strings for an acoustic

casper leblanc

I've got Elixir Bronze on my acoustic and I have mixed feelings about them. They are very easy to play and they keep their tone for a really long time, but that tone is pretty ringing and sparkling, maybe a bit too much.

They even play that smoothly that they make D'Adarrios seem like they have glue on them.

Anyway, question is: what are good acoustic strings. I love my Guild and I want to get the best possible sound from it. I'm looking for the sound of Eddie's acoustic or Ray Lamontagne (both play Martin's though). A little less sparkling, but still great sounding.

Blah, any tips?

who's_pearljam?

I change around a lot. It seems like when I get to like someone's strings, they change them. I like John Pease strings lately. I don't know it you have them over there.

I actually found the Elixer's to be darker sounding and less jangly than uncoated strings. I like them, but if they stay on too long they get all funky feeling to me.
I have a friend who I have a band with, who lives down the street. He works for Gore, who makes them. I helped him with his roof, and I'm STILL waiting for that case of Elixers! I'll send you some, Pearlwax!

I can't compare anything to Eddie's or Ray's sound, though. Maybe it's your guitar that's bright. They could be getting the janglyness < (That's an adjective, I do believe ) EQ'd out, too.

casper leblanc

who's_pearljam? wrote:

Maybe it's your guitar that's bright.

Hmm, yeah, could be, definitly. It's just that I have a cheapo acoustic as well with D'addario's and ever since I've been playing the Elixers on the Guild, the D'addario's are harder to play. They don't feel smooth at all. Wich is weird.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Guild and how it sounds. It's brilliant, in every meaning of the word, and pretty distinctive. But the sound of Ed and Ray is more darker I believe.

I guess I just have to get myself a Martin as well! My local guitarshop actually has a brand new 000-18 for only 1350 euro's :eek: That's just a steal, but I'll never have the money for that one :( Or I'd have to part with the Guild and I really don't want to do that.

parel jam

I play my acoustic with Martin strings for years now. Good tone to me. Disadvantage: you have to change strings every 10-15 weeks...

samquigley

+1 for the Martin strings. GHS bronzes aren't bad either. I've got a really dark-sounding cedar-topped guitar and I too found the Elixirs far too bright. They only started to sound good after they'd accumulated enough gunk to throw the intonation out.

FinsburyParkCarrots

Martins, for the six string and the twelve string. I like ten gauges; I don't like playing anything too heavy. I change the strings on the twelve string, once a week. Once the twelve string loses its ring for me, especially when fingerpicking, new strings go on.

Thorns2010

Martin SP strings are the way to go IMO. Also be carefull with the Exilier strings. They are coated, and that coating wares off, and right into your fret board, and at the point....well good luck getting it out!

mca47

Thorns2010 wrote:

Martin SP strings are the way to go IMO. Also be carefull with the Exilier strings. They are coated, and that coating wares off, and right into your fret board, and at the point....well good luck getting it out!

I like the SPs too.
I have one acoustic with SPs and another with D'addario's. I definitely prefer the feel and sound of the Martins.

casper leblanc

Alright, sounds like I'll get me some Martins to try out. On a side note: don't you just hate re-stringing an acoustic?

harrisonmerwin

pearlwax wrote:

Alright, sounds like I'll get me some Martins to try out. On a side note: don't you just hate re-stringing an acoustic?

i'd try a heavier set too, the difference between 10 and 12's is HUGE and makes a huge impact on your overall acoustic tone. i use medium daddarios now, an upgrade from extra light martins...i really enjoyed the transtion.

BlindMelonade

I've been using D'Addario EXP's and they're good...

parel jam

pearlwax wrote:

On a side note: don't you just hate re-stringing an acoustic?

Try some 10 gauges; I prefer lighter strings.

The more you change strings on a guitar, the quicker you can do it...

ianvomsaal

Go back to regular Elixir Strings.

enharmonic

John Pearse Strings

ianvomsaal

Debate, debate, which string is better - here's my thoughts . . .

Okay, I use Elixir strings almost exclusively, and yet their new "Phosphor Bronze" strings are a bit too bright for me as well - they've got a nasty overly chimey tone - which make them sound more like every other acoustic string (if I wanted that I'd just get plain acoustic strings).

I've tried both Martin and D'Addario, but their tone just gets really lackluster after 1-gig (compared to the Elixir's).
I'd heard some good things about John Pearse Strings, so I thought I'd give them a shot . . . They sounded okay for the 1st set, but honestly no kidding, the tone completely died in them during the 2nd set (and I typically play 3-sets). Man, I really wanted to change my strings by the end of the 2nd set (because of this I now hate John Pearse Strings).

I actually like and recommend Elixir's regular poly-web "CUSTOM-LIGHT" (11-gauge) - For some reason I really like the thicker poly-web coating for recording (and even live work - since they DO seem to last a bit longer, and there is definitely far less "string talk"). I still change them almost every other gig (or yeah, every two [or at most three gigs] if I'm feeling really lazy). But to me they sound far superior to any other string, and I'd have to change normal acoustic strings every gig because of their loss of tone and playability - so the cost comes out basically the same for getting Elixir's (two sets of regular strings = 1 set of Elixir strings for cost and longevity).
Cheers . . .

- Ian C.T. vom Saal

frenchs

What kind of guitar? Body construction and top bracing really can detirmine what kind of strings you want. If you have a Guild, I'm guessing it's probably a Dread of a Jumbo you probably want a heaver string to help move that big top. On my dread, use mediums. On my smaller body acoustics I use lights or custom lights.

Do kind of player are you? Do you attack the guitar a bit heavier (strumming, agressive solos, bending) If so you would want to look at mediums from a standpoint of string breakage. If your more of a gentle player, you might find lights to be a bit more responsive.

Ray - he plays either a D-35 or a HD-35, can't remember which. These two particular guitars have a HUGE bottom end, these things GROWL when you dig into them. If your looking to move the top on a big dread, make sure your playing mediums. I have a HD35 and play nothing but mediums on it, I love the growl when that top gets moving.

Ed - 00 sized, vintage, Martins (I think a 17 and an 18, feel free to correct me here). These have a small body, but the depth of a bigger guitar, so they play pretty easy, and have a good amount of volume. It could go either way here, Ed could be playing mediums or lights on these. With the strumming he does, he could be playing mediums. If I was rocking a vintage small body Martin, I would definitely not be playing anything bigger than medium-lights, but more than likely I would be using lights. I use lights on my 000 sized guitars.

Now here's the thing about strings. People like what they like, you'll get lots of conflicting opinions. Think about how you play, what you play, and try to make the decision from there. Some people swear by coated strings like the Elixrs or EXP's from D'Addario, but I don't like any of the coated strings. So that all being said, here is what I play on my acoustics in order of preference.

Newtone Masterclass Phosphor Bronze - Mediums for Dread, Lights for Small Body
Martin Phosphor Bronze - Mediums for Dread (SP4200), Lights for Small Body (SP4100)
D'Addario Phosphor Bronze - Mediums for Dread (EJ17)

I've also heard good things about the Martin "Clapton's Choice" although I've never played them.

-steve

casper leblanc

Hey Steve

good info - and questions. I play a 1978 Guild D25, so it's a dread with an arched back. Strings are Elixir 80/20 bronze, lights (012-053).

I like the size of the strings, so whatever I do, I'll stick with 012. The feel is als great, but because of the coating they're really smooth, almost slippery. Problem is that it makes other strings feel like they're not smooth. And they sound a little too bright for my taste.

So that's why I'll try some Martins or Pearse (if I can find them) next.

casper leblanc

and another question: what's the difference between 80/20 and Phosphor?

bharQ

pearlwax wrote:

I've got Elixir Bronze on my acoustic and I have mixed feelings about them. They are very easy to play and they keep their tone for a really long time, but that tone is pretty ringing and sparkling, maybe a bit too much.

They even play that smoothly that they make D'Adarrios seem like they have glue on them.

Anyway, question is: what are good acoustic strings. I love my Guild and I want to get the best possible sound from it. I'm looking for the sound of Eddie's acoustic or Ray Lamontagne (both play Martin's though). A little less sparkling, but still great sounding.

Blah, any tips?

My favorite strings for my G series Takamine acoustic is D'Adarrio Phospher Bronze Light

JofZ

snake oil acoustics are great. I put them on my Martin for kicks and I am happy with the tone.

throwingcopper

pearlwax wrote:

Hey Steve

good info - and questions. I play a 1978 Guild D25, so it's a dread with an arched back. Strings are Elixir 80/20 bronze, lights (012-053).

I like the size of the strings, so whatever I do, I'll stick with 012. The feel is als great, but because of the coating they're really smooth, almost slippery. Problem is that it makes other strings feel like they're not smooth. And they sound a little too bright for my taste.

So that's why I'll try some Martins or Pearse (if I can find them) next.

pearlwax... i have the same elixer strings on my old piece of a guitar kay acoustic and you're right, they are a little too bright and ringy. i like the feel and smoothness as well and, they're easy to play. there definately is a difference between the feel of coated strings and regular strings because i just got the elixers on my kay about 3 weeks ago and i was playing that until i got a carlo robelli for my birthday last week and it has martins on it. i like the martins because they are not bright or ringy at all but, that might be because they really arn't the newest strings i've ever seen or felt... haha. but, when i put new strings on the new guitar i'll put martins back on it first and then maybe try the elixers on the robelli. i don't know... i used to just put cheap strings on my guitar because i had a crappy guitar but, i'm just now getting into the whole "understanding the guitar" now. where as i used to just play it for fun.

i know that didn't help answer your question but, i'm really not the guy to ask about tecnical guitar questions. if you read what i wrote above you will know why.

lance

casper leblanc

throwingcopper wrote:

i know that didn't help answer your question but, i'm really not the guy to ask about tecnical guitar questions. if you read what i wrote above you will know why.

lance

Oh don't worry, from reading what you wrote I say we are on the same level.