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Professor String

The Biggest Tuning Problem is...

A bad guitar string? Tuning problems are often resolved by a series of adjustments to an instrument. There is often a misunderstanding about what exactly is being adjusted, and what cannot be adjusted. There is a rule of thumb that states: The instrument is adjusted to the string. Many musicians often have this rule of thumb backwards. They think the string is actually being adjusted to the instrument...more.

The Five Things You Must Know About Coated Guitar Strings

Perhaps the largest emerging market in guitar strings continues to be coated strings. The coated guitar string is still new to many players, and yet widely used. We are going to take a closer look at this type of string and touch on some subjects that rarely get mentioned about this specialty string...more.
 

Is Guitar String Innovation Lagging?

Over the past forty years, there have been only a few major breakthroughs in guitar string design. This excludes the introduction of various mixes of alloys. Adding more nickel, using copper, or mixing more phosphor into a base alloy is fundamental metallurgy. It is on the same par as adding different pigmentation to paint, and getting a different color. When one takes a look at string construction, there appears to be very few breakthroughs...more.

What's the real scoop on archtop guitar strings?

As I have written before, the guitar string market has become a complex maze of hype and technology. Even the professionals get confused about the various string terms being used lately. We are going to get to the bottom of what archtop strings are all about in this article. But first, here is a real world example of what is happening out in the music stores...more.

Green Strings: Can the planet be saved by a set of guitar strings?

Let's first clear up a couple of things. Green strings are not actually green in color or appearance. Not even the ball-end is green in color. The focus of green guitar strings is about recycling, conservation, and eliminating waste...more.

The Unspoken Mystery Behind Acoustic Guitar Strings

Fundamentally, acoustic guitar strings have been around longer than any other type of guitar string. They have evolved into one of the most critical components of the acoustic scene. We are going to discuss the most misunderstood aspects of acoustic guitar strings in this writing...more.

Handcrafted Guitar Strings: A Secret?

What comes to mind when you hear about guitar and bass strings made by hand? To most folks, it conjures up images of somebody holding some wires together in one hand, while trying to wind them together with a pair of pliers in the other hand. In reality, that's not how handcrafted strings are produced...more.

Tuning Lubricants: Can they damage your guitar?

The short answer to this question is: Yes! We are going to show some of the pitfalls of these products in this article. Over the past few years, the guitar and bass string market has seen a number of various manufacturers start to offer lubricants for...more.

Do thick gauge strings take a toll? (Part I)

What do chips and salsa have to do with heavy gauge strings? If you like eating chips and salsa, then surely someone has asked you about your preference in salsa. At the top of the list would be the question: How hot do you like it?...more.

Want to put some heat on your tone? Try some Frozen Strings.

Frozen Strings have become one of the hottest things in guitar and bass string design. It's no pun! We are talking about cryogenically tempered strings. Some of the first sets of cryogenically tempered strings hit the market about two decades ago. But they really did not get into the mainstream of visibility until about a decade ago. We are going to take a closer look at this innovation mostly misunderstood by many and often mistaken as another string gimmick...more.

The Notorious Guitar String Grabber

There is a unique fret problem, common to players who use a thin (less than 0.011") gauge E string on their guitar. If you have experienced this problem, then you will surely get a grin on your face once you remember it. Here is the problem...more.

Poisonous Chromium Contamination Recently Found on Imported Guitar Strings.

With all the products coming from China and abroad, the dangers of imported products have taken a spotlight. We have seen contaminated pet food, toothpaste, and children's toys. The product recalls have cost billions of dollars...more.

Guitar string problems at outdoor gigs? Here are some tips.

Playing an outdoor gig can be fun. Most guitarists spend their time playing and practicing indoors. So, when the opportunity arises to get some outside fresh air and sunshine, many guitarists will jump on it. This is especially true for players with short summers like Minnesota and Michigan. If you have played at an outdoor concert, then you are probably familiar with the issues that can arise....more.

Playing Guitar with a Hand or Finger Injury

"When he smashed his finger, shit squirted out the end of it!" - That was something I once overheard a band member mention to someone at a local concert. Apparently, their lead guitarist severely injured his finger while setting down an extremely heavy speaker cabinet. Ouch! Nothing is more frustrating than having a hand or finger injury for a guitarist...more.

What you should know about the 7th and 11th strings

By statistics, most of you who are reading this, probably do not own a seven string guitar or bass. If you are a bassist, there is a good chance you own a 4 string bass. If you are a guitarist, there is a good chance you own a 6 string guitar. Some years ago, production versions of extended range instruments hit the guitar market by storm. At the time, several well known guitarists and bassist...more.

Bulk guitar strings: A Good deal for Coneheads?

If you have an appreciation for television classics, then you are probably familiar with the Saturday Night Live skits featuring the Coneheads. Whenever it was time for the Coneheads to eat, they would always declare it was time to "consume mass quantities" of beverages and consumables...more.

Watch it! You could put an eye out with that thing.

There are many tutorials on the Web and in books showing folks how to change guitar strings. Yet, very few of these tutorials advise people on how to trim the string. This little step is often glazed over by a basic instruction like, "Step 7: Trim away excess." Notice that this instruction does not say how to trim the string?...more.

If You Carry A Spare Set Of Strings In Your Case...Beware!

In the days of yester year and still today, virtually all individual strings came in little white paper envelopes. The paper envelopes were usually in a clear little plastic jacket with a flap... more.

Are your guitar strings breaking at the wrong time? Here are the fixes...

So you are in the middle of playing one of your favorite tunes with your band at a gig. Your solo is coming up, and it is going to be super cool and awesome. The first measure of your solo begins, and then *POP!* your second note vaporizes into thin air with no sound...more.

The Guitar String Jungle. Are You Judging A Book By The Cover?

If you have ever taken a look at the wall full of string selections at a major music store, then you are going to appreciate "the secret" about to be uncovered. You might be asking yourself, "What secret? I didn't know there was a secret." Well, there is a secret. It is seldom discussed amongst guitarists and guitar instructors. We are going to take a look at it in this article...more.

Which string is better: Hand Wound or Precision Machine Wound?

Many string manufacturers take pride in how they make their quality strings. There are some string company's who advertise their strings being made by hand. Yet, there are other string company's who advertise their strings being precision machine wound. Both Scenario I and Scenario II are represented in this manner. So, which is better: Hand wound or precision machine wound? The answer is...more.

A Guitar String Problem You Were Never Told About

So you installed a new set of string onto your guitar, and minutes later one of the strings break. For a brief moment you feel speechless. Then you find the words to describe how you feel, and out they come. Aaaah!!! Has this ever happened to you? Why did this happen? What went wrong? There are a number of issues that can be causing early string breakage...more.

What is The Guitar String Tone Curve Doing To Your Sound?

In this article, we are going to take a look at the life cycle of a guitar string. As a guitarist or bassist, you know as soon as a set of strings are installed on your instrument, it sounds totally different. There is a world of difference in tone with the new strings compared to the old strings...more.

What do you think it sounds like?

One of the most exciting things you can do in customizing your guitar is changing the pickups. If you have ever done this modification, then you know the difference can be dramatic. In fact, you don't know what it is going to exactly sound like until it is fully installed and the instrument is plugged in...more.