Long-term scientific "blind" acoustic string test

[dwasifar]

I believe Veritas are coated too, well the core is anyway.

Yeah, I think they put something or other on the core, but it's not what we ordinarily think of as a coated string, in that the coating is not there to protect the string from finger dirt and wear, and you don't touch it. I didn't even know that about Veritas until the test set arrived and I read the back of the package.

I also had to put a note to my wife on that one not to bring me the extra plain strings, so as (again) not to let the cat out of the bag prematurely.

 

[dwasifar]

Ok then I have the winner in mind lol though it’s shelf life might not make the 2 week limit . Lol

You're perfectly free to tell us now. But you won't find out whether you're right for a good long while.

 

[Rayk]

You're perfectly free to tell us now. But you won't find out whether you're right for a good long while.

I really don’t know lol but I did a test long time
though not as involved .
Anyway Earthwoods came out on top for me right out the package . Sound good when recording and cheap but they have no shelve life a week or two at best .

Others chose it as well though I can’t remember if it was top pick or not . Lol

also I haven’t used them since that time if they lasted longer I probably would .

By the time you get it done I will have forgot You posted all this . Lmao

 

[dwasifar]

I really don’t know lol but I did a test long time
though not as involved .
Anyway Earthwoods came out on top for me right out the package . Sound good when recording and cheap but they have no shelve life a week or two at best.

When you say "shelf life," do you mean how long they last in use? It seems like that's what you're saying.

I hope you don't mind me asking. I'm a little confused because I've always thought shelf life meant something else.

 

[Rayk]

When you say "shelf life," do you mean how long they last in use? It seems like that's what you're saying.

I hope you don't mind me asking. I'm a little confused because I've always thought shelf life meant something else.

Yeah how long they last . I think I had few beers to many last night . Lol I don’t why I said shelf life , synapses misfiring again . Lol

 

[dwasifar]

The test begins today with the first blind set, which we will call string set A.

Measurements and observations:

• Actual gauge measurements: 1st .012, 2nd .016, 3rd .023, 4th .032, 5th .042, 6th .0525.
• All strings are ~42" long. Core wire protrudes from wound strings ~3". Hex core.
• Deflection of the sample 6th string on the testing jig is 58mm, with the weight placed 30mm from the string end.
• Ball ends are plain brass. Ball end windings are well wrapped, with no gaps or pointy ends sticking out.
• Wrap is clean and tight, no noticeable flaws on the wound strings. Color is typical of phosphor bronze.
• Plain strings have a slight but detectable irregularity to their surface, notably on 2nd string. 2nd string also came with a slight bend (no kink) about 2" from ball end.

Tone and playability:
They feel fine under the fingers and play well. I did have a little trouble getting them to tune properly initially - they would drift a little bit as the note sustained - but I won't hold it against them right now because that's not uncommon for some new strings. Bendability is fine. Volume is considerably louder than the strings they just replaced, but again they're new and that's not unusual; we'll see how they sound at the two day mark. Tone right now is brash and a bit nasal; they're overwhelming the mellowness of this guitar and sound more forward than I'd want.

Initial grades:

• Construction B+
• Volume A
• Playability A
• Tone B-

Let's see how they break in.

For those who asked for recordings: I'm doing them, but I'm not going to post them just yet until I see how consistent they're turning out. If I think they're good and consistent enough to have value, I'll post them later.

 

[GGJaguar]

I love it! You're such a nerd. Oh... nerds rule (I'm one, too).

 

[RBSinTo]

In my opinion, the fly in the ointment with this "test" is that other than those objectively measurable string qualities such as length and gauge, the sound quality is strictly subjective and isn't being measured. If the notes being played were subjected to (and forgive me for not knowing the correct terminology) voiceprints where the characteristics of the sound could be quantified, and examined along with dwasifar's subjective reactions, I would be more inclined to accept the test results as valid.
As it stands, despite all the attempts at experimental rigor, to my mind, this experiment will simply result in one man's subjective opinions, and nothing more.
RBSinTo

 

[dwasifar]

In my opinion, the fly in the ointment with this "test" is that other than those objectively measurable string qualities such as length and gauge, the sound quality is strictly subjective and isn't being measured. If the notes being played were subjected to (and forgive me for not knowing the correct terminology) voiceprints where the characteristics of the sound could be quantified, and examined along with dwasifar's subjective reactions, I would be more inclined to accept the test results as valid.
As it stands, despite all the attempts at experimental rigor, to my mind, this experiment will simply result in one man's subjective opinions, and nothing more.
RBSinTo

It's a bit ironic to start out with "In my opinion" and then continue on to say that opinions are valueless.

 

[HeyMikey]

Great idea dwasifar. You have more patience than I. To the prior point, yes this is somewhat of a subjective test and that is completely fine. We all hear and feel music differently - it is very subjective. Even if the tests were more “scientific” and quantifiable, many of us would still have different preferences on which sound and feel best. This test will help you decide which you like best and I think that is terrific.

The only way for this kind of test to be more relevant to a wider population is to have several (20+) other guitarists, conducting the same test under similar conditions, and then ranking their preferences. With that you will weed out the outliers and get a sense as to what the majority prefer.

Looking forward to more of your test results.

 

[dwasifar]

Great idea dwasifar. You have more patience than I. To the prior point, yes this is somewhat of a subjective test and that is completely fine. We all hear and feel music differently - it is very subjective. Even if the tests were more “scientific” and quantifiable, many of us would still have different preferences on which sound and feel best. This test will help you decide which you like best and I think that is terrific.

The only way for this kind of test to be more relevant to a wider population is to have several (20+) other guitarists, conducting the same test under similar conditions, and then ranking their preferences. With that you will weed out the outliers and get a sense as to what the majority prefer.

Looking forward to more of your test results.

Thanks for saying so. I'll be going into greater subjective detail about tone and playability in the two-day and two-week evaluations; there's not a lot of point in saying very much about what a brand new set of strings sounds like, because they don't sound like that for long.

 

[Nuuska]

Of course the results will be one persons opinion - but as it seems - the opinion will be quite well rationalized.

 

[RBSinTo]

It's a bit ironic to start out with "In my opinion" and then continue on to say that opinions are valueless.

Nice deflection, but you aren't addressing my concerns.
Opinions are valuable, but scientific tests don't result in opinions, they result in facts.
RBSinTo

 

[RBSinTo]

Of course the results will be one persons opinion - but as it seems - the opinion will be quite well rationalized.

Nuuska,
I don't see how.
As a busy-work exercise, I think this endevour is fine. But I don't see its value as an exercise in enlightenment. Anyway, I hope he has fun doing it as it seems to please him, but the results won't be of interest or value to me. I hope you and some others here find it helpful.
RBSinTo

 

[HeyMikey]

Nuuska,
I don't see how.
As a busy-work exercise, I think this endevour is fine. But I don't see its value as an exercise in enlightenment. Anyway, I hope he has fun doing it as it seems to please him, but the results won't be of interest or value to me. I hope you and some others here find it helpful.
RBSinTo

You know, for a person who doesn’t seem to be interested or place any value in this experiment you seem to be going out of your way to convince others that it of no value or interest to the rest of us. No need to tear the OP down either. Seems to be just a little harsh to me.

 

[dwasifar]

Nice deflection, but you aren't addressing my concerns.
Opinions are valuable, but scientific tests don't result in opinions, they result in facts.
RBSinTo

I have no plans to address your concerns. Most other respondents seem to be interested in my opinions.

Those parts of the test that rely on measurement are scientific. Those that do not are subjective. I said so at the beginning. If you don't like it, then you're free to have that opinion, and I'm free to disregard it.

 

[fronobulax]

Getting perilously close to personal attacks. Please behave. If you don't have anything nice to post then consider not posting.

 

[Nuuska]

I simply think - after having nearly 50 years of sound engineering + over 50 years guitar playing under my belt - that there is no scientific way to define sound quality. Fine approximations on various details - no denying there.

And as far as I know - there is no "standard" good sound - on any instrument.

Instead of trying to prove my statement w technical data I quote a finnish man, who invented the Ortoperspecta 3-speaker sound system in 1960:s and more importantly also found out important things about TIM - transient intermodulation distortion - he once wrote: my free memory . . .

"If the measurements of sound show good but our ears hear bad - there are two alternatives : either we have not measured enough many parameters - or we have been measuring wrong parameters . " - Tapio Köykkä

 

[roadbiker]

Or, here's an idea, I can just test the final two the way you suggest. So even if I know Brand X and Brand Y are the final two, I won't know which is which until both have been tested. This delays reporting of the penultimate brand's results only. What do you think?

You can do the with the D'Addario sets.

 

[dwasifar]

You can do the with the D'Addario sets.

Right, that's what I had in mind for those.