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Thread: GHS Americana strings

  1. #1
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    Default GHS Americana strings

    Has anyone tried these strings? I have use the A270's for several years and was wondering how these new strings compare to each other.

  2. #2
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    test and report. it's not like buying a new Car. maybe its just a Marketing Name add on

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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    They talk about a freezing process they use to make them last longer and improve the tone. I was just wondering if any has tried them out.

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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Then sit in the waiting room , read a Magazine till someone else chimes in.
    writing about music
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Thanks for the snarky remark. I would appreciate if you don't post anymore of your wisdom.

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  7. #6

    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I like the Elixer Coated strings the best, and I have tried them all. Elixers come in 11 to 40 and also a lighter gauge if you prefer.

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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    These strings are not coated, they are frozen. I love using my GHS A270's and these are the same gauge as them.

  9. #8
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    From the Cryo Centrum web page :- "The reason why many instruments and strings do not have a “healthy” sound is the stress which developed during production (thermal processing, bending, capping, and drawing). By the deep-freezing treatment, you eliminate such stress and, at the same time, a more accurate and uniform distribution of the molecular structure will be achieved. - i.e. improved tonal properties, less effort during playing, longer lifetime of strings, and smoother sliding valves. The treatment is applicable to most metal instruments and strings.
    Neither the appearance nor the surface of the instrument is affected by the treatment."

    This may go some way to answer your question George. It seems to simply be a 'stress relief' process. I usually opt for a couple of beers,then my mandolin sounds fine,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Ivan,
    Thank you for the information. I will buy a set and see how they compare to my usual A270 set. I will report back later.

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    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Quote Originally Posted by George R. Lane View Post
    Thanks for the snarky remark. I would appreciate if you don't post anymore of your wisdom.
    I agree! If you have NO useful info for the OP then don't reply!!!
    He pulled me up on my spelling in another post.
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  14. #11
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I will add that a lot of times new strings of a different brand will sound better only because they are new and also because the installer (player) wants them to sound better so give this test with an open mind, play all of the strings up and down the fret board and see if they stay consistant...Myself I don`t really see how a frozen string can do much but I surely am not an engineer by far....If it works then I`ll put all of my extra sets in the freezer before installing them....

    Willie

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    bon vivant jaycat's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    From the Cryo Centrum web page :- "The reason why many instruments and strings do not have a “healthy” sound is the stress which developed during production (thermal processing, bending, capping, and drawing). By the deep-freezing treatment, you eliminate such stress and, at the same time, a more accurate and uniform distribution of the molecular structure will be achieved. - i.e. improved tonal properties, less effort during playing, longer lifetime of strings, and smoother sliding valves. The treatment is applicable to most metal instruments and strings.
    Neither the appearance nor the surface of the instrument is affected by the treatment."
    So, let me understand. My mandolin does not sound "healthy" because it suffered stress during the build process.

    By installing previously frozen strings that stress will be relieved. They will retroactively relieve the thermal processing?

    What about another guy's mandolin that does sound healthy? Did it not undergo 'stress' during production?
    "The paths of experimentation twist and turn through mountains of miscalculations, and often lose themselves in error and darkness!"
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    From the Cryo Centrum web page :- "The reason why many instruments and strings do not have a “healthy” sound is the stress which developed during production (thermal processing, bending, capping, and drawing). By the deep-freezing treatment, you eliminate such stress and, at the same time, a more accurate and uniform distribution of the molecular structure will be achieved. - i.e. improved tonal properties, less effort during playing, longer lifetime of strings, and smoother sliding valves. The treatment is applicable to most metal instruments and strings.
    Neither the appearance nor the surface of the instrument is affected by the treatment."

    This may go some way to answer your question George. It seems to simply be a 'stress relief' process. I usually opt for a couple of beers,then my mandolin sounds fine,
    Ivan
    Seems like so much BS to me. I find it easier to believe that vibrating the mandolin mechanically will affect it more than freezing to strings. Wouldn't the tension on the strings produce as much stress as manufacturing them. Strech me that tight I would be stressed!

  17. #14
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    George, please post a review after you've had them on a while. I've been considering a set of these myself.
    ...

  18. #15
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    George, please post a review after you've had them on a while. I've been considering a set of these myself.
    Yes, please George. I'd really like to hear what you think of them on your Yellowstone. I'm debating trying them on my Weber Vintage A and look forward to hearing what you think before I give them a try.

    Best wishes,

    Bob

  19. #16
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I must admit that from the standpoint of my own engineering background,it seems odd that 'freezing' is used as a stress relief process,when it's usually the exact opposite - a hot 'soak' in an oven is used to stress relieve metals after they've been 'worked'.

    "The stress relieving temperature is normally between 550 and 650°C for steel parts. Soaking time is about one to two hours. After the soaking time the components should be cooled down slowly in the furnace or in air"

    However,it seems that a number of companies use exactly that - freezing :- http://www.cryotron.com/ That's just one company.
    Whatever our own opinions are,it's best not to label what they're doing as BS,unless you know a darned sight better than they do.
    It does seem to be a widely used industrial process,so it's application to instrument strings,is only a further instance of it's use,
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
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  20. #17

    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I like GHS strings, and would choose them as my favorites (I particularly like the A string) but they just dont last long. Their sound and intonation deteriorate weeks faster than say the DR equivalent, at least for me.

    I would really like to know if this new string-- regardless of how it is made-- has better longevity. If anyone has any observations about that character, would they please post?

    Thanks.

  21. #18
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    jshane - DR strings are pretty unique regarding how long they last. I had a set on my Weber for 8 months before i changed them & that was only because they'd gone pretty black behind the bridge where my hand rests.Even after 8 months they were still sounding excellent - in fact,they'd become the best sounding,most 'well balanced' string set i ever had on my mandolins.Any tendency to brightness on the A & E strings had settled down (something that DR themsleves say is one of the characteristics of their mandolin strings)& the whole set sounded smooth,yet still 'punchy' at the same time - incredible strings (IMHO),
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

  22. #19

    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Yeah, Ivan---- I agree.

    I DO, however, like the slightly thicker A string on the A270's. That extra bit seems to settle my perpetual A string issues... but I just can't get past the incredibly fast deterioration of sound quality. With A270's, after 2 weeks I notice a difference in "punch" and after 3 or 4 weeks, intonation really suffers.

    I think this must be due to some aspect of my hand chemistry, since others dont seem to have this problem with the A270's.

  23. #20
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Just a quick follow-up to see if anyone has tried these yet...
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
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  24. #21
    Registered User Doug Edwards's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I tried them when they first came out. I did not like them at all for the first several days until they settled in. They were fine after that, but I did not perceive them to do better the GHS A270 I use, YMMV. Lately I use the D'Addario flat tops. They a little easier on my poor arthritic hands.

  25. #22
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Edwards View Post
    I tried them when they first came out. I did not like them at all for the first several days until they settled in. They were fine after that, but I did not perceive them to do better the GHS A270 I use, YMMV. Lately I use the D'Addario flat tops. They a little easier on my poor arthritic hands.
    Thanks Doug. My "go to" strings are the GHS A260 Bobby Osbornes (love the gauges and feel), but I was thinking about trying the Americanas. Since things ain't broke, I'll likely not try to fix them!
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
    "What a long, strange trip it's been..." - Robert Hunter
    "Life is too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
    Think Hippie Thoughts...
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  26. #23
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    Sorry it has taken so long to reply. They were no better than the A270's, like Doug said. For now I will stick with the A270'2, though I might try the Osbornes. The A270's make the bass really heavy.

  27. #24
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    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I'm using A270s now because I bought a few sets of them, but the Osbornes are probably the best strings I've tried for my Collings MT.
    ...

  28. #25

    Default Re: GHS Americana strings

    I just took a set off--

    My 2 cents:

    -They start off a lot like the regular A270s. I had high hopes. Then they began to sound less and less "distinct" -- maybe muddy is the word. After 3 weeks I had intonation issues. I guess after this one try, I would not choose them over regular A270s.

    I am intrigued by the mention of A260s. What are folks' opinions of these??

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