John Pearse strings

[Jared Houseman]

I just got a set of John Pearse strings for free and I don't know anything about them. Are they good strings? I also just ordered a few sets of GHS boomers(first time trying them). Is it worth trying the pearses or should I just put on the boomers?
(I don't change strings too often so I'll stick with my choice for a while unless they just suck)

 

[michael_t]

Go with the Boomers.

I remember using John Pearse 80/20 bronze strings when I was an acoustic guitar player in my younger days (as in 35 yrs ago), but don't know anything about their bass strings.

 

[Jared Houseman]

Go with the Boomers.

I remember using John Pearse 80/20 bronze strings when I was an acoustic guitar player in my younger days (as in 35 yrs ago), but don't know anything about their bass strings.

Will do I didn't want to get stuck constantly changing strings when it's about to be heavy gigging season

 

[michael_t]

Will do I didn't want to get stuck constantly changing strings when it's about to be heavy gigging season

The Boomers will be fine as long as you're into the sound of well-broken-in nickel rounds. They're not for those who crave for a lot of zingy top end.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

It’s purely taste and opinion but I’d take Pearse strings over most rounds including Boomers. Being nickel alloy as opposed to nickel coated steel they mellow nicely after a couple of weeks and hold that broken in sound pretty reliably for several months. They’re very good strings that are certainly worth trying.

 

[michael_t]

It’s purely taste and opinion but I’d take Pearse strings over most rounds including Boomers. Being nickel alloy as opposed to nickel coated steel they mellow nicely after a couple of weeks and hold that broken in sound pretty reliably for several months. They’re very good strings that are certainly worth trying.

Do you know if the "nickel alloy" you talk about is something similar to Alloy 52 (used by GHS), which is a nickel-iron alloy. If so, I would see it as a positive feature.

 

[LBS-bass]

My ex had an endorsement deal with them, but he was an acoustic guitarist. He really loved them, but I have no clue about their bass strings. I'm guessing the quality would be good.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

Do you know if the "nickel alloy" you talk about is something similar to Alloy 52 (used by GHS), which is a nickel-iron alloy. If so, I would see it as a positive feature.

I don’t know what the exact alloy is Pearse uses. I’ve wanted to compare them to the GHS Balanced nickels that came out a year or so ago but they aren’t stocked locally and I haven’t gotten inspired to order them online. I should get on it. No GHS strings have ever disappointed me so I’d bet they’re good.

 

[michael_t]

I don’t know what the exact alloy is Pearse uses. I’ve wanted to compare them to the GHS Balanced nickels...

Keep in mind the Balanced Nickels are pure nickel, not an alloy.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

Keep in mind the Balanced Nickels are pure nickel, not an alloy.

Actually so are the Pearse. I was mistaken saying alloy.

 

[michael_t]

Actually so are the Pearse. I was mistaken saying alloy.

Ok, good to know.

 

[michael_t]

I just got a set of John Pearse strings for free and I don't know anything about them. Are they good strings? I also just ordered a few sets of GHS boomers(first time trying them). Is it worth trying the pearses or should I just put on the boomers?

If John Pearse bass strings are in fact pure nickel, as @Jeff Bonny pointed out, they may be worth a try. As a big fan of GHS Balanced Nickels, I'd be very curious to see how the JP would compare.

 

[JTE]

I've used Pearse strings on my acoustic guitars for several years, both phospor bronze and the 80/20 bronze. The first strings I tried that I liked better than D'Addarios, which were my first choice since about 1976. Great strings. However I've not tried any of their bass sets.

Company is small, and doesn't respond quickly, but they're great people. My first contact was at a NAMM show around '82 I think-. They sell an arm rest for acoustic flattops so your arm doesn't damp the top. I got one, but after a mere two decades the adhesive came off. They graciously sent me a new roll at no charge.

 

[michael_t]

I've used Pearse strings on my acoustic guitars for several years, both phospor bronze and the 80/20 bronze. The first strings I tried that I liked better than D'Addarios, which were my first choice since about 1976.

As I mentioned earlier, I used JP 80/20 bronze on my acoustic guitars. That was a result of reading an interview with the late Doc Watson in Frets Magazine, where he was raving about the JP strings.

@JTE, you would probably know what I'm talking about.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

John Pearse was such a nice bloke. He passed away too soon.

 

[kjp360]

I've been using Pearse strings on the same two acoustic guitars for twenty plus years. I never felt the need to try anything else, they are not at all expensive and the quality has been very consistent over that time. I did not know that they made bass strings.

 

[GIBrat51]

I didn't know they made bass strings, either... I use their nickel wound medium gauge banjo strings (#1800m) on this '63 ODE model 3. They certainly very good strings, and.. AFAIK, they're also the only company that makes "extra long" banjo strings (if the neck looks strangely long on the ODE, it's because it is..) GHS banjo strings are rumored to be long enough, but... haven't tried them. The John Hearse strings are nice enough that I don't really feel the need to change brands...

 

[hihat]

Anyone use these strings recently? How are they tension wise?

 

[GIBrat51]

View attachment 3421877 I didn't know they made bass strings, either... I use their nickel wound medium gauge banjo strings (#1800m) on this '63 ODE model 3. They certainly very good strings, and.. AFAIK, they're also the only company that makes "extra long" banjo strings (if the neck looks strangely long on the ODE, it's because it is..) GHS banjo strings are rumored to be long enough, but... haven't tried them. The John Hearse strings are nice enough that I don't really feel the need to change brands...

Well... although the banjo itself is kind of a PITA - as all banjos are - the John Pearse strings still make me happy. Especially since they don't seem to go out of tune quite as much as the GHS banjo strings do (yes, I tried a set of those about a year after my first post). The GHS strings are nice, but I prefer the John Pearse extra longs...
As for bass strings? As you can see, everyone that uses John Hearse strings, uses them on an acoustic instrument. I'm afraid that if you're curious about them? You'll just have to try them. They don't make flatwound bass strings, so I'd never use them myself; but, I doubt that their bass strings are anything out of the ordinary, tension/stiffness wise... Sorry, but I guess you'll just have to be the person who "boldly goes where no man has gone before..."

 

[hihat]

I had planned to use these on my Warwick but they didn't sound very good on it. I put them on my Steinberger XL2 instead and they sound great. I usually don't like 45-105 as the tension on the E and A strings tend to be too great for me but these feel fine. Out of curiosity I measured with caliper and every string is spot on it's stated gauge, that doesn't happen too often with strings. These are also the easiest to intonate I've ever experienced. They seem to last pretty long too, I put them on my Warwick in April switched them to my Steinberger a month later and they're still going strong in July. I think I'll stay with these strings!