[Emoto]

What do you guys like for guitar strings for grateful dead music? Primarily interested in the Jerry side of things, but feel free to chime in about Bobby stuff too.

Am playing an old Les Paul Standard through a Boogie Mk III.

Thanks!

Bob

[Dozin]

I play rhythm and like flat wounds. I've been using pyramids for a long time but just made a switch to Dean Markley flat wounds. I like them and they're a whole hell of a lot cheaper.

[b weird]

I use Ernie Ball 10's (Green Pack) on my SG, and Fender (Bullets ?) on my Strat.

[Crazy 9.5 Fingers]

DR Tite Fits or DR Pure Blues 10's. I do not recommend anything lighter than a 10 for anything Grateful Dead oriented as most of the guitar tones are going to be clean and there won't be much drive to hide the wimpiness of a lighter gauge tone.

10's should be the bare minimum for everything if you ask me, anything lighter and the tone takes a major hit IMO.

[Emoto]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I've been using D'Addario XL 10s (the orange circle package) and they're ok, but not anything to write home about.

Was in the music store yesterday and the guy there recommended the DR tite-fit strings, so I bought a set. Will try those and look for the Pure Blues and those Ernie Balls, too. I used Ernie Balls a looooong time ago, but can't remember anything about them.

[bucketorain]

Try Elixir's. I have them on my Takamine and my Strat.

Once the guy at the store suggested a d'darrio coated string, said it was as good and cheaper, well, they were cheaper...

[Long Distance Runner]

Super Slinkys (Pink)

[Mick]

I'll tell you everything I know about guitar strings (no need to get comfortable...)

1. I used D'addario strings in my acoustic when I first got it. Then I switched to CFMartin 80/20s or Phosphor bronze and they are MUCH better. Major difference in tone, and they last longer too. Both kinds are more expensive (like $8 per set or so, as opposed to $5 for the D'addarios) with the phosphor bronze being a buck or two more expensive than the 80/20s. I don't hear much difference between the two, both are good, I just get whichever the store has when I happen to be in there.

2. I got some free D'addarios some time back for my electrics, and once again, did not like them. I have been using primarily Fender super-bullets since then, which I will admit is largely because they make string changes much easier on the Schecter I have been playing (the bullet goes all the way up into the guitar body so it doesn't get caught on anything inside or outside the guitar, but slides right out when it is time to change the strings).

That probably helps you not at all, since you were looking for something other than D'addarios and all my review says is that I don't like D'addarios. Sorry about that, wish I knew more.

[CountryMile Cadillac]

"Black Diamond Strings on a Catalog Guitar
That’s pretty high cotton whoever you are
You break one you change one, that’s as good as it gets
You can play all year long on two or three sets "

~Guy Clark~

[GratefulPat]

elixir antirust 10s

[IamDocWatson]

get away from the 10's....12's with high action will create much better tone...

keep your tens if your hands are weak or if you cant do without 2 step bends, but your tone will only get better the higher the action and the higher gauge of strings.

[KCJones]

Vinci Strings, Light Specials 10-46. Garcia used this brand I believe. No complaints. I'll probably stick with them. Nice even tone, not too bright or too brown. After using Dr for years, I switched to these for the hell of it. They're also about $1.50 cheaper than the Dr's. But ya gotta mail order them; I've never seen them in any music stores.

http://www.vincistrings.com/

[BlobWeird]

Ernie Ball's Fat Bottoms Skinny Tops for me.

[CaptainTrips]

Try Elixir's. I have them on my Takamine and my Strat.

Once the guy at the store suggested a d'darrio coated string, said it was as good and cheaper, well, they were cheaper...

I love Elixer's wont use anything else. I dont know about just using 10's or up . . . . I usually bounce around from 9's and 10's and it sounds great on my Telecaster.

[paulee]

Im an Elixir fan myself..acoustic and electric..10's