Old Strings vs New Strings

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Gear I use

► Camera - Canon EOS M50

► Monitors - Adam A7X

► Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III, AX8 & X-Load

► Deviser Guitars (STR, Bacchus, Momose & Headway)

► PRS Guitars

►Martin A Smith Pickups

► Interface - Universal Audio Apollo Twin

[denmut]

Great video. For me, the best thing about using new strings is the "better feeling". When I use old strings, I feel like I am also using old frets. It feels very scratchy on vibrato. Cheers.

[brianbutler]

I have really sweaty/oily hands, so I like to wash my hands with dish soap before playing. I find that this makes my strings last a lot longer before they start to sound lifeless.

[JohnPaulHare]

I definitely noticed a difference between the two sets. Someone else here said the new strings were warmer, which I agree with. There was a difference in the tone of the low-end frequencies, too, though; not quite sure how to describe how it sounded, but the new ones sounded better. Smoother, I guess, is a good way to describe the low end on the new strings. Oscillation, maybe, is how I would describe the resonance of the low end from the old strings. Great comparison!

[AndiKravljaca]

This is really interesting! I did a similar test on my channel a whole back - a blind test of old strings vs new, and honestly most people got the results wrong. It just goes to show that once you factor everything that goes into a guitar tone in, it really doesn't make that much of a difference.

[silvioschurig]

I am a bit of a collector of guitars. As a result there are a few in my collection I only pick up once in a while. I like coated strings like the Elixirs for instruments I play less frequently because they store much better and keep the new string feel much longer. I have actually found that different types alloys for the wire do make a difference. I have an HSH guitar where the "Split" Positions didn't really sound "chimey". Changed the strings to "Cobalt" Strings and at least in my head that fixed most of that to sound a lot "clearer" - enough so I didn't have to go out and buy a replacement pickup set.

[AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

If I'm not recording serious material or doing a fairly important gig I will sometimes go for years between string changes with little negative effect (apart from slight dulling of tone), my hands don't corrode strings like some people's do, and my humidity is always around 50% so I think that might help too. I use Thomastik-Infeld strings when I can, pricey but the best quality in tone and feel I've ever encountered, highly recommend trying out their "Power Brights" if you get a chance Leon!

[ruiseartalcorn]

Not a huge difference - a wee bit brighter, maybe. So, you're in Perth (WA)? I lived there for 38 years and played in so many bands. I'm in Scotland now but maybe, one day, I'll get back to my old stomping ground :) Cheers :)

[karolkozak]

There's 2 reasons why I dislike using new strings:
1) they still settle for about a day or two, so using them straight away in the studio is a no no for me (i do stretch them)
2) They are too bright, there's this thing in the upper high/presence spectrum that's super brash usually, I love strings that are about a week old .. between 1-3 weeks is super ok for me, on some guitars i've had them for about 2 months :))))

[satinwhip]

When my strings get old the first string (high E) develops this waver sound when fretted around the 12th fret. I have noticed this on multiple guitars over the years. That is mostly why I change strings. I put up with it until I can't any longer. New strings sound a little brighter at first. I also always do minor fret dressing and polishing when I restring so the guitar always plays much nicer after a restring. When I was gigging I usually played every other weekend and restrung before every gig weekend. I would not be restringing a Floyd Rose that often. Maybe every two months even if I was gigging. D'Addario XL110 10-46. Been using that brand and gauge for over 25 years. I haven't broken a string in years. Maybe once every five years.

[peterschmidt]

There's always a difference putting a new set on. But the question is, how often do you really need to change them? When I was gigging, I'd generally change the strings before the gig and that was mainly so I didn't break a string during the gig. Then they'd stay on the guitar until they either broke, got rusty or grimey. I wash my hands before playing guitar, so I don't tend to get grimey strings. But because of whether I am, I get condensation and they go rusty occasionally. I've also got an accumulation of guitars, so I tend to hoard old strings as well. If they're not grimey, rusty or notched (those go in the bin), I'll keep them around as a spare. If the fretboard needs a clean, I'll change the whole set and keep any good ones from e through A (ditch the low E as I never break that one). As a consistent string I'd use Di Addarios, but these days I couldn't care less. I'll get the cheapest I can find. I'm still going through the set of GFS strings I got 2 years ago - I get 12 packs at time for 2 parts of FA. They do the job, but I wouldn't rely on them at a gig. I'd go bankrupt if I had to change the strings on every guitar I own!

[kylekarich]

Elixir master race. Guitars just don't feel right to me without Optiwebs. Played Nanos before that and took a while to try Optis because it sounded like they were attempting to fix problems I didn't have with Nanos - turns out they're even better! Elixir are magic.

[oldman]

The best part about elixirs is if you have a bunch of guitars you can put strings in and come back t9 the guitar a month or two later and the strings are in good shape. Especially nice to use on a 12 string. Good luck one the gig!

[shanewilliams]

New strings are awesome, but the audience won't know the difference :) The difference is more prominent on an acoustic guitar.

I was surprised that the difference was not as dramatic as I had expected. My experience has been that new strings sound brighter and seem to have more dynamic range. As others have said, new strings also feel way better.

The coating might be a factor here. Elixir strings are very good at staying consistent over their life. If you had a set of 3 month old non-coated strings vs a new set of non-coated strings the difference would have been more pronounced for sure. I use Elixir strings on my acoustic guitar and they sound nearly as good as fresh strings even after months of playing.

[hoosierdaddy]

Leon. Do you have any vids about an intro to Axefx 2 for instance? Maybe older ones? Have you tried Atomic amps?
I also want to try an Eleven rack. My online buddy has one and loves it. Especially for the feel. He also can get the magical inbetween just at break up tones and even though it doesn't have a ton of amps, it has enough and enough effects I may buy a used one. Anyway. Also looking at the same companies Headrush Digital modeler... I've heard really good things a out it Especially for the price. I can't justify spending so much not yet having started a band, but I plan to start a 3 piece blues rock and 80s metal band this fall...

[bestboy]

new strings are just so much more tonally better and are much much louder plus the new string feeling cant be beaten

[hoosierdaddy]

Perth. I had an uncle that worked there for an oil company I think it was...
Your axefx sounds fucking kilker. You and a guy from Finland who uses an Axefx 2 have convinced me it does really sound like a tube amp. I just can't at the moment justify one, but I am considering starting or collaberating with other friends in a 3 piece blues metal and 80s metal band for fun this fall and winter. Maybe playing 2 times a month out. Then I will be looking for a used axefx 2 probably. Thanks soooo much for all the vids sir..

[deadasfak]

I'm yet to change strings on my main guitar this year. I'm a slob.

[DeathMetalGuitar]

Love for Elixir Nanowebs - i use them on all my Tom Anderson guitars - and now on my EVH and Ibanez Prestige/J Customs - the best. Btw, the new pack sounded "slighty" brighter, but only if you flipped back and forth w/in the video. IMHO the Elixirs are super consistent - new or old. YMMV! great job as always!

[onthe]

The new ones sound warmer. The old one's were very bright. The New one's sounded much better to me anyway.