DasBeef
Member
So I stuck a set of flat wound gauge .11's on her and I hate them. I do like flat wounds so I got these 3 sets to try with various guitars. Which should go on the S-100?
Re-stringing my S-100
- Thread starter DasBeef
- Start date
blakeley311
Junior Member
I typically have been a GHS Boomer guy for years--straight 10s or the light top/heavy bottoms (10-52).
On both of my S100s I have the 10-52s but I switched to D'Addarios.
Normally I have a problem with any string breaking BUT GHS. I am not too heavy of a player but I always snap them on my Gibbos bc the break angle is so steep. An interesting observation, after comparing GHS to other strings, is that GHS has a much longer portion twisted after the ball end. I typically snap strings where they come out of the tail piece or at the saddle and noticed my GHS had more material at that point on the string.
Who knows. I haven't used flats since college and never will again so you're on your own there!
On both of my S100s I have the 10-52s but I switched to D'Addarios.
Normally I have a problem with any string breaking BUT GHS. I am not too heavy of a player but I always snap them on my Gibbos bc the break angle is so steep. An interesting observation, after comparing GHS to other strings, is that GHS has a much longer portion twisted after the ball end. I typically snap strings where they come out of the tail piece or at the saddle and noticed my GHS had more material at that point on the string.
Who knows. I haven't used flats since college and never will again so you're on your own there!
DasBeef
Member
No one willing to throw their hat in?
What are you guys using on your S-100's?
What are you guys using on your S-100's?
drc
Senior Member
I dont have an S-100! :x
I'm not married to any particular string brand or type for that matter. I am constantly trying different ones out... So basically I got nothing. Just wanted to respond.
I'm not married to any particular string brand or type for that matter. I am constantly trying different ones out... So basically I got nothing. Just wanted to respond.
DasBeef
Member
Cool. I'm between the two semi-flats. Can't decide which. I think I'll stick the flat wounds on my ES345.
Any opinions welcome though....
Any opinions welcome though....
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
DasBeef said:
Hi Beef,
I always hesitate (if not flat out refuse) taking part in the "what strings are the best?" kinda debate, as I consider the question way too subjective to come up with a straight answer (what kind of tension feels comfy on your fingers, what style of music do you favor, what style of play: finger/pick, etc....), however I will say this, from my experience with the beast:
The S-100 (and I'm talking vintage here) has a very different feel than any other guitar I've ever played, due to the bridge position and spacing between bridge and saddle.
The resulting issue (reported here at several occasions, including by myself) is the "poppin'" phenomenon, where strings (particularly the first 3) sometimes pop out of their saddle groove when either bent, plucked a little too hard, or when playing finger style.
I also noticed that this phenom was much more likely to occur as the string tension (hence the gauge) increases.
As a result, and even though I am a straight 10 gauge player at the minimum with electrics, I adopted the 009's on the S-100, and almost never ran in the "poppin" issue again.
(for what it's worth...)
DasBeef
Member
Excellent. Thanks.
9's are just to thin for me. Not really looking for 'which strings are best' just out of the 3 pictured, I was just trying to gauge which members thought would be best suited. You're right that things like strings are subjective, and this is the first time I've bought the ones pictured. Just trying something different, for me anyway, to see how I like it.
9's are just to thin for me. Not really looking for 'which strings are best' just out of the 3 pictured, I was just trying to gauge which members thought would be best suited. You're right that things like strings are subjective, and this is the first time I've bought the ones pictured. Just trying something different, for me anyway, to see how I like it.
That's interesting about the popping out of the saddle. I bend the heck out of my strings like up to 2 1/2 steps and never had that issue. You must have fingers of steel :!:
And yeah I agree, too subjective a question to say "best". My input is that those strings work... for ME. But they may not work for you. I opened a similar discussion about strings for my D-30, and there were so many different responses I ended up just buying a bunch of different suggestions and trying for myself. Which is a valid way to get started. I suppose. No harm in asking for an opinion, unless you don't like the response :lol:
And yeah I agree, too subjective a question to say "best". My input is that those strings work... for ME. But they may not work for you. I opened a similar discussion about strings for my D-30, and there were so many different responses I ended up just buying a bunch of different suggestions and trying for myself. Which is a valid way to get started. I suppose. No harm in asking for an opinion, unless you don't like the response :lol:
Los Angeles
Senior Member
You're much less likely to have a string pop out of the saddle on the 75-77's. I think the closed-in stop piece spacing helps tremendously.
I've started writing songs in D and even dropping a couple of strings lower than that, so I'm very concerned about transferring over to my S-100's and losing tone on the D'Addario 10-52's I normally use.
I'm considering a switch to D'Addario medium top extra heavy bottom strings, which I believe run from 11 to 56.
Das Beef, I'm curious to hear about the half-rounds. I bought a set and just running my finger along one of the heavier gauge strings made me instantly regret the purchase. It was like velcro. Very abrasive. I was thinking that they would be LESS abrasive than regular strings. I bought them because I installed half round lights on my Starfire Bass and I loved the feel, in that case they were much smoother feeling than the round wounds.
I've started writing songs in D and even dropping a couple of strings lower than that, so I'm very concerned about transferring over to my S-100's and losing tone on the D'Addario 10-52's I normally use.
I'm considering a switch to D'Addario medium top extra heavy bottom strings, which I believe run from 11 to 56.
Das Beef, I'm curious to hear about the half-rounds. I bought a set and just running my finger along one of the heavier gauge strings made me instantly regret the purchase. It was like velcro. Very abrasive. I was thinking that they would be LESS abrasive than regular strings. I bought them because I installed half round lights on my Starfire Bass and I loved the feel, in that case they were much smoother feeling than the round wounds.
blakeley311
Junior Member
Kent
When I got my white one the first time around it had 9s and was tuned to drop C like you are doing. The action was high and you had to have a light touch. I used to do 11s for drop C. I would have no worries with the 10-52 in drop C. YMMV.
When I got my white one the first time around it had 9s and was tuned to drop C like you are doing. The action was high and you had to have a light touch. I used to do 11s for drop C. I would have no worries with the 10-52 in drop C. YMMV.
Los Angeles
Senior Member
I think the problem might be the "light touch" part. I might as well ditch the pick and use a hammer.
blakeley311
Junior Member
Yeah these guitars are definitely unique in that their break angle makes the strings feel a lot more slinky. I am sure that's not the case on the Class of 77s as you mentioned. Nonetheless, the first major turn off of an S100 for me was the static stop tail. I got over it though and to be honest, enjoy the slinkiness now. I bet if you just raise your bridge a hair you'll be alright. A lot of guys want their guitars to be in different tunings yet play identically. I stopped worrying about that and realized if I want them to do two different things than I would have to meet them (the guitars) half way. That's an odd twist on personification I suppose.
DasBeef
Member
I'm currently leaning towards the .010-.052's....
Fixit
Member
I'm using GHS Eric Johnson Nickel Rockers on my S-100 10-46 they also come in 11-50 They are a roller wound string so slightly flatened out on the tops of the windings, much like the Flat tops but smoother and less abrasive. The flat tops are milled flat on top which leaves sharper edges and feels rougher and more abrasive. My two cents for what it's worth
DasBeef
Member
Excellent! I shall look into these if I am not happy with the ones I slap on!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Zelja
Senior Member
I generally prefer this set for the 24.75" scale guitars - just find that it gives more definition on the low strings than a standard 10-46 set. On strat/tele's I find the 10-46 fine.DasBeef said:
I also have been experimenting with "equal tension string sets" : http://www.zacharyguitars.com/Strings.htm .The guys is, well let's just say he's a character & a lot of people find him extremely obnoxious but I see some merit in the idea. I have bought strings from him & have had zero issues.
I find on some guitars which have a lot of string length behind the bridge (like my Bigsby equipped Hamer Newport & CIJ Jazzmaster) that I prefer at least 11s on them otherwise they feel too loose.
Down the track I will experiment with tuning a guitar 4 or 5 semitones lower & then I'll work out what string guages give me the equivalent string tension of a standard set in standard tuning.
DasBeef
Member
Put the heavy top half-rounds on today. They're pretty nice. They don't seem to have that new string sparkle though. I don't like that new string sparkle, so that's no issue for me. I am worried that they will sound dull very quickly.
I'm also getting what I can only describe as a 'velcro' like feeling from the low E. This might go away as they get used.
Next to stick the flats on my ES345.
I'm also getting what I can only describe as a 'velcro' like feeling from the low E. This might go away as they get used.
Next to stick the flats on my ES345.
DasBeef
Member
Los Angeles said:
I had seriously forgot about this comment. Seems I found exactly the same thing......
Los Angeles
Senior Member
I think they ground them to a "toothy" edge.
Which completely betrays the whole point of half-rounds. I thought the idea was to provide a smoother, flatter surface like a mid-point between flats and rounds. I really hated them and didn't even bother putting them on a guitar.
Which completely betrays the whole point of half-rounds. I thought the idea was to provide a smoother, flatter surface like a mid-point between flats and rounds. I really hated them and didn't even bother putting them on a guitar.