Why You Should Try Pure Nickel Strings

[Dolebludger]

I just discovered this thread, and as a result of it I am going to try out some DR Pure Blue nickel-wrapped strings on one of my guitars. (I know there have been a lot of recommendations here for different nickel-wrapped strings, but I can get these locally and cheaply for a trial.)

And this thread made me realize that in my 50 years of playing (on and off), I have never thought about the type of my strings! This is kind of dumb for me, as I am also a sports car guy, and should have known that string type is to guitar playing what tire type is to sports car performance (A LOT!).

So I would like to ask the OP and anybody else, what are the pros and cons of other types of electric guitar strings now being sold? I'm talking about the coated strings, stainless steel strings, chrome plated strings, and anything else out there that will work on an electric guitar that I might want to try out. I play some in most styles of music -- from "vintage metal" to soft jazz, with some pop and country in between. Any and all advice will be appreciated.

[Pink_Floyd]

Originally Posted by StringStar

Hi folks,

My name is John and I run StringStar over in the UK.

I picked up on this thread and thought I would pop in and say hello to everyone so...hello everyone

This really is a great thread btw - thanks OP

Anyway, I thought i might just run through the Pyramid range to clear a couple of things up regarding cores and windings. Hopefully it might just help you decide what to use if you do choose to use Pyramid strings.

Pyramid really are a great company and they do make excellent strings so here goes:

Pyramid Nickel Plated Steel - Nickel plated steel wound on hexagonal steel cores similar to D'Addario EXL110, 120 etc

Pyramid Stainless Steel - stainless steel is wound on to hexagonal steel cores - similar to D'Addario Pro Steels - EPS520's, 510's etc

Pyramid Pure Nickels are made with 99.2% pure nickel wire wound onto hexagonal steel cores -similar to D'Addario Pure Nickel EPN110 etc

Pyramid Maximum Performance - 99.2% pure nickel wound onto round steel cores - IIRC this is the same as DR Pure Blues

Pyramid Nickel Classics are made from 99.2% pure nickel wrap wire wound onto pure nickel round cores

Pyramid Gold are pure nickel flatwounds (probably the best flat wounds in the world IMHO)


Thats a brief run down of the Pyramid electric range. I could probably have presented it a bit better to make it easier to understand but you should see the subtle differences as you read through the range.

Your more than welcome to look around my website StringStar

Its a new site and there is still lots of work to be done in terms of appearance and products but it works and is secure so feel free to have a look round.

I don't think the exchange rate and shipping costs will entice you into buying much from me but if you are struggling to find quality strings at reasonable prices please get in touch and I will see what I can do.

All the best

Regards
StringStar

I ordered some strings from ebay and they turned out to be from StringStar. The service was fantastic, I received them next day with 3 free picks and a 10% discount code to use

My only criticism is that they are charging £8.00 for the Nickel Classics and these can be found at other suppliers for £6.50 with discounts on multiples. Now if they will price match then I for one will be a customer for life!

[Nugget]

I thoroughly recommend Newtone Strings. They are pure nickel and hand made.
The prices are very competitive and the strings last so long you'll end up changing them just for the hell of it.

Welcome to Newtone Strings

[terence_tez]

anyone heard of curt mangan strings?they are all i use beside dr strings...

Curt Mangan&reg FusionMatched&reg Strings

[Beerdog80]

after reading this thread a few dozen times, I ordered some GHS Nickel Rockers and some other nickels (already forgot) to try em out. Pops sent me some DR Silverstars and I friggin hate them!

[aruntang]

I have used the 0.11 guage GHS Burnished Nickel set for quite some time now. Killer strings with great tone and feel.

[Dolebludger]

Thanks all.

I just installed a set of DR Pure Blues on my fav. guitar (an '82 Carvin SH 225 -- much like an ES 335 but more aggressive) in my usual size of 9 - 42. I found easier fingering, more distinct single-note sound in high gain applications, better sustain on all strings, and better tone throughout the range. While the relative volume on the wrapped strings was reduced a bit, I found that this made the higher string leads more prominent, which I welcome. If I want to change that, it can be done on my graphic EQ.

I do feel that I should have bought the 10s though, as the action on the 9s is so much lighter than that on the former steel 9s that it is throwing me off.

[Ejecto]

Originally Posted by Dolebludger

Thanks all.

I just installed a set of DR Pure Blues on my fav. guitar (an '82 Carvin SH 225 -- much like an ES 335 but more aggressive).

Want.

[Dolebludger]

Want? Want what? Want DR Pure Blue strings? In a pinch, GC has them. Want a Carvin SH 225? Well, they haven't made them since the late 80s, BUT you can find them on ebay used, good shape, reasonable price.

[johnbeloe]

Originally Posted by Pink_Floyd

I ordered some strings from ebay and they turned out to be from StringStar. The service was fantastic, I received them next day with 3 free picks and a 10% discount code to use

My only criticism is that they are charging £8.00 for the Nickel Classics and these can be found at other suppliers for £6.50 with discounts on multiples. Now if they will price match then I for one will be a customer for life!

where did you find them for £6.50? I want in!!

[Pink_Floyd]

Originally Posted by johnbeloe

where did you find them for £6.50? I want in!!

Here you go;

Guitar strings, Bass Strings & Accessories

I have two packs of 10's on back order, been like 2 weeks now

[xGotchax]

I just love the Fender bullets PureNickel strings .011 size.

The are a magnificent string!
Original Bullets™, (3150 M)
Pure Nickel Bullet End Guitar Strings

.:: Fender®.com ::.

[Real_Hip_Hop]

Bought some Dr Pure Blues Pure Nickel today. Will try them out soon and let you all know what I think. I tried the Dr Pure Blues Acoustic strings and hated them though. They sounded dull, lacked sustain, and were too quiet, hopefully they make better electric strings

[fisheric]

I agree whole heartily with the original post. I want to add my experiences.

The Di'adario "pure nickles" suck so much ass. The Gibsons were the most expensive strings I have ever bought. They wouldn't stay in tune. I had them on my guitar for about 5 hours and I cut them off then threw on some Ernie Balls.

The snake oils are my favorite. He sells pure nickles and a nickle amalgam that he calls the "rock set" Both are really good. I recommend trying both kinds.

Dunlop used to make a set of Jimi Hendrix nickles but I think they are discontinued.

[cme2n]

I have always been a SuperBullet guy but after reading through this thread I decided to give some DR Pure Blues 10's and 11's a try. The DR 10's were a real tone improvement over the SuperBullets since they were much warmer, but the tension felt a little too loose for my taste. I also noticed that the pure nickel 10's didn't sustain as long as my normal steel SBs. So I bumped up to the 11's to try and gain a bit more tension and sustain. The 11's definitely fixed the sustain and tension issues as they seemed to ring much longer than the 10's and were much tighter but the 11's were way to warm and I lost nearly every ounce of bite. The neck pickup sounded horribly muddy with the 11's and the bridge pickup wasn't much better. I took them off after only one day. One thing that I also noticed on both the 10's and 11's was that they seemed to be poorly wrapped at the ends. On both sets the wrapping was coming loose and I had to trim the ends. Not that it was a problem but it seemed like they would break more easily under hard playing.

As I said before, I am normally a Fender SB guy, but my grandma gave me a set of regular Ernie Ball Slinkys this past Christmas so I threw them on for the time being. They sounded okay but I wanted to get back to the warmer tone of pure nickels so I stopped by the store and picked up some of the Ernie Ball Classic Pure Nickel 10's and 11's just for shits and giggles. In my experience the EB 10's and 11's were better than the DR's in nearly every aspect. Warm tone, better tension, better sustain, and the ends were much more securely wrapped. I ended up settling on the 11's because the 10's felt a little loose, but all in all both of the EB's were pretty good.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by cme2n

I have always been a SuperBullet guy but after reading through this thread I decided to give some DR Pure Blues 10's and 11's a try. The DR 10's were a real tone improvement over the SuperBullets since they were much warmer, but the tension felt a little too loose for my taste. I also noticed that the pure nickel 10's didn't sustain as long as my normal steel SBs. So I bumped up to the 11's to try and gain a bit more tension and sustain. The 11's definitely fixed the sustain and tension issues as they seemed to ring much longer than the 10's and were much tighter but the 11's were way to warm and I lost nearly every ounce of bite. The neck pickup sounded horribly muddy with the 11's and the bridge pickup wasn't much better. I took them off after only one day. One thing that I also noticed on both the 10's and 11's was that they seemed to be poorly wrapped at the ends. On both sets the wrapping was coming loose and I had to trim the ends. Not that it was a problem but it seemed like they would break more easily under hard playing.

As I said before, I am normally a Fender SB guy, but my grandma gave me a set of regular Ernie Ball Slinkys this past Christmas so I threw them on for the time being. They sounded okay but I wanted to get back to the warmer tone of pure nickels so I stopped by the store and picked up some of the Ernie Ball Classic Pure Nickel 10's and 11's just for shits and giggles. In my experience the EB 10's and 11's were better than the DR's in nearly every aspect. Warm tone, better tension, better sustain, and the ends were much more securely wrapped. I ended up settling on the 11's because the 10's felt a little loose, but all in all both of the EB's were pretty good.

That's really weird, I get more sustain from thinner strings... one of the reasons I use 9's actually...

[Dolebludger]

Does anybody know where I can get DR Pure Blue strings in a 9 electric twelve string set? They work so well on one of my six strings that I'd like to try them on the twelve.

[Dolebludger]

gmacdonnell:

BTW, many thanks to you for pointing the way for me to the most effective, cheapest "mod" possible to improve tone and sustain in the form of pure nickel wrapped strings with round cores. I needed to change strings anyway, and had I used the NPS I used to buy, it would have cost $5 US. I bought the DR Pure Blues locally for $7 US -- a $2 difference. I have tried out literally thousands of $s in gear that is supposed to cause these improvements that didn't do it as well as these strings.

Another benefit I received was in the sound of five and six string chords on certain higher gain settings I use on some material. With the NPS strings, these chords would sound "sour" -- even with a strobe tuned and intonated guitar. With the PN strings, they sound great.

All in all, thanks for pointing me to the best $2 mod anybody could ask for!

[alexx]

up!

[slash300]

This DR 'Pure Blues' PHR-10, nickel Electric strings 10-46 on eBay (end time 03-Sep-09 20:37:19 BST)

VS
This 1 X SET ERNIE BALL REGULAR SLINKY GUITAR STRINGS 10/46 on eBay (end time 12-Sep-09 10:32:28 BST)

Which one should I get ?

[rios39]

I live and die by Pure Blues 11's now. Fits my playing really well. They have a thick sound. I buy a lot online at once because I go through strings in weeks. I wear them out very fast.

[Dolebludger]

You might even try a set of DR Pure Blues 9s. They don't "squirm" under you chording fingers like most 9s do, and have plenty of power. The 5.90 Pound Sterling seems a bit high, as my local music store sells me these DR strings for $5.50 USD. At that price, they are worth every penny.

[Goldtop75]

Originally Posted by gmacdonnell

Just buy a set already!

Hey GMac, have you ever considered writing articles and reviews for Guitar Mags professionally? Almost everything you've posted so far has been good advice. you definately make more sense than a lot of the articles out there, and you've definately given me GAS more than once... Like now.

[Mayo5]

I just got the Pyramid gold installed on my new locking bridge, did anyone run into trouble setting up the intonation with the G string?

[darkr_reaver]

I've tried Gibson, Di'Addarios, Fender, and now GHS.

The Gibson's sounded great, but too much $ for a string.
DiAddarios souded all tin-like at first and then real dull later.
Fenders... Not my thing at all.

I like the GHS strings alot right now... They're nickel plated steel strings, but I just like the sound they make alot more than the other brands.

I never thought that strings would make such a big difference, just little ones... I'm going to try out some pure nickels with the next change. Some of those DR ones...

[alexx]

GHS Santana? Anyone?

[River]

I put my first set of pure nickels on yesterday - DR Pure Blues 10-46. I'm used to 9-46 nickel wound. So far, so good. They are only barely noticeably stiffer than the 9's, and they sound great (of course, they're new). I'm not having any real difficulty bending to pitch accurately. I'll report back in a week or so.

[PINKBITS]

Originally Posted by River

I put my first set of pure nickels on yesterday - DR Pure Blues 10-46. I'm used to 9-46 nickel wound. So far, so good. They are only barely noticeably stiffer than the 9's, and they sound great (of course, they're new). I'm not having any real difficulty bending to pitch accurately. I'll report back in a week or so.

Well I have used D'adarrio for years. I'm going to try a set of these DR pure blues in the 10-46.

[River]

Originally Posted by PINKBITS

Well I have used D'adarrio for years. I'm going to try a set of these DR pure blues in the 10-46.

Same here. Nothing but D'ad 9-46 since, oh, about when you were born!

[FlabberGhast]

newbie here. If I were to get a set of the snake oil 10's, would they feel too loose if they were topwound? I've stuck with Ernie Ball 9's, but these sound nice!