DR Handmade Strings Review - Long Lasting Freshness! |
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November 3rd, 2007 | DR, DR Reviews, Ronz Gear Reviews |
There are simply not enough reviews of guitar strings out there! This review will take a look at my personal favorite strings, DR Handmade Strings. First of all, how important are strings anyway? Do they really make any sound difference? Do certain strings last longer than others? Do different string sizes make a difference in playability?
These questions are excellent and I hope you are asking yourself them as you experiment with different types of strings. Before we focus in on the DR strings itself, these above questions should be examined. First, as any player will tell you, strings are vitally important to how a guitarist not only sounds, but also how he plays the instrument itself. Next, the quality of strings certainly affects how long they will last. (Dead strings hold little sustain and will rarely stay in tune longer than 30 seconds).
Finally, the size or gauge of a string must be chosen depending on how you play. Do you frequently bend while you solo? A lighter 9 gauge string is appropriate. Are you a strict rhythm player? A thicker, fater gauge string of 10 or above will suit you best.
Types of DR Strings:
The following list illustrates the great variety of strings produced by DR:
Lite-Lite LLT-8 8 11 16 24 30 38
Lite-n-Tite LT-9 9 11 16 24 32 42
Lite-n-Heavy LH-9 9 11 16 26 36 46
Half-Tite HT-9.5 9.5 12 16 24 34 44
Medium-Tite MT-10 10 13 17 26 36 46
Jeff Healey JH-10 10 14 18 32 44 56
Big-n-Heavy BT-10 10 13 17 30 44 52
Medium-Heavy MH-10 10 13 17 28 38 50
Extra-Heavy EH-11 11 14 18 28 38 50
Jazz JZ-12 12 15 24 32 42 52
Mega Heavy MEH-13 NEW! 13 17 26 36 46 56
7 String Lite LT7-9 9 11 16 24 32 42 52
7 String Medium MT7-10 10 13 17 26 36 46 56
What do all these numbers mean? Essentially, the smaller the gauge number, the thinner your string is. As you can see, DR has provided enough variety to last a lifetime. My personal favorite gauge is 10. I like the feel of a lighter string but also want something that has a thicker tonality. Depending on the type of music you play, find a gauge string that works for you. There is no set rule on this. My
suggestion is to simply buy a bunch of different sets and slowly work your way through them.
In comparison to other popular guitar strings such as D'addario, I find that DR strings give a more crisp, fresh sound for approximately 1-2 weeks longer (depending on how hard and often you play). Also, the acid levels of your hand (basically how damn sweaty your palms are) also have a big effect on how long your strings last. Of course, for economical reasons, if you are in a live band and play often, you should be changing your strings no less than every 2 gigs of playing.
If you are a guitarist who does not perform live but records, the same rule probably applies. Again, no set rules on this.
In conclusion, I wrote this article to explore what I feel is the best sounding, economical hand made strings around: DR Hand Made Strings. At the very least, head to your local music store and try these babies out, you wont be disappointed.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I use only DR strings on my electrics, but I honestly don’t find them to last any longer than anything else. Then again, my hands kill strings quickly. Any longer than 5 days, and nothing feels fresh. They are really their best between 1-4 days. I should note that I generally keep my guitars on the wall, and not in cases.
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:19 am
[...] Most parents will consider this option a lifesaver until the moments your child is playing like Stevie Ray! In my opinion a solid buy with no problems. Just buy some extra strings and you are good to go. My favorites are DR-10 strings. [...]