Medium strings on Martin D15m?

Jtaylor · June 2020

Does anyone know if it is safe to put medium strings on a d15m? The martin website recommends lights but doesn't say if the bracing or top can take anything heavier.....

mgaw · June 2020

would think so

Lewy · June 2020

Hmmm...if you're not sure I'd ask over on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum. Martin recommend mediums on nearly all their dreads so it's not insignificant if they recommend lights on that one.....

danishbacon · June 2020

I err on side of caution and use 12s, low tensions on my more lightly built guitars

Jtaylor · June 2020

Thanks guys, I've just joined the unofficial martin guitar forum to ask over there, appreciate the recommendation @Lewy ;. My account is pending approval so will have to wait till I can post. Definitely want to err on the side of caution but if it is safe then I would like to try mediums. Anyone else have any thoughts?

mgaw · June 2020

@Jtaylor ignore me, I always assume mediums are 12's but of course its 13's, so I would be very careful about that.

boogieman · June 2020

I’d definitely go for low tension strings or there’s a long term risk of the top bellying up. You could tune down to D and use a capo I guess but downtuning always makes the strings feel a bit odd to me.

pjf · June 2020

According to this string tension calculator:

https://tension.stringjoy.com/

There would be slightly less tension on the top if you used 13s tuned down half a step than 12s in regular tuning. So that could be an option.

Jtaylor · June 2020

boogieman said:

I’d definitely go for low tension strings or there’s a long term risk of the top bellying up. You could tune down to D and use a capo I guess but downtuning always makes the strings feel a bit odd to me.

Yeah, thats what I'm worried about. I think lights might be best after all. pjf said:

According to this string tension calculator:

https://tension.stringjoy.com/

There would be slightly less tension on the top if you used 13s tuned down half a step than 12s in regular tuning. So that could be an option.

Thats a great idea, have you ever tried it? How is the feel of using them tuned down?

pjf · June 2020

Jtaylor said:

boogieman said:

I’d definitely go for low tension strings or there’s a long term risk of the top bellying up. You could tune down to D and use a capo I guess but downtuning always makes the strings feel a bit odd to me.

Yeah, thats what I'm worried about. I think lights might be best after all. pjf said:

According to this string tension calculator:

https://tension.stringjoy.com/

There would be slightly less tension on the top if you used 13s tuned down half a step than 12s in regular tuning. So that could be an option.

Thats a great idea, have you ever tried it? How is the feel of using them tuned down?

Kind of. I have all my acoustics tuned half a step down and my electrics either half a step down or standard. I prefer half a step down mostly because it’s better for my vocal range, but it’s also easier on the top on an acoustic (~10lbs less pressure with 12s vs standard tuning), bending strings is easier, and it’s simple enough to just capo at the first fret if I need to be in standard tuning.

What I’ve not tried is going half a step down but up a gauge in strings. I don’t see how it would damage the guitar though. Martin dreads can usually handle mediums no problem, so going half a step down would be playing it on the safe side if you’re worried about bracing and the top. You could contact Martin customer services, they’re usually pretty responsive. But I personally wouldn’t hesitate to try it

I used to own a HD-28v and had that in standard with mediums, sometimes tuning to EBDGAD (so up a full step on the A) for some tunes.

boogieman · June 2020

I was told by a pro guitarist that the reason for tuning down half a step was to stop harmonica players joining in.

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Medium strings on Martin D15m?

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