Strings of yesteryear... better?

    I was recently back in the UK and picked up some of my old guitars there, untouched for 15 years, still with strings from the 90's on them... expecting them to sound and play like total crap I noodled a few chords and my jaw hit the floor.


    These are cheap guitars mind, cheap pickups, Epiphone, Mex Strat, Aria Pro 2 335 copy and the sound was detailed, articulate, rich, complex, the feel was amazing.


    I checked and the strings are just D'Addarios in there (unless anyone else uses the same color coding on the balls), same as I use now. Yet my newer (and mroe expensive) instruments back in the US with their regularly changed strings sound just dull and lifeless in comparison.


    What's going on? Have strings changed that much in 15 years?


    Here's just a quick snippet from earlier when I was playing around with the SG finally getting that throaty sound from the Kemper that I've been trying to get for ages (TAF AC30 Clean+ profile with air chorus in X, but only recording the left channel, D tuning with A to experiment, neck pickup). The playing is just mindless random noodling but I'm just loving the tonality I'm getting. http://www.peranders.com/general/noodle140610a1.mp3

    Maybe just the acoustics of the room?

    New talent management advice to Laura Cox -


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    Possibly, the us ones have nickel, the uk ones may have been steel then I guess (just checked, only the sg has d'addarios so the others are probably Ernie ball or rotos, would be odd if all three were steel, but perhaps that's the norm for uk strings), I may need to investigate steel in that case, any recommendations for a good brand?

    I assume the lightness of feel is simply due to age and maybe oxidization though? They're 10's but felt lighter than the newer 10's on the us same scale length guitars.

    This thread touches on something I've wondered about for a while. There are so many options for strings, how in the world do you find the set that's perfect for you?

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

    Quote from Zappledan

    This thread touches on something I've wondered about for a while. There are so many options for strings, how in the world do you find the set that's perfect for you?


    Experimenting with strings may get you a slightly different feel, but, they also require a set up change on every guitar. No thanks!


    The perfect set of strings for me is consistent from pack to pack and easy to buy anywhere. I still just use "normal" strings (D'Addario EXL110). I can get them anywhere (and usually stock up when boxes of 3 or 10 are on sale).

    Paul, that's exactly what I do (exact same strings, too). Still, I always wonder if there isn't a better option out there ...

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

    If strings are on an electric guitar for such a long time, their (ferro-)magnetic characteristics change.
    I suppose the old strings have a little less volume, compared to fresh strings from the same type? Less volume makes them sound brighter and more dynamic depending on the amp setup and pickups. On the other hand IMHO for example the EXL120 sounded flatter and more muffled a couple years ago, to me it seems that D'addario changed the steel formula and the wrapping technique.
    As far as i remember GHS Boomers are made with pre-magnetized 'Alloy 52', which would make these strings change their volume and sound inevitably if they're "stored" within the magnetic field of guitar pickups for such a long time. Just my 5 cents :)