Sorry Paul Davids,not impressed by Rotosound Strings..

KevS

Well it seems these Rotosound strings sound like they've been on a guitar over a month when they are fresh out of a sealed foil pack..I done a comparison with month old D'Addarios,,same pickup set,,same distance from the strings..Yikes.I heard the dullness unplugged right away,but put them through their paces anyway...I have always used D'Addario..Elixir Nanoweb coated strings on less used guitars..D'Addario have way more sustain and Bass / Treble output,shimmer..The Rotos also feel dead and lifeless,the D'Addarios have a spring about them...

So many D'addario high E's unravel at the winding at the ball end,so I end up replacing it with a Rotosound High E string..I thought why not try a whole set of Rotosound..As there was a Multi pack deal on..I thought I would get 3 set of each gauge as that meant free postage,so six packs,,£41 later..Could be way worse,but I can't believe how dull/dead sounding the Rotosounds are,they come in a sealed metal foil pack too...

.I buy my D'Addarios from Strings Direct,so they aren't bootleg/fakes..If they were fakes and they sounded better than Rotos that would be a shocker..They don't have any of the telltale fake signs..I bought the Rotos from a reputable shop in the UK too..

I saw a multiple string test on YouTube..Respected Influencer Paul Davids...The Rotosounds won and the D'Addarios got knocked out in the first round..I think Ernie Ball Strings are a bit dull and break too easily by the way..Used D'Addarios since,I think it was 1988..Just consistent and the high E problem didn't appear for me until about 2010..You can tin the wraps with solder,I hate soldering..

I realise some people may love and swear by Rotosound strings..We all have different tastes..
I can't understand that taste,but in a tolerant society,we all have to tolerate each other opinions and taste..
Even though these strings sound like a deaf Wildebeest/s rectum..( In my Opinion )..

mrkb

Paul has met his influencer target - you bought strings because of him - he’s happy.

euan

I’d always describe fresh rotosounds as bright and zingy 

LooseMoose

I don’t know who Paul David’s is, but I’ve never liked Roto’s, they go off quickly, lack sparkle (and depth too) and feel nasty.

Elixirs are expensive but I find anything else just totally inferior in every way.

KevS

euan said:

I’d always describe fresh rotosounds as bright and zingy 

Maybe these strings were really old,although I thought the foil packs were recently new..

Maybe new Rotosounds are less dull than older used ones,it's all relative ..
Maybe some folk find D,Addario XL's too bright..

lovestrat74

Agreed! D'addarios all the way

stickyfiddle

I wont use anything but elixir on electric by choice. D'adds are good in a pinch but dont last as long. 

Conversely on acoustic I use D'addario EJ16 most of the time. I have a couple of other things to try but I'm generally very happy with those. 

KevS

LooseMoose said:

I don’t know who Paul David’s is, but I’ve never liked Roto’s, they go off quickly, lack sparkle (and depth too) and feel nasty.

Elixirs are expensive but I find anything else just totally inferior in every way.

Yes they are like a Wildebeest's Bum..

This is Paul Davids..A bit Hipsterish and his Strats are the wrong colour,apart from that,he seems semi sincere..
Then again is anybody these days..Did James Howe Industries give him free Avocado beard oil..
I have a beard by the way,but keep dried food in mine..

maltingsaudio

Strings are a very personal thing.

For me, I chose a brand 25 years ago after many years of chopping and changing and honestly don’t have the desire to change or try anything new on my guitars.

Obviously I’ve played loads of guitars over the years since with different brands on, nothing has made me want to change. The only real opinion I’ve formed is Elixir/ nanoweb/ coated strings are the single worst development in string technology ever, but I’m just one guitarist in a billion. My opinion is based on 50 odd years of playing and again that counts for nothing.

The strings I use are Picato 

DrCornelius

Paul Davids seems a decent sort in his vids but why does he have to pull a variation of the same twatty ‘Wow, I’m so surprised’ face in every video preview photo 

fretmeister

I stick to Fender and EB strings on guitar.

Fender YJM sigs on 25.5 scale instruments and EB 10.5-48 on 24.75

All in E flat standard. 

monquixote

I hate Rotos.

I'm fairly indifferent to most brands but I find they feel stiff and sound lifeless.

thecolourbox

I've had Roto Reds on my Mustang for ages, and just put a set of Roto Blues on my acoustic and they've been fine for me, but I suppose it all just comes down to taste and playing style as I don't like some strings for my weird quiet playing style. At least you didn't buy super expensive sets to find you didn't like them, and as they always come with a spare E string they'll be useful as emergency back ups if nothing else

KevS

maltingsaudio said:

Strings are a very personal thing.

For me, I chose a brand 25 years ago after many years of chopping and changing and honestly don’t have the desire to change or try anything new on my guitars.

Obviously I’ve played loads of guitars over the years since with different brands on, nothing has made me want to change. The only real opinion I’ve formed is Elixir/ nanoweb/ coated strings are the single worst development in string technology ever, but I’m just one guitarist in a billion. My opinion is based on 50 odd years of playing and again that counts for nothing.

The strings I use are Picato 

I've never tried Picato..I just know the Blackmore connection to them..
I have been the same with D'Addario,,until the high E unravelling problem came along..
Elixir Nanos with me are for guitars I might play for a few hours,then not for a few weeks,but are great for recording..
One of these is my Les Paul Junior..

Teyeplayer

I usually use d’addarrios, don’t mind rotos and absolutely hate Ernie’s as I am yet to pick up a pack that isn’t already rusty. However, having just popped a set of roto flats on my bass I straight away ordered a set of la Bella’s (which I should have done in the first place). Half the set were duff, giving weird overtones, not holding tune; I’ve  never experienced anything like it. 

KevS

DrCornelius said:

Paul Davids seems a decent sort in his vids but why does he have to pull a variation of the same twatty ‘Wow, I’m so surprised’ face in every video preview photo 

Maybe he thinks it will make people more curious..lol
Imagine if he reviewed food products.. Wow,A bottle of Ketchup,,I'm totally in shock..
Wow,,A plate of Chips..Wow salt and Vinegar...  I never expected that expected that..Although I bought it..

rhinofeet

I'm going through a phase of using UK brands so have got a couple of sets at the moment. I think they age faster than Ernie balls but feel better straight from the packet.

KevS

Can Plain Strings sound quite different.Are they generally the same or different Steel Alloys..?

Woodenhead

Whenever I've used Rotosounds they seem to oxidise very quickly. I've never had a D'addario string unravel though, been using them regularly for 30+ years, snapped now and again but not very often. The only strings that ever unraveled on me was a cheap chinese brand Orphees.

chrisj1602

I’ve never had an issue with Rotosound.

uncledick

KevS said:

Well it seems these Rotosound strings sound like they've been on a guitar over a month when they are fresh out of a sealed foil pack..I done a comparison with month old D'Addarios,,same pickup set,,same distance from the strings..Yikes.I heard the dullness unplugged right away,but put them through their paces anyway...I have always used D'Addario..Elixir Nanoweb coated strings on less used guitars..D'Addario have way more sustain and Bass / Treble output,shimmer..The Rotos also feel dead and lifeless,the D'Addarios have a spring about them...

So many D'addario high E's unravel at the winding at the ball end,so I end up replacing it with a Rotosound High E string..I thought why not try a whole set of Rotosound..As there was a Multi pack deal on..I thought I would get 3 set of each gauge as that meant free postage,so six packs,,£41 later..Could be way worse,but I can't believe how dull/dead sounding the Rotosounds are,they come in a sealed metal foil pack too...

.I buy my D'Addarios from Strings Direct,so they aren't bootleg/fakes..If they were fakes and they sounded better than Rotos that would be a shocker..They don't have any of the telltale fake signs..I bought the Rotos from a reputable shop in the UK too..

I saw a multiple string test on YouTube..Respected Influencer Paul Davids...The Rotosounds won and the D'Addarios got knocked out in the first round..I think Ernie Ball Strings are a bit dull and break too easily by the way..Used D'Addarios since,I think it was 1988..Just consistent and the high E problem didn't appear for me until about 2010..You can tin the wraps with solder,I hate soldering..

I realise some people may love and swear by Rotosound strings..We all have different tastes..
I can't understand that taste,but in a tolerant society,we all have to tolerate each other opinions and taste..
Even though these strings sound like a deaf Wildebeest/s rectum..( In my Opinion )..

You've just summed up every experience I've had with Ernie Balls.  NYXL Balanced tension 10-46 on my PRS guitars and regular XLs or Rotosounds on my Teles.