Gypsy strings: User's review

Ian Rossiter

String change last night!!!
Just under 2 weeks. The Trebles started to loose their tuning. D'addarios have always had a tendency for the ball wrap on the plain strings to loosen and gradually tighten like a noose around the ball end. I've never seen it happen with another brand. But I had the same problem on my old top-loader Telecaster, the noose tightens-change yer' strings!!!

djangology

I would like other members of this forum to help by posting here their opinions on the different brands of gypsy strings, so we can start a user review database and as this is a FAQ avoid having tons of posts everywhere about the same topic.

There are tons of posts everywhere because all of the people who have been on this forum for the last 5 years have already talked this through a billion times.

One thing I learned from all those discussions is that NOBODY has the same opinion on the same set of strings. EVERYONE thinks differently.

Its of NO USE to have a discussion on what strings are best.

Tele295

Elliot wrote:

People want that fresh out-of-the-package sound from their Argies, but I'm not so sure that has been the case historically. What is dead to some just may be 'broken in' to others. I'd say this was the case with Django. You never hear that 'sproingy' brightness in his recordings. Personally I think it is annoying and much prefer the sound to settle in somewhat and get some 'smoke' to it.

Me too. "Smoke" is a good term for it.

Heretic

I recently tried the Galli GSL10 (silk and steel 0.10's) and the Galli R 500s.
The lack of consistency of the Argentine 0.10s, I find, is maddening. But, they are the bench-mark of the gypsy jazz sound. If they were consistent, I'd probably stick with them. They have a lot of what's right going for them.

I found the Galli R 500's exceedingly stiff requiring great right hand force to get any sound out of them, and I couldn't play them softly for a good backing rhythm. I thought they were going to rip my callouses off after a few days.

The Galli GSL 0.10s I found to have low tension, and very nicely balanced between the wound strings and the plain strings. They have a slightly warmer sound than most strings, by virtue of the silk, and they can be played both aggressively, loudly, and softly for a nice muted rhythm backing.

If only I could develop all of Stochelo's vibratos, I could make full use of their abilities.

Bob Holo

If you'd have asked me a few weeks ago I'd have said: "I'm done discussing strings" because I've tried everything and the only strings I've ever liked from all four perspectives (sound, tension, string-to-string balance, longevity) are Argies (10s & 11s) and GHS White Bronze 11s (what I use when I want nickel). But a couple weeks ago I tried Martin Marquis Silk & Steel 11-47s because WauWau Adler really likes them.

Well... I have to say - I really like them. They start out jangly but they settle in really flippin quick and within an hour or two they sound and feel like nicely broken-in but not-yet-dead Argentine 11s and they keep their tuning. So - in terms of 'gig strings' that's cool. If you can change strings before sound-check and have them sound good and keeping their tuning by showtime that's pretty cool. They don't come in 10s - which is a bit of a bummer as I typically play 10s - but I was fairly amazed at how much I liked them. If they last a good long time I'll have to give them a strong thumb's up. Nearly two weeks now and they're showing no signs of dying so... fingers crossed.

MichaelHorowitz

I haven't tried the Martin Silk and Steels...but have used the D'Addario, Galli, and Fisoma on occasion. The thing you have to remember about silk and steels is that they are very low tension. So even though most silk and steels have similar gauges to the heavier 11 gauge Argentines, they actually have LESS tension then the 10 gauge Argentines (at least they feel like it: d'addario specs here: silk and steel Gypsy strings. So often people make the mistake of treating silk and steels like an 11 gauge set of Argies (i.e. a low action set up). But in fact, you need to jack the action up to make them work. If the action is too low they won't produce enough downward pressure on the top which results in a pretty anemic sound. But if you have your guitar setup with higher action, more like you would with a 10 gauge set of argies, then an 11 gauge set of silk and steel will really start to sound good. Actually, in many cases it's better to go even higher with your action. You'll get even more sound and it's still pretty easy to play because the silk and steels are very low tension so they have very supple feel. The added benefit of all this is when you have your action really high you get this beautifully pure, buzz free sound. This is why Stochelo sounds so good! (at least one of the reasons). Super high action (reported to be 4mm) with silk and steel strings. Of course, the vintage Selmer doesn't hurt either.

One thing silk and steels are particularly good for is dealing with guitars that have fret buzz issues. A new Dupont has a perfect neck with absolute precision fret leveling...you can get the action so low and it won't buzz at all. But if you're dealing with an Asian made guitar or old vintage guitars like Busatos, Favinos, etc, you often have the dreaded hump where the neck meets the body which results in lots off fret buzzing in the 10th fret and above area. Guitars like this are great candidates for silk and steels because you can really crank the action up free and clear of the neck issues. And because the tension is lower, you won't "lock up" the top by cranking the action so high. This is really a problem on some of Busatos I've had which have razor thin tops...if you go too high with the action when it's strung with Argies then the sound just dies. The top can't take all that pressure. But the lower tension of the silk and steels allows the top to move when the action is high.

Another thing I noticed is that silk and steels usually have better intonation then Argies....I really notice this on old vintage guitars which often have funky intonation to begin with. Put a set of silk and steels on and bingo, near perfect tuning whereas Argies just get sharper and sharper as you go up the neck.

One thing though is Silk and Steels seem to pit out a lot faster then Argies....so you'll probably have to change strings once a week or more with these. Seems like everytime I went backstage to a Rosenberg Trio show they were changing their strings....I guess this is why.

anyway, just a few thoughts on this. Silk and Steels are by no means some miracle solution...in fact, on most guitars I'd still prefer Argies. But in some situations they are really useful and can improve the sound and playability of a guitar.

Bob Holo

Give them a shot. I think they'll weird you out a little.. they don't feel like S&S. I should do a downpressure test on them to see what's up with their tension. Maybe the larger B/E strings are just giving me the impression of more tension. The guitars I tried them on were new and the necks were completely iced - so I was at 2.6mm/2.15mm and playing clean (that was the test bridge - actual bridges will be higher.

HCQ

Actually I believe the Martin S&S set, M-130 Standard, runs at 11½ 14 23w 28w 38w 47w. So maybe you could just swap out the high E string for a lighter one.

The GHS S&S G-345 Light is guaged ar 10 13 20w 26w 34w 42w, which may be a bit too light on the low E. The G-350 Medium is 11 14 22w 28w 38w 48w

La Bella S&S L-710L Light is at 11 14 23w 31w 41w 51w

Best,

pmh425

Bob Holo wrote:

.... But a couple weeks ago I tried Martin Marquis Silk & Steel 11-47s because WauWau Adler really likes them.

Well... I have to say - I really like them. ...

Thanks to Bob for this post. I ordered some Marquis Silk and Steel and am very happy with them so far. I love the tone. I have a 12 Fret Dell'Arte D hole and the tension feels about the same as the Argentine 11's.

Ian Rossiter

It never ends!!!
Now I'm back to Pearse!!! (lol)