Rotosound strings supplied with BK pickup sets.

[Lucifuge]

I'd never noticed that much of a difference between different brands or types of strings (other than flatwounds) until now, when I fitted the Rotosound set that BK sent with my new pickups.

The only way to describe it is to say they sounded so dull and muffled that I kept checking to see if my shirt sleeve or something else was resting against the strings and muting them, or that I had accidentally turned the tone pot all the way down - in fact for a while I was worried that the pot might be on the blink.

I fitted a new set of Ernie Balls and everything is back where I expected, but what gives with these strings? Could it be that they are pure nickel rather than nickel-wound and that just doesn't suit me (the packaging doesn't make that very clear,) could I have got a dud batch, or are they just bad?

In contrast, the pickups sound just great and get my guitar sounding much closer to the way I imagine it should, so PDT_003 to Tim on that.

[Twinfan]

I don't like the BKP strings either.

[HTH AMPS]

I play 11s, so never tried BKP strings - the BKPs I've bought have come with 10s as far as I remember.

[jpfamps]

I've never been a huge fan of Rotosound strings, although from my recent experiences they aren't as dead as they used to be.

I always used to use Ernie Ball Power Slinkys, but have now started using GHS Boomers which seem to stay brighter a bit longer than the Ernie Balls.

[HTH AMPS]

I've been playing Pyramid pure nickel 11s for the past couple of years now and they last forever.  Before that I used Dr Duck 11s and they were great too, but the £/$ rate has killed the deal I was getting on those from the US.

[gordiji]

when i put newies on, they always sound great whatever the brand because i get used to the old dull ones.

[dave_mc]

i like rotos :lol:

[Pete24v]

Rotos 11's all the way, apart from my '62 reissue strat which has Ernie's Beefy Slinkys. Never had a dull tone with Rotos, in fact they have a nice upper sparkle

[viking]

I tried them once ...but not twice  :lol:!

[Matt77]

I used to be able to get them for free.
I paid for other brands instead.

[Lucifuge]

when i put newies on, they always sound great whatever the brand because i get used to the old dull ones.

That's partly the point; in this case, the new ones sounded duller than the old ones.

Note: the strings were not put on the same guitar as the new pickups, so maybe the strings are formulated to only sound good with BKPs or something :roll:

[bucketbot]

Hope Tim's reading this!

[msplines]

The best strings BKP ever supplied for me were the Framus pure nickels, I'm afraid I don't go much on the rotosounds either.

[AndyR]

Have to admit I don't use the freebies because I use 11s (I give them to my nephew instead). But up until a few years ago I was a confirmed Rotosound user.

Can't rememeber how/why, but I got switched to D'Addario. I'll still buy/use Rotos in an emergency, though.

Ernie Ball's I always found too bright for me when they were new. Then they'd be "good" for a few days when worn in. Then they'd go off really quick for me. When I got into Rotos I found they were more like "worn in" Ernie Balls when you first put them on and stayed that way for quite a while before they went off.

I find the D'Addario's do roughly the same as the Rotos, but they "seem" to feel better for me, and they seem to last longer.

[38thBeatle]

I've used Rotos for ages and find them ok though I have just a few sets left before I start on my supply of DR's that a mate gave me.