What acoustic strings / gauges do you recommend?

peanuts · July 2021

IME Scale length, Wood types & combinations, Nut & Saddle material, Setup & after all that each individual instrument plays a part in string type & gauge best suited.

Don’t forget also the importance of tuning.

Since nobody mentioned them, I highly recommend Santa Cruz Parabolics, both Low & Medium Tension, depending on all of the above variables

earwighoney · July 2021

drofluf said:

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.

I found that as well.

I put on some John Pearse strings on an acoustic and thet were much higher tension than the Pyramid strings they replaced.

guitarjack66 · July 2021

I've just replaced 18 month old uncoated 10s on a jumbo for Phosphor Bronze 11s and I simply dont like the new strings,they sound crap.

ICBM · July 2021

guitarjack66 said:

I've just replaced 18 month old uncoated 10s on a jumbo for Phosphor Bronze 11s and I simply dont like the new strings,they sound crap.

It may just be because they're brand new - I hate that zingy brash sound too.

If so - try loosening them off completely, then re-tensioning... if you've strung the posts correctly they shouldn't break. If necessary, do it more than once.

This seems to 'break them in' very quickly and takes away that nasty newness. I discovered it when working on guitars where you have to slacken the strings to get at the truss rod adjuster or something.

guitarjack66 · July 2021

ICBM said:

guitarjack66 said:

I've just replaced 18 month old uncoated 10s on a jumbo for Phosphor Bronze 11s and I simply dont like the new strings,they sound crap.

It may just be because they're brand new - I hate that zingy brash sound too.

If so - try loosening them off completely, then re-tensioning... if you've strung the posts correctly they shouldn't break. If necessary, do it more than once.

This seems to 'break them in' very quickly and takes away that nasty newness. I discovered it when working on guitars where you have to slacken the strings to get at the truss rod adjuster or something.

Thanks. I might just try that. Incidentally,I tune down a whole tone and capo on the 2nd fret due to the body size being a bit too jumbo for me and me trying to reduce it's length a bit.

wellsyboy · August 2021

Yep newtones for me

Sammy · August 2021

Newtone Masterclass Phosphor Bronze if you have a Mahogany bodied guitar. Put a set of 11-52's on my Larrivee OM2 and totally made it into the best acoustic I have ever had.

Just recently tried a set of 12-52's on my Pono parlour which I was considering selling, it's now a keeper!

Various people on here have said they don't sound as good on Rosewood Guitars! So as I have since changed from always having Rosewood bodied to Mahogany based, I unable to comment at present, until I put a set on my son's Eastwood Rosewood Acoustic, as he loved the sound so much on my guitars, he wanted to try them.

So will revert back when they arrive and we have tried them out and let you know.

drofluf · August 2021

drofluf said:

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.

By way of a postscript they lasted just over a week; in desperation I tuned down a tone and capoed at the second fret but it sounded too sitar like so they came off and I put a set of Newtones on. Far more comfortable to play now and quieter.

Lestratcaster · August 2021

Just ordered a set of Martin Lifespan 12-54's phosphor bronze to try on my D28. The 80/20's I changed a week ago are 11-52's and although easier to play sound a bit tinny for strummy chords.

Will report back when I put the 12's on!

ICBM · August 2021

Lestratcaster said:

Just ordered a set of Martin Lifespan 12-54's phosphor bronze to try on my D28. The 80/20's I changed a week ago are 11-52's and although easier to play sound a bit tinny for strummy chords.

Will report back when I put the 12's on!

Since I don’t think it’s been mentioned so far - when you do, check the relief before and after, and adjust if necessary.

The tension difference between 11s and 12s is fairly small, but just enough that if the relief is at the ‘sweet spot’ with 12s, it will probably be just below it with 11s - and so the strings will sound much more tinny and weak by comparison than they would if the relief was the same with both.

The fret buzz caused by the action being marginally too low affects the tone and volume before it’s actually audible as buzz. The ‘sweet spot’ is the height where this just stops - increasing the action further doesn’t then improve the tone, it just makes it harder to play!

I think this is actually one of the important reasons why a lot of people think lighter strings sound worse, especially on acoustics.

Jez6345789 · August 2021

Definitely another vote for Santa Cruz parabolic low tension
i needed to change out strings on my ooo when I got home and used Elixirs for years but wanted to try something new have to say enjoying the Santa Cruz very balanced and bought a few sets to bring back for the guitars here in Spain.

Lestratcaster · August 2021

ICBM said:

Lestratcaster said:

Just ordered a set of Martin Lifespan 12-54's phosphor bronze to try on my D28. The 80/20's I changed a week ago are 11-52's and although easier to play sound a bit tinny for strummy chords.

Will report back when I put the 12's on!

Since I don’t think it’s been mentioned so far - when you do, check the relief before and after, and adjust if necessary.

The tension difference between 11s and 12s is fairly small, but just enough that if the relief is at the ‘sweet spot’ with 12s, it will probably be just below it with 11s - and so the strings will sound much more tinny and weak by comparison than they would if the relief was the same with both.

The fret buzz caused by the action being marginally too low affects the tone and volume before it’s actually audible as buzz. The ‘sweet spot’ is the height where this just stops - increasing the action further doesn’t then improve the tone, it just makes it harder to play!

I think this is actually one of the important reasons why a lot of people think lighter strings sound worse, especially on acoustics.

Ok, though I think it was initially setup for 12's (maybe 13's) when I got it, and these 11's are coming off after a week cos they're dying already!

Didn't think there'd be too much of a change between 11's and 12's though, like from 9's to 10's on electric? I'll have a check though anyway.

ICBM · August 2021

Lestratcaster said:

Didn't think there'd be too much of a change between 11's and 12's though, like from 9's to 10's on electric? I'll have a check though anyway.

Maybe not much, but don't discount it - the common complaint you hear is that when someone tries a lighter set of strings, they sound thin or lack volume. This is as likely to be caused by a reduction in relief - or by the top sinking back slightly due to less upward pull on the bridge, which is a further complication on an acoustic - as it is a real difference in the tone of the strings.

The difference between the set-up being just at the 'sweet spot' or just below is quite marked, and it's an abrupt change, so a tiny difference in tension can have a big effect on the tone.

Basically what happens (I'm almost certain, although I've never checked it with a strobe or anything) is that when the action or relief is marginally too low, the initial transient of the string movement is clipped off by contact with the higher frets - you don't hear it as fret buzz because it's *only* the picking transient that is, and it's hidden by the picking noise - but that's enough to rob a significant amount of energy from the string. If you raise the action just far enough that it doesn't happen, suddenly you get the full energy of the string vibration and a much fuller tone with more volume.

As mentioned earlier, I think the difference in tone and volume between string gauges is exaggerated - unless the guitar is massively overbuilt or the strings are really ridiculously light, any strings will vibrate it to a similar degree. In fact I've even come across the opposite - if the guitar is fairly lightly-built, over-stringing it can actually restrict the volume and tone because the extra tension stiffens the top too much.

Lestratcaster · August 2021

Hmmm ok, where even is the truss rod on a D28?! Cos its not on the headstock side, must be underneath the body where the neck joins it?

I probably will switch back to 12's permanently so don't want to tweak anything, I got my 12-54's earlier today so once these 11's die on me (which will be soon) I'll put these Lifespans on..

ICBM · August 2021

Lestratcaster said:

Hmmm ok, where even is the truss rod on a D28?! Cos its not on the headstock side, must be underneath the body where the neck joins it?

If it's pre-1985, there isn't one! Just a fixed steel reinforcing rod.

If it's a more recent one, it's a long way under the end of the fingerboard, accessed via the soundhole.

Lestratcaster · August 2021

I believe its a more recent one and yes I think its under the fingerboard via the soundhole

Mellish · September 2021

What I use on my HD28 is Martin MA140T. They are 12 gauge 80/20. To my ear they sound mellow new and they're tuning stability is excellent. There is MA140 too. They are the untreated version and to me sound harsher or brighter you could say.

Lestratcaster · September 2021

I just put the Lifespans PB 12-54's on my D28. They're a lot brighter and bolder (probably cos they're brand new and always sound that way). Not sure if I like them though, the 80/20's sounded warmer and duller but in a good way as it let the tone of the wood shine through. Maybe I was just used to the sound as it was nice. Will go with the Lifespans for a bit and see if they sound better settled in.

ToneControl · September 2021

ICBM said:

Lestratcaster said:

Didn't think there'd be too much of a change between 11's and 12's though, like from 9's to 10's on electric? I'll have a check though anyway.

Maybe not much, but don't discount it - the common complaint you hear is that when someone tries a lighter set of strings, they sound thin or lack volume. This is as likely to be caused by a reduction in relief - or by the top sinking back slightly due to less upward pull on the bridge, which is a further complication on an acoustic - as it is a real difference in the tone of the strings.

The difference between the set-up being just at the 'sweet spot' or just below is quite marked, and it's an abrupt change, so a tiny difference in tension can have a big effect on the tone.

Basically what happens (I'm almost certain, although I've never checked it with a strobe or anything) is that when the action or relief is marginally too low, the initial transient of the string movement is clipped off by contact with the higher frets - you don't hear it as fret buzz because it's *only* the picking transient that is, and it's hidden by the picking noise - but that's enough to rob a significant amount of energy from the string. If you raise the action just far enough that it doesn't happen, suddenly you get the full energy of the string vibration and a much fuller tone with more volume.

As mentioned earlier, I think the difference in tone and volume between string gauges is exaggerated - unless the guitar is massively overbuilt or the strings are really ridiculously light, any strings will vibrate it to a similar degree. In fact I've even come across the opposite - if the guitar is fairly lightly-built, over-stringing it can actually restrict the volume and tone because the extra tension stiffens the top too much.

Goodall guitars state the tension expected on the label, some require lower tension than normal

Tannin · September 2021

Brass strings (80/20s) are much brighter than phosphor bronze ones except when the brass strings are very old, past the point where most players would decide that they are "dead" and discard them. Well-worn brass (say two months old or more, depending on how much you play) has a lovely mellowness which is hard to match with anything else. (But it also lacks life and dynamics - as always, there is a trade-off.)

Mellish · September 2021

@Tammin. Normally I'd agree but that's not so with my HD28. Fair enough, it has to be MA140T (coated) and I have to use a specific bridge pins material but then I get the sound id been searching for. All the best.

guitarjack66 · September 2021

I now have phosphor bronze 10s on my 6,5 and 4th strings and phosphor bronze 11s on my 1,2 and 3 strings. I hated the boominess of the 11s on the 3 bassiest strings and had half a packet of 10s in my possession,so a nice compromise. This works ok so far.

Mellish · September 2021

@guitarjack66. Newtone would make a custom set to match that when you need new

guitarjack66 · September 2021

Mellish said:

@guitarjack66. Newtone would make a custom set to match that when you need new

Cheers. Didn't know you could mix 'n match them,

koss59 · September 2021

I’m down the rabbit hole of strings and the first set I’m trying after my usual D’addario is John Pearse.
Im well impressed, they sound great and seem to be lasting a lot longer so far. Great balance.

Mellish · September 2021

@koss59. You won't be short on brands to try

. For me it was D'Addario that did the trick, then I sold that guitar and bought a Martin HD-28. This one likes Martin MA140T but will settle for Elixir Nanoweb if she's forced

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What acoustic strings / gauges do you recommend?

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