Another string advice thread.

markj · October 2019

Sorry about another boring thread on Acoustic guitar strings but any advice recommendations please. A couple of weeks ago I bought an Eastman E1SS Ltd edition Adirondack solid spruce top solid Sapele back and sides. The guitar came with Daddarios 12's EXP coated strings even though it sounded superb i'm not really a lover of coated strings. Since then I've tried Martin Authentic Acoustic strings in 80/20 and Phosphor bronze, completely hated the 80/20 set they just didn't suit the guitar. The guitar has the Martin phosphor bronze on it at the moment and it sounds pretty good, but are there any other brands that I should be looking at.

Lewy · October 2019

I'm a bit surprised by your comment about not liking coated strings in relation to the EXPs. Elixirs, sure, but any time I've tried EXPs they've felt pretty much identical to non coated EJs. I guess I must not be too sensitive to it....

In terms of other brands to try, John Pearse are always worth a try - very nice quality strings.

ICBM · October 2019

D'Addario EJ phosphor bronze, or Newtone Masterclass phosphor bronze. I slightly prefer the Newtones - mostly for feel rather than tone - but the D'Adds are fine for off-the-shelf.

markj · October 2019

Quite tempted with the John Pearce strings, would it be safe to go up to 13's on the guitar without any adverse effects on the guitar.

ICBM · October 2019

markj said:

Quite tempted with the John Pearce strings, would it be safe to go up to 13's on the guitar without any adverse effects on the guitar.

Any dreadnought-type guitar should be built well enough to take 13s, but it may need a truss rod adjustment.

earwighoney · October 2019

@markj I have an Eastman E10-OO, and I found the guitar worked well with Gibson PB's, but I've been using Martin PB's quite on my other guitars and I'm finding them very good and will order more.

earwighoney · October 2019

markj said:

Quite tempted with the John Pearce strings, would it be safe to go up to 13's on the guitar without any adverse effects on the guitar.

I have used mediums on my Eastman but I downtune the strings quite a lot and I'd not tune my guitar to concert pitch with mediums.

markj · October 2019

ICBM said:

markj said:

Quite tempted with the John Pearce strings, would it be safe to go up to 13's on the guitar without any adverse effects on the guitar.

Any dreadnought-type guitar should be built well enough to take 13s, but it may need a truss rod adjustment.

Expected the truss rod tweak.

sev112 · October 2019

Everything sounds different after a few days. With a new guitar, buy 4 or 5 different sets and try them over 4 or 5 months so you get to hear how they sound new and then played in, especially as the guitar starts to improve in sounds from playing too.
after that amount of time you will have heard a range of different string types, thicknesses, changes in humidity and temperature, and by then you won’t be able to remember what the first 2 or 3 sets you put on it were .

Oh yeah, you’ve probably changed plectrums in that period too

(from experience)

rustneversleeps · October 2019

Martin Retro’s ?

markj · October 2019

rustneversleeps said:

Martin Retro’s ?

Loved them on my Martin 00015m. Would they suit my Eastman?

rustneversleeps · October 2019

markj said:

rustneversleeps said:

Martin Retro’s ?

Loved them on my Martin 00015m. Would they suit my Eastman?

Funny that I’ve got them on Martin 00015sm and I agree they work well with that guitar.
But might be worth a try though.

Winny_Pooh · October 2019

ICBM said:

D'Addario EJ phosphor bronze, or Newtone Masterclass phosphor bronze. I slightly prefer the Newtones - mostly for feel rather than tone - but the D'Adds are fine for off-the-shelf.

Exactly this.

GTC · October 2019

I recently spoke to someone who bought a new Avalon A1-20 - and he found the tone was transformed by switching from the factory-fitted EXP's to EJ's

markj · October 2019

Just ordered a couple of sets of John Pearce PB, will report back.

Winny_Pooh · October 2019

markj said:

Just ordered a couple of sets of John Pearce PB, will report back.

Didn't listen did you....

markj · October 2019

Winny_Pooh said:

markj said:

Just ordered a couple of sets of John Pearce PB, will report back.

Didn't listen did you....

I ordered them early this morning will work my way through all the recommendations.

crunchman · October 2019

D'Addario Phosphor Bronze would be my first option.

Newtones sound good, but I had two or 3 sets (probably from the same bad batch) where the D string wouldn't intonate properly. I'm sure they are not normally like that, but I've never had that from D'Addario in the best part of 30 years. D'Addario tend to be a bit cheaper as well.

TheBigDipper · October 2019

I'm playing around with different string types on a Brook Taw after serialling using Elixir Phosphor Bronze. Currently have a set of Martin Retro Acoustic Monel on. I like them more than the Elixir - although I wasn't unhappy with them, just curious about other strings. The feel is rougher (no coating) but the sound is much more to my taste. Balanced, not too bright on first fitting and very clear. They're lasting longer than I expected, too. I've got some Newtones in a drawer ready to try next, but these Martins are an improvement to my ears.

GTC · October 2019

TheBigDipper said:

I'm playing around with different string types on a Brook Taw after serialling using Elixir Phosphor Bronze. Currently have a set of Martin Retro Acoustic Monel on. I like them more than the Elixir - although I wasn't unhappy with them, just curious about other strings. The feel is rougher (no coating) but the sound is much more to my taste. Balanced, not too bright on first fitting and very clear. They're lasting longer than I expected, too. I've got some Newtones in a drawer ready to try next, but these Martins are an improvement to my ears.

My current favourites are the less popular Elixir Polywebs (Bronze) for my fingerstyle playing - slicker and a smoother, more mellow sound than the Phosphor Bronze Nanowebs - and less fretboard noise. I've got them fitted to my new Taw (see recent NGD) and three other guitars. I've also found Santa Cruz Parabolics (light) work really well on parlour-size guitars. Based on this thread I'm tempted to give Newtones a try.

GTC · October 2019

Interesting - I've just looked into Newtones and their Heritage range is based on the same round-wound balanced tension principle as Santa Cruz - at less than half the price per set.

ICBM · October 2019

crunchman said:

D'Addario Phosphor Bronze would be my first option.

Newtones sound good, but I had two or 3 sets (probably from the same bad batch) where the D string wouldn't intonate properly. I'm sure they are not normally like that, but I've never had that from D'Addario in the best part of 30 years. D'Addario tend to be a bit cheaper as well.

Oddly, I've had a couple of sets of D'Addarios where the A string wouldn't intonate. Again, I would assume a batch problem since it seems too much of a coincidence otherwise. That was a long time ago too.

artiebear · October 2019

I use D'Addario phosphor bronze exclusively ( 12's or 13's depending on the guitar ). I get them in bulk and get through box fulls of the things. I have found them to be consistent and like the tone they give. I had one problem a few years ago when 4 unwound strings from one box all unravelled at the ball end. I told D'Addario and they immediately sent out replacement sets to me. As with the aforementioned intonation issue, I assume that even with the best quality control something can slip on the production line. On the plus side, that was four strings in the hundreds of sets I have over many years.

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Another string advice thread.

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