Strings Direct

DAddario Electric Guitar Nashville Strings 14/03/2019
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What is Nashville Tuning?

Have you ever wanted to achieve the unique sound of a 12-string guitar but don’t actually have a 12-string to hand? Or, perhaps you often find yourself wanting to add unique guitar parts to your recordings to help create something a little bit ‘different’. Well we may just have the solution for you. Allow us to introduce you to ‘Nashville Tuning’. So what exactly is Nashville Tuning? In a nutshell, Nashville tuning takes the octave strings within a 12-string set and puts them on a 6-string guitar. This particular tuning... Read More

22/02/2019
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Absolutely buzzing! Why am I getting string buzz?

“Absolutely buzzing” has recently become a popular phrase to explain a heightened feeling of happiness, excitement and elation. However, ‘Absolutely Buzzing’ is certainly not something you want to hear when describing the way your strings sound on your guitar :-/ This usually occurs when the string doesn’t have enough room to freely vibrate and its path of travel is interrupted and usually manifests itself as an irritating buzzing noise. This buzz can occur when a string is played open, or it can also occur when the string is fretted. If... Read More

Paige Cradle Style Capo 18/02/2019
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The ultimate guide to buying your next capo

Next to plectrums, capos are probably one of the most common guitar accessories that we hear are either lost (or stolen) from gigs. We’re convinced that what your local pub loses in pint glasses, they are almost certainly gaining in their stockpile of picks and capos!! Whether you’ve lost your capo, have never used one or have no idea what that crazy contraption does, we’re here to help you navigate the capo landscape. Buckle up! So what exactly is a capo and what does it do? If you’ve been playing... Read More

Acoustic guitar player with soundhole pickup 24/01/2019
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What acoustic strings are best for a magnetic soundhole pickup?

When it comes to making your acoustic guitar louder, there’s a whole host of pickup options available on the market including magnetic pickups, microphones, soundboard mounted, piezos and in some cases a combination of two or more of these things. A magnetic soundhole pickup is a popular solution for many acoustic players (We’re sure you would have all seen these before… these are the ones that are mounted across the soundhole and sit just beneath the strings). Due to their relatively simple design, many are priced well and can be... Read More

GHS Thin Core Set laying on a guitar 19/12/2018
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What’s the difference between a hex core and a round core string?

Today, electric guitar and acoustic guitar string sets comprise of a mix of plain steel strings and wound strings. Plain steel strings are simply one piece of cylindrical steel wire running the entire length of the string. However, when we refer to strings that have a central core, we’re referring to the thicker ‘wound’ strings. These strings are (in almost all cases) made up of two parts: a central core wire and an outer wrap which travels around the core. This central steel core wire can come in two main... Read More

Opened DAddario Nickel Wound Single Strings 26/11/2018
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What’s a wound 3rd and do I need one?

Throughout your guitar playing life, chances are you may never have considered whether your 3rd string should be plain or wound. The vast majority of sets sold nowadays come with a plain 3rd (for electric guitar anyway) and comprise of 3 plain strings and 3 wound strings (or more if you play 7, 8, 9-string etc.). The use of a wound 3rd in electric sets is certainly not as popular today as it was many moons ago. In fact, before the 60’s, string gauges were pretty heavy and came with... Read More

Different Scale Length Strings 23/10/2018
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Bass guitar scale length – what you need to know

Scale length for bass guitars can be a rather grey area due to the huge variation of basses and strings on the market today. As with all things strings and musical instruments, there’s often some idiosyncrasies that throw curve balls into the mix so we’re here to help clear things up and guide you as you navigate your way through the (sometimes) murky waters of scale lengths. So what exactly is scale length? Scale length is the distance (usually measured in inches) from the bridge saddles of your bass up... Read More

12/10/2018

Pinned Down! How to keep your bridge pins in your guitar

We often receive messages from customers telling us that they’re struggling to find a set of bridge pins that fit their acoustic guitar properly, or that their bridge pins keep popping out. Whilst many guitars are quite happy to be fitted with standard sized bridge pins, a smaller number of guitars may require bridge pins that are sized and shaped differently. However, that being said, one of the most common reasons players experience frustration with their bridge pins is because they haven’t been fitted correctly. So what exactly is a... Read More

Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky 21/09/2018
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Going Heavy! What to expect when you go up a gauge

So you’re thinking of going up a gauge in string, eh!? You cheeky monkey!! Going for a heavier gauge string is a common desire for many players. As we know, heavier strings can help deliver a “bigger and better” tone! However, before you run off, unwrap that heavier set and stick them on your guitar it’s worth being aware of the trade-offs that can come as result of your journey on the quest for heavenly tone!! Heavier gauge strings naturally have more tension in them when they are tuned to... Read More

String Tension Image 14/09/2018
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String Tension 101

In our previous blog, we gave a brief introduction to the world of string gauges. We discussed how gauge can affect the playability of a guitar and we also touched on the concept of string tension too. In this blog we’re going to delve a little deeper into tension, talk about its close link with string gauge and why it’s something you should also be conscious of. Tension is something that is more commonly referred to when we talk about classical guitar strings. However, when we discuss other types of... Read More