String Longevity and Sound

Chiefbigeasy · June 2021

This has probably been touched on here and there throughout the forum, but I want to get specific.

I was talked into using Argentines on my grande bouche Dupont and am finding they are starting to sound a little plonky, honky, and dead after a short while. Is this the standard experience with them? I used to string up with Fisomas in both silvered and silk and steel, and they seemed--to my ear--to last longer as far as sounding pretty full bodied. My hands are particularly dirty or sweaty, so I don't think it's string buildup. I'm talking about a timeframe of at least a month or two. It seemed that the Fisomas lasted several months longer before I felt the need to change them.

richter4208 · June 2021

chief,

Hard to say as some people play over a 100 hours in a month and some people play 10 or fewer. So time is not really a factor there. I play a lot and my strings are pretty toasted in a month, but if I leave them on longer other bad things start to happen like intonation gets harder and harder.

But yes, I enjoy the argentines, never really tried other stuff tho.

billyshakes · June 2021

I recently had a conversation with a well-known luthier who was talking to me about Argies. Said you get a nice sound for several weeks to a month and then he made a downward curve motion with his hand and said they deteriorate rapidly. Personally, for just playing rhythm, I don't like them new. I'll take a bit old and crunchy.

Chiefbigeasy · June 2021

Meant to say that my hands are NOT particularly dirty or sweaty.

I agree, they would be fine for playing rhythm, but lead work is sounding less pleasing than I remember after they had been broken in for a week.

Lango-Django · June 2021

Yeah, I just tried a set of Argies and found the same thing.

After only a week or two of use, the wound strings are getting those telltale little stripes, and the intonation is off.

I did like the lusher sound of the Argies but I think Im going back to my old brand, D’Addario.

MikeK · June 2021

Chief:

Argies are the only strings I've ever used on my GJ guitars. I buy them 5 sets at a time from Michael. I change them after 4 gigs or 1 month, whichever cones first. This system of mine precludes breaking strings on the bandstand (never happens, but I dont bend much) and having the intonation go out (not acceptable to me). Like you, I dont crud up strings with sweat, etc. But what I notice is this: when I first change them, they're a little too bright for my tastes, but this is minor & short-lived. After the 1st gig on the new strings (most of mine are two-50 minute sets), they sound completely broken in, for both comping & soloing. That brittle brightness is gone & they sound good to me. They tend to sound exactly the same for the rest of the period before I change them again. And then the cycle repeats itself. I hope this helps.

richter4208 · June 2021

Just put on a new set after more than a month. I always ask myself why I waited so long.

Vebjørn · June 2021

I have started using Optima Gypsyfire strings, and they seem to wear a lot slower than Argies. They sound just as great too (to me at least). I have had a pair of 10's on for about two weeks of 2-3 hours+ of playing every day, and they still feel and sound great.

Buco · June 2021

Optima are great strings, it's what I used last couple of years but not the easiest to get in the states.

However the last set of strings I had on the guitar were Argies and it was possibly the first time I really liked them. I replaced them after 4 months and only because I thought "what's wrong with me, why am I not changing strings already?" This time I did try to wipe them every time I was done playing. In general, for this type of music I really don't mind the sound of dead strings. On a flattop I love the shimmer the new strings give you but on these guitars with this style of playing it's best after it wears off a bit. It could be that general "I don't care" attitude pandemic brought had something to do with it.