Longer lasting strings

DragonPL · December 2014

I mainly use the Argentine, and used to D'Adarios, but I find both are pretty much dead after not even two weeks of playing.
Any GJ strings out there that still sounds good after a lot of playing???? (I prefer light strings: 45-10s).

rgrice · December 2014

Like you, those are the only ones I've tried, both in 10s and 11s. I've had better luck recently with a batch of Argentine 11s. I stopped using the D'Addarios after breaking every string on a new set during one 4 hour gig! They sent me one replacement set for my trouble!
I'd be interested to hear other opinions. Especially on inexpensive strings!

Pompe_ojisan · December 2014

Among the half dozen of models I tried, I found the John Pierce nuage were the most durable - but they're not cheap.
Also I'd expect some wouldn't like the sound so much, as they are not as bright and 'typical' as the argentines. (which may add to the perception of durability btw, as they have less brightness to lose in the first place)

teletodd · December 2014

I notice the Argentines have silk wraps on the ends similar to Martin Marquis strings, whereas others, in particular Dadarios dont have silk wraps. I like silk wraps strings for Martin, pin type bridges, less wear on the bridge plate. Don't really know what purpose the wraps serve strung through a metal bridge, maybe helps prevent scratches from the exposed pointy string ends ?

MichaelHorowitz · December 2014

One of the most popular alternatives to Argentines is the Bosset strings: http://www.djangobooks.com/Category/philippe-bosset-strings

They last quite a bit longer, have much better intonation, yet are still supple and bright like Atgentines. They wrap them very slowly which improves the quality quite a bit.

Rob MacKillop · December 2014

I've used them on an archtop, a different set to the ones referred to here, and can verify that they are very high-quality strings.

Chiefbigeasy · December 2014

Ran into the Bosset strings myself quite by accident. Have been trying different strings over the past 18 months and am pleasantly surprised. My local luthier also agreed when he replaced the Argentines with the Bossett strings during some recent fret work.

Jazzaferri · December 2014

@Michael Horowitz ...what is the Bossett set that replaces Argy 11's

Pompe_ojisan · December 2014

I tried the Bosset medium for quite some time - I think 10 sets or so. I liked the sound but the breakage rate was unmanageable. I must have broken at least one string in each and every set, after a few hours of playing. Usually I simply do not break strings.
In all likelihood I got unlucky and picked a bad batch or sth. I would have paid a visit to the maker to understand a bit more what was going on, but that was just a bit too far

Buco · December 2014

@DragonPL a lot of people including myself at least in this style of music, prefer the sound when strings lose the initial brightness.

The strings I used the most, LaBella silk and steel, would get replaced after several months only because I just thought well it's about time but I was still happy with how they sounded at the time they were being replaced. So I'd recommend them as fantastic strings but I'm not positive that you'd have the same measuring stick in the longevity area.

I'll say as well that I tried Bosset strings when I was on the quest of finding the best strings for my guitar and I know they were one of the strings I wanted to try again.
However I just checked my notes I kept and in my case at least it says they lost their initial sparkle pretty quick and the G eventually broke the winding over the fret but that took a while, at least a month. I still noted I liked them and would try them again.
Something I wouldn't do with Guadalupe Manouche. Nicest sounding strings ever initially, bright, loud, sparkling but the G broke in less than a week and that's when I didn't practice all that regularly so that's probably not more than 4 hours of playing time. Their price and generally consistent opinions of weak quality control made it prohibitive to try these again.
I'm currently on Lenzer Fisoma silk and steel 11 set and they are great and still fairly bright but it's only been around a week.

You can get all kinds of opinions but realized same strings can sound very different on different guitars and only you can hear how a certain set sounds on your guitar. Around a $100 and some time and you can probably try every single maker of strings for GJ guitars.