Why You Should Try Pure Nickel Strings

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

I like Thomastiks and I use those for my electrics: Sliders for Fender type. Bebops fo Gibson type.

Amazing tone and playbility.

Gabriel (gmacdonell) and I do share -among other things- a common taste for strings.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

I like Thomastiks and I use those for my electrics: Sliders for Fender type. Bebops fo Gibson type.

Amazing tone and playbility.

Gabriel (gmacdonell) and I do share -among other things- a common taste for strings.

We definitely do! I like Sliders for Teles, BeBops for anything shorter scale.
While it's tough to pick an absolute favorite among all these premier strings,
if i had to choose, it would be Thomastik. It's a real shame they're rare here in the states.

[Mayo5]

I don't normally do this, but I'm taking a chance and breaking away from my 3$ Ernie Ball Slinkies to try these Pyramids. I just ordered some for my acoustic and orville. 50$

[gmacdonnell]

On the bright side, they'll probably last several times as long as your EB sets.

That said, if you really like the pure nickel tone/feel, but need a less expensive option, DR Pure Blues and Snake Oil Brand are both great strings, for not much more than Ernie's or D'addario's.

Good luck, hope you like them!

[Mayo5]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

On the bright side, they'll probably last several times as long as your EB sets.

That said, if you really like the pure nickel tone/feel, but need a less expensive option, DR Pure Blues and Snake Oil Brand are both great strings, for not much more than Ernie's or D'addario's.

Good luck, hope you like them!

Thanks, It will be worth it to just experiment. I've only being playing for a few years of self-taught. Until I found this forum, to which has lead me to all the tiny nuances of tone. lol. It's opened up a new world on here reading and learning, about all the small stuff I have been doing wrong and what to look out for regarding gear.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by Mayo5

Thanks, It will be worth it to just experiment. I've only being playing for a few years of self-taught. Until I found this forum, to which has lead me to all the tiny nuances of tone. lol. It's opened up a new world on here reading and learning, about all the small stuff I have been doing wrong and what to look out for regarding gear.

Well that's great, I'm so glad to hear that. This is a great forum for sharing/learning tips on playing, gear and tone.

When I get a chance I'm working on an article on picks that hopefully will be as interesting as this one has been, with all the contributions from other members.

[Nigel Tufnel's tech]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

When I get a chance I'm working on an article on picks that hopefully will be as interesting as this one has been, with all the contributions from other members.

When you do, and if you don't mention it i found a pick that may interest some with a deep wallet and a ear for tone.

[Mayo5]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

Well that's great, I'm so glad to hear that. This is a great forum for sharing/learning tips on playing, gear and tone.

When I get a chance I'm working on an article on picks that hopefully will be as interesting as this one has been, with all the contributions from other members.

Any chance you will doing them on wooden or metal picks? I played a buddies surfpick, and man it felt amazing; but I have always heard about people playing with flatten quarters/nickels made into picks.

Will be another interesting thread on here for sure.

[clear and blue]

Originally Posted by Nigel Tufnel's tech

When you do, and if you don't mention it i found a pick that may interest some with a deep wallet and a ear for tone.

the pick of destiny? sorry that was a terrible film. definitely not one to watch with your mother in-law either. .

is it true that the early les pauls were originally set up for pure nickel 12s? i guess this would play quite nicely with the scale length of a les paul and and slinkyness of nickel strings.

[darth Nihilus]

Stainless steel strings for me. The brighter, the better.

[chewy60]

i've been playing d'addario xl chromes medium gauge lately. man, i love the feel of flatwound strings....

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by darth Nihilus

Stainless steel strings for me. The brighter, the better.

your music, your tone, your strings

[River]

I thought "jazz" string sets "always" used a wound third. Am I wrong, and/or is that not the case with the Bebops?

[Nigel Tufnel's tech]

Originally Posted by clear and blue

the pick of destiny? sorry that was a terrible film. definitely not one to watch with your mother in-law either. .

No it's not, but i do have that pick, the film is better watched drunk and without in-law's

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by Mayo5

Any chance you will doing them on wooden or metal picks? I played a buddies surfpick, and man it felt amazing; but I have always heard about people playing with flatten quarters/nickels made into picks.

Will be another interesting thread on here for sure.

Yup, I've got a bunch of different picks from Surfpick, Wegen, Red Bear, etc, plus the more everyday varieties. Dunlop has recently been offering some picks clearly aimed at the high-end market, but at a very affordable price, so I thought it would be interesting to compare them all.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by Nigel Tufnel's tech

No it's not, but i do have that pick, the film is better watched drunk and without in-law's

What special pick are you referring to, Nigel'sTT? It'd better not be John McLaughlin's pie box picks; I thought I was the only one who remembered that!

[Nigel Tufnel's tech]

Red Bear Trading Co., Ltd. - Your Tone Starts Right Here this will be the look on your face when you see the price, but it will also be the same look when you play one.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by Nigel Tufnel's tech

Red Bear Trading Co., Ltd. - Your Tone Starts Right Here this will be the look on your face when you see the price, but it will also be the same look when you play one.

I love those picks! Brad Davis, (great bluesgrass picker,) hipped me to them. I call him a pusher, because once you try it, you'll never stop wanting them! Dweezil Zappa also swears by them. I've got a few of them, and they're wonderful. Pricey, but imho, worth every penny, (So long as you remember where you keep your picks...)

[clear and blue]

i ditched my picks a few months ago. find it nice to not be constrained to needing a bit of plastic before i play. still keep them around for times when a friend is over and wants to play. used to use the 2mm purple dunlop turtleys.

some things arent the same with bare fingers but i wouldnt go back now. feels so much more natural to me.

[Mayo5]

I got the Pyramids in today. Waiting a little while till I put them on my Electric, but I will doing the Acoustic today, and seeing a difference betweens these and the Elixxirs.

But for the electrics, just by looking at them. Holy shit, they did an amazing job on the strings.

[V!N]

My left arm and hand aren't what they used to be. Sometimes it hurts to play and that's a nightmare coming true. After many years of D'Addario .010, I switched to Ernie Ball .009 to try and practice. Music is too dear to me to just give it up after so many years. I'm trying to get tone in my fingers again with the EB.009, but there's no tone in the sound. The pickup's magnetic field isn't getting enough from these tiny Balls and so my amp isn't slammed as hard as it should be either.
So, inspired by this thread, I got a couple of sets of Thomastik-Infeld Blues Sliders .010. Hoping I could get the slinky light feel of EB.009 and an even better tone than D'Add.010.

When I unpacked, I noticed they had the thickness and tension mentioned. This brought out the geek in me, now I could find what the difference in tension exactly is between the T-I.010, my old D'Add.010 and the tiny EB.009. EB doesn't have the tension of their strings listed on their site, nor do the specialized string selling sites. D'Add did and I must say, just these two made an interesting comparison already. For those who might find something like that interesting, there's some stuff below this post.
The wound strings turn out to be a hair thicker on the T-I set, the plain ones are the same. Yet, the high E string of the T-I set needs more force pulling on it to reach the correct pitch than the D'add set and the B and G string need less.

I haven't put them on a geet yet and I'm not sure if I will. Knowing a set of D'Add.010 is too painful at this time, the T-I.010 is probably even worse. Perhaps when (or if) my right arm and hand have gained a little more strength.

Are there any contributors to this thread that actually switched from EB.009 or D'Add.010 to T-I.010 ? Perhaps you could shed some light on this.
There probably aren't any, but it never hurts to try.


D'Addario EXL110

e | 0.010 | 16.2 lbs - 7,35 kg
B | 0.013 | 15.4 lbs - 6,98 kg
G | 0.017 | 16.6 lbs - 7,53 kg
D | 0.026 | 18.4 lbs - 8,34 kg
A | 0.036 | 19.5 lbs - 8,84 kg
E | 0.046 | 17.5 lbs - 7,94 kg

TOTAL: 103.6 lbs - 46,98 kg


Thomastik-Infeld Blues Sliders SL110

e | 0.010 | 17.1 lbs - 7,8 kg
B | 0.013 | 14.5 lbs - 6,6 kg
G | 0.016 | 14.3 lbs - 6,5 kg
D | 0.028 | 20.8 lbs - 9,4 kg
A | 0.037 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg
E | 0.048 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg

TOTAL: 106.9 lbs - 48,5 kg

[River]

You're seeing that the high E might/should be harder to bend, but the B and G will probably be easier?

I'm very interested in this for pretty much the same reasons you are.

I'd like to see you give them the non-empirical "float test". Do let us know.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by V!N

I haven't put them on a geet yet and I'm not sure if I will. Knowing a set of D'Add.010 is too painful at this time, the T-I.010 is probably even worse. Perhaps when (or if) my right arm and hand have gained a little more strength.

Are there any contributors to this thread that actually switched from EB.009 or D'Add.010 to T-I.010 ? Perhaps you could shed some light on this.
There probably aren't any, but it never hurts to try.


D'Addario EXL110

e | 0.010 | 16.2 lbs - 7,35 kg
B | 0.013 | 15.4 lbs - 6,98 kg
G | 0.017 | 16.6 lbs - 7,53 kg
D | 0.026 | 18.4 lbs - 8,34 kg
A | 0.036 | 19.5 lbs - 8,84 kg
E | 0.046 | 17.5 lbs - 7,94 kg

TOTAL: 103.6 lbs - 46,98 kg


Thomastik-Infeld Blues Sliders SL110

e | 0.010 | 17.1 lbs - 7,8 kg
B | 0.013 | 14.5 lbs - 6,6 kg
G | 0.016 | 14.3 lbs - 6,5 kg
D | 0.028 | 20.8 lbs - 9,4 kg
A | 0.037 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg
E | 0.048 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg

TOTAL: 106.9 lbs - 48,5 kg

It's at least worth a shot. It's not strictly about tension: the round cores of the TI strings make for a slightly "looser" feel that usually translates into easier bending. Of course, it all depends on what you're used to, what you prefer and your guitars setup, but the TI strings are made for bending in a way most other strings simply aren't.

For what it's worth, out of the dozens of string brands I've tried over the years, D'addario was always the hardest to bend and use vibrato on. They make a good string, but I don't really like the feel, and I much prefer the tone of some of the other brands.

You might be the opposite way, and there's nothing wrong with that! But it's worth a shot, since you've already got them. !

[5F6-A]

+1

[Lance_S]

Originally Posted by V!N

My left arm and hand aren't what they used to be. Sometimes it hurts to play and that's a nightmare coming true. After many years of D'Addario .010, I switched to Ernie Ball .009 to try and practice. Music is too dear to me to just give it up after so many years. I'm trying to get tone in my fingers again with the EB.009, but there's no tone in the sound. The pickup's magnetic field isn't getting enough from these tiny Balls and so my amp isn't slammed as hard as it should be either.
So, inspired by this thread, I got a couple of sets of Thomastik-Infeld Blues Sliders .010. Hoping I could get the slinky light feel of EB.009 and an even better tone than D'Add.010.

When I unpacked, I noticed they had the thickness and tension mentioned. This brought out the geek in me, now I could find what the difference in tension exactly is between the T-I.010, my old D'Add.010 and the tiny EB.009. EB doesn't have the tension of their strings listed on their site, nor do the specialized string selling sites. D'Add did and I must say, just these two made an interesting comparison already. For those who might find something like that interesting, there's some stuff below this post.
The wound strings turn out to be a hair thicker on the T-I set, the plain ones are the same. Yet, the high E string of the T-I set needs more force pulling on it to reach the correct pitch than the D'add set and the B and G string need less.

I haven't put them on a geet yet and I'm not sure if I will. Knowing a set of D'Add.010 is too painful at this time, the T-I.010 is probably even worse. Perhaps when (or if) my right arm and hand have gained a little more strength.

Are there any contributors to this thread that actually switched from EB.009 or D'Add.010 to T-I.010 ? Perhaps you could shed some light on this.
There probably aren't any, but it never hurts to try.


D'Addario EXL110

e | 0.010 | 16.2 lbs - 7,35 kg
B | 0.013 | 15.4 lbs - 6,98 kg
G | 0.017 | 16.6 lbs - 7,53 kg
D | 0.026 | 18.4 lbs - 8,34 kg
A | 0.036 | 19.5 lbs - 8,84 kg
E | 0.046 | 17.5 lbs - 7,94 kg

TOTAL: 103.6 lbs - 46,98 kg


Thomastik-Infeld Blues Sliders SL110

e | 0.010 | 17.1 lbs - 7,8 kg
B | 0.013 | 14.5 lbs - 6,6 kg
G | 0.016 | 14.3 lbs - 6,5 kg
D | 0.028 | 20.8 lbs - 9,4 kg
A | 0.037 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg
E | 0.048 | 20.1 lbs - 9,1 kg

TOTAL: 106.9 lbs - 48,5 kg

V!n,

Sorry to hear your struggling with hand pain. Do you top wrap? Some have sworn it makes it a bit easier to bend (NO, THIS IS NOT GOING TO TURN IN TO A TOP WRAP THREAD, please don't start, it was just a suggestion). Also wondering if you tone down a 1/2 step? I have been lately while knocking off some old EV and SRV stuff and really enjoy the sweet ease of bending down there, while maintaining that fat tone.

As far as the above numbers go, it's always tough when information is gathered from different companies because of their testing equipment and the conditions in which they test. You may find your real life comparison conflicts with the overall above data. The good news is that may be a good thing! Personal trial and error is the best way and it sounds like your down that trail already, let us know how you make out.

Just some thoughts,

Best regards,

Lance

[Lance_S]

Alright,

I just broke down and ordered one set of the pyramids and one set of the thomstiks. Man they are expensive, but I am running low on strings and had to give them a try after so much enthusiasm was expressed. I will give you a report when I get them on.

[clear and blue]

Originally Posted by Lance_S

Also wondering if you tone down a 1/2 step? I have been lately while knocking off some old EV and SRV stuff and really enjoy the sweet ease of bending down there, while maintaining that fat tone.

+1

going down 1/2 a step can make a hell of a difference on string tension and the change in pitch is a small price to pay to be able to stick with the same strings

[5F6-A]

I tune down a 1/2 step anyway.... like how the wood resonates at those frequencies.

[gmacdonnell]

I've been (slowly) working on a demo of my own songs, and I've tuned down 1/2 for most of it, to accommodate my vocal range, (I don't sound so good singing a high G#,) and I really enjoy it. I used to do that on my Tele sometimes, and the guitar does have a really nice resonance at that tuning, (Eb).

Just because I usually like a little fight, to tune down I've bumped up the gauge to 12-52's, and of course did a setup. But I really enjoy it.

Lance, I think you'll really like those strings: they're worlds away from your average guitar store brand. Not cheap, but they last much, much longer and sound great the entire time. They play easier as well.

And, as I mentioned before, if you love them, but need a less expensive string as an everyday option, DR Pure Blues or Snake Oil strings are a great choice.

[Lance_S]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

I've been (slowly) working on a demo of my own songs, and I've tuned down 1/2 for most of it, to accommodate my vocal range, (I don't sound so good singing a high G#,) and I really enjoy it. I used to do that on my Tele sometimes, and the guitar does have a really nice resonance at that tuning, (Eb).

Just because I usually like a little fight, to tune down I've bumped up the gauge to 12-52's, and of course did a setup. But I really enjoy it.

Lance, I think you'll really like those strings: they're worlds away from your average guitar store brand. Not cheap, but they last much, much longer and sound great the entire time. They play easier as well.

And, as I mentioned before, if you love them, but need a less expensive string as an everyday option, DR Pure Blues or Snake Oil strings are a great choice.

Gmac,

Thanks bro, I will indeed pick up a set of the DR's just for the everyday stuff. I swap my strings out every two weeks on average so that would get pretty expensive. I am, however, geeked about trying out both the pyramids and the Thomstiks. I am running EB nickel 11's right now and they are decent but I am hoping for big things out of the other two.

Playing 12's on the 1/2 step, that is fantastic. If the pyramid or thoms are easier to bend than what I am using I may have to try the 12's. They would be like bass strings!!!!! Can't wait and thanks again for the suggestion.