The Better the Pick Up the Bigger..

[KYChucky]

difference a string change makes in tone.

Thoughts?

Just thinking that if your PUs are not so good they may not even pick up the difference in a string change. Just want to get some input all 5 of my guitars jump off the floor when you change the strings.

I dont use coated strings.

[Kap'n]

I don't know about "better" or not, but I find that the sound of strats and teles degrade much quicker with old strings vs. something with humbuckers. Especially with wound strings.

[NeoFauve]

Really fresh strings always wake things up, noticably, to my ear.

Once they're stretched, it's like you can hear every little thing you do.
Both of my electrics have single coil that I like, but they're quite different.
I think the Schecter might use ceramic magnets, which might not pass some sniff tests. The Tele has a Baja set.
I don't know that I get more mileage from a set on one guitar or the other. But there is a wall they hit when some detail is gone and they don't seem to bend as freely.

An acoustic with overdue strings just makes me sad. Decent coated strings puts that off for a long time.

[martindc1]

I don't know, my MIM and my Epi SG both rock with new strings, and they are both stock. I wouldn't exactly call their pickups awesome.

I tried coated strings on my Martin acoustic about 10 years ago, and I thought they sounded a little thin, though they did last a long time. Since I am a bit of a luddite, I've never tried them again.

[grandturk]

I don't notice much difference really. Some extra sparkle but it goes away pretty quick.

[Don]

I'm not a fan of new strings.

I used to require them on my Strat. If they were more than a week old the twang was gone. Now I guess I've eq'd my amps for old strings.

In regards to the original post, I've kind of found the opposite to be true. A really great, lively sounding guitar doesn't need new strings to sound good where a dead guitar relies on new strings to have any zing.

[Offshore Angler]

Chucky, I'm more like 180 degrees from that. For me, and YMM indeed V, I find that the better the amp the less important the pickups and strings become.

[Gris]

For me can't really separate the amp and PUs - gotta work together... : )

I like new strings on a Strat for that super chimey quack stuff (think early Zappa clean sound), but not really otherwise...

[refin]

Fresh strings make every pickup sound great-----my Teiscos growl with new wire!