I thought they were. I don't remember all of the ones I bought but I know I got a set of Gibson bright wires, didn't care for them, there was a set of Slinky's, broke two strings within a week so they went bye bye, I had a set of Elixirs and I believe they too were coated but nope not my thing. I think the only set of non-XL series strings that I have purchased that I liked were the D'addario wound third string sets, I really like those and since I play alot of Les Paul or Les Paul head stock shaped guitars that wound G string is really nice! I also recently tried a set of heavy bottom light top hybrids from D'addario and why I bought a ten pack of them I will never know because I had never used them so why start out with a ten pack? lol.. Nope I do not care for those, but I tried them on a Les Paul, I may try them on one of my Fenders or my Iceman. It's just been my experience and discovery that the D'addario XL's work the best for me, others , such as yourself, have your own weapons of choice. I just cannot see ME spending $20 for A set of strings when I have had such good luck with ones I can get like 5 sets for $20. Perhaps if I was a professional recording artist or a session musician I would spend that kind of money, but since I just play in my own little room for myself and my own enjoyment, the XL's do the job.
Test « pure nickel » of addario, really really good, with a felt soaked in olive oil for maintenance. Strings maintained, it’s string for many months
rawr rios it’s funny you say that bc DAddario actually supplies Elixir with their strings. Elixir just puts the coating on.
@@anteyes6976 yup lol
Thank you DARRELL! Eye opener👍🎸👍
Cool test Darrel! I liked the D'Addario strings the best in this demo. I think it was easiest to hear a big difference in the clean settings but the Orphee's sounded dull and quiet in all of the samples. The Guitar College strings sounded pretty good in the distortion settings and I imagine that they could sound decent if adjusting the eq on the amp a bit.
I think the Elixir strings did sound really good and I used to put them on my acoustic guitar. After a while, I decided to try a regular, plain Jane set of D'Addario strings instead and have preferred them ever since. I always wipe my guitars down after playing them and thankfully, I think my sweat is not too corrosive so my strings tend to last for a long time. If longevity is necessary for someone, they may do better with the Elixir brand but I think for the money, it's still probably better to simply change your strings more often.
I've used D'Addario 11's on all my electrics for many, many years now. Totally happy with them, no reason to change. You can also usually get good deals if you're buying them in multi-packs.
I’m a daddario & dean markley fan & have used them for years however I do agree in this video the Elixir sounded better.
Sound wise, the elixirs were my fave, the Ophee really impressed.
"The Ophee really impressed", what are you on? They were absolutely awful.
Vaughan MacEgan I made the comment before his take. I liked how they sounded in the video. What I can’t tell from listening to the video is that he had to turn up the gain on that set. What I couldn’t hear then was that they were, as he put it, lifeless. I couldn’t feel that they were terrible like he could.
Good point drittal. D probably tried his best to get the strings to sound as good as he could on one of his best guitars/amps which is why it sounded as good as it did. I bet you though the quality diff is still very noticeable. Hearing it through a phone or comp and not feeling the strings for yourself is a issue here.
I didn't like the Ophee's. But hey... If you only have 4 bucks...
I can’t hear a difference in the sound won’t lie
I weny to nyxl over the last year. What i love about them is the tone and just how long they last. My hands sweat and these strings don't rust. Months later, no rust-great sound
I use the NYXL and man those Elixirs sound amazing. I might have to switch over lol. Nice video. U can def hear the difference in them. Maybe next time use Ernie ball vs expensive strings.
Elixir! Actually they work out cheaper than even the cheapest strings, because you can easily leave them on for months if not years!
Ernie Ball green label regular slinky 10's. That's all I need. $6
I highly recommend spending the extra $10 and getting a set of Paradigm when you get the chance. Just one set. When they last four times as long as a set of Slinkies, then you can thank me. 😁😁😁😁😁
I use the super slinkies, but I’m trying out the Paradigms for my next set!
Hey. Hahah. My buddy! I've used the same for the time I've been playing. The Earnie Ball 10s slinkies. Hahahah. Kick ass. Hope your well my brother. See you on the tubes and grams! @imanotemaker lol Aslo I just uploaded the whole session of the Fender Stratocaster FSR gilmour vibe. Dont let the mint green pickguard through you off, it was black originally I bought it and the guy had it changed and set up added a pro case and the original black pickguard for 450 usd shipped! I think it was made 2017 December and I bought it April I think 2018! Still plan on the swap back to black. Anyway be well bro. The end of the video is where the drive comes in. Sounds really good I think for a MIM! It's my baby! Hhaha
@EarthToday "It takes a real man to wear pink." ~ Every woman, ever.
@EarthToday Hahah yup. I use the green gold pack of regular. I just checked but I do use the pink 9s too. Hahah. The best I think for the price. I do want to check out The gilmour GHS.
hey Darrell, have you ever tried string joy strings? would like to hear what you think of them. love the show! thanks!
Awesome! Really like how the elixir string sound and lasted, it really worth investing in strings.
I just buy elixir nanowebs because they feel like uncoated strings and can last up to 5-6 months for me. Super useful for those damned floyd roses.
SunnyD88 I thought I wanted a Floyd rose set up. Bought a fender with it (HSS Mexican) traded the guitar within a month. Tuning and keeping tune was a nightmare.
Exactly, same here.
What are coated strings and how do they feel different?
@@elmoz71ls15 I once lost my G string while using a floyd rose guitar when playing live. It was the most embarrassing moment of my guitar life. There is no improvising your way out of losing a string on a floyd rose. Nothing will be in tune. And when you're not seasoned with the system like my situation at the time,, replacing the G string and getting the whole shebang back up and in tune usually requires a couple of attempts when locking/ unlocking the strings at the nut to get it perfect. I boiled under pressure and spend 15-20 minutes before we could continue our show:) I never again played a concert without bringing a backup guitar
@@elmoz71ls15 I think I just bought that guitar that you had, was it white?
I like the sound of the Elixir strings
Thanks for making an honest video. I could write for hours on my thoughts on different strings. For me, sound, feel and reaction are my biggest concerns with a string. The first two are obvious, but reaction is how the properties of a string reacts to the properties of a guitar and or it's electronics in the example of an electric guitar. I am primarily a D'Addario user for acoustic and electric. You hear the same thing I do with the NYXLs. They are louder and I use them on one of my strats I have setup for a heavy blues rocker. I use pure nickels on another strat for softer clean tones. I mainly just use XL's across the board, they have a great balance with just a hint more leaning on the brightness side that I like and they seem pretty consistent pack to pack in tone and intonation.
Seeing the new video in my subscription list: "Oh! That will be an interesting one!" :)
I once restrung with orphee 9-42 set and the high E's ball end snapped right off the string :O Searched it up and it apparently is pretty common.. never again
I thought I'm the only one experience that. the twisted part need to be improved,the output is less too
re4ctive same happened with my son, twice.
Thats true case
Nothing worse than ASS strings lol
I had three packs of Orphee 10-46. All three high E strings unravelled at the ball end. I could have used them in a Floyd but I didn't have one. Trouble continued when I gave them another high E. The difference in output level made them impossible to use with anything else and there was also a noticeable difference between plain and wound strings. Cheap but useless.
I love my elixirs because they last a long time and have a really good sound they are expensive though
Thanks bro, good job !
Hey Darrell, great video!!! I wanted to know if the coated strings are a little stiffer or harder to bend in comparison to uncoated strings? I use Elixir Nanoweb .10 - .52 on my Strat and sometimes it gets really hard to bend. I just feel like maybe it's because of the coating. And another question about the string gauge. In which case the top 3 strings will be easier to bend, 10-52 or 10-46 or is it the same in both cases?
I tried some Optima 24 carat gold plated strings. $22 per set. I really like them. They're made in Germany.
P.S. they lasted a year. I ended up breaking a high 'e'
does the gold have any other purpose than to prevent rust? (bling of course but that's another matter). i would imagine a non ferrous coating wouldn't do wonders to the output
Călin Guga
Gold is an excellent electrical conductor but don’t know how that may or may not factor into the equation my guess is it either makes no difference or helps but wouldn’t hurt.
I just use it to jam 24K Magic (Bruno Mars)
I’ve been using Elixirs since Gore first introduced and had a free set offer. Never looked back. All acoustic and electric guitars in my house are strung with them. The latest Optiweb is an improvement I never thought possible. Great video but no one is ever going to convince me to use another! I’m hooked and Gore’s free set offer was a wise investment after my years of follow up purchases.
i use stringjoy, here! nice strings, and they have that "mom and pop shop" feel when i buy them. they give me a hand-written "thank you" note in the package, when shipped, and a free sticker :)
For what it's worth, I agree about the sound - I liked the Elixir set the best. I've mostly used "regular" D'Addario and Ernie Ball strings over the years, and don't have much faith in "low end" strings, but I just bought a set of String Joys for my Eastwood, and I like the tone a lot, so I may be spending a little more on strings in the future if they hold up well.
You should have compared apples to apples- for instance, compare regular Ernie Balls to the Paradigm, regular D'Addario to the NYXL, etc. We all know no name strings won't stand up to the big brand names.
This is a very good point and I was thinking the exact same, Darrell Braun Guitar re-do the video please !!!
Why don't you do it then if you can do better? Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk!
@@lo5man shut up jhonny cash
"Now let's try something really heavy with tapped harmonics"
Says no metalheads ever. Lol
Dave Mustane uses them when he plays The Conjuring live.
Same experience with Orphee. Couldn't even tune the guitar. Then I used one to replace a cut Ernie Ball and the difference was huge. Volume, sustain, playability in general. As other people said, this is one where we can all go with the expensive option. Great video Darrell.
Great test, Darrell!. When you said "felt stiff" on the one set,.. I have now tested some ghs,.. And I'm feeling them stiff, and no flex in the metal.. So, it's not only my imagination, right!.. Can you please give me a hint,.. What's the best felt strings on a strat model?? I mean it must be smooth to run the fingers over them, and also nice "benders".. Your opinion.!? Should I rip the ghs off again?? Please, tell me your best felt one's,.. Thanks for the great channel of yours!
Elixirs can last for long months while other strings turn black n lose tone after just a couple hours of playing. Ive tested many many brands over the years n elixirs r second to none!
Been using the David Gilmours, good enough for him, GEFM.
Yup. Use the same.
Funk DeMann yeah I never used em til this year and I been happy with em. The first day I had em I wore em to the point you could see copper or whatever metal is used on the core
Firstly, *love* your enthusiasm and willingness to "deep-dive" into the subtleties of the nanoverse that is guitars and their infinite frailties, either real or imagined.... As for myself, I survived the struggle to find good strings at a good price, like any musician... my "nirvana"? GHS Boomer 10s (.10~.46), which back in the day of the mid-late '80s were $4 a set, out-the-door, and can be found now for $5~$6/set (depending on if you're buying 3 sets or ten!) on CrAmazon (sic!)..... I use them on two 'S'-type and one 'T'-type guitars (electric), as well as a Yamaha FG-110 acoustic (with piezo under-bridge electric output) and a Takamine S35.... *ALL* of which play without encumbrance, smoothly and reliably, a couple of which haven't been changed in 6 months and are *still* in tune after their forced dormancy!! So *I* definitely recommend them, and thoroughly enjoyed your attempt at comparing Davids to Goliaths (as far as the industry goes)-- But the *answer* is found betwixt the two extremes of the spectrum......!! Blessed Be, & Peace!!
I always play strings based on feel, the tone changes are so minute that adding a smidge more treble, middle or bass on the amp can usually get them all pretty indistinguishable to literally anyone not playing that particular guitar at the moment. I play NYXL for that reason, they just feel right under my fingers and they last forever.
you should’ve used an acoustic guitar for this i feel that would have been a better comparison
To me the Orphee brand sounds best. I use D'Addario on my electric guitar. Probably because it's one of the easier brands to find, and it's easier to match if a string breaks. I remember if you have a weird tuned guitar, Ernie Ball was a brand that you can buy each string loose. Good for mandocellos or 7 string guitars where it's hard to find sets at a local music store.
@Darrell Braun Guitars, happy you chose m personal favoite strings ive used over 25 years! The nanowebs are the lowest grade imo but the new opti-web is the jam! And all elixirs are on sale at amazon in a buy 2 get one free box for 29.99$ free next day shipping for prime members! Would love to see you do a comparison of all 3 Elixr string coating techniques and hear what u like the best
Hi Darrell, Excellent Video 👍👍👍.
I personally Love the NYXL 10-46 Strings, I found them to have a excellent feel when Bending and overall Longevity, having said that I do use Kyser DrString fellow on my Strings the string lube doesn't leave any residue and Sliding is a breeze, no friction at all, I highly recommend it, it is absolutely Brilliant!
Take care ♥️👍.
Melbourne, Australia.
Strings are definitely important to obviously playing the guitar haha. But all jokes aside, I do think cheap v. expensive is definitely an important topic; I mainly use 13s because of SRV and the tone. I think the change in strings can also affect the tone and playability no doubt. Awesome work!
@Reed Tard hahaha indeed , no amount of gear will make anyone sound like SRV
Hmmm I wouldn't call it posing, but rather inspiration and his influence, but to each his own
13? Damn you got strong manly fingers. My weak fingers can only handle 9/s 10/s and sometimes 11/s...
"hahaha indeed , no amount of gear will make anyone sound like SRV"
Actually you're totally wrong because you don't know what the word "Like" means apparently.
It doesn't mean 100% exactly the same. It means close. Similar. Try to keep up : )
@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 Ahh ye I have been working out over the recent years haha
I've tried cheap strings. No brand name ($4) from from a music school I went too back in the day... thought I'd save $2-3 as apose to the Reguar ernie balls i was buying where $6.50
didn't stay in tune too well, didn't feel great, noticed they sounded noticeably crap after about a week of regular play. They also began to rust a little sooner. I was pretty unhappy with them.
Elixer nanos where good, didn't like the coated feel. Didn't like how they looked after a month of wear.
NYXLs are nice. They felt like a premium string. Sound great and lasted.
Ernie Ball Paradigm are my favorite, very pricey but they last forever. I've got a pair on my charvel that are over a year old and this still sound and play Great. I'm also very happy with the no-break guarantee. Havent broken one yet and I'm pretty aggressive with them. I usually always break a regular string with my floyd.
If you really are on the cheap side. Just get regular ernie balls.
Ernie ball has really stepped up their game. Great guitars and extensive string selection. Their booth at winter NAMM is one of the biggest and best. They aim to dominate.
I recommend trying the elixir Optiweb strings, they don't have that weird feel and the coating doesn't fray at all
I’ve never used them myself but I found the Elixers to sound better, to have a warmer pitch, and to have better sustain. Since I usually play 10 gauge strings on my heavier guitars I’ll most likely pick up a pack the next time I’m at the guitar store. Great video Darrell, thank you.
Love these reviews. You should do the same with the D'Addario XTE, the Ernie Ball Paradigm, the Roto Reds, GHS and Stringjoy :)
I can't get over these awfully cut guitars on Darrel's T-shirt.
Orphee's are made to set up a guitar and then thrown away.
They make for a goose noose as well.
I use Martin SPL coated strings on my acoustics. A huge difference in consistency and longevity, and yes, they're pricey too. Totally worth it though. This demo was great. I thought the Elixirs sounded best also, (from my UA-cam point of view!) I might check them out for my electrics, if they make mixed sets. Nice one, Darrell!
great shoot out Darrell, now you need to compare 2 top selling coated vs the top 2 non coated
There's no coating on the plain strings. Buy whatever you want, plus a 20-pack of cheap e-strings. You're all welcome. 👍Me
w13rdguy do you mean with Elixir? If so, I think you should buy a pack to experience the plain strings, they’re 100% coated as well.
I turn ernie balls, XLs NYXLs jet black on the plain strings in 3 days. Optiwebs last me a few months until I feel like I need that new string tone in my life. They are still shinny when I decide to get rid of them tho.
@@crappy60 They're not, though.
@@brainstewX when changing the strings out, rub your fingers on the non-ball end portion of the string from the end and you will feel where the coating starts. Please see comment above yours as well.
I tried orphee before... the whole box ended up in the garbage where they belong...
I bought a bunch of them the 10 kept snapping for no reason
A friend gave me his bass guitar to fix it. First I thought something was wrong with the electronics or pickups, but it was the strings! Changing strings is the most underestimated mod.
Whew, Glad to hear it. I've been using Elixer strings for many years..
Keep your Elixirs! Why would anyone want string that looks like it has psoriasis after a few weeks. The nanoweb always eventually flakes off and sweat eventually gets in and dulls the tone.
Super Slinkys cant be beat for tone, and if it's that important to you just change them every month and stop being lazy.
If you really cant afford to, then I'd suggest boil your old strings for a half hour to an hour in a pot of water, it practically restores them to new. It's a lot of effort though for guitar strings.
Bass strings are far more expensive so it makes a lot more sense to boil them. My old friend used to save his strings and boil 3-4 sets of them, and they always sounded 95% like new, it was amazing.
For me its EB's on electric and Martin's on an acoustic.
Agree about Elixirs, I tried them on my acoustic but the g string went all fuzzy after 2 weeks so I stick with D'addarios. I used to boil strings when I was strapped for cash, it brings them back to life but only for a short time. Don't need to change Bass strings, the older they are, the better they sound, James Jamerson: "To achieve his characteristic full and mellow tone, Jamerson used La Bella L-760M flatwound strings (.052-.110) exclusively, and it was said that he never changed strings. "
@@DrustIV Never heard of not changing bass strings. If I go down and ask everyone of the bassists I know it will probably turn out that half of them dont change theirs either, lol.
I'd say it just depends on the individual though and what sound they're after.
Nonsense. Old wives tale. Old any strings sound like garbage. Any recording engineer will tell you that.
@@216trixie "Labella Strings
Donald "Duck" Dunn quote, we're talking flatwound strings here: "The strings were as much a part of his sound as the bass itself and the Labella strings were his favorite as James Jamerson also. Many knew Duck always said “don’t ever change the strings” which he never would unless he broke one then he would put a new set on." He must have had some interesting discussions with recording engineers.
Orphee aka Orphan and College strings aka student in debt.
The names even sound poor lol... Sad strings : (
Great video. Would love to see a comparison between EB Slinky/GHS Boomers and the high $ strings. Is the extra money just for durability or is there a major tonal difference there as well. I really dont mind changing strings so if longevity is the only benefit, I'll stick with Slinkys.
I agreed 100% with your findings. I have also done many string comparisons on many acoustic guitars and a few electrics. With much the same results on the electrics. As far as acoustics, I try several types until I get the sound I expect. Up to 7 different sets. I have about 20 acoustics and I use a variety of strings on them. I keep a log book to know what strings I tried and the results on each guitar. Then log when I change them of course. As far as the electrics, I use different ones again. Hollowbody, semi hollow, solid body, and even the materials used on each differ. With a Marshall Amp and head I can adjust the sound pretty much any way I want. And the use of effects pedals helps too. But there is still a difference. So feel is a lot of it.
I have also found that the same size strings on a solid tremelo, Bigsby or Floyd Rose made a huge difference. The cheaper strings required huge setup changes. Overall, they just seemed stiffer on every guitar.
So find a string you like for the sound and feel and go with it.
I use Elixirs on my Taylor and never found anything that sounded that good on it. Martin Authentics on a few. Santa Cruz lights on one, mediums on another, Gibson strings on my Ibanez acoustic and more.
Thank you for your time and effort to do these videos. I really enjoy them and you are down to earth. Thank you sir.
Only way to truly compare is with an acoustic.🤷♂️
TheCloudyGuy420 ehhh no
I use standard D'Addario lights, they sound good enough to me
Daddario to me is over all the best but I try not to be picky choosy. Earnie ball, elixer, ghs boomers... I feel I have enjoyed them all a good bit.
truly compare *something else*, that being acoustic strings. or do you mean you can only judge electric strings by how they sound acoustic? cause then you have no idea how electric guitars work
@@calinguga I think he may mean that strings on an acoustic will have a greater impact on sound than the strings of an electric. Nor saying if he's right or wrong, just saying what I perceive he means
I used to use Cobalts. Loved them until I found Ernie Balls
Doesn't Ernie Ball make the Cobalts?
@@DJogdog I was thinking the same thing. I dont really feel like googling it
@@DJogdog yep the cobalts are a premium version. Suppose to have a better more magnetic core for cleaner, louder, tone through the magnetic pick ups. Personally I never noticed that much of a difference but I play at lower more controlled volumes.
@@DJogdog you could be right! HAHAHAHAHA
@@DJogdog to be more specific, I switched from Cobalts to Paradigm, both Ernie Balls
Thanks for your work on this it was a good comparison. I thought the Elixirs sounded too bright to my ears but it was a good sound like the DadDarios. I buy the regular Daddarios in a box of ten sets and get them for about $3.50 a set which is a good value and I have always liked them The other third place string sounded not bad but as you said not as complex. Thanks for sharing this with us as always your videos are a help to all of us guitar slingers out there.
I got hooked on the NYXLs at first try.
Sweetwater sent me a complimentary set of Elixirs. They're still in the box.
Two of my three electric gitfiddles have the NYXLs. The exception is my 1997 Squire Affinity Strat. It's a gift. The gifter fell out of love with it after it took the dreaded strap dive and lost some paint beneath the input jack. It sat in his closet virtually unplayed for 21 years. He gave me the whole strat pack: strap, gig bag, strings, amp... For all I know, the stock Fender strings are still on it. All except the .011 guage. It's the only one missing from what appears to be the original pack. I like the feel of those Fender strings. Still, I got some NYXLs in waiting.