Strings Direct

Christmas Tree 20/12/2017

Stuff the stocking of the one you love!

This time next week most of us will be indulging in the post-Christmas meat sweats (or nut roast sweats for all our veggie readers out there)! But if like me the very thought of hitting the local shopping centre brings you out in a cold sweat, have no fear, we’ve compiled a small list of gifts that would be perfect for your guitar playing friend or family member, to help you on your merry way. Below we’ve selected a few essential items that suit a range of budgets and will... Read More

12/12/2017

Cleaning Your Guitar’s Body

Cleaning/Polishing. What those really mean. We recently posted a blog on how to clean your guitar’s fretboard. Well, now it’s time to look at the guitar’s body. Once again, the prospect of cleaning doesn’t spark energy into most of us, but it’s always worth giving our guitars a bit of attention, to help maintain playability and prolong their life. Before you pick up your guitar, we’d always recommend giving your hands a good clean (you never know what kind of grease you’ve got leftover from your lunch on them)! A... Read More

electric guitar string saddles 13/11/2017
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Why are my strings breaking?

  If you’re breaking strings, it can seem like the bane of your life at times. It’s never a convenient time to break a string, especially mid gig. Plus if it’s happening all the time it can be an almighty pain in the proverbial. But why do strings break? Is it poor technique? Could it be a duff set? Perhaps….but sometimes there can be other reasons we’re not aware of. We all have our own style of playing. Some of us may be more aggressive players than others and attack... Read More

Assorted Gig Tickets 05/11/2017

They don’t make ’em like they used to….

My mum recently asked me to go back home and go through all of my old things. For years my parents had kindly been storing a lot of my old stuff. I say kindly storing, I just left it all behind when I moved out and never went back for it! But the time had finally come for my things to make way for scatter cushions and potpourri as my old bedroom was to become the spare room for guests. Right after I got over the shock that the prospect... Read More

01/11/2017

Cleaning your guitar’s fretboard

  Cleaning your guitar’s fretboard isn’t one of the most desirable jobs in the world. Most of us just want to get on with playing and when presented with the choice of cleaning your guitar or playing, it’s pretty obvious which the majority of us would choose. But keeping your fingerboard clean isn’t just for cleanliness sake, it does have a practical benefit too. So what are some basic rules for keeping your fretboard in good nick? Well first it’s best to note that rosewood, ebony or dark wood fingerboards... Read More

19/10/2017
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Locking in the (straplock) free world!

Locking in the (straplock) free world! I’m sure we’ve all been there, you look down at your strap attached to the horn of your guitar and it’s clinging on for dear life. You adjust your body shape like a contortionist mid song just to try and wriggle that little bit more material back onto the strap button. Now whether you’re somebody who likes to jump about on stage like a man possessed or not, its be nice to be safe in the knowledge your favourite guitar isn’t going to be lying... Read More

12/10/2017
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Working Around A Nickel Allergy

The thought of not being able to pick up a guitar due to pain is quite a chilling thought for most of us, however for some this is a harsh reality.  For a percentage of guitar players their playing can be plagued by an allergic reaction to nickel wound guitar strings.  This ‘seemingly’ harmless metal can trigger an allergic reaction in the skin and be the source of great discomfort.  The reaction usually manifests itself in the form of blistering or a rash, but other symptoms can also be muscular... Read More

04/10/2017

The best Apps for Musos as voted for by the SD team

Some may say the digital age has brought along it’s problems, however, when it comes to being a musician, it’s fair to say that the introduction of the smart phone and tablet and their apps have made our lives not just easier, but helped us develop further as musicians too. There are literally thousands of apps out there all tailored to the need of the musician.  Some are great, some not so.  In fact it can be a bit of a minefield deciphering which ones are worth downloading (or spending... Read More

28/09/2017

I like light strings and I cannot lie!!!

We’ve all been there, picked up somebody else’s guitar and wondered just what strings they’ve put on there.  They’re either too light, too heavy, too tight, too loose…whatever the situation, they just don’t feel right!  More often than not, when people pick up my guitar the strings are too light for their liking. Guitar playing can be a lot like going to the gym.  Hear me out! The guitar world can be quite ego driven.  Let’s face it, it’s nice to flex those muscles sometimes, lift heavier than the next... Read More

02/08/2017

Ernie Ball Paradigm Slinkys… Review

OK, so Ernie Ball suggest that the new Paradigm range will play and feel just like the steadfast standard Slinky sets that have been – certainly in my case – the only strings I can truly say I’m happy with.  The first time I ever had to restring my guitar, I was about 12, I had absolutely no idea what strings I wanted and I just wanted to replace the high ‘e’ string I snapped the night before.  The guy in the guitar store obviously knew that and just reached... Read More