Acoustic strings - a journey...

SteveF · October 2018

chickenchaser said:

Jumped on to this thread to see if I could get a definitive answer on what I should be looking at to stop my Martin 0001xae sounding so muddy (on elixirs) but it's confused me further! I've not really gelled with the guitar but I think I should try some different strings before I flip it.

I use Martin strings on mine and really like them

boogieman · October 2018

chickenchaser said:

Jumped on to this thread to see if I could get a definitive answer on what I should be looking at to stop my Martin 0001xae sounding so muddy (on elixirs) but it's confused me further! I've not really gelled with the guitar but I think I should try some different strings before I flip it.

Try phosphor bronze strings. They always sound more zingy to me, especially when they’re new. Might cure the muddy tone problem.

Modellista · May 2019

Bit of a bump for this thread...

I'm going through a very similar string journey. I both love and hate Elixirs - love the longevity and brightness, but I know the tone isn't perfect. The top end can have an objectionable "crispy" quality that's a bit unpleasant. However, the alternative often seems to be the instant dullness of uncoated strings.

Interestingly the Elixirs seem to suit my Yamaha AC3R the best, which is the closest to a Taylor-style concert shape, and I know Taylor ships their guitars with Elixirs, so maybe there's some symbiosis there, or perhaps just coincidence. The Yamaha is my go-to for acoustic gigs because of the quality of the preamp, and I want to know that I can just grab it any time and the strings will sound bright and new. The current Elixirs have been on for probably two years and they still sound fine. That's why I like Elixirs. They're staying on this one.

Conversely, my Eastman E20SS has just had a new set of Elixirs and it's crispy central. Strumming isn't too bad - it gives that big bass-and-treble combo, with a snappy brightness to the bass strings - but the D and G strings when fingerpicked are just wrong - too slippery, too twangy and clangy. The action is a bit on the low side which is giving me some fret slap, which combined with the bright strings just gives an overly bright sound. This guitar needs a more mellow string, but I still want to stay coated because I can't be bothered changing strings all the time. The Elixirs are brand new so they'll be staying on for a bit but I need a change for the next set.

My J35 is in desperate need of new strings. I fitted a set of uncoated D'addarios about a month ago and it's dull city Arizona. I have heard this sort of tone on recordings from the 60s - I believe an era when guitarists hardly ever changed their strings. Quite a thuddy bass, a bit of woody midrage and a very soft top end. Not my cup of tea at all. Sounds ok in isolation but doesn't record well and I'm convinced there's a better tone in the guitar. So this guitar could actually do with a dose of brightness, but for the first time in a while it won't be Elixirs.

So - Elixir are dumped for the time being and I am going to try some new brands. First off will probably be D'addario EXP coateds on the J35 to try and inject some brightness. If I could keep the bass and woody low mids with a decent top end I'd be much happier with this guitar.

Other packs on the shelf are Fender Duratones which were half the price of everything else, and a set of Ernie Ball Everlasts. Over time I'll fit these sets and see what happens. If anyone has any further suggestions as to coated strings without the excessive crispyness of Elixirs, that would be appreciated.

p90fool · May 2019

My J-35 loves silk and steels, but I just can't afford to change strings every two weeks. It currently has Elixir PBs, which have settled in pretty well.

I know exactly what you mean about Elixirs tone-wise, but after a few weeks it has diminished a fair bit to where it's very enjoyable to play, though I will go back to silk and steels for a recording session I have coming up.

stickyfiddle · May 2019

Interesting to have this bumped right now actually, as after a year or so of solid use I'm now finding the Martin Lifespans a bit too bright for some reason. I think I still have a spare set of D'addario EJs so will chuck those on next and see. I also fancy trying 13s (I'm on 12's at the mo). The guitar originally came with 11s and sounded much better with 12s on, so I'm interested to try another bump and see how we go. I'm under no illusions though - if they hurt too much I won't stick with them!

Gomers · June 2019

Modellista said:

Bit of a bump for this thread...

I'm going through a very similar string journey. I both love and hate Elixirs - love the longevity and brightness, but I know the tone isn't perfect. The top end can have an objectionable "crispy" quality that's a bit unpleasant. However, the alternative often seems to be the instant dullness of uncoated strings.

Interestingly the Elixirs seem to suit my Yamaha AC3R the best, which is the closest to a Taylor-style concert shape, and I know Taylor ships their guitars with Elixirs, so maybe there's some symbiosis there, or perhaps just coincidence. The Yamaha is my go-to for acoustic gigs because of the quality of the preamp, and I want to know that I can just grab it any time and the strings will sound bright and new. The current Elixirs have been on for probably two years and they still sound fine. That's why I like Elixirs. They're staying on this one.

Conversely, my Eastman E20SS has just had a new set of Elixirs and it's crispy central. Strumming isn't too bad - it gives that big bass-and-treble combo, with a snappy brightness to the bass strings - but the D and G strings when fingerpicked are just wrong - too slippery, too twangy and clangy. The action is a bit on the low side which is giving me some fret slap, which combined with the bright strings just gives an overly bright sound. This guitar needs a more mellow string, but I still want to stay coated because I can't be bothered changing strings all the time. The Elixirs are brand new so they'll be staying on for a bit but I need a change for the next set.

My J35 is in desperate need of new strings. I fitted a set of uncoated D'addarios about a month ago and it's dull city Arizona. I have heard this sort of tone on recordings from the 60s - I believe an era when guitarists hardly ever changed their strings. Quite a thuddy bass, a bit of woody midrage and a very soft top end. Not my cup of tea at all. Sounds ok in isolation but doesn't record well and I'm convinced there's a better tone in the guitar. So this guitar could actually do with a dose of brightness, but for the first time in a while it won't be Elixirs.

So - Elixir are dumped for the time being and I am going to try some new brands. First off will probably be D'addario EXP coateds on the J35 to try and inject some brightness. If I could keep the bass and woody low mids with a decent top end I'd be much happier with this guitar.

Other packs on the shelf are Fender Duratones which were half the price of everything else, and a set of Ernie Ball Everlasts. Over time I'll fit these sets and see what happens. If anyone has any further suggestions as to coated strings without the excessive crispyness of Elixirs, that would be appreciated.

Not sure whether you've tried them but Gibson Masterbuilt PBs work great on Gibson acoustics, I've used them on 2 J45s and my current LG2 with great results.

jellyroll · June 2019

I've been through a few brands recently:

- Thomastik Spectrum and Plectrum. Different from many of the US made strings. Balanced. Stonking low E on the Plectrum. Possibly a little quieter than other brands. Worth a try if you want some different, particularly for recording.

- John Pearse PB. Really like these. They replaced Martin SP as my "go to" PB. Can't really articulate why I like them - just just, well, nice!

Martin Retro - I used to think these were tinny, scrapey, thin and awful - the love child of metal mickey and a dalek. Then I tried them again and really like them. Not my ultimate string but for dirty, heavy walloping the 13s are great.

DR Rare - my new PB. Possibly my long term replacement for John Pearse (which replaced Martin). Only 2 weeks in on my first set so not yet proven but so far I really like them on my mahogany/spruce OM.

Also tried, D'addario something or other (EJ17?). Uninspiring - came off quickly.

camf · June 2019

I've been really, really happy with all the Newtones I've bought and now fit them on all my guitars, acoustic and electric.

The lower tension Heritage are really nice on my Collings, while the Masterclass work better on the shorter scale J45. When a local and very experienced luthier was fitting them to my OM, he said he'd never tried them before but was very impressed. He has now started recommending them to other customers.

If you've not looked into them, I think they are well worth checking out - and very competitively priced too. I can't see me switching bands for a while, at least.

drofluf · June 2019

Another Newtone fan here; work well on my mandolins and guitar.

thomasross20 · June 2019

Re-strung Larrivee tonight. Night and day - what a MASSIVE difference bright new strings make.

erky32 · July 2019

I normally use Elixir nano-Ph-Br 11-52 and find them lively, slippy and long life. But I've just gone back to trying Ernie Ball Acoustic Slinkys with a bendy unwound 3rd, 17 guage. So it obviously compromises its acoustic presence & volume, but on my Sigma 000 electroacoustic it performs well. The music I cover with acoustic for cafe gigs etc is soft-rock, blues, folky stuff and as a non purist acoustic performer - I find these EBs give me electric feel for doodling & OK for strum- provided the guitar is amped up. I'm a great follower of John Butler Trio, and cover some of his tunes, as such I include some drive & slide in my tunes and the EB-slinkys give good versatility without blitzing your fingers. Anybody else been this route? - I'm keen to hear experiences.

Lestratcaster · July 2019

I've recently switched to Elixir acoustic strings after using D'addario for so long but as I play quite a bit on the acoustic I found myself changing strings every 3 weeks. I notice Elixir's last so much longer, this current set has been on the guitar for 3 months and still sounding bright! They might cost more upfront but as I don't need to change as often 3-4 packs per year works out around the same as a 10 pack of D'addario only I will go through 2 boxes of 10 per year I reckon..

stickyfiddle · July 2019

Lestratcaster said:

I've recently switched to Elixir acoustic strings after using D'addario for so long but as I play quite a bit on the acoustic I found myself changing strings every 3 weeks. I notice Elixir's last so much longer, this current set has been on the guitar for 3 months and still sounding bright! They might cost more upfront but as I don't need to change as often 3-4 packs per year works out around the same as a 10 pack of D'addario only I will go through 2 boxes of 10 per year I reckon..

That's my logic on electric. I haven't used anything but Elixir for well over a decade, and used them on acoustic for a long time. But I've found since getting into higher-end acoustics they just don't sound good enough, which defeats the point of having a nice acoustic, for me

Lestratcaster · July 2019

stickyfiddle said:

Lestratcaster said:

I've recently switched to Elixir acoustic strings after using D'addario for so long but as I play quite a bit on the acoustic I found myself changing strings every 3 weeks. I notice Elixir's last so much longer, this current set has been on the guitar for 3 months and still sounding bright! They might cost more upfront but as I don't need to change as often 3-4 packs per year works out around the same as a 10 pack of D'addario only I will go through 2 boxes of 10 per year I reckon..

That's my logic on electric. I haven't used anything but Elixir for well over a decade, and used them on acoustic for a long time. But I've found since getting into higher-end acoustics they just don't sound good enough, which defeats the point of having a nice acoustic, for me

See I'm a bit hesitant to use Elixir's on electric, purely cos I have 5 of them! Have been an Ernie Ball user for over a decade now and I just like them. Also as I use 3 different gauges its tricky to buy in bulk so I usually get 5 at a time which lasts a few months across 4 guitars (I don't use one as much as I should).

p90fool · July 2019

erky32 said:

I normally use Elixir nano-Ph-Br 11-52 and find them lively, slippy and long life. But I've just gone back to trying Ernie Ball Acoustic Slinkys with a bendy unwound 3rd, 17 guage. So it obviously compromises its acoustic presence & volume, but on my Sigma 000 electroacoustic it performs well. The music I cover with acoustic for cafe gigs etc is soft-rock, blues, folky stuff and as a non purist acoustic performer - I find these EBs give me electric feel for doodling & OK for strum- provided the guitar is amped up. I'm a great follower of John Butler Trio, and cover some of his tunes, as such I include some drive & slide in my tunes and the EB-slinkys give good versatility without blitzing your fingers. Anybody else been this route? - I'm keen to hear experiences.

Yes me. Partly due to a hand injury I sustained a couple of years ago, I now gig with electric strings on my electro acoustic. There's simply no way I could play a three-hour gig with just a singer using acoustic strings any more.

The plugged in tone is barely affected, but unplugged it sounds like arse. That doesn't bother me tbh, I have a much nicer acoustic with conventional strings for home playing and recording.

drofluf · July 2019

p90fool said:

Yes me. Partly due to a hand injury I sustained a couple of years ago, I now gig with electric strings on my electro acoustic. There's simply no way I could play a three-hour gig with just a singer using acoustic strings any more.

@p90fool I'm new to this so please indulge me

In terms of playing a long gig what's the difference between electric and acoustic strings in this context?

Thanks

erky32 · July 2019

In terms of playing a long gig what's the difference between electric and acoustic strings in this context?

Usually acoustic guitar strings are tighter, difficult to bend & often slightly higher action making tramlines in your fingertips. Electrics are usually set up with low action & slinky strings so easier on the hands.

thomasross20 · July 2019

I'm going to buy some new ones imminently. I'm thinking something coated...... I remember thinking Elixirs felt funny but last ages. D'addario EXPs I can't remember... didn't think they lasted as long as D'addarop but might be mistaken. Haven't tried Martin Lifespan (but I have normal Martin strings on right now and they sound great). ALso there's ones that have been cryogenically frozen I read about lol...

thomasross20 · July 2019

stickyfiddle said:

I'm back on the Lifespan 12's here and they're as good as I remember from last time. Not quite as toppy as the EJ11s were when new but an extra richness that the D'adds don't have.

BTW this is a GREAT thread.

The Martin's (not Lifespans) I've got on make my guitar sound great.
How do Lifespans compare to their non-coated ones?

thomasross20 · July 2019

I note Martin do normal strings, SP and then coated.
I think I might have bronze SP but need to check.

I remember ditching Elixir years ago so don't think I can bring myself to going back. Must have been a reason.

drofluf · July 2019

@erky32 ; Thanks!

stickyfiddle · July 2019

thomasross20 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I'm back on the Lifespan 12's here and they're as good as I remember from last time. Not quite as toppy as the EJ11s were when new but an extra richness that the D'adds don't have.

BTW this is a GREAT thread.

The Martin's (not Lifespans) I've got on make my guitar sound great.
How do Lifespans compare to their non-coated ones?

Honestly, I haven't tried the regular Martin ones as I have a talent for making regular strings go black in a couple of hours. But I'm still happy with the Lifespan SPs

TimmyO · July 2019

stickyfiddle said:

thomasross20 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I'm back on the Lifespan 12's here and they're as good as I remember from last time. Not quite as toppy as the EJ11s were when new but an extra richness that the D'adds don't have.

BTW this is a GREAT thread.

The Martin's (not Lifespans) I've got on make my guitar sound great.
How do Lifespans compare to their non-coated ones?

Honestly, I haven't tried the regular Martin ones as I have a talent for making regular strings go black in a couple of hours. But I'm still happy with the Lifespan SPs

Have you tried the D’Add Nickel Bronze? I have a set here to try out next on @lewy’s suggestion as another option that might have a bit more life but not.a coated string

stickyfiddle · July 2019

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

thomasross20 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I'm back on the Lifespan 12's here and they're as good as I remember from last time. Not quite as toppy as the EJ11s were when new but an extra richness that the D'adds don't have.

BTW this is a GREAT thread.

The Martin's (not Lifespans) I've got on make my guitar sound great.
How do Lifespans compare to their non-coated ones?

Honestly, I haven't tried the regular Martin ones as I have a talent for making regular strings go black in a couple of hours. But I'm still happy with the Lifespan SPs

Have you tried the D’Add Nickel Bronze? I have a set here to try out next on @lewy’s suggestion as another option that might have a bit more life but not.a coated string

No, they're still on my list to try if I can find somewhere local stocking them. They sound good on youtube!

TimmyO · July 2019

stickyfiddle said:

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

thomasross20 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I'm back on the Lifespan 12's here and they're as good as I remember from last time. Not quite as toppy as the EJ11s were when new but an extra richness that the D'adds don't have.

BTW this is a GREAT thread.

The Martin's (not Lifespans) I've got on make my guitar sound great.
How do Lifespans compare to their non-coated ones?

Honestly, I haven't tried the regular Martin ones as I have a talent for making regular strings go black in a couple of hours. But I'm still happy with the Lifespan SPs

Have you tried the D’Add Nickel Bronze? I have a set here to try out next on @lewy’s suggestion as another option that might have a bit more life but not.a coated string

No, they're still on my list to try if I can find somewhere local stocking them. They sound good on youtube!

I couldn't honestly tell form youtube videos what they'll be like but happy to give them a go on the Dreadnought

thomasross20 · July 2019

It's another thing playing with the thing in your hands and listening to somebody else playing. Honestly, I tend to like "zingy" when playing myself but when I hear that from somebody else playing, I think I'd like that dulled a bit.

RandallFlagg · July 2019

I have always used Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze 13-56 on my Martin HD28 but have recently fitted a set of D'addario EJ17 phosphor bronze uncoated as I got a few sets free and have read that they are the bluegrass payers strings of choice for that authentic Martin bluegrass tone.

I really don't like the EJ17s, they have a lot less volume, the bass has gone and within 3 days my fingers smell of metal after playing and they sound dull and are draggy. Horrible.

I may try the Martin coated strings on my way back to the Elixir nanowebs. The nanowebs sound loud, full and last months. The only downside is that on my Martin with the forward shifted scalloped bracing the elixirs get a bit thin and plinky on the treble.

TimmyO · July 2019

Try the newish Martin Authentic strings - came on my D28

thomasross20 · July 2019

Btw just to say the Martin strings I put on are bronze 80/20, not even the SP range.

VimFuego · July 2019

camf said:

I've been really, really happy with all the Newtones I've bought and now fit them on all my guitars, acoustic and electric.

The lower tension Heritage are really nice on my Collings, while the Masterclass work better on the shorter scale J45. When a local and very experienced luthier was fitting them to my OM, he said he'd never tried them before but was very impressed. He has now started recommending them to other customers.

If you've not looked into them, I think they are well worth checking out - and very competitively priced too. I can't see me switching bands for a while, at least.

good to know, I bought a pack a while ago but not got round to fitting them, I have a weird hand thing where it kinda goes a bit fuzzy when I play for more than a few mins, so the Heritage strings were my last gasp to see if they helped. Will make the time to fit them today.

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Acoustic strings - a journey...

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