Yet Another Guitar Gear Post

Strings.

I’ve been using Dean Markley guitar strings since the dawn of history.  They were the first strings I bought for myself and in the 33 or so years that followed, any time I tried a different brand they felt wrong and I hated them and immediately went back to my binky.

Over the last decade or so it seems like they have been getting harder and harder to find.  Music stores near my home don’t seem to carry them, or at least not the specific model/gauge that I prefer.  Online retailers do, but even their stocks seem to be getting smaller and I’ve been back ordered a few times.  This morning before work I went shopping online and noticed that my usual go-to sites seem to have far fewer options available than the last time I bought a bulk of Lite 9-42 gauge Signature strings.

I’m taking that as a sign.  The universe is telling me I need to start looking into an alternative.  Ernie Ball still makes strings.  D’Addario still makes strings.  I could go with one of them… but when I tried them back in the 80’s I was really unhappy.  I need to try something new.  Well, thinks I, I’ve gone off the deep end on boutique pedal companies… why not try the same thing with strings?

There are two companies that come to mind.  Stringjoy and Curt Mangan.  I’ve heard good things about both companies, but didn’t have any idea which to try first.  To solve the problem, I flipped a coin.  Stringjoy won.  I ordered two sets of strings, with about the same gauges I’m used to.  Their site made a case for using a slightly heavier B and a slightly lighter G and I figured what the hell.  I’ll put a set on my Les Paul and a set on my SG and see how they feel.  When the next gig comes along at the end of November I’ll put Dean Markley’s on both guitars out of paranoia.  I still have a few left and I want to save them for the gig, just in case the new brands don’t cut it for me.  After the gig I’ll get a couple of packs from Curt Mangan and try those.  After that, if the two newbies don’t sufficiently WOW me, I’ll go online and look for more options.

While I was shopping online I also bought a couple of packs of picks.  I might be crazy enough to try new things, but I’m not that crazy.  Fender Heavy it is.