Meh...Sickening lack of twang...

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by Elliot Easton

It's entirely possible, and most likely that you just got a bad string, maybe with a detached or broken core. It happens more than you might think, and it can happen with any brand.

I actually meants 'Strings'. The E, A, and D strings had no twangy, or much tone at that. The only difference is that they twang like hell on my 3 saddle bridge Lite Ash, but this was on my American 6-saddle bridge. I'm thinkin' its the bridge...

[twangcaster1]

Man, if you really want twang, you'v gotta ditch the thick bridgeplate that comes on that American Deluxe Ash Tele. You need to swap it out for a vintage-style bridge with brass saddles. You can't just slap a regular old run of the mill ash-tray bridge on there because it's got a 3-hole design and most vintage types have 4 holes. I've got an American Ash Tele with a ash-tray that Glendale made for me with an aluminum saddle for the E and A strings and brass saddles for the others, talk about twang! Glendale's bridges are by far the best thing I've heard of for turning your old bland tele into a twang-maker. Check out www.glendaleguitars.com.

[Wardpike]

I have been using D'Addario XL10s (10 to 46) for years now, and have never once had a bad string. (Yes, I did just knock on wood)... prior to this I used rotosound stainless steels, and talk about snap, pop, spank and everything tele.. holy cow! I may just try a set out again soon.

:-)

[Durtdog]

I dunno...twang's largely a state of mind. I know guys who can make a Lester twang beautifully.

[garytelecastor]

Lerb-
A couple of ideas...Do you think that there might be a little ear fatigue here? I just mean that when you first change a string the difference between the old string and the new is quite pronounced. After playing for an hour or so it may seem that they aren't as expressive but it may be your ear has grown accustomed to the change. Just a thought, I know it happens to me.
I know that this will probably not sit well with a couple of cats here, but I went through the same thing and I settled on using S.I.T.'s. I find they retain their tone and stay resistant to wear a little better.
YMMV/IMHO

One other thing; if you are not already using them, I would suggest you pick up a pair of keystones from Bill Lawrence. These babies twang in the package!!!!
Love ya, Becky and Bill.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

I dunno...twang's largely a state of mind. I know guys who can make a Lester twang beautifully.

I agree, I get plenty from 2 Teles with ferrous thicker modern plates, but I do use Steel o one and Brass&AL saddles. A lot of folks say this is the 1st thing to change. I wonder if it really isn't only chrome plated brass bridge plates that give all the modern plates a bad name...


I get far better twang with heavy picks as well, almost never hear folks mention this either. ;)

[twangcaster1]

Could be, I suppose. Never have played a non-plated one. But I tell you one thing, the more metal you've got in the plate, the more metall-esque the sound is. The thinner it is, the more woody resonance you get. You do get more sustain out of the thicker plate, though. You just don't quite maximize all the vibe you could be getting out of the body wood.

[twangcaster1]

Somebody already said 'much of your twang comes from technique'. That couldn't be more true. Chicken pickin' is really a world all its own.

[Wardpike]

I agree with Robt57 on the picks, for sure! I use Fender 347 heavies. Best picks I've ever used in my life! I started on them when I was 18 and have tried everthing else but keep going back to them. Just a great tortoise shell heavy pick that has a great tone without the plastic plunk of thinner picks.

[robt57]

And palm muting habits and twang are mutually exclusive I'd add. ;)


Picks, on the Strat I like softer, like mediums. Lets more throaty tones, parPICKularly with the neck PUP. I also love the Fender Heavy Celluloid picks for diggin into the strings on my Teles, especially for Pedal Steel sounding bend/swells. ;)

I like heavy strings too, any consensus as to if that is a twang buster on a Tele??

[Murphy Slaw]

Xenophobic is a bit harsh. But, yes I try to buy local food actually. It's better for the allergies. Local honey, ect. I kill my own deer, make jerky, backstraps on the grill. I buy my beef from locals. Doesn't everyone?

And I only play American built guitars. Although I do have some imports for the kids.

Xenophobic is a bit harsh. I just like to support people around me, that will support me.

I pay $6.95 per set for strings at a local Mom and Pop sometimes just to make sure they make a few bucks. I'd hate to see them fail.

I think supporting your Country, your local economy, is a good thing.

Xenophobic?

Give me a break.

Murph.

[roadrider502]

Wow, in 17 yrs I never had a bad set of strings from D'Addario or Ernie Ball. Both are great string sets that sound great on my tele's, strats, LP's, PRS's.

I have found that Fender Bullets sounded dull on both my strat and tele.

Just my experience.

[cletus]

Originally Posted by Ira7

Well, I just picked up my 10-52 GHS Boomers, put them on, and am enjoying getting the feel for them.

I also bought a $79 Boss Blues Driver pedal which I'm still hiding in the car so my wife won't see it yet.

I know--I'm a wimp, but my wife is BIGGER than me! Well, at least her a** is bigger than mine.

A LOT bigger.

That is just wrong.

So So wrong!

[Ricko79]

You guys should try ELIXIR strings, just one word AWESOME!!!

http://www.elixirstrings.com/

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Ricko79

You guys should try ELIXIR strings, just one word AWESOME!!!

http://www.elixirstrings.com/

They have no sparkle to me, the acoustics I like, but not for me on the electrics.

[scoots]

i still like the fender strings, right now i'm running 250's on the higher end and then the lighter gauge (150's?) on my low e and a. buying more guitars i think is crazy talk, that's just a new can of worms and alot more $. keep experimenting would be my advise for what it's worth, i still am.

[Guitfiddler]

Clear Tones...great sounding, long-lasting string.

Very lively and harmonic. An answer to Elixirs w/o the coating stuff that shreds off.

[casterway]

Boomers!!
Cheap!
Last!
Don't break!

I can't believe Fender hasn't come up with a string that people love.

[alexpigment]

i second the boomers comment. i tried EB slinky strings maybe twice when i was young, but they were just too ribbed and would tear my fingers up. moved on to fenders, which i liked, but i had lots of problems with the bullet ends on them. picked up a pack of boomers 11-50 and haven't gone back in 10 years. absolutely love them...and they last a hell of a long time too

[spankdplank]

+1 on the bad string/broken core theory. I have used the EB 10 set for years and think they sound great and they feel "looser" than the same set of D'Ads. A while back I changed strings with my usual EB 10 set and the low E was dead from the beginning. I put another low E on from another packet of EB 10s and the twang was back. I figured I must have damaged the core when I stretched out the low E when I first put it on.

[twangcaster1]

Ernie Ball and D'Addario 10's/11's have always been pretty good to me. Never cared for GHS much, though.

[Scotele]

I used only Slinkies for many years (9 - 42's) I bought an AM/DLX last year and found that the EB's died after one gig. Tried D'Addarios 9.5 - 44 but same problem, I am now onto PRS but same happens with them.

[LOTF]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

I think supporting your Country, your local economy, is a good thing.

Perhaps. But my country and local economy had better be giving me the quality I demand at a price I can afford. Unfortunately, "Made in the U.S.A." isn't the guarantee of superior quality it may once have been. I own 2 MIM Fenders, a Deluxe Player's Strat and a '72 reissue Thinline Tele. I consider them to be 80% as good as MIA Fenders and they're about 60% of the price (not to mention that neither one of these models is available as an American-made instrument). And I'll take an MIM Fender any day over some of the lower priced American Gibsons such as the Fadeds or Melody Makers. For that matter, I'll take an MIK Epiphone over those models as well. The G-400 is simply a better-made and finished instrument than the SG Faded, a piece of overpriced, overrated JUNK if I've ever seen one. Another example: I just bought an Electro-Harmonix Micro Q-Tron pedal (made, as it proudly proclaims, in NYC) from MF and it's going right back. The Ibanez Autowah it replaced gave a much better wah effect. And I wouldn't waste a penny on most of the automotive junk produced in Detroit.

When I spend my money, I want the best it can buy for me and at the best price. If my country wants my business, it needs to provide me with such. If I can get the best bang for my buck from Mexico, Japan or wherever, I have no compunctions about buying their stuff.