D'Addario strings on Emmons guitars

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 9 Mar 2017 8:32 pm

Someone posted on facebook D'Addario strings are not compatable with Emmons guitars due to the hex core.

Are not all strings for steel guitar hex core? I've used the stainless D'Addario strings on my Sierra and haven't had any problems.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 9 Mar 2017 9:00 pm

Odd. I used them on my Emmons.

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 9 Mar 2017 9:16 pm

I've never had a problem with'em on my Emmons. A friend gave me a set of Dean Markley's once and they were fine too.

Doug Palmer · Post by **Doug Palmer** » 10 Mar 2017 7:57 am

Kenny, the plain strings should work fine but may break sooner than other brands. The hex core wound strings will work but may require longer travel and some tweaking on the Emmons guitar. Most Emmons Guitars came factory direct with GHS Extra Lively strings. Before the EL strings we used the green pack GHS smooth wound. Stainless was tried but most considered the tone a little bright and we were unsure if the harder metal would groove the finger tops. Hope this helps.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 10 Mar 2017 8:22 am

I've used stainless strings on my Zum, Sierra, and Emmons with no issues, and no grooves in the changer.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 10 Mar 2017 9:10 pm

D'Addario strings suck both for steel & guitar...they are rusty out of the package, and the guages are off. At least that has been my experience. I use GHS Boomers, for steel, and SIT for guitar.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 10 Mar 2017 9:55 pm

I used them while I was touring regularly on my Emmons PP's and they are great strings. I know plenty of top recording and touring pro's that swear by them.

I really don't understand how they would not suit any particular guitar.

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 11 Mar 2017 2:16 am

Well, if they don't work, the same must be true for the dozen or so other brands that come from the same factory...

One (1) person posting something on facebook does not necessarily mean that what he or she says is true.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Mar 2017 6:18 am

KENNY KRUPNICK wrote:Someone posted on facebook D'Addario strings are not compatable with Emmons guitars due to the hex core.

That's bullhockey, plain and simple. Always do your own research, and don't believe everything you read on facebook (or anywhere else for that matter).

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 11 Mar 2017 10:18 am

I use D'Addario strings on my Emmons PP. They seem to be the most commonly available, reasonably priced strings, and I've never thought I got a bad set.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 11 Mar 2017 10:32 am

I've used them (stainless) on my p/p, no issues.. but... the non-individual string packaging was a huge PIA for me, as I'm color blind and had to try and 'match' the old string color with a new one when restringing. I have a micrometer and used that for a while, but finally just said to heck with it... too much trouble. FWIW, the experience with the micrometer told me that the gauges were spot on..

I went back to SIT which are fine..

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 13 Mar 2017 1:44 pm

I was using them and when they started the non-individual packing, I quit them too and went to S.I.T's. I never had any problem with them and have used them on all sorts guitars, including about 4 push pull Emmons. They are great strings.

Tom Spaulding · Post by **Tom Spaulding** » 15 Mar 2017 8:37 am

Tom Spaulding from D'Addario here.

I'm not sure what the Facebook poster is referring to regarding Emmons guitars and hex cores. All of our wound strings are hex core whether in our Stainless Steel (EPS), Nickel Wound (XL) or NY Steel formulas.

We are fortunate to work with many of the finest players in the business, and our strings are endorsed and/or played by Paul Franklin, Tommy White, Mike Johnson, Bruce Bouton, Greg Leisz, Travis Toy, Dan Dugmore, Russ Pahl, Steve Fishell, Daniel Lanois, Fats Kaplin, Jamie Lennon and many others. I have never heard from any of them about hex core issues with Emmons or any other brand of guitar.

We are thrilled that you can now purchase D'Addario single strings and sets from the Steel Guitar Forum Store. We are currently expanding our offerings of pedal steel sets, and we have some exciting news on the NYXL formula sets coming soon.

If you ever have issues with any of our products, please contact George Santos in Customer Service at george.santos@daddario.com.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 15 Mar 2017 9:28 am

Mr Spaulding, first let me thank you for addressing the forum directly on this issue. I do not have an Emmons guitar and am therefore unaffected either way. However, since you are monitoring this thread I would like to call your attention to an issue that I, ( and I think many other steel players ) have with D'Addario. I am referring to the packaging. I do not like the elimination of individual envelopes for the strings. It is not as much of an issue for six string as I have rarely ever broken a string. But pedal steel is different and the one size fits all approach to packaging flat out doesn't work. For one thing, my retailer is always willing to customize my sets, swapping out gauges according to my needs at no upcharge. If I order a bunch of sets he opens the packages and makes the necessary changes. He can't do that when the whole set of strings is sealed in one plastic bag. Furthermore, if I break a string and want to rob a replacement from a new set the seal is then broken exposing all the remaining strings and leaving them susceptable to corrosion.
And lastly, steel players are dealing with ten or even twelve strings with very small differences in gauges. The colored ball end system is great for six string, but downright unhandy for pedal steel. We need to be able to glance at a clearly marked envelope, often in poor light, grab the replacement gauge we need. Buying all my strings individually is a costly and unhandy alternative.
So through no fault of the actual strings, I do not use D'Addario for pedal steel. I have in the past and if these issues were resolved I'd probably go back to them.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 15 Mar 2017 9:31 am

The colored ball end system is great for six string, but downright unhandy for pedal steel. We need to be able to glance at a clearly marked envelope, often in poor light, grab the replacement gauge we need... So through no fault of the actual strings, I do not use D'Addario for pedal steel. I have in the past and if these issues were resolved I'd probably go back to them.

FWIW, ditto...

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 15 Mar 2017 10:21 am

I almost never break strings, and on the rare occasions that does occur it's the 3rd or 5th string. I carry spare 11s and 17s that are packaged separately so having to sort through the colors is a non-issue. Much ado about nothing.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 15 Mar 2017 10:50 am

Paul Sutherland wrote:I almost never break strings, and on the rare occasions that does occur it's the 3rd or 5th string. I carry spare 11s and 17s that are packaged separately so having to sort through the colors is a non-issue. Much ado about nothing.

So you use D'Addario and when you get them in, you carefully package each string with proper labeling so you can see them in the dim light of the bandstand, hummm, that sure seems like a lot of trouble to me.

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 15 Mar 2017 10:54 am

Paul is saying "they are packaged separately"...which would indicate they are already identified.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 15 Mar 2017 10:57 am

I don't know about packaged separately, but none of the last 6 sets I ordered were.

For me, it's not just on the bandstand, I can't tell them apart when I'm just restringing, it's the color blind thing I mentioned earlier. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but it's just one more aggravation that I have some control over, so I buy something else.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 15 Mar 2017 11:00 am

Tom Campbell wrote:Paul is saying "they are packaged separately"...which would indicate they are already identified.

The last sets I got weren't and my music room isn't lit real well so had trouble sorting them out. I love the strings, they sound good and last a long time and don't even remember breaking one but last sets I got were all in one package.

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 15 Mar 2017 11:13 am

Paul says he carries "spares"...11's and 17's. I figure that would indicate "singles",...not a full set.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 15 Mar 2017 12:10 pm

...and it also occurs to me that D'Addario could quite easily revert to the old way of packaging pedal steel strings if so inclined. It is common knowledge that many of the other brands of strings are actually produced by D'Addario and then packaged and labeled to suit the brand. So the equipment and materials used to individually wrap the strings must still be in use at the factory.

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 15 Mar 2017 1:16 pm

I buy extra singles at my local music store.

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 15 Mar 2017 7:19 pm

Like I said earlier, once the strings are on the guitar they're fine and last quite awhile. I'm color blind too and the color coded packaging is a real PITA, especially on a dark stage. Even though they're wrapped in twos, awhile back I got a set totally messed up and out of sync. So I laid out all of the strings separately mic'd them, and put them on my Emmons. In a job situation that would've been a disaster, cause I don't carry a micrometer in my steel seat. Fortunately string breakage is a rare event for me.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 15 Mar 2017 10:51 pm

I am carrying individual plain D'Addario singles in the Steel Guitar Forum Store. The singles are in sealed packages. I haven't decided which wound D'Addarios singles to carry yet. I will stock the new NYXL formula E9th sets when they start shipping next month.

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Re: D'Addario strings on Emmons guitars

Color Blind!!!!