DR Blues pure nickel back to steel

[markal]

I’d been using DR Blues strings on my tele and Gretsch for a while. These are pure nickel and I remember reading that they’d tame bright guitars a bit. I guess there were OK. Lately I’ve been wanting brighter tones and kind of on a whim I put Ernie Ball Slinky Lime (nickel wrapped steel, I guess) on my tele and WOWIE, there’s that tele pop and snap again! I have no memory how old the DR Blues I had on there were, so it could mostly be just the new string thing. But it seems snappier and brighter to me, which I like now.

Anybody testing nickel vs steel strings? Are you finding a big difference?

I may try this on my Gretsch too, but it’s at a shop on consignment right now. I may give up on settling it and bring it home.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I tried pure nickel stings once thinking it might reduce fret wear (I can really grind down some frets).

I’m pretty sure I only bought the one set, and I don’t really remember the sound of them.

 

[schmee]

Remember, the G, B and high E are steel in a nickel set anyway.
Of course new strings are very bright, that's another thought.

 

[Wooly Fox]

You need a week or two good practice sessions with new strings to get a feel for their tone when "bedded in".

Personally I like Rotosound Ultramags for brighter tones though they're difficult to get in NA. An alternative is the Dean Markley Blackhawks. They're coated but do seem to give more girth to the "twang".

 

[Milspec]

I tried the DR Pure Blue strings for a couple of months...always had to re-set the intonation with every string change.

That was the end of the experiment

 

[NoTeleBob]

I like the Pure Blues but I do think they are a shade less bright. That's sort of what I like about them.

For bright, I think GHS Boomers, old school steel, wins the day.

 

[markal]

Remember, the G, B and high E are steel in a nickel set anyway.
Of course new strings are very bright, that's another thought.

I didn’t know that. So it’s only the winding that is nickel with the DR Blues?

 

[tfarny]

I think you can basically replicate what nickel strings do just by turning down yer tone knob a touch. What I'm into for strings now are the Daddario "balanced tension" sets - basically the b and one other string (a?) are just a touch heavier than is typical, it is a subtle difference but I really prefer how they play.

 

[marc2211]

For years and years I used Rotosound British Steels on all my guitars.

Really bright and snappy, loads of bite. After refretting my main guitar, I stopped using the strings out of fear of wearing through frets quicker… not sure if it’s made any difference or not tbh.

Now use Roto Yellows, but will probably go back to the BSs on some of my guitars next time around.

 

[imwjl]

Aside from windings being plated or the pure alloy, DR are round core strings. All the round core I've tried need some understanding and care with putting on the guitar and use. They have nice feel and tone if done right.

 

[markal]

Aside from windings being plated or the pure alloy, DR are round core strings. All the round core I've tried need some understanding and care with putting on the guitar and use. They have nice feel and tone if done right.

Why do they require special treatment?

 

[imwjl]

Why do they require special treatment?

The round cores allow the windings to slip where the hex-shaped core wire holds the winding around the core in place. Round core strings can have their own tone but also nice supple feel.

In the past few years the feel issue sort of got changed by the maker of the Santa Cruz strings changing traditional core diameters for better or more even tension. I forget the brand that makes/sells them in a non-coated version. The SCGC are coated. I noticed others jumping on that bandwagon.

 

[Ricky D.]

If those DRBlues were so old you can’t remember how old they were, chances are they were pretty dead. A new set would probably be a lot brighter.

 

[bottlenecker]

I didn’t know that. So it’s only the winding that is nickel with the DR Blues?

Correct. Cores are always steel. Windings can be nickel plated, pure nickel, or other metals.
The biggest difference in DR vs the EBs is likely the hex core vs round core. But you have a material difference too, so who knows. Hex core is brighter, round core is a little mellower with more fundamental.

 

[Bucster752]

I was a DR Pure Blues fan for several years.......the round core at a slightly lower tension and the pure nickel wrap having a more fundamental tone. However.........of late I have renounced the DRs for my new 'string of excellence' - Pyramid Classic Hand Polished. Still a round core with pure nickel wrap but slightly polished, taking the edge off the feel and tone. Similar to GHS Burnished Nickel Rockers (which is a very close second!), they feel so very smooth under the fingers and deliver a very fundamental 'thump' from the low end. They break in quickly and hold a tune very well. Expensive, indeed, relative to GHS, so I'm still in the experimental stage between these two sets, but for the short run I prefer the feel of the Pyramids........excellent round core nickel set!

 

[arlum]

I just figure you've got to pick what works best for your current needs. Over all the years I've been playing I've found that as my current tastes change so do my preference in strings. I love the sound of pure nickle but find them limiting on higher gain tones. Harmonics don't come out as easily for me when I'm using pure nickle. High end definition, which is hampered by pure nickle, (in a good way when playing clean), getting hampered a second time by the high gain pedal or preamp, just takes too much away from what I'm going for on the lead parts I'm currently interested in. Pure nickle creates a beautiful middy / woody tone for jazz , blues or blues rock when played clean or with vintage low gain but adds to a bit of muddyness when the gain gets cranked.

 

[ZackyDog]

Why do they require special treatment?

Some people make the mistake of cutting the strings before they are wrapped on the capstan and stretched. That causes pure-nickel, round core strings to unravel.

 

[JIMMY JAZZMAN]

Like many others the DR PURE BLUES is my string of choice. Gretsch, Les Paul, Telecaster, even PRS Silver Sky likes
them. Been using them for years, good tone, string life okay.

 

[VWAmTele]

Some people make the mistake of cutting the strings before they are wrapped on the capstan and stretched. That causes pure-nickel, round core strings to unravel.

How would that work with vintage tuners?

 

[FuzzUniverse]

DR Pure Blues are nice…they’re available at Guitar Center in a pinch. But for round core, pure nickel GHS nickel rockers and Curt Mangan are my go-to for that style string. I love the feel and sound of them, but they do wear out more quickly. Lately I’ve been using NYXLs on my Charvel Guthrie Govan and they last forever.