Acoustic strings - a journey...

Modellista · July 2019

RandallFlagg said:

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.

Bummer about the EJ17s. While I use Elixirs a lot, they can indeed sound excessively “thin and plinky” on certain guitars. Still looking for a halfway house with the durability of Elixirs but a slightly fatter sound.

RandallFlagg · July 2019

Modellista said:

RandallFlagg said:

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.

Bummer about the EJ17s. While I use Elixirs a lot, they can indeed sound excessively “thin and plinky” on certain guitars. Still looking for a halfway house with the durability of Elixirs but a slightly fatter sound.

Ordered a set of Martin Authentic Lifespan Phosphor Bronze 13-56, the Lifespan 2.0 ones, to try and will report back once fitted to the HD28 next week.

As you suggest still looking for strings that last like Elixir Nanowebs with the volume but not the harsh top end.

thomasross20 · July 2019

Interested to hear about the lifespans!

Jalapeno · July 2019

Creature of habit here - I use Elixir Nanoweb on my Martin & Breedlove. Sound ok, last very well, and don't get stinky or stained fingers.

D'Addario Gypsy (for long necks, with low tension) 10s on the Maccaferri style, they are great, v.loud, twangy and durable - though lose a bit of clarity & voume with prolonged use. They also don't snap after 2 weeks like the ubiquitous Argentines favoured by Gypsy style players - I've never been able to get on with them (or Galli, or Newtone gypsy strings - Galli are as prone to snapping (for me) as Argentines, Newtone last ok but are awful sounding after a few hour's playing). By way of balance, most Gypsy players I know swear by Argentines, just not this one

VimFuego · July 2019

so, finally got round to fitting the newtone heritage. Got the usual thing of hating new strings I always have, but one odd thing I noticed is that the low E doesn't quite intonate right, which I've never had with any strings before. If I tune it to E then the G and A (3rd and 5th frets) are slightly sharp, but then everything else is fine along the string, I have to sorta compromise the tuning to make sure everything is close enough to OK. Has anyone else noticed that with this brand of string?
With regard to the lower tension, I can certainly feel it, and there doesn't seem to be a drop off in volume or tone, so from the POV they work well, sadly my joints on my left hand are still painful even after only 1/2 of playing.

camf · July 2019

@VimFuego Is it a long scale or short scale? I believe these are not recommended for short scale guitars.

VimFuego · July 2019

camf said:

@VimFuego Is it a long scale or short scale? I believe these are not recommended for short scale guitars.

according to the larrivee website, 25.5.

camf · July 2019

@VimFuego ;I think, when @ICBM was setting up one of my guitars, he had a similar issue. I know he added a second ball end to the lower E to shift the wrap back off the bridge and that seemed to fix it.

VimFuego · July 2019

hmmm, that could fix it, will have to wait till I fit the next set though, not sure I'll be able to do it to this set.

thomasross20 · July 2019

Sorry are these heritage strings meant to be lower tension? I put 11s on my Larrivee to "lower the tension" and it still sounds fine. There are strings advised for this?

thomasross20 · July 2019

Are these just strings with thinner bass strings?

VimFuego · July 2019

tommy, IIRC they are the same thickness as 12's, but have a different structure that makes them lower tension. The theory being you get the same energy transfer to the soundboard. Or something.
That said, I had 11's on for a while and can't say I noticed a huge difference on tone etc. TBH I'd probably go back to them.

thomasross20 · July 2019

Ah I think this rings a bell.. isn't the core material "softer" or something?

I'll read up as lower tension better for the hands (I get sore hands, too). Thank you!

VimFuego · July 2019

ok, so the newtone's have been on for a few days, and while I don't play much guitar anymore, been given them a pay each day. The new string zing has settled down nicely (I always hate that zing), impressions are good so far. They seem really powerful, well balanced but with some nice bass ooomph comepared the d'adds 12's I had on before. For fingerpicking they really project well. Still getting some pain in my fretting hand though, especially the finger I broke a few years back, but it does seem less than the previous strings.

RandallFlagg · July 2019

thomasross20 said:

Interested to hear about the lifespans!

OK fitted a set of Martin MA550T Lifespan .013-.056 to the Martin HD28 this morning, I also shaved the bridge down slightly as after a year from new the action had crept up a little, action is now set at 6/64ths - 5/64ths and it plays great. I used a little nut and saddle sander jig tool that I bought last year to shave the bridge (see pic), which made steady, even sanding a breeze. I won't use it often but it really makes the job easy.

The Martin Lifespan 2.0 strings are wonderful, much nicer than the D'Addario EJ17s, quite similar to the Elixir Nanowebs but have a bit more of that woody Martin mid-range tone.

I've been picking the HD28 up all day and really enjoying these strings. I'm going to order a few sets. Drop the Low E to D and capo at 2nd fret and you can get lost for an hour noodling!

stickyfiddle · July 2019

@RandallFlagg that's good to know. Will try a set of those when my current SPs get too crusty

CMW335 · July 2019

Sorry if have already had a mention, the new Santa Cruz strings just fitted to my D35 and they are superb

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Santa-Cruz-Parabolic-Tension-Acoustic/dp/B01M6C8X57/ref=asc_df_B01M6C8X57/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310786528304&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17788523516036750448&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007406&hvtargid=pla-697309793669&psc=1

RandallFlagg · July 2019

Gratuitous shot of the HD28 with the Martin Lifespan 2.0's fitted. Woodgrain starting to darken in places as it ages, this is after 1 year.

thomasross20 · July 2019

I'll defo try these lifespans, thanks!

Winny_Pooh · July 2019

CMW335 said:

Sorry if have already had a mention, the new Santa Cruz strings just fitted to my D35 and they are superb

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Santa-Cruz-Parabolic-Tension-Acoustic/dp/B01M6C8X57/ref=asc_df_B01M6C8X57/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310786528304&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17788523516036750448&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007406&hvtargid=pla-697309793669&psc=1

Who actually makes these I wonder?

jellyroll · July 2019

I believe there is some connection between Santa Cruz and Straight Up Strings.

RandallFlagg · July 2019

Ref The Martin Lifespan 2.0s, a few days in they are feeling just a little draggy, still sound really good but not as smooth to play as the Elixir nanowebs.

jaymenon · October 2019

One practicality is that if you have a number of acoustic guitars, then the longevity of strings becomes a really relevant matter - and I've reverted therefore to using Elixirs (previously a D'Addario EJ16 / EXP16 user).

The Elixirs are a little more 'slippery' and so I find one can get more 'physical' so to speak with uncoated strings.

I totally agree re: the slightly brittle / bright sound of Elixirs - but I find that's only for the first couple of days. After two days Elixirs lose that initial irritating brightness - and then they stay stable for months and months. And nothing else comes close...

'String sqeak' is also significantly less - and that makes a real difference whilst recording, especially if you want add a little top-end eq while mixing.

This is something I recorded with a month old set of Elixirs - no eq or processing, just used the mic on my MacBook...

Typo: Those strings were SIX months old...

James87 · October 2019

For me I've spent silly amounts of money on string's for both my Martin d35 2011 and my takamine eg523sc both fitted with a bone nut and saddle and for me it was Martin acoustic sp but they simply don't last long.

I have since tried out daddario xp 12's and by God are they superb string's on both guitar's so much so I've ordered 10 sets to see me though the following years

Give em a try you will love em

p90fool · October 2019

@jaymenon that's my experience too, I need to grab a guitar off the wall at random times and Elixirs are always ready to go. They're not my first choice tonally, but they're 90% there and remain there.
I get less than two good weeks out of silk and steels despite slightly preferring the tone, so six month old Elixirs sound way better than three week old silk and steels for me.

Lovely playing and singing btw.

stickyfiddle · January 2020

Time for another update from me and my HD28. I've had Lifespan 13s on for a few weeks. They sound great and the guitar is a little louder which is fun, but its not worth the extra playing effort, so following a bit of general joint pain brought on by other medical stuff I'm going back to 12s. I have a couple of sets of Martin's new(ish) Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0s, so I'll give those a whirl.

And I'm back in the UK in a couple of weeks so might finally pick up some Newtones (if I remember..)

bbill335 · February 2020

stuck some daddario nickel bronze on my old caballero/LG0. this is never gonna be a huge sounding guitar but it already sounds fuller than it did with the newtones. should mention i've gone from newtone 12-52 to dadd 12-56. the string noise is more prominent but i reckon that'll calm down after they're broken in.

biggest problem is the plastic A tuner disintegrated so i need to get new'uns fitted

stickyfiddle · February 2020

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had.

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next.

Phil_C · February 2020

jaymenon said:

One practicality is that if you have a number of acoustic guitars, then the longevity of strings becomes a really relevant matter - and I've reverted therefore to using Elixirs (previously a D'Addario EJ16 / EXP16 user).

The Elixirs are a little more 'slippery' and so I find one can get more 'physical' so to speak with uncoated strings.

I totally agree re: the slightly brittle / bright sound of Elixirs - but I find that's only for the first couple of days. After two days Elixirs lose that initial irritating brightness - and then they stay stable for months and months. And nothing else comes close...

'String sqeak' is also significantly less - and that makes a real difference whilst recording, especially if you want add a little top-end eq while mixing.

This is something I recorded with a month old set of Elixirs - no eq or processing, just used the mic on my MacBook...

Nice playing @jaymenon ;

I use the Elixirs too, they've always sounded the best; to me.

markj · February 2020

Just put on my HD28 a set of Martin Retros in 13 gauge. They sound good and will sound superb after a weeks playing when they settle in.

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