E9 String Choice

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 8 Oct 2019 5:40 am

I am pretty new to pedal steel and getting ready to buy my first set of E9 strings. I realized I have no clue what brand or type of strings to buy. Would you guys be kind enough to recommend what you use and why?

Tom Sosbe · Post by **Tom Sosbe** » 8 Oct 2019 6:09 am

I use GHS boomers but I really can't tell you why they just sound good and stay in tune well. I've tried a lot of different brands and to be honest I have not found a bad set except stainless steel I think they are too tinny sounding but a lot of players love them. I think the best thing for you is to try different brands to find what YOU like. you can get almost any kind from the forum.

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 8 Oct 2019 6:29 am

Thanks Tom

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 8 Oct 2019 6:31 am

Being new, it really does not matter which you choose -- the differences are ones that you will come to hear over the course of years of experience. Try different things as you progress, the biggest choice being stainless wound strings vs. nickel wound strings, and arrived at your own preferences. Otherwise, all name brand strings are good.

The one thing to pay close attention to is whether your guitar currently has a wound or plain 6th string. If you change from one to the other you will create significant tuning issues that may require mechanical adjustments underneath. Do not change over unless you have a deliberate intention to change the sound or the pedal/lever travel and a plan in hand to make the adjustments.

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 8 Oct 2019 7:08 am

Thanks Jon, I have a plain 6th string. That is something I would not have known to consider.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 8 Oct 2019 7:28 am

Doug,

I don't think there are any 'bad strings' being made. Jon's point about stainless vs. nickel is a valid one but, even as different as they can sound, that's a judgement that you'll be better qualified to make after some hands-on experience. I don't care for stainless strings' brightness but others like it.

My choice for many years has been Jagwire for their consistency. I've seen no reason to change but I can't honestly say that there's a glaring difference between any brand of nickel-wound strings.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 8 Oct 2019 1:53 pm

The new kid on the block is D'Addario NYXL from B0b on the forum. “So far amazing tone and durability"...

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 8 Oct 2019 1:54 pm

The new kid on the block is D,Addario NYXL from B0b on the forum. “So far amazing tone and durability"...

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 8 Oct 2019 2:18 pm

D'Addario NYXL Nickel 12-38

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 8 Oct 2019 2:49 pm

You can do a quick search and see if your builder recommends specific gauges or stringsets, then have a look thru https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/categories/Strings/

(and get extra/spare 3rd and maybe 5th strings)

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 8 Oct 2019 3:25 pm

I have been using SIT brand Buddy Emmons strings from JustStrings.com for about 5 years now. They cost $5.24 a set - CHEAP! - and last as long as any other brand I've tried, including far more expensive ones. They come with an extra 0.011 (3rd string), which is nice. These days they are in sealed plastic packages, so are fresh the day you open them no matter how long you've carried them around as spares. You can get them in nickel coated or stainless.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 8 Oct 2019 3:26 pm

Doug, send me your address to my email (bferguson1947@gmail.com) and I will send you a set of George L's Nashville E9 Stainless.

If you like them, then buy from me when you need strings. If you don't like them, you have lost nothing.

Do it quickly as I leave town on Thursday, very early and will be gone for several days. I can send them out tomorrow.

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 8 Oct 2019 4:09 pm

I sent you an Email Bill, thanks for such a generous offer.

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 8 Oct 2019 4:10 pm

I appreciate all of the helpful responses

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 8 Oct 2019 8:27 pm

Strings brands seem to be a fad thing. A new brand comes along every few years and people go crazy over them... until the next fad comes along. Personally, the biggest difference I see in them is the price. I use whatever I can get a good deal on at the time. I seem to play just as bad on a $12 set as I do a $6.00 set.

RC

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 9 Oct 2019 5:38 am

Rick, then I think you would like my prices on George L's Stainless.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 9 Oct 2019 5:49 am

Bill Ferguson wrote:Rick, then I think you would like my prices on George L's Stainless.

I use nickel most of the time, but I'd be intersted in you George L prices. Please send them to me, with shipping cost to 37869. Thasks

RC

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 9 Oct 2019 7:06 am

Send me your email address. BFerguson1947@gmail.com

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Oct 2019 10:08 am

Rick Campbell wrote:Strings brands seem to be a fad thing. A new brand comes along every few years and people go crazy over them... until the next fad comes along. Personally, the biggest difference I see in them is the price. I use whatever I can get a good deal on at the time. I seem to play just as bad on a $12 set as I do a $6.00 set.

RC

AMEN!

I would rather have a fresh set of less expensive strings on my guitar than an old set of expensive strings.

I love playing on fresh strings and don't like to worry about breakage. I don't leave strings on my guitars long enough to warrant the price of expensive strings.

My wife calls me "cheap". I prefer the word "thrifty"!

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 9 Oct 2019 10:16 am

I am with you Lee. I love the sound of new strings

Mark McCornack · Post by **Mark McCornack** » 10 Oct 2019 8:53 pm

I’m in this same camp. A newer set of SIT strings beats an old worn set of high dollar NYXL’s on the guitar any day. Any string that is priced high enough to discourage one from changing them is probably not a good bargain, IMHO.
I tried the D’Addario’s once and was somewhat underwhelmed (at least at that price). Maybe I’m missing something, but I’d suggest starting out with something other than “boutique” strings.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 11 Oct 2019 2:58 am

In a blind test, I doubt many could tell the difference between brands. And the way some people brag about how a new string, cable, box, bar, etc... has improved their sound, you would think that they must have really sounded bad a few days ago. I experiment a lot too, I guess it's a part of the hobby.

RC

Steven Paris · Post by **Steven Paris** » 11 Oct 2019 3:15 am

Douglas Schuch wrote:I have been using SIT brand Buddy Emmons strings from JustStrings.com for about 5 years now. You can get them in nickel coated or stainless.

Which do you prefer----nickel or stainless----and why?

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 11 Oct 2019 8:51 am

Who doesnâ€™t like the sound of new strings? The NYXLâ€™s seem to maintain that new sound longer than the SITâ€™s that Iâ€™ve used, but SITâ€™s are good strings for the money.

Iâ€™m experimenting with combining plain NYXL singles from b0b and nickel-wound JustStrings in bulk. Dâ€™Addario also has a string recycling program, and uses recycled materials in their packaging, if that means anything to you (it does to me).

Stainless steel will produce brighter tone and resist corrosion better than nickel. Does anyone need their pedal steel to sound brighter?

You might consider stainless if you live in a humid area, or sweat a lot, or play with dirty greasy hands.... It is also a harder material, so I wonder about the wear and tear on aluminum changer fingers.

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 11 Oct 2019 6:27 pm

Doug, we can discuss this in detail at your next lesson!

My E9 is currently NYXL's, with a plain .022 on string 6. They're fine strings.

I also carry and really like George L strings, have used those for years.