"On all of his electrics Robben always uses D'Addario XL110's (regular light, .010-.046).
On his acoustics he uses D'Addario EJ16's (light, .012-.053). We've tried the new D'Addario coated EXP16's (same gauges) but he hasn't used his acoustics enough lately to yet determine which he prefers.
On his classical guitars he uses D'Addario Pro*Arte EJ45's (silver/clear/normal)."
Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 197 Location: San Jose Ca.
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:22 pm Post subject: strings
On the main part of the package it says D'Addario XL in big letters,
but underneath the string gauges it says EXL110 for some reason.
(E for electric)?
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 142 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:08 pm Post subject:
The 'E' I think is for 'Earth' (or could have been Environment - my memory of the marketing hype at the time as a little hazy).
D'addario changed this designation some years ago when they first stopped individually packaging each string within a set. The little shrinkwrap bags were introduced a bit further down the track.
For some stupid reason I actually read all the marketing hype written on the back of guitar string packets.
Chris _________________ because I rock, and that's important.
"On all of his electrics Robben always uses D'Addario XL110's (regular light, .010-.046). "
I would have thought maybe he was using .011 because of the way he bends the notes sometimes. I am using .012 myself on a Yamaha SA-2200 semi-hollowbody.. *not* very good for bending notes
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:47 pm Post subject: Environmentally friendly my butt...lol
StratCat wrote:
The 'E' I think is for 'Earth' (or could have been Environment - my memory of the marketing hype at the time as a little hazy).
D'addario changed this designation some years ago when they first stopped individually packaging each string within a set. The little shrinkwrap bags were introduced a bit further down the track.
For some stupid reason I actually read all the marketing hype written on the back of guitar string packets.
Chris
D'addario's marketing gurus seem to think that, because they no longer individually package each string, that they are doing their bit to save the planet....lmao...the "plastic" they now use takes OIL to manufacture it...if anything, they're contributing to our dependance on mideast petroleum.
I think Joe Walsh said it best right after he joined the Eagles when there was a huge outcry not only to shut down all nuclear power plants, but also to ban electrical generating plants throughout California due to environmental impact on wildlife, etc...."What are the hippies gonna do, plug their stereos into candles?"
PS. You can bet that nifty colored paint on the ball ends that identify each string isn't made from "natural" dyes.
I like D'addario strings btw...I just hate disingenuous marketing hype from anyone. Fender, Elixir, GHS strings are no less pals of the planet than any other string maker. Guitars are not an environmentally friendly product...nature of the beast...nitro lacquer, chrome and gold plating, electro-magnetic pickups and wood just don't fall into the "green" catagory...I love 'em anyway.
_________________ I'll be spending way too much time here...
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:02 pm Post subject: Re: Is it gone?
frank0936 wrote:
I think we lost Daved's post on changing strings when the !*%$&! hackers got in. Did anyone save it?
Frank
Here it is.
Bill
String changing... where does one begin?
As with the myriad opinions on what woods sound/perform best, what pickups sound/perform best, what amps sound/perform best, and what combinations of all the above sound/perform best... strings and their maintenance varies from one artist/tech to the next.
What follows are purely my own opinions, though I must say in my 25 years of teching guitars (not to mention the additional years before that as a player) I must have changed many, many, many thousands of strings, so I'd humbly like to think that there is some validity to my thoughts.
<< but I've seen Daved changing strings minutes before showtime. >>
Yes, I change almost all strings after soundchecks and before showtime as a general rule, unless expressly told NOT to by the artist (The Replacements come to mind. The first time I slapped an entirely fresh set on one of Paul's guitars, I was later told that in that band I was "never, ever, under any circumstances to ever clean or change strings, unless one broke, and then I was to change ONLY that one string." They considered the worn strings to be part of their 'sound'. Obviously, intonating was virtually impossible, and the rust, crust, and corrosion that built up made fretting the strings as dangerous as sliding your finger across an old saw blade!
But for the majority of the artists I work for, I try to keep fresh strings happening, which sometimes actually requires changing sets of strings during the show (as in the case of Stu Hamm who can wear his out in literally 5-6 songs).
<< Daved, how do you go about making sure new strings stay in tune? Any particular knots at the tuner? >>
There is no real secret, just a little obvious thought and practice .
First, I always wash my hands with soap and water before I start changing strings to remove dirts and oils. Surprisingly, few musicians I know of wash their hands before handling their guitars for an average 2 hours worth of show. By the second or third song, they've already gummed a lot of the life out of their strings. *Tsk-Tsk*
My favorite machine heads are the slotted Tele type. Just stick the end in the hole in the center of the posted, slide it out the slot and wrap it a few times. Simple, easy, fast, and reliable. You just gotta love 'em!
I like to try for about 3 windings on a post. That secures the string, gives what I imagine to be good sonic transference, and doesn't clutter the post with excess string. Always be careful not to cross your windings. When the tuner tightens the string, crossed windings can potentially become a stress/weak point which can cause problems.
With the standard hole thru the side of the post tuners, I like the one winding on top and the rest underneath. Again all you need is about 3 windings and, if done properly, I never have any problem with the string securing satisfactorily. As the tuner tightens the string windings, they clamp the string going thru the post and it will not slip. Also, I like to wind the windings onto the post using the winding knob, rather than wrapping the string around the post several times. This, I feel, does the least damage to the factory winding of the string components around the string core.
I do not like clamping mechanisms in the tuner itself (This one especially... what is the point?!? To make the string as short as possible with a weak physical connection to the post?!? Sorry, I just don't get it.), in the nut, or on the bridge, though I do understand their necessity in some cases... that possibly being when you use whammy bars and virtually a must when you use a floating bridge. In these cases you'll want to lock down the length of string because of the potential for it to change when you do deep bends. Still, ANYTIME you clamp the string anywhere , you break it's tinsile strength and create unnatural stress which can lead to problems if you are not careful. If you DO use any kind of clamping mechanism, learn to use as light a pressure as possible when the clamp holds the string.
Unless I am removing all the strings for guitar cleaning or maintenance, I try not to remove all the strings at once when changing them. This way you are the least likely to alter tolerances and tensions that your axe has been adjusted to and become comfortable with.
EX: On Robben's Tele, I change every other string, then the alternate 3 strings, that way there is always one string holding down the position of the double saddles and on his Les Paul's I change the two outside strings, then the four inner strings, etc.
<< ...Stretching routines?>>
Stretching takes thought and practice, but is well worth the reward of quick, reliable playability.
Folks tell me "I stretch my strings, but it doesn't do much good". I then ask them, "How do you stretch the string, by grabbing it around the 12th fret and lifting your guitar"? "Well, Yeah", they often reply.
My response? "You've just done a great job of stretching that one spot, but what about the 24 inches of the rest of the string? Don't you think that will stretch, too?"
Carefully, but fully, stretch the entire length of string... like a long deep massage... tune back up to key, then massage it again. The low-E, A, & D usually will give up most of their stretch pretty quickly. But don't overdue it. You don't want to wring the life and brilliance out of your strings. Be especially careful with the hi-E stringwhich does not take much pressure to break. Give it a light going over and finish stretching it in the playing position I describe next. The D-string, because of its tension can also be fairly fragile.
After this "massaging" hold your guitar in play position and start bending all the strings, in several areas (say, around the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th, and 15th frets), as though you were bending the note in song, retune, then bend again a few times till you finally get as much stretch out of the strings as you want. This is also the best way to finish stretching that delicate hi-E as, in this manner, you are least likely to over stretch it to the breaking point.
This whole stretching process takes usually less than 5 minutes per guitar.
*************************************************************
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT TUNING POINT...
NEVER do a FINAL tuning with the guitar laying down on its work surface. ALWAYS do your final tuning in playing position.
If you do tune your guitar while it is laying down and then pick it up to play, your tuning WILL change. Try it and see.
*************************************************************
<<Also, have you had problems with D'Addario .010's coming apart at the ball end? >>
I have had this problem with D'Addario, GHS, Dean Markley, etc., etc. No string company is exempt from the occasional "bad batch". Deal with it and move on.
<< His solution is to unilaterally toss the one that came in the package and put on an individually packaged string. He says he has much better luck with this. >>
The singles come from the same place as the sets. Sure, keep some spares around, as I always do, for when you DO run into breaking or unwinding 10's, but don't waste your hard earned bucks throwing out every "set 10" and replacing it with an identical "single 10".
Also, I found, after years of dealing with "bad lots" that usually when the 10's start breaking on me, it's because I'm in a hurry and manhandling them. Note what I said above about treating your hi-E's delicately when stretching them.
<< I had thought of taking a needle nose pliers to the string to try to pinch down the tie so it would bite in and grip better, but I never got around to it.....>>
I tried this at one point years ago but, besides finding it wasn't really necessary if I handled my strings properly, with thought and care, but found I felt I was actually defeating my purpose by unnaturally clamping, flattening, and stressing the strings and windings when I used pliers on them.
<<.... I suppose you could burn on a miniscule dab of solder paste, but I don't imagine that tone would be unaffected.>>
I also went thru a period of soldering the tie winding around the ball. Again, although this does work (feel free to do this, in my opinion), I came to feel that soldering each and every string of question was a lot of unnecessary work.
<< I have noticed that the problem is exacerbated if you use any oil on your bridge saddles to cut the friction. >>
I do not encourage or endorse ANY lubricants on the saddles or nut other than a little graphite occasionally (a #2 lead pencil is perfect for this and should be the only 'lubricant' you should ever need on or near a string).
<< On Fender guitars I've started threading each string through a short piece of wire insulation so the string doesn't directly contact the metal hole in the bridge plate.. and no tone loss I believe because the insulation is on well before the string touches the saddle...>>
This is a trick that goes waaaaayyyy back and I have used it off and on for years.
<<...it's an old Rene Martinez trick. >>
I know Rene... great tech who's been around a very long time, but it always amuses me how every "trick-in-the-book" gets credited to him. No, he didn't invent the wheel, but surely he must be the one who innovated bearings and grease.
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