The Recording Guitarist: Should You Change Your Electric's Strings Before Tracking?

Sometimes—depending on the vibe you’re hunting—new isn’t always best.
Hey, remember that guitar mag article on prepping for studio work? The one that said you should always change strings before recording because you want the brightest, loudest, most accurately intonated sound? I've edited words to that effect often over the years.
Then there was that column that told you to avoid last-minute string changes at all costs, because well-worn strings provide better tuning stability, more consistent dynamics, and fewer finger-squeaks. Yeah, I've edited that article at least as many times.
So who's right? I'll whip out my standard wishy-washy answer: "They both are—it depends on the context." So let's listen objectively and consider those contexts.
Unless you're cutting a solo guitar recording, the tone in isolation doesn't mean crap.
Don't you ever wash that thing?
Let's start with a recording made with filthy, disgusting strings. I grabbed my battered but beloved Hamer 25th Anniversary model (a Gibson-flavored axe retrofitted with Seymour Duncan's Joe Bonamassa PAF pickups). These days I play flatwounds almost exclusively, but I string this guitar with roundwounds to have a "normal" reference for gear reviews. It had worn the same set of U.S.-made, all-nickel strings (gauged .011-.052) for something like 18 months. I hadn't cleaned the fretboard in years, and it was thick with muck. You could have planted a crop of potatoes between the 3rd and 4th frets.
Ex. 01 Old Strings (Dry)
Still, the strings didn't intonate too terribly, so I plugged in and improvised a short phrase, recording direct and then reamping through a small combo with a hint of spring reverb, but with no additional EQ or compression in my DAW (Ex. 1).
A little plonky-sounding, perhaps, but it's not that dreadful, is it?
Ex. 02 New Strings (Dry)
Next I snipped off the ancient strings, gave the fretboard a desperately needed scrub, and installed a new set of the same string type. I played and stretched strings for five minutes or so, and then duplicated the performance at identical recording settings (Ex. 2).
As expected, there's a bit more shimmer. And curiously, it sometimes feels like the low-mids have been scooped relative to Ex. 1, though I suspect that's a psychoacoustic side effect of the revitalized highs.
Ex. 03 Old Strings (EQ)
But how meaningful is this difference in timbre? Could you duplicate the brighter treble via EQ? Check out Ex. 3, which is simply Ex. 1 again, but with a bit of a DAW EQ bump around 2 kHz.
The EQ doesn't exactly make the old strings sound new, but to my ears, the modified old-string clip now sounds closer to Ex. 2 than to its original pre-EQed tone.
Ex. 04 Old Strings (Mix)
Which sounds best? Stop—don't answer that question! It's a trick! Because unless you're making a solo guitar recording, the tone in isolation doesn't mean crap.
Ex. 05 New Strings (Mix)
Let's consider the tonal differences in the context of a band arrangement, using typical mix effects. Ex. 4 features the old strings. Ex. 5 features the new ones.
06 Old Strings (EQ'd Mix)
And in Ex. 6 the old strings are EQed to sound newer.
Um, not super dramatic, is it? It's a reminder that the quality and intensity of a performance is approximately 937 times more important than such subtle tone variations.
Making soup. Now that we have a doubled part played on very old and very news strings, what sort of sonic mischief can we get into?
Ex. 07 (Pseudo Flange)
In Ex. 07 you hear both guitars panned in center for an "organic flange" effect.
Ex. 08 (Wide Image)
The tracks are panned far left and right in Ex. 08 for a dramatic stereo spread.
Ex. 09 (Filter Mesh)
Finally, Ex. 09 is a complex mesh: Both tracks are routed through filters, but the left-panned track's filter is panned right, and vice-versa.
Change for the better?
I suppose my answer to the "should I change strings?" conundrum is, "Eh, whatever." My advice is to go with whatever is most likely to inspire your best performance. Maybe worn-in wires make you feel cool and confident, like some old-school Stax session cat who hasn't swapped strings since 1962. Or maybe installing a fresh set is an upbeat preparation ritual, like sharpening your pencils and organizing your desk before an inspired day of writing. (Though, as any writer's-block sufferer can tell you, sharpening and organizing can become obsessive habits that flourish in lieu of writing.) Musician, know thyself and string accordingly.
[Updated 10/15/21]
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Grez Guitars has introduced the Grez GrandTour Bass, a short scale semi-hollow carve-top instrument available in 4-string format.
The Grez Grand Tour Bass, designed in collaboration with bass powerhouse Ian MartinAllison is, like all Grez instruments, a modern sleek interpretation of the classic instruments from the 50’s and 60’s.
The instruments feature a carved Spruce top, Honduran Mahogany body and neck. The 30" scale construction includes a Macassar ebony fretboard, 12” radius with 21 jumbofrets. Each bass comes equipped with a Halon bridge, Grez string anchor and LaBellaDeep Talkin’ long scale 45-105 flatwound strings. Electronics include Curtis Novak Bisonic/Darkstar pickups with coil tap.
The Grand Tour bass features a nitro finish and is available in a variety of colors(pictured here in custom Toasted Marshmallow).
Grez Grand Tour Bass with Ian Martin Allison
Barry Grzebik explains: “I love process of design instruments, marrying acoustical,electrical, visual and ergonomic engineering with industrial and artistic design. In this case creating something that artfully balances the desire for a robust acoustic voice with the need to hold up to professional touring and stadium stage volumes. One small notable detail is that although this is a short scale instrument, because of the after-length of string past the bridge, it uses standard long scale strings which dramatically increases sting options and availability.”
Ian Marin Allison shares, “I’m inspired by the unique character of vintage hollow andsemi-hollow basses, but they don’t always live up to our modern expectation of stability, playability, versatility and QUALITY. I’m proud to have helped create something that does”.
The Grez Grand Tour Bass, is available now from Grez Guitars and their dealers with astreet price starting at $5,999. Light customization is welcome with delivery times aslittle as 8 weeks.
$149
Marshall 1959 Super Lead
The very definition of classic, vintage Marshall sound in a highly affordable package.
There’s only one relevant question about Marshall’s new 1959 Super Lead overdrive/distortion pedal: Does it sound like an actual vintage Super Lead head? The answer is, simply and surprisingly, yes. The significant difference I heard within the voice of this stomp, which I ran through a Carr Vincent and a StewMac Valve Factory 18 kit amp for contrast, is that it’s a lot quieter than my 1972 Super Lead.
The Super Lead, which bore Marshall’s 1959 model number, debuted in 1965 and was the amp that defined the plexi sound. That sound is here in spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts. Like the Super Lead, the pedal is easy to use. The original’s 3-band EQ is replaced by a single, rangeful tone control. The normal dial and the volume, which together mimic the character created by jumping the first and second channels of a plexi head, offer smooth, rich, buttery op-amp driven gain and loudness. And the high-treble dial functions much like the presence control on the original amp.
The pedal is sturdy and handsome, too. A heavy-duty metal enclosure evokes the classic black-with-gold-plate plexi look and a vintage-grille-cloth motif. Switches and knobs (the latter with rubber sides for slip-free turning) are ultra solid, and—refreshingly—there’s a 9V battery option in addition to a barrel-pin connection. Whether with single-coils or humbuckers, getting beefy, sustained, historic tones took moments. I especially delighted in approximating my favorite Super Lead head setting by flooring the high treble, normal, and tone dials, and turning back the tone pots on my Flying V, evoking Disraeli Gears-era Clapton tone. That alone, to me, makes the 1959 Super Lead stomp a bargain at $149.Two guitars, two amps, and two people is all it takes to bring the noise.
The day before they played the coveted Blue Room at Third Man Records in Nashville, the Washington, D.C.-based garage-punk duo Teen Mortgage released their debut record, Devil Ultrasonic Dream. Not a bad couple of days for a young band.
PG’s Chris Kies caught up with guitarist and vocalist James Guile at the Blue Room to find out how he builds the band’s bombastic guitar attack.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Devilish Dunable
Guile has been known to use Telecasters and Gretsches in the past, but this time out he’s sticking with this Dunable Cyclops DE, courtesy of Gwarsenio Hall—aka Jordan Olds of metal-themed comedy talk show Two Minutes to Late Night. Guile digs the Dunable’s lightness on his shoulders, and its balance of high and low frequencies.
Storm Warning
What does Guile like about this Squier Cyclone? Simple: its color. This one is also nice and easy on the back, and Guile picked it up from Atomic Music in Beltsville, Maryland.
Crushing It
Guile also scooped this Music Man 410-HD from Atomic, which he got just for this tour for a pretty sweet deal. It runs alongside an Orange Crush Bass 100 to rumble out the low end.
James Guile’s Pedalboard
The Electro-Harmonix Micro POG and Hiwatt Filter Fuzz MkII run to the Orange, while everything else—a DigiTech Whammy, Pro Co Lil’ RAT, and Death by Audio Echo Dream 2—runs to the Music Man. A TC Helicon Mic Mechanic is on board for vocal assistance, and a TC Electronic PolyTune 3, Morley ABY, and Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 3 Plus keep the ship afloat.
Ernie Ball, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium guitar and bass strings, is proud to announce the release of the Pino Palladino Signature Smoothie Flats, the newest innovation in flatwound bass strings.
Developed in collaboration with legendary bassist Pino Palladino, these signature sets are engineered to deliver an ultra-smooth feel and a rich, warm tone that’s as versatile as it is expressive. Available in two gauges—Extra Light (38–98) and Medium (43–108)— Smoothie Flats are crafted with a precision-polished cobalt alloy ribbon for low tension, flexible playability, and deep vintage-inspired sound.
Ernie Ball: Pino Palladino Signature Smoothie Flats Bass Strings
Product Features:
- Precision polished for an ultra-smooth feel
- Cobalt alloy ribbon winding for a rich, deep sound
- Flexible, low-tension design for superior playability
- Trusted by Pino Palladino for studio and live performance
Pino Palladino Signature Smoothie Flats bass strings are available at Ernie Ball dealers worldwide.