Best value strings?

[StuartB]

Hi all, I am not sophisticated enough to spot much difference between string tone and anyway once you put the new ones on the old ones which are by definition old, are long gone so how can anyone compare? So instead interested to know bestvalue - longest life/£. I don't sweat much and only my wit is acidic. What would the team recommend? The bass is usually hanging up net to the toilet for weeks between gigs and exposed to the atmosphere, which althoughoccasionally aromatic is not toxic. Cheers, S.

[TheGreek]

I bought a set of these Fender strings and found they were surprisingly good value.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-7250L-Strings-for-Guitar-0-040-0-100/142421848666?epid=1704158374&hash=item212900f25a:g:tdQAAOSwVBtbq44O

I also bought of Warwick Reds which can be bought for under £10 if you hunt about. 

[Mudpup]

I would second the Warwick Reds suggestion.......

[T-Bay]

And another vote for Warwick reds, sound 95% as good as rotos but last about ten times as long.

[Crawford13]

Warwick Reds again for me. Under £10 on Amazon. I am a total convert to them, I used to spend £30 a pop on dunlops but I am more than happy with the Warwicks.

[ped]

Elixirs. Not the cheapest but they last ages so save you a fortune in the long run. 

[Lozz196]

5 hours ago, Mudpup said:

I would second the Warwick Reds suggestion.......

Edited January 12, 2019 by Lozz196

[Delberthot]

5 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I bought a set of these Fender strings and found they were surprisingly good value.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-7250L-Strings-for-Guitar-0-040-0-100/142421848666?epid=1704158374&hash=item212900f25a:g:tdQAAOSwVBtbq44O

I also bought of Warwick Reds which can be bought for under £10 if you hunt about. 

I've been using the 7250M strings which are the 45-105 gauge and they are for all intents and purposes D'addario EXL165s. They may or may not be exactly the same but are made by D'addario and have coloured (albeit different colours) ball ends.

[chris_b]

I've been using D'Addario NYXL's on my Jazz. They have been on for about 9 months and they still sound full and lively.

[mcnach]

Best cheap nice sounding strings? Warwick Red... they're a bit rough 'though.

However, I only change strings about once a year, so DR Fat Beams (or Sunbeams if you prefer nickel) may be more expensive, but it's not a hardship when you consider their life. They sound better and *feel* much better.

[StuartB]

Thanks guys. Being a cheapskate I'll try reds.

[The59Sound]

On 12/01/2019 at 17:29, StuartB said:

Hi all, I am not sophisticated enough to spot much difference between string tone and anyway once you put the new ones on the old ones which are by definition old, are long gone so how can anyone compare? So instead interested to know bestvalue - longest life/£. I don't sweat much and only my wit is acidic. What would the team recommend? The bass is usually hanging up net to the toilet for weeks between gigs and exposed to the atmosphere, which althoughoccasionally aromatic is not toxic. Cheers, S.

Roto RB nickels or if you are after something brighter, Fender 7350 steels. 

[Skybone]

Unfortunately, you can't get the Fender 7350's anymore, which is a real shame, as they're great strings.

Warwick Reds are definitely the best VFM option.

[pete.young]

On 12/01/2019 at 22:48, ped said:

Elixirs. Not the cheapest but they last ages so save you a fortune in the long run. 

Using this theory - TI Flats. They never need to be changed. 

[NJE]

On 12/01/2019 at 22:48, ped said:

Elixirs. Not the cheapest but they last ages so save you a fortune in the long run. 

This above.....I sadly have done a few comparisons over the years and Elixirs always win out over the course of a year. Depending on the brand I compared with, the savings changed, but against using EB Slinky’s I reckon I saved about £20, and I dread to think what that would be against something like rotosounds which I wouldn’t keep on longer than one practice and a sweaty gig.

D’Addario NYXL strings are well worth a look too, they aren’t advertised as long life, but they outlast every other kind of non coated string I have used by a country mile.

[Deedee]

On 12/01/2019 at 17:35, TheGreek said:

I bought a set of these Fender strings and found they were surprisingly good value.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-7250L-Strings-for-Guitar-0-040-0-100/142421848666?epid=1704158374&hash=item212900f25a:g:tdQAAOSwVBtbq44O

I also bought of Warwick Reds which can be bought for under £10 if you hunt about. 

 

On 12/01/2019 at 23:21, Delberthot said:

I've been using the 7250M strings which are the 45-105 gauge and they are for all intents and purposes D'addario EXL165s. They may or may not be exactly the same but are made by D'addario and have coloured (albeit different colours) ball ends.

Another Fender 7250 user here, although I tend to favour the ‘L’ sets now (100/80/60/40). Feel great to me and great value.

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Warwick red label.

Or Black Label if you want slightly better strings, but reds will do the job perfectly.

[totorbass]

On ‎20‎/‎01‎/‎2019 at 20:48, NJE said:

This above.....I sadly have done a few comparisons over the years and Elixirs always win out over the course of a year. Depending on the brand I compared with, the savings changed, but against using EB Slinky’s I reckon I saved about £20, and I dread to think what that would be against something like rotosounds which I wouldn’t keep on longer than one practice and a sweaty gig.

D’Addario NYXL strings are well worth a look too, they aren’t advertised as long life, but they outlast every other kind of non coated string I have used by a country mile.

They sound good even when they are old, but lose quite a bit of brightness. And they are not cheap. I use them anyway. XL's are very consistent, I prefer them to Fenders.

On a Precision I find that Rotosounds RS66ld are very good for an old school honky thumpy sound, and I Don't feel like changing them often.

[Guest Marcoelwray]

I was a huge fan of Elixir. 

But their sound is definitely not the same as non coated strings. Now I mainly use Fodera Stainless Steel strings. Sound is more organic. But for a big fat groove, Elixir work fine. For some slap too.

[Lozz196]

Just ordered 7 sets of Warwick Red Label Steels - £62 inc delivery. They seem to have gone up a bit on Amazon but Gear4Music had them at a good price so bought myself pretty much a years worth. Which is nice.

[Hellzero]

The good old D'Addario EXL170 or EXL165 as I hate stainless steel strings, harsh to the ears and fingers, especially the Warwick Red which are just graters and certainly not greater.

Best strings to my ears are the Fodera nickel, very close to the D'Addario EXL with a finer and softer winding, soft touch, flexible string, homogeneous sound. Okay, they are expensive but they last longer than the D'Addario EXL.

Never liked the Elixir or coated strings, except the DR Black Beauties as they have a way more classic tone and feeling (but still that slight plastic touch).

[Mudpup]

Warwick Reds are fine for me at such a cheap price.

I'm lucky to get 4 gigs (or about 3 weeks at normal gig frequency) out of a set of strings before they start to go off for me so i'm reluctant to chuck much money at them.

My favourites are DR HiBeams - i get 5 or 6 gigs from those - which i get from Amazon USA for just over £24 and tend to buy in bulk but at less than £10 the Reds do me fine and i don't find them particularly rough on the fingers.

Good spot on the Gear4Music price Lozz, i've just hoovered some up :-)

[Soledad]

Warwick Reds - I checked G4M and Amazon, why don't they make scale length clear on packaging or in listing (unless I missed it). I've used D'addario for years but mayb try these, and investigate the Fenders mentioned.
And I resiously dislike silk wraps - they look naff and don't seem to serve a useful purpose. The colours clash with my headstock and that hurts

[Hobbayne]

Will The medium gauge Warwick reds fit a standard 4 in line Fender headstock?

[Guest Marcoelwray]

19 minutes ago, Hobbayne said:

Will The medium gauge Warwick reds fit a standard 4 in line Fender headstock?

I think yes it should.