The better the guitar, the shorter the string life?

ClydeTower

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I've started a post on another forum concerning the string life on my Gibson SJ200. I thought it would be interesting to get LTGers perspective on this...

In a nutshell, my SJ200 sounds absolutely glorious with fresh strings on it. However, after about 2 weeks, the strings start to sound dead or "thuddy". I've had the SJ200 for about a year and it goes through strings like there's no tomorrow. Strings on my other guitars sound relatively good for at least 1-2 months, even more. Anyways, one of the most intriguing answers I got from a fair number of people was that their best sounding guitars had the shortest string lifespan. I have never ever heard this before but found it fascinating.

Has anyone here had a similar experience?
 

Quantum Strummer

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Maybe the shorter string lifespan on the best ones is due to 'em getting played more. :)

I personally prefer played-in strings, but not to the point where they get lifeless. My restored Martin 0-15 still has its "original" strings from two years ago when I picked it up after the restoration work. IMO it sounds better now than then! The strings (GHS PBs) have plenty of life left in 'em…but my fretting hand fingers seem to be very easy on strings.

-Dave-
 

adorshki

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I'm wondering if maybe it's just because the better acoustic properties of "better instruments" make the early acoustic signs of string wear that much more apparent to the ear.
Can't recall having the "problem" myself, and I find that D'Addario Ej-16's pretty consistently seem to settle in within about 45 minutes to an hour of play time and are at their best from around 2-20 hours, but I'll stretch 'em out to 30 or 40 even just because I hate changing strings.
Another thing that occurs to me, are you using coateds?
And do you experience the same thing on the F55 and the D55?
 
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ClydeTower

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I'm wondering if maybe it's just because the better acoustic properties of "better instruments" make the early acoustic signs of string wear that much more apparent to the ear.
Can't recall having the "problem" myself, and I find that D'Addario Ej-16's pretty consistently seem to settle in within about 45 minutes to an hour of play time and are at their best from around 2-20 hours, but I'll stretch 'em out to 30 or 40 even just because I hate changing strings.
Another thing that occurs to me, are you using coateds?
And do you experience the same thing on the F55 and the D55?

Copied from other forum:
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When I put fresh strings on it (D'addario EJ16 12-53s) it sounds glorious... one of the best sounding guitars I own.

After about 2 weeks, it starts to sound lifeless, especially the bass strings... they sound like "THUD", just dead. If I swap out the strings with new ones, it comes back to life. My other guitars do not have this issue. The strings last for at least a month or two before they start to lose their brilliance. My Guilds can last 4-5 months on the same strings and sound good.

I've tried coated strings, and other string brands (Dr Veritas (coated), Dr Sunbeams, Cleartones, Masterbuilts...) and they all last barely 2 weeks before they start to go THUD on my SJ200. If it was my body chemistry, my other guitars would do the same... but that's not the case.

I've tried replacing the TUSQ saddle with bone to get more sustain... but that made the guitar sound harsh. So went back to TUSQ. My luthier says its simply the nature of the beast. He suggested I try removing the LR-Baggs Piezo so that the saddle be in direct contact with the bridge. Also suggested I bump up to medium gauge strings to see if that helps...

Anybody else have their SJ200 eat through strings like there is no tomorrow?
Any suggestions on how to fix this?

---------------------------------

I was just intrigued by the responses I got about how better sounding guitars have less string lifespan... but your comment is probably a better way to describe it. The other most common response I get is that the first 2 weeks is not the "natural" tone of the instrument. The real tone is what comes after... So kind of at the other end of the spectrum. Either its an exceptional guitar that requires only the freshest strings to give you all its capable of, or its a lemon and is hiding its true self behind the brilliant sound of fresh strings.

I will say this, for that 2 week period, it's like : "Oh bliss, bliss and heaven... Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh... And then, a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now... I knew such lovely pictures"
 

richardp69

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I'm not saying it's not true, or doubting really, what other people say, but I find that pretty hard to believe. But, then again, I'm wrong about most things.
 

Antney

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Sounds like your sj200 is defective. It’ll probably deteriorate to the point where the strings will be dull before you take them out of the packaging. I’ll do you a favor and take it off your hands for a hundred clams before you sink further into the funk you’ve been put in. Deal?
 

ClydeTower

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To put everything into perspective:

On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being heavenly bliss), with new strings, the tone from my SJ200 starts at a 10, stays there for about 2 weeks, then drops down quickly to about a 5 or 6.

On most of my other guitars, with new strings they start out at a 7, rise up to 8 or 9 after 1 or 2 days, then settle in at 7.5/8 for a month, then slowly decay to 5-6 over time.

IOW, the SJ200 is the best sounding guitar I have for that short period. Everyone that's tried it with fresh strings are blown away by the tone. The term I get a lot is "Hi-Fi" or 3D... but after 2 weeks Cinderalla turns into a mono 1D pumpkin :-D


Let's see... 26x7$=182$/year... the cost of bliss :)
 

adorshki

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My luthier says its simply the nature of the beast. He suggested I try removing the LR-Baggs Piezo so that the saddle be in direct contact with the bridge. Also suggested I bump up to medium gauge strings to see if that helps...
Ordinarily I'd defer to the opinion of a pro and "Nature of the beast" really does sound like the answer.
I'm kind of skeptical that removing the UST would give that much improvement, though, or else the first 2 weeks wouldn't be so good.
Also leary of going to mediums unless the guitar was built to handle 'em (I don't know what SJ-200's ship with), based on the principle of how much pre-load a top's designed to handle:
Mediums at standard pitch can actually be counterproductive by putting too much tension on a top designed for lights, keeping it from vibrating to its optimum because it's already too taught at start..
Converse is, if the SJ is designed for mediums that may well be the problem: the lights don't keep enough zing in 'em to drive the top adequately for more than a couple of weeks.

Either its an exceptional guitar that requires only the freshest strings to give you all its capable of, or its a lemon and is hiding its true self behind the brilliant sound of fresh strings.
I'm inclined to believe a dud simply wouldn't give you any satisfaction at all.
Another thing occurred to me:
All though I didn't notice a rapid fall off in tone quality in my D40 at first, I WAS surprised at how underwhelming it sounded compared to the 2 Westerlys, given the model's rep as Richie Havens' primary go-to over the years. It needed a full 250 hours of play time and ten years to really open up. (I think playing time's more important, but it accumulated hours pretty slowly for the first 6 or 7 years)
Maybe the SJ just needs some hours on it to loosen up a little and let the strings sound better for more hours?
I will say this, for that 2 week period, it's like : "Oh bliss, bliss and heaven... Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh... And then, a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now... I knew such lovely pictures"
A double-edged sword indeed.
9a5.jpg
 
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Westerly Wood

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wow, you keep your strings on your guitars for 2 weeks? how?

j/k...inside joke. I wonder if the better movement of the top by a better built guitar wears out the strings faster?
 

Nuuska

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wow, you keep your strings on your guitars for 2 weeks? how?
. . .


Hello

I once worked as FOH-engineer for a guy who ALWAYS had new set of strings for each gig - even when we had two gigs one same day!!!

He explained it : I want to give each audience the best.


Frankly - I think no one but he could hear the difference - but he was really sincere about it.
 

adorshki

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wow, you keep your strings on your guitars for 2 weeks? how?
j/k...inside joke.
Speaking of which, did you get your full 2 hours out of that last set of Ej-16's yet?

I wonder if the better movement of the top by a better built guitar wears out the strings faster?
Hmmm... I'd have to guess the wear would have to occur at the stop nodes, the saddle and nut edges.
The traditional model is that all the string energy's transmitted to the top though the saddle, but I don't ever recall reading anything about the energy of top motion being transmitted back to the strings via saddle motion or the wear that occurs at the nut being accelerated by the extra string travel.
But thinking about it: sure, why not?
Bueller?
Anybody?
 
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merlin6666

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I am skeptical of this, though I think I may have observed a similar issue with my Adamas 1687. It's been due for set of fresh strings for over a year and I am determined to put it back into circulation this winter. I just have not decided if I should stick with the PBs or put the NBs on that I bought for her last year - those I would expect to last several months at l;east..
 

walrus

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I'm not saying it's not true, or doubting really, what other people say, but I find that pretty hard to believe. But, then again, I'm wrong about most things.

Well, Richard and I can be wrong together, because I agree with his sentiment.

walrus
 

Neal

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I have tried and tried to use uncoated strings. EJ-16's, Curt Mangan, John Pearce, Earthwood.

They all last about a day or two, then...dull.

And while I do not care for the tone of Elixers right after putting them on, they sound better and better until they break, usually 3-6 months later.
 

Rayk

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I've started a post on another forum concerning the string life on my Gibson SJ200. I thought it would be interesting to get LTGers perspective on this...

In a nutshell, my SJ200 sounds absolutely glorious with fresh strings on it. However, after about 2 weeks, the strings start to sound dead or "thuddy". I've had the SJ200 for about a year and it goes through strings like there's no tomorrow. Strings on my other guitars sound relatively good for at least 1-2 months, even more. Anyways, one of the most intriguing answers I got from a fair number of people was that their best sounding guitars had the shortest string lifespan. I have never ever heard this before but found it fascinating.

Has anyone here had a similar experience?

Interesting , what scale is the SJ and what strings are you using ?
 

adorshki

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Interesting , what scale is the SJ and what strings are you using ?

Good question about scale (tension), and because I remember you've got a problem seeing previous posts on your phone; from post #4:
When I put fresh strings on it (D'addario EJ16 12-53s) it sounds glorious... one of the best sounding guitars I own.
 

Rayk

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I have tried and tried to use uncoated strings. EJ-16's, Curt Mangan, John Pearce, Earthwood.

They all last about a day or two, then...dull.

And while I do not care for the tone of Elixers right after putting them on, they sound better and better until they break, usually 3-6 months later.

I’m mostly using Nano webs and like them a lot . I think they found great on recordings . I also like the Monals but because they squeak a lot due to my sloppy playing It’s back to the Nano webs .

Earthwoods , I’ve said it before even on that string test thing I did that EW’s to me are one of the better sounding strings out the box . With my playing rate when in normal mode they last about a week . 😁
 

Rayk

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Thanks Al , I just plain missed it . 😑
 

Rayk

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I've started a post on another forum concerning the string life on my Gibson SJ200. I thought it would be interesting to get LTGers perspective on this...

In a nutshell, my SJ200 sounds absolutely glorious with fresh strings on it. However, after about 2 weeks, the strings start to sound dead or "thuddy". I've had the SJ200 for about a year and it goes through strings like there's no tomorrow. Strings on my other guitars sound relatively good for at least 1-2 months, even more. Anyways, one of the most intriguing answers I got from a fair number of people was that their best sounding guitars had the shortest string lifespan. I have never ever heard this before but found it fascinating.

Has anyone here had a similar experience?

It could be possible that the SJ just plain out sings sonically and emphasizes the tonality of the new strings that nice crisp sound and sparkle better then other guitars .

That being said your ear probably or most likely has developed becomeing more sensitive to subtle changes and the SJ also mirrors that .

I have not played my custom long enough to compare to the situation here but I need keep this mind when I do .

Otherwise mostly all I notice is what strings does this particular guitar like . Lol

I say go with Nano webs for look see ;)
 
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