Added: 2 years ago
From: dmometalguitar
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  • I used to use Ernie Balls. Then I realized that they didn't make thick enough strings for me so I switched to D'Addario. I use .12-.70 in drop A on my 6 strings (.10-.48 with a low .70 in Drop A on my 7 strings) and .13-.74 for drop G# on my 6 strings (.11-.50 with a low .74 on my 7's in Drop G#). Just so you guys know, D'Addario's and Ernie Balls are made in the exact same factory. The only way that the employees of that factory can tell the difference is because they paint the balls first.

  • Elixirs!

  • Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky's are great!

  • YOUR ABSOLUTLY RIGHT, EARNIE BALLS HAVE NEVER LET ME DOWN EITHER... CLEAN BRIGHT SOUND AND ALSO LAST LONGER...

  • i fucking hate ernie ball's strings . i bought ernie ball strings two months ago and i have broken three of him strings

  • pickup is judged by sound active just means it has a higher output and doesnt need a lot of distortion from pedals or anything else to distort the amp

  • I use D'Addario .11 with my EMG's. I used .10's for years but I was blown away by the difference that .11's make. They just give you so much more crunch.

    

  • So this is what Dexter (Dexter's Lab) will sound like when he's older!

  • i use ernie ball hybrid slinkys on drop c tuning with emg's

  • What about DR? I use the DR Tite Fit 9/46 on Standard Tuning.

    I think they're awesome.

  • I am a bit confused about your discovery or the sound presentation itself. I have an impression that your tunning is lowered in the first three demonstrations where you are using DM strings. In the last one though it sounds like a regular spanish tunning. I love Ernie balls as well but not sure about the reality of difference presented.

    Ken

  • Schecter used to use D'Addario 9's for stock strings now they use Ernie Ball 10's. I ordered my Avenger kinda early though so it still has the 9's. I will be switching them though for the 10's if the shop don't mind working on my guitar abit since it has a Floyd on it.

  • @jedimastergarcia87 well D'Addarios aren't bad. i would just put some D'Addario 10's on there instead of the Ernie's. but i like D'addario better in general cause they're brighter and bend easier, it seems. but then again it's personal opinion.

    but whatever you do, get those 9's off of your guitar... 9's are not metal, lol. 10's at the least, imo. i use 11-49's.

  • @TheMetalHeaD256 slayer used 0.10's on some of their earlier songs (show no mercy and hell awaits)

  • So I should get Ernie Ball strings then for my Schecter? It also has active EMGs and I have one with passives as well. I have the new Damien Elite Avenger FR and that has actives and my Damien 6 FR as a H4 and H4A pickup. Not sure what the Avenger has. I think the 81/85 set. The stock D'Addarrio strings suck.

  • @jedimastergarcia87 because d'addarrio produces thinner strings, beefy's are good for heavy metal and hard rock. d'addarrios are better for blues, classic rock, and pop-punk.

  • @ayohi yeah D'Addarios usually have a little thinner gauges than others. and also their cores aren't as heavy. however i wouldn't say they're bad for metal. with 11's i can get a really nice sound for metal through EMGs and a Marshall. but they've got a brighter sound and are more for shredding and soloing than riffing. very much lead guitar strings.

  • @TheMetalHeaD256 correct, ernies are better for the heavy chunky stuff.

  • what can i use for a floyd rose and Dropped B tuning?

  • @gianniswildchild Ernie Ball Not even slinky... 12-62

  • hmm... i like the sound of nickel-coated strings and i like the feeling of D'Addarios. however... both D'Addarios and Ernie Balls have a reputation for horrid consistency IMO... from pack to pack, you never know how long they'll last, exactly. one pack you buy may last you a month or more. but the next pack, like the one i just went through an hour ago, will last you 2 days before blackening and 2 weeks before breaking.

    i think i'm gonna switch back to DR's now, even if they do feel sharper.

  • I dont like Ernie Balls. They sound amazing when you put them on, but they wear out FAST. There's a noticable change in sound within a few days. I usually use D'Addarios, which can actually last me about 3 months if I clean them regularly (and their acoustic strings sounds GREAT). GHS strings are pretty good too.

  • @roundhousekicker88 I hear you man. I used to use EB 10s on my Ibanez. They sounded pretty good for a day or two, then the sound just went to hell. Im using DRs right now and they are WAY better than EB ever was for me.

  • Damn, didn't expect such a listenable difference !

    Incredible.. Thanks for posting !

  • After watching this guys video on Dunlop strings i went out and bought some. And this guy was totally right, they sound great and better than diaddarios. I just hope they last as long. How long do the Dunlop strings usually last for?

  • what kind of pickup combos do you have?

  • Diaddrios suck.Ernie ball rapes diaddrios or whatever you call those crappy excuse of strings ha

  • Ernie Ball wears out within a couple weeks of playing them. I use the DR Dimebag Darrel High Voltage strings. Gives me that fucking brutal heavy metal tone. Great strings. Try em out.

  • Have you found out whats best for Seymour Duncans?

  • I play EB's myself. What do ya think it is about them with the emg's?

  • what is the song he starts playing at 3:37

  • Ernie Balls and D addarios are the best strings

  • love your vids

  • i think his problem is the tremolo strings... because ive used dr strings, elixer ,d'addario prosteels, dunlop.. with my emg 81/85 and they al sounded awesome ... d'addarios turn black very fast elixer nanowebs dont they rock and dr strings are really good..

  • cool video!.. but i cant understand why i dont like active pick ups, they sound kinda "unatural" when you do some armonics it sound so exaggerated...and with clean channel they sound so sharp, it takes away a lo of character from the materials of your guitar :( but who knows maybe someday i will learn to like them

  • Can you change the Pickups to regular ones ?

  • DEAN MARKLEY NICKEL CL 9-46 BEST STRINGS EVER!!! I HAVE EMG PICKUPS AND SOUNDS AMAZING

  • Elixir is better

  • it sounded just as shitty with the ernie balls as it did with the Dean Markleys. just use daddarios they last longer and sound good. or DR's those are good to. ernie ball strings suck.

  • @1alecxg have played with ernies balls strings?

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N yeah and they suck ass hah

  • @1alecxg well this guy likes them so it doesnt matter what you think..

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N yeah its called an opinion stupid.

  • @1alecxg you dont see my point.. nobody cares about your opinion, you dont get an opinion.. like i said before this guy likes them, so it doesnt matter what you think.. why dont you make a video about how you dont like ernie ball strings and stop talking to me. besides your like the only one i know who doesnt like ernie ball strings.

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N you dont get my point. i dont give a fuck i can do what i want and i should stop talking to you ha! your the one that started talking to me go get a life. yeah cause they suck cock d'addarios are so much better.

  • @1alecxg what ever i dont care any more..

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N then why did you comment on my post in the first place.

  • @1alecxg what? no you did.. dude seriously you told me to get a life maybe you should take your own advise..

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N yeah go back and look i commented on the video not one of your comments so figure it out stupid. i have a life but apperently u dont so take my advice go get a life.

  • @1alecxg seriously, i dont care anymore..

  • @KILL3RKI3R4N then shut up and go play your shitty ernie ball strings.

  • @1alecxg yeah i will..

  • whats better standard or skinny top heavy bottom

  • @BUFFW i like the skinny top heavy bottoms for most any tuning down till Drop B. i use the daddario 10-52's there good feeling and sound good.

  • Elixers .68 ftw

  • Im not a expert on guitars. But I have a question. How do you know if a pickup is passive or active? I have a BC RICH JRV NJ DELUXE and It has a EMG 81, 85 combo. Is it recommended to change to ERNIE BALL 2626 strings?

  • @Mechansus passive pickups dont require a battery like active pickups do. There's also a sound difference. Actives have more gain or something like that.

  • EB strings suck balls. Blue Steels are the best

  • Ernie Ball strings suck, proud to say I quit using them 3 years ago

  • dean markley are the best strings ever man. powerful very easy to bend &clean sound but they drop a lot when are new so don't be afraid to pull a little harder on this strings(won't break because are very flexible) and then you will see the real value .

    As one opinion no mater what size use the blue steel cryogenic made and you'll see the difference

  • @sammykitra I used Dean Markley before, but i have to say, my DBZ5 and DBZB pickups work better with D`addario

  • And what strings are the best for passive pickups?

  • @RockHailand D'Addario EXL's in my opinion.

  • tried blue steels before, sound terrible. They can't be all stainless, stainless is not magnetic so don't know what their composition is, have to have some steel to be picked up by a magnetic pickup. I been using Regular Slinky's for years, best strings I know of..

  • Hi dmoguitar,

    Another great video. Btw, do the Ernie Ball stainless steel strings also solve the oscillating problem with active pickups?

  • passive pickups are better for meta;

  • @KreigjohnsonA7X really? then why does all metal musicans use actives?!

  • @Meatlooaf All metal musicians use active pickups..?

    So, you would say that Michael Amott, Willie Adler, Jon Schaffer and Chris Broderick are no metal musicians? Not to diss on active pickups or anything, but you can make great metal with passive pickups, actives are not better. Give me a Seymour Duncan SH13 and I'll punch your EMGs though the wall with the low end, but I still think that EMGs have a nicer overall tone for some kinds of metal riffing. It always depends, but not on active/passiv

  • @JackTarJakst3R Dimebag also used passives

  • @JackTarJakst3R Don`t forget Randy or Eddie. They had some of the VERY best tone I`ve ever heard using passives

  • @JackTarJakst3R uh chris broderick uses d activators they look passive but they are active

  • @CrushedJustice D Activator's a passive pickup, bro..

  • Comment removed

  • @CrushedJustice

    No.

    Dimarzio D-Activators are passive but are wound to emulate some of the qualities of active pickups

  • @JackTarJakst3R side by side, my seymour jb and my friends emg81, mine had a much nicer low end and crunch, but i had to compensate with more Hi ont he amp, his emg81 had incredible clarity much quieter, but had to reduce Hi's and boost lows. Id say if you dont have an amp with AT LEAST a 12inch speaker, EMGs wont do much for your overall sound.

  • @JackTarJakst3R dude you forgot synyster gates...

  • @Meatlooaf Yeah, not ALL metal musicians use actives...

    HURR-DURRRRRRRR...

  • @Meatlooaf derp lamb of god derp

  • DR strings FTW!!!

  • Erine Ball is a shit string, DR's all day!!!

  • @ChevyManSS350 if their shit than why the gratest players use them

  • @osvas23

    Erine Ball sponsors all there artist like every string company does. Thats why they have there names on the back of the package like on Erine Balls. Since they are sponsored they get free strings because they can you there name. I am sure if they said that hey, you are a great guitar player if I can use your name all give you all the free strings you want. I am sure you would take em, even if the strings are shit. DR is a better made string and quality.

  • Very interesting that this clears up the oscillation issue. I definitely agree that the EBs sound better here but isn't this mostly a comparison of string composition? The nickel plated set's motion is less affected by the magnet.

  • I've always used blue steels but today.... I'm buying some Ernie Balls, thanks to you.

    I'm getting 'Beefy Slinkys' 11 - 54's as I play in Drop C tuning and sometimes lower.

    Thanks for this video, really helped me decide.

  • @BCI9279 Get the new DR drop down tunings instead. I switched from beefy slinkies to the ddt and they are so much better. I guess I just hate the way the slinkies feel but the ddt's are so stable

  • @csmorgan Yeah, one of my friends uses DR DDTs and highley recommends them. Next time I buy new strings, I'll definitely get some! Thanks

  • What about strings to go with Seymours?

  • wow dude and I thought just changing the strings made a good difference....

    nice melodic death rift ;D

  • i got a question. EMG's need batteries rite? how long do the batteries last?

  • @Psychoguy99 absolutely ages. i uprated mine to 18volt, after a year i tested the batteries, still tried to melt my face when i licked them :p! although i still change them for the sake of it

  • @Psychoguy99 3000 hours. And preserved the battery's life when you unplug the cable. I use 2 battery's. Which is 18 volts, I have been using the same battery's since April and play at least 4 hours a day, so you get the idea. Battery's are something you don't have to worry about wastin money on if you active EMG pickups.

  • i use bareknuckles and they are 10 times better for me.

  • is it only regular slinkys or all ernie ball strings? What about power slinkys or slinky top heavies?

  • Okay ernie ball strings is what Im gonna put on my EMG guitar..if you say so

  • is Dean Markley Yngwie 10-46 custom light okay for EMGs??

  • @wisesatyr72 Yes, trust me i've been using dean markleys for 6 yrs and i'm currently using the Ynngwie Malmsteen on my RR Jackson and it's got the EMGs on there. Let me tell ya, it produced a great tone,sustain and never breaks,it just wears out.

  • @CerealKiller5150 So whats this guy bitching about!?? lol

    But you know I do noticed Ernie Ball have a brighter cleaner sound..like the strings stays new sounding..because I put some on a cheap Epiphone guitar before for about a year and the sound never changes..so who knows..yeah Im going w/Ernie B

  • @wisesatyr72 He probably has a lot of time on his hands so he decides to video record his opinions about guitar strings.He should be experimenting and finding the right tone instead. Anyway my advice is to experiment not just strings,but the guitar,pickups,picks,pedals/ef­fects,amps as well. It's about finding the right tone. I'm actually on that never ending quest in finding the right tone.

  • @wisesatyr72 Yngwie doesnt use EMGs.

  • Man, you don't like the EMG's do you! lol xD EMG's are great for drop d, c and b....wouldn't use them for standard tuning, half a step down or full step down though - they sound pretty awesome for metal!

  • @StevenDeedle Hmm, why wouldnt you use them for standard tunings [E, Eb, D]?

  • @VHTLtdDimarzio Hmm I thought about that and I don't really see a problem with it lol I guess I just wrote it without thinking but emgs are good pickups, btw have you heard of Seymour Duncan Blackouts? they sound vicious

  • lol ernie ball and ghs are the same thing.

  • @snapascrew They are?! Didnt know that...

  • @VHTLtdDimarzio mhmm ernie ball owns ghs and they're identical strings now

  • Try DR's man...

  • i have a 52

  • must get some EMG pickups yo

  • @dmometalguitar haha , couldn't have said it better ! Your videos are awesome , keep posting them , it helps me a lot , and I'm sure many people agree ;)

  • @suckit69er wow do you even play guitar your an idiot

  • @Shyuum dude the amps are for totaly different sound if he was going vintage id use a tube amp hell actually i use one most the time for the heavyest of metal but you cant get as much tone out of any tube amp the smoothest beutiful sound ever but not as much tone

  • @secretman666

    HAshshshhahhahahahahahah

  • @Shyuum It certainly doesn't sound useless. The fact is, using an all valve amp in this smaller room setting would sound worse than the Line 6. There's no point in being a tone snob when you can quite clearly hear this is great tone.

  • Dunlops sound best on my 81.

  • wow i noticed the difference.

  • i use dean markley blue steel for my schecter with EMG 81/85 and they seem fine, but my guitar doesnt have a bridge like yours so thats probably why.

  • stupid

  • @dmometalguitar Fuck you, Ernie Balls suck.

    D'Addario up your ass!

  • @Hudzan dude oersibky i love ernie balls there clean stretchy and easy to play with

  • i think part of this is that blue steel strings SUCK, not that ernie balls are so great, personally ernie balls are not my cup of tea they get nasty quick and i break em, D'addario all the way for me

    blue steel strings are the ONLY string ive broke when just chaning strings i question there metalurgy of however it is spelled

  • i love your voice

  • what about d'addario?

  • what does ernie ball do? they still sound the same

  • are power slinkys any good for tuning to drop c or other tunings? i like to use different tunings, and use different musical styles. i dont want too heavy of strings, or too thin.

  • try em out bro! should be fine!

  • i will once i get the chance, thanks.

  • then I'd go with power slinkys

  • I know there are a lot of people complaining about your amp. My suggestion, try the Peavey Vypyr 30 watt or 60 tube

  • I hear ya. I got a Vypyr 75 (tube 60 was too much $) and I love it. I use a Fender with an EMG-89 and right out of the box it sounds great. VERY unreliable amp though, I had it freeze up on me once and I hear others have bad problems with that.

  • i use a bc rich warlock and blue steel strings i love the combo this dude forgets its preference its all in what you like.

  • The spider III is a pretty good amp, I've used one, though the Spider IV was a massive improvement...

  • @ihrainovs18

    llol no way man

  • ok ok at least admit it was an improvement? Out of interest, what amp do you use?

  • I agree 100%.

  • i think the dean markely sound better.......sorry....lol

  • I use Blue Steel and I think that are made for more Heavy music some guitar players like that undefined sound I do.

  • It's not... it's not even emgs that this works on. I've been playing earnies for years (on my standard epiphone pups) and I started using some other brand that I've never heard of before and they sound totally shit.

  • And I say this because I can't afford a tube amplifier and apparentely , you could, you know, borrow one? or something lol

    Nevermind, I know you're gonna think I'm a dick or something

  • Throw the FR into the garbage...hard tails rock;-)

  • can I use DR Black beauties and still get the same sound?

  • Comment removed

  • one question i will buy a SG gothic and i will put it the same EMG of your ESP and the ernie ball strings, do you think it will sound good, or what EMG pickups do you recomend me, or another pickups for the SG? thanks, nice video btw. XD

  • so what kind of strings do you use in your jackon kv w/floyd rore

  • After watching this video I bought some Super Slinky's to try with my EMG 81/85s, in God I trust! (that's you)

  • Ive used Ernie Ball for 90% off my guitar playing life. But before people say they have a short life, all I can say to that is, when I tried Rotosound and other companies, they did what every guitar string does, start to rust from the sweat from your fingers, so what to do?..clean them every time your finished playing, and the string will last longer, it doesnt matter what strings you play, cleaning them will obviously prolong the life span.

    Be more concerned in string sound, rather then life

  • @StephenFiorentini Dont you think you should be a little conserned about what's in your wallet. Ernie Balls on my guitar last 2 weeks. And that's wipin the neck cleanin it and everythin else. I've used Ernie Ball, Daddario, Dunlops, GHS, DR, and Dean Markley. I like Dunlops better than anything and that includes sound. I like deep thick sound not bright sound. And I like life= 1.5 years not life equls less than a month.

  • guys u should try kerly strings...ive been using them my entire guitar playing experience...amazing strings...long life...little more expensive but its worth it. they also have sinister strings by which are the same strings but the bottom are a little heavier for drop tunings..

  • Yes yes, ernie ball are good strings, emm about the lifetime,

    they can  be alive 5 years if you want!

    how?, cleaning the strings every time you play...

    So that is not any problem..

    But you know, the strings are not

    the only thing in your guitar to make the sound good...

    The guitar itself, the pickups, the wood, and your tecnic of course..

    Very good video, and:

    have you ever test DUNLOP strings?

    they are very good

  • I don't hear a difference! x)

  • i have ernie ball strings. ive have them for like 4 months and there all ready comeing apart alittle

  • bc rich= homosexual.

  • @Christopherwilder47 well If you think really hard about it bc rich doesn't equal homosexual. Christopherwilder47 actually is equal to one of a homosexual's nature.

  • There's a difference in tuning here too. The guitar you play it on will make a difference, if you want a true comparison use the same guitar tuned EXACTLY the same with each set of strings. I bet you hear very little difference... I have used all the strings he has on here and have never experienced any excessive oscillation from one set to another, it's usually the guitar/amp setup.

  • i use DR strings with my EMGsand they work great

  • @mickey007r

    thats what i use with my esp eclipse

    dimebag dr's i love em

  • yeh D'Addario XL are awsome with my EMG's

  • I think Ernie Ball Strings sound exelent with any thing even whit the shity EMG.

    That's amazing.

  • Hi um when it comes to metal ur my go to guy, i have a question. would a 24 fret guitar still play and sound good if i used drop c and b tunings on it. Sorry this question isnt about the video so ill give it a 5 star rating

  • of course it would. You just need heavier gauge strings to keep the tension.

  • Thanks

  • dude you need a tube amp. you would sound amazing with one. you already have top of the line guitars

  • Yeah and if you look at the schmatics for emg pickups their layout is specifically for cranked tube amps.

  • what about blackouts? same results?

  • idk if you're asking him or me? but, i use blackouts instead of EMGs. and both Ernie Balls and DRs sound wonderful. i prefer DRs though because of the variety of gauges and how they're brighter and have more "punch" if you will

  • thanks! :)

  • dr strings are also great, i play .010-.056 and they never break, even with excessive whammy bar use. And they sound very clear and sharp

  • What about D'Addario's. Im using an agile with 808 actives and all 8 strings sound fine. No oscilation problems at all. The only thing it its expensive to get the 0.075 and the 0.090 for the B and F# (dropped to octave E) from D'addario.

  • what pickups are good for blue steel ???

  • How come is there more oscillation with active pickups?...dose it have something to do with different in the magnetic field?

  • hey looking for a bit of advice, i have an aria zz-1 (explorer), the pups are pretty powerful, i use the same ernies that are in this video but i find that the G,B and high E strings sound dull on a brand new set and also i'm sure i like the general tone and whats your thoughts on a alternative brand? play mostly rock, metal and blues

  • again, a very good review

  • wat do u think about the new dunlop strings?

  • i'll remember this when i drop EMGs into my explorer. good thing i already love ernie balls.

  • he has a video i think its good heavy metal guitars which explains why you shouldn't put emg's into a explorer

  • ive seen it before, but maybe i missed that. i thot he said you shouldnt put a Kahler into an explorer because of the stock pickups interfering with the Kahler's metal.

  • I don't mean to sound like a dick or anything but I think you should work on getting better audio for videos please. Thank you. Like Im not trying to hate on anything.

  • he's using a 15 watt line 6, so i think you should cut him a bit of slack

  • yeah I mean I know that. but like im talking about the quality of sound....like his camera. I think his guitar skill is phenomenal. and he makes a small amp sound good. =) but like a much better camera is needed =)

  • yeah suppose

  • those markleys sound like shit with emgs!