What acoustic strings / gauges do you recommend?

ICBM · September 2020

Amigo said:

Is it just me, or do the D'Addario EXP strings sound dull compared to their standard uncoated strings? Even after a week on. The latter though oxidised very quickly in the wet weather we had in August.

It's not just you.

Amigo · September 2020

ICBM said:

Amigo said:

Is it just me, or do the D'Addario EXP strings sound dull compared to their standard uncoated strings? Even after a week on. The latter though oxidised very quickly in the wet weather we had in August.

It's not just you.

Thank God! Although telling that to my missus...

DavidR · November 2020

Don't forget Monel strings!! Totally different tone. Less sparkly/bright. More steely/complex. Last a long time - 2-3x longer than PB. Try Martin Retro 12 gauge sometime. (code MM12).

Amigo · November 2020

Well, I tried Newtone PB .012-.052 on my new guitar. I am not into them at all. I had my luthier do the string change, so as not to mess the roundwounds. Not for me, I am afraid. The flexibility of the strings is unsettling, and the sound is not suited to the guitar at all (spruce + rosewood). At least I know what not to try next. D'Addario bog-standard PBs Lights sound much better to my ear on the guitar.

Amigo · July 2021

I tried many strings for my E8D-TC, and I finally settled on D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass. For this specific guitar the Lights made the top strings too loud compared to the bottoms, and now the Medium bottoms seem to sound just right against the Light tops to balance the tone of the guitar. The only downside is the stiffness of the new strings, but I shall soldier through...

Mattharrier · July 2021

I put EB Earthwood phospor bronze 13s on my acoustic when I first got it. It was unplayable for me, as the transition from 9s or 10s on my electrics to 13s (I had been recommended this as a "normal" difference between the two) was just too much and I couldn't play for more than a few minutes. I then put Rotosound 11s on - these were nice, actually, and I'd happily use them again.

This time round though I thought I'd give EB Earthwood Bues and Rock a try, and they're great - 10s, which seems very light compared to most acoustic strings, but they sound good, are lovely to play, and I just need to adjust the truss rod a little.

I was at first reticent to get them, because who plays 10s on acoustic? But as BB King once said to Billy Gibbons, "why are you working so hard?"

ICBM · July 2021

Mattharrier said:

I put EB Earthwood phospor bronze 13s on my acoustic when I first got it. It was unplayable for me, as the transition from 9s or 10s on my electrics to 13s (I had been recommended this as a "normal" difference between the two) was just too much and I couldn't play for more than a few minutes. I then put Rotosound 11s on - these were nice, actually, and I'd happily use them again.

This time round though I thought I'd give EB Earthwood Bues and Rock a try, and they're great - 10s, which seems very light compared to most acoustic strings, but they sound good, are lovely to play, and I just need to adjust the truss rod a little.

I was at first reticent to get them, because who plays 10s on acoustic?

There is a lot of snobbery regarding string gauges with acoustics, more so than with electrics. It can depend a lot on the guitar - I have to say I've never heard 9s sound any good on any of the (very rare) guitars I've played with them fitted, but 10s are usually fine on anything that isn't too heavily-braced.

Some great players have used very light strings, John Renbourn is one who comes to mind.

TrevinDevon · July 2021

I found Newtone 10s on a short scale just about OK in standard tuning, but any drop-tuned string played like an elastic band so I'm sticking with 11s at minimum. I still find them very easy on the fingers for fingerstyle vs 12s.

Amigo · July 2021

ICBM said:

It can depend a lot on the guitar - I have to say I've never heard 9s sound any good on any of the (very rare) guitars I've played with them fitted, but 10s are usually fine on anything that isn't too heavily-braced.

My suspicions were along the same lines. I take it that the thickness of the top and the size of the guitar, along with the bracing would also have an impact? Could one tell what is the bracing and the top thickness on a guitar, without actually looking inside? The weight of the guitar might give a hint, maybe?

Amigo · July 2021

On my all-solid sitka/rosewood OM—rather heavy—I put 85/15 Bronze Lights. After a couple of weeks they sound excellent, but they feel rubbish due to oxidisation, go figure. Any ideas of strings that sound warm? I may even go to 11s, as that's the fingerpicking guitar.

ICBM · July 2021

Amigo said:

I take it that the thickness of the top and the size of the guitar, along with the bracing would also have an impact? Could one tell what is the bracing and the top thickness on a guitar, without actually looking inside? The weight of the guitar might give a hint, maybe?

Yes to all that. You get a 'feel' for these things with experience, but something like a Dreadnought which feels 'heavy' is probably not a good candidate for anything less than 12s, and a small-bodied guitar which feels obviously 'light' will most likely be fine with 10s. Scale length has a slight bearing on it too, 25-1/2" will work better with light strings than 24-3/4" usually.

11s are often a good compromise because in most sets, the lower three strings are almost the same as 12s - the D and A are often exactly the same gauges - so they provide the bass 'thump', whereas the top three strings are lighter (oddly, the G often one gauge smaller than in a set of 10s! I have no idea why) so easier on the fingers than heavier thin strings which tend to cut in.

Mattharrier · July 2021

ICBM said:

It can depend a lot on the guitar - I have to say I've never heard 9s sound any good on any of the (very rare) guitars I've played with them fitted, but 10s are usually fine on anything that isn't too heavily-braced.

Some great players have used very light strings, John Renbourn is one who comes to mind.

Mine is an Aria AW20 - by no means expensive, and while I don't have any way to really check, it doesn't feel particularly heavy so I'm guessing it's not too heavily braced (what I can see looks reasonably chunky though). Regarding your point in a later reply, it's a 25.5 inch scale - regardless, I'm happy with how it's playing now, and the lighter strings certainly don't seem to have made the sound any worse; it seems to have quietened it down a little, which is not actually a bad thing.

9s does seem a bit extreme, I'm in two minds whether to put 10s on my S-type as the 9s seem a bit too thin.

Mattharrier · July 2021

Oh, another thing about the EB Rock and Blues is that the G is unwound, so it feels more like playing an electric. It's subtle, but it may be just what you need if you're an electric player first and foremost, and struggling (like I was/am) to branch out into acoustic.

ICBM · July 2021

Mattharrier said:

Oh, another thing about the EB Rock and Blues is that the G is unwound, so it feels more like playing an electric. It's subtle, but it may be just what you need if you're an electric player first and foremost, and struggling (like I was/am) to branch out into acoustic.

That could be a problem on a guitar with a compensated bridge saddle, worth checking that first.

Mattharrier · July 2021

ICBM said:

Mattharrier said:

Oh, another thing about the EB Rock and Blues is that the G is unwound, so it feels more like playing an electric. It's subtle, but it may be just what you need if you're an electric player first and foremost, and struggling (like I was/am) to branch out into acoustic.

That could be a problem on a guitar with a compensated bridge saddle, worth checking that first.

That's not an issue for me personally, as this guitar has a standard straight saddle, but good knowledge to have - I shall be more careful with my recommendations in future!

Why would it be an issue with a compensated saddle?

ICBM · July 2021

Mattharrier said:

Why would it be an issue with a compensated saddle?

On a compensated saddle, the G string break point is deliberately set almost as far forward as possible to be correct for a light wound string. This is a typical one -

Image: https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/compensated_bridge.jpg

A plain string would need to be much further back, probably right at the back edge where the B is, since the G in a set of 9s will be about the same gauge as the B in a set of 12s (a 16 probably).

With a plain uncompensated saddle, they're all a bit out, but on an acoustic it's not really that noticeable usually. Ironically it would be much more so with a compensated saddle that the G string was out, because all the others are right. Especially as a string that's sharp - as the G will then be - is more obvious than one that's flat. That's why compensated saddles have become popular, because otherwise the B can sound noticeably sharp.

Mattharrier · July 2021

So a compensated saddle is specifically set up for a wound G? Would it be possible to make a saddle that was compensated for a plain G?

This is, I must say, probably beyond my limited skills at this time, but it might be a nice project should I upgrade my acoustic but continue with the same string set.

ICBM · July 2021

Mattharrier said:

So a compensated saddle is specifically set up for a wound G? Would it be possible to make a saddle that was compensated for a plain G?

This is, I must say, probably beyond my limited skills at this time, but it might be a nice project should I upgrade my acoustic but continue with the same string set.

Yes, easily. I make my own compensated saddles usually - I don't like that ugly notch thing, so I simply file the top of the saddle into two angled sections, one under the E and B and the other under the remaining four strings, like this -

Image: https://www.strangeguitarworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_1183-600x450.jpg

(I would have used that picture earlier, except that it's slightly less clear what's been done!)

So instead of making the step between the B and G, you would continue the angle at the treble end under the G and make the step between the G and D.

drofluf · July 2021

@ICBM that looks very elegant

ICBM · July 2021

drofluf said:

@ICBM that looks very elegant

Not my work! Although it could be - I do them exactly like that, except that I generally make the step just a little narrower. Just a pic I found online - a lot of techs are doing them now.

Very easy to do - you just need a broad flat file to cut the two angles and some wet'n'dry paper to polish it up.

Mattharrier · July 2021

How accurate does that need to be? Or is it more a case of as much angle as possible each way?

ICBM · July 2021

Mattharrier said:

How accurate does that need to be? Or is it more a case of as much angle as possible each way?

It's not especially scientific, but it seems to work perfectly if you just make the two angles run from the front edge to the back edge over the length of each.

For a three plain and three wound string set I would do the same and make two equal angles. If it's not 100% perfect I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.

jeromegreenday · July 2021

I *MAY* get strung up for this but acoustic forums will chuck loads more idea's at you, one such forum turned me on to, John Pearse strings with great success.
The thing to bare in mind, is if one set of strings work on one guitar for you, they might not work on a different acoustic. so if you always use Martins, that doesn't mean use them forever more on every acoustic.
Every acoustic will have a set of strings that's RIGHT FOR THAT acoustic, you may have to use ten different brands until you find that set.
Don't underestimate the relation between the wood type and string type on acoustics

Mattharrier · July 2021

ICBM said:

Mattharrier said:

How accurate does that need to be? Or is it more a case of as much angle as possible each way?

It's not especially scientific, but it seems to work perfectly if you just make the two angles run from the front edge to the back edge over the length of each.

For a three plain and three wound string set I would do the same and make two equal angles. If it's not 100% perfect I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.

Top stuff, thanks. I may pick up a saddle blank and give it a go!

Lestratcaster · July 2021

jeromegreenday said:

I *MAY* get strung up for this but acoustic forums will chuck loads more idea's at you, one such forum turned me on to, John Pearse strings with great success.
The thing to bare in mind, is if one set of strings work on one guitar for you, they might not work on a different acoustic. so if you always use Martins, that doesn't mean use them forever more on every acoustic.
Every acoustic will have a set of strings that's RIGHT FOR THAT acoustic, you may have to use ten different brands until you find that set.
Don't underestimate the relation between the wood type and string type on acoustics

I'm currently pondering which string brand to use on my D28, some say Elixir's and Martin guitars are not a match, I use the Elixir nanowebs on my Takamine and they sound great on that, but currently using the Martin SP 80/20 12-54's on the D28. Its got that mellow warm tone as opposed to the Elixir bright twang. I feel with the SP Authentic's they bring out the natural sound of the Martin, but I haven't tried it with a set of Elixir's yet, they will last longer I'm sure.

Littlejonny · July 2021

I use D'Addario NBs. Love them. Also, Martin Retros if I can't get NBs. Very similar, but I think NBs stay brighter for longer. These can really transform the sound of a guitar if you're used to PB or 80/20. NBs are Nickel Bronze and have a mellower tone with less harmonics and more fundamental.

meltedbuzzbox · July 2021

jeromegreenday said:

I *MAY* get strung up for this but acoustic forums will chuck loads more idea's at you, one such forum turned me on to, John Pearse strings with great success.
The thing to bare in mind, is if one set of strings work on one guitar for you, they might not work on a different acoustic. so if you always use Martins, that doesn't mean use them forever more on every acoustic.
Every acoustic will have a set of strings that's RIGHT FOR THAT acoustic, you may have to use ten different brands until you find that set.
Don't underestimate the relation between the wood type and string type on acoustics

I agree with this.

Funnily enough after going round the houses and trying a lot of different strings the best strings for my Martin were Martin lifespan 13 gauge

Lestratcaster · July 2021

meltedbuzzbox said:

jeromegreenday said:

I *MAY* get strung up for this but acoustic forums will chuck loads more idea's at you, one such forum turned me on to, John Pearse strings with great success.
The thing to bare in mind, is if one set of strings work on one guitar for you, they might not work on a different acoustic. so if you always use Martins, that doesn't mean use them forever more on every acoustic.
Every acoustic will have a set of strings that's RIGHT FOR THAT acoustic, you may have to use ten different brands until you find that set.
Don't underestimate the relation between the wood type and string type on acoustics

I agree with this.

Funnily enough after going round the houses and trying a lot of different strings the best strings for my Martin were Martin lifespan 13 gauge

I'm thinking of giving a set of Lifespans a go, do they have that squeaky coated feel like Elixirs? And are they 80/20 or Phosphor Bronze? I will have to get some 12's though as I ain't man enough to play 13's haha.

I do like the warm natural sound of the Martin's already on my D28 though.

How long do they generally last for on yours?

jeromegreenday · July 2021

I think that Guitar has a Cedar top? Cedar's will need different strings to say a spruce, I Hear Adamas PB lights are a good fir for Cedar, I think PB would be the way to go.

drofluf · July 2021

Just replaced the Newtones with a set of Martin Authenics. First impression is that they’re higher tension than the Newtones which is hardly surprising but they’re also less comfortable to play; rougher on my fingers and noisy. It may be my technique but it sounds like a family of mice scratching in the attic whilst I’m playing.

Tonewise I like them but that may just be a new versus old string effect.

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What acoustic strings / gauges do you recommend?

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