The Steel Guitar Forum

Time to restring.

Coming from an acoustic guitar background, I am well aware of the impact that one's choice of strings has on sound, tone, etc.

There are a lot of choices out there and experimenting can get expensive if not time consuming. So I am just putting the question out there about what people are using to get the tone they like.

Of course, we all want those highs to ring and resonate like an angelic chorus. But I what I want is something not too shrill...I have found that a fatter almost jazzy sound on my PSG really floats my boat.

So my question is, what strings do folks use and what is it about that brand / gauge / composition that helps you get the tone you want?
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How much time you got?

I buy my strings individually rather than in sets. I have a 12 string universal so I want my highs to be crisp, clear and resonant without being tiney. I want may midrange to have guts and my lows to have depth. To that end I use:

F# .13
Eb .17
G# .12
E .13
B .17
G# .20 or .22 plain
F# .26W
E .30W
B .38W
G# .46W
E .56W
B .64W

You'll probably have to experiment to find what works best for you. But that is part of the fun. Good luck and enjoy the process.

I have used Ernie Ball & GHS for years. I have always been satisfied with both. I have not tried many other brands, so there are probably are better choices out there that I would like even more.

I will say this;

With all of the folks that love the S.I.T strings, I decided to put a set on both necks. For some reason, those strings sound horrible on my Sierra. I lost all of the highs, anything about the 12-15 fret is deader than a door-nail with them.

Very odd - but on other guitars those S.I.T's sing like a bird. A lot of experimentation involved, I suppose...

There are many threads over the years on the forum about who uses what. A forum search will turn up most of them.

Basically, the threads turn into what each person likes or a "love fest" on one brand rather than any subjectivity.

Never tried S.I.T. on my steels, but they are the absolute BEST on my Tele...great sound, & last the longest.
I like GHS pedal boomers for steel...they seem the most consistent.

I use SIT and buy 3rd and 6th strings in bulk. They are like $3 a doz.
Strings are like milk and must be fresh. I store in zip-locks with those de-humidifier things.

Try playing without picks

Carl Mesrobian wrote:Try playing without picks

I do that, but it slows me down...

Used them all. Prefer Ernie Balls. (Nickel Wound)

Back in the 90's when I was playing large clubs I was using George L Stainless on my Sho Bud Pro III with metal necks. Had George L E 66 pickups on both necks then. The George L strings had a great tone back then for what I was playing. Playing a Mullen now with a wood neck. Ernie Balls sound perfect on it.

I use the Live Steel Strings. No tuning or breakage problems. At times, I also use GeorgeL's Stainless Steel Strings. No issues there either.

I have found that a fatter almost jazzy sound on my PSG really floats my boat.

I prefer a fatter sound as well

In my experience stainless strings have a brittle top end, and it's accentuated by solid-state amps many steel layers use (I use tube amps).

Nickel wound strings with regular plain steel strings have a smoother, slightly "fatter" sound and I find they are more controllable. Like others I buy them in singles - I'm also a guitar tech so I buy in bulk (I also use some unusual gages). Normally I buy via mail order but I often pick up a half-dozen or so of popular sizes at GC.

Brand doesn't matter much with "normal" strings - there are very few actual string manufacturers - almost all small companies have strings private labeled (often with different color balls or thread wraps) by major makers. There are even fewer that "draw" the actual wire used to make strings!

Over my short term of playing Steel, around 1975 to current day, I have no connection or love for any brand or specific gauges , other than 11's for the 3rd string.

I have pure love for NEW strings which keeps tone consistent from day to day and week to week but not year to year. I put whatever is in the pack on the Steel.

I buy what I can find on sale, various brands . Currently it's SIT but I have others in the string box as well, E Ball, J Pearce, Cobra etc...

It's NEW that matters to me .

Currently I'm using whatever Fred Justice sells at the Phoenix show,I think that they're S.I.T nickle/steel,Years ago I tried some stainless strings and they were way to bright for me!