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Topic: NICKEL OR STAINLESS STEEL STRINGS, Difference? Chime In |
Bob Bartoli
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2014 1:52 pm |
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| what do you steelers prefer and why????...thanks chime in with you opinions... |
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Bill Moran
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2014 5:20 pm
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Bob some guitars sound better with stainless some better with nickel. I have owned 2 Mullen guitars, one Sierra, one ShoBud and one Franklin. They all sound better with nickel. The Emmons and Carter I have owned sounded better with stainless. Guess it is like amps. Whatever you get the best sound from.
I will say I think the nickel last longer ? Herby played Mullen guitars and always used stainless.
I hope we hear more input. 
_________________
Bill |
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Ken Campbell
From:
Ferndale, Montana
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Posted 3 Jun 2014 7:51 pm
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| I recently switched from stainless Live Steel to nickel Live steel and i feel like the nickel is warmer and ummm broader? 1974 Sho-Bud Pro III |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 3 Jun 2014 8:37 pm
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I started with Live Steel Strings stainless on my Carter and they were just a tad too bright. I switched to their nickel strings and have a more balanced tone. But like someone said, every guitar will be different.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2014 10:54 am
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Except for flatwounds (which are very expensive in nickel) I use mostly nickel strings with few nickel plated.
Stainless round-wounds simply sound harsh to me on any instrument.
I also use nickel on acoustic guitar, and have for about 35 years (long before the Tony Rice sets came out). Warmer tone, great projection, last longer...
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Alan Bidmade
From:
Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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Posted 7 Jun 2014 12:16 pm
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I started on stainless steel (SIT) strings. Then one day I tried a set of nickel and thought there was an immediate improvement in tone and certainly in longevity. However, the nickel was a 'one-off' so I reverted to stainless... and thought they sounded better than the nickel! So, I either have very poor ears (a distinct possibility) or else my old Sho-Bud is going to sound better and better with each string change. I'm soon going to have the best sounding psg in the business  
_________________
Ben-Rom #017 'Lorelei', Guild D25, Epiphone 'Joe Pass', Roland 40XL, Hilton VP
First name Alan, but known as Nick |
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Jim Saunders
From:
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
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Posted 7 Jun 2014 2:16 pm String Choice
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| This topic comes up here on a regular basis and usually the answer is that if you want a bright tone, go with stainless. Mellow, go with Nichol. I recall that someone pointed out that the plain strings are the same, nichol or stainless. It's the wrapped stings where the difference comes in. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2014 2:30 pm
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"I will say I think the nickel last longer ?"
I gotta disagree! 8^) Stainless always lasted much longer for me. Used SITs on my Kline Uni. Played 5 to 7 nights a week, and I pick quite firmly. Nickels I would kill, tone-wise in less than 10 days. I managed with the stainless to do about 4 to 5 weeks. Too bright for the first week, but changing the amp settings took care of that. But it was a matter of practicality,,,, and cost. Now that I've retired, I use nickel on my old Shobuds. |
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Kevin Raymer
From:
Chalybeate, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2014 3:24 pm
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I've been taking lessons from Mike Sweeney and he got me started using live steel stainless.
I've always used Nickel on my 6 string guitars, I thought stainless sounded muddy playing classic rock.
However...
I'm liking those Stainless Live Steel strings.
As far as tone goes, they are just like baby bear's porridge, not too bright not to dark...
Just right...
Kevin |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Larry Allen
From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 6:12 pm Strings
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I used Cobra coils for 10 years changing about every 30-40 hours of playing and they would start to tarnish (in Hawaii). switched to Live Steel Stainless and not only is the rust/tarnish gone but these strings last forever! Larry 
_________________
Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 9 Jun 2014 3:24 am
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| Alan Bidmade wrote: |
| I started on stainless steel (SIT) strings. Then one day I tried a set of nickel and thought there was an immediate improvement in tone...However, the nickel was a 'one-off' so I reverted to stainless... and thought they sounded better than the nickel! So, I either have very poor ears (a distinct possibility) or else my old Sho-Bud is going to sound better and better with each string change. I'm soon going to have the best sounding psg in the business |
In my limited time with PSG, very much my experience as well!  Fellow forum member Dennis Lee generously sent me packs of both Cobras and Live Steel strings to try. Looking forward to trying the Live Steels out this week. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 9 Jun 2014 5:18 am
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Nickel sounds like this, and stainless sounds like that. The chemistry of your perspiration and the environment in which you play determine a lot of how your strings sound and how long they last.
Whatever gets your boat on plane is what you should use. Personally, I use stainless.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Erich Meisberger
From:
Vermont, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 6:56 am
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Until a few weeks ago, I had never used stainless strings. I used various nickel types and eventually switched to Cobra Coils. Even with the CC's, which are a little brighter than nickel to my ear, The low strings always sounded muddy to me. I am now using D'Addario E9 sets, which are a stainless alloy, and finally there is clarity from the low strings. Our drummer commented to me after the first gig with them that he could here every note. I'll take that as a positive endorsement.
They also come packaged in the anti-corrosion plastic bag. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 7:11 am
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About 10 years back I did try a couple sets of Cobra Coil strings that I got from Bobbe. Don't know why, but those suckers corroded and tonally died faster than any strings I'd ever used, like I got maybe a week out of them, so they were rejected quickly.
Don't know if it was a reaction to the chemistry in my hands, or the atmosphere here in TX at that time, but I quickly went back to GeorgeL Stainless.
I recently bought a half dozen sets of LiveSteel stainless from Sid and I'm in the process of trying them out on the various vintages of PPs that I have. So far, they're behaving very well, and fully as enjoyable to play as my GL's, the brand I've been with for decades.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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J PARKER
From:
Meridian Miss
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 9:19 am Strings
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| I personally use the SIT stainless strings and ive had very good luck with them. I always use a #12 for the 3rd string and very seldom ever break a string. The cobra coil strings were to dark and didn't last very long. |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 11:29 am
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Well instead of the Live Steel, I put the Cobra Coils on the E9 first. Like everybody mentions: not as subdued as nickel semi-flats, but right now they have a very rich sound, and the highs are much fuller compared to my usual Super Steels. Fortunately, my sweat's pH balance doesn't corrode strings like so many players, so the Cobalt/Brass composition won't be much of a factor.
It looks like Steel Guitar Network is handling the CC distribution under their own moniker? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 4:25 pm
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I find the stainless rough, but "twangier", and they last longer. The nickles are smoother, and sound smoother, but they don't last as long.
No big ting, though...I use whatever's handy.  |
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Jim Hoke
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 6:52 pm
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| Nobody's mentioned which strings are best for not doing that "sitar" buzz thing that the 4 and 5 string start to do. (I'm using Cobra Coils). Anybody got an opinion about that? |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 10 Jun 2014 6:58 pm
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| Jim Hoke wrote: |
| Nobody's mentioned which strings are best for not doing that "sitar" buzz thing that the 4 and 5 string start to do. (I'm using Cobra Coils). Anybody got an opinion about that? |
Wow, I accidently stumbled upon an Emmons "sitar bar" I had in my stupidly excessive collection of various bars I've accumulated over the years.
"What the hell is wrong with this thing?" was my first thought, then I realized it was the sitar bar!
Your problem is with the roller nuts not being gauged to compensate for strings 10 through 7 being thicker than 5-4-3. More bar pressure on fret 1 is the solution.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Jim Hoke
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2014 5:14 am
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| Well that makes sense, Herb. However it's not just fret one; it's all the way up. And then when I change the string it goes away. I've tried the drop of oil under the rollers and several other tactics, to verying degrees of success. |
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Jim Hoke
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2014 5:15 am
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| Oh - it's that dang sitar bar! But seriously..... |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2014 6:36 am
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As Herb stated more or less, to each his own. I personally use stainless because I find that they are brighter and seem to last longer than nickel. The nickel seem to lose their tone in about a day to me.
The late Jack Matthews gave me a set of Cobra Coil strings about 10 years ago. I put them on my LeGrande II I was playing at the time. They felt like spaghetti, even though they were up to pitch, they felt loose and just didn't sound good at all. Took them off in about an hour and went back to Geroge L's at the time. Never tried a set since. Think they were nickel.
_________________
Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 16 Jun 2014 11:05 pm
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| Just wondering, don't ya have to change bars for stainless and nickle? I use BJS bars, and stainless strings? What about string "drag" with nickle? |
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