Strings - do you prefer 80/20 bronze or phosphor bronze?

[Phil O'Keefe]

Just curious as to which is more popular with HC forum members - 80/20 or phosphor bronze strings. I'd appreciate it if you'd tell us which you prefer and why, or if you use both, which you prefer on which specific instruments, and why.

 

 

[katopp]

I prefer EXP16 on almost all of my guitars. Almost all means that on the very lightly built Binh OM 35/45 I prefer Martin Silk&Steel and on the Martin Backpacker it's whatever comes in extra light. Mostly the green Martin Strings.

My Binh Customs are all ordered with the EXP16 in mind and Binh had set them up and voiced them around the EXP16.

 

[Freeman Keller]

Phil, a long long time ago I made some sound clips on several of my guitars with a bunch of different strings. They were all the same gauge, some were 80/20, some were PB, some were coated, some were not. I posted the clips here and we had a lively discussion.

 

As a result of listening to those clips I found I liked the warmth of PB's over the brightness of 80/20. I found that I could tolerate a thin coating for the additional life that I seemed to get. I also found that if I standardized on stocking medium and light gauge strings from one manufacturer (with a few singles to fill in some holes) I could cover almost all of my acoustic guitars from the little finger pickers to the resonators to the 12 strings.

 

[Idunno]

The only 80/20 I buy anymore is ground beef.

 

Back in the day, my ear wasn't so acute as to make a meaningful distinction between them. I changed the strings on all my steel string guitars every 2/3 weeks (2 weeks for the cedar top / 3 weeks for the spruce top). That's when the treble brilliance began to fade across the tops, respectively. Cedar, having less treble characteristics than spruce, got renewed at 2 weeks. This assumes playing 1-2 hours weekdays and pretty much through any given weekend. My point is the ring of new strings was always pretty even to my ear across both types of alloys and then they came off before I could discern any age-decay distinctions.

 

Also, I kinda don't use a plectrum. Mostly fingernails and a thick thumb pick, I use the blade of the thumb pick as a plectrum when/if needed, and driving either type of string alloy (bass-low mid) with the thumb pick yields similar tone. Flesh/fingernails level the alloys out in the mids-trebles.

 

Should you ask in the future, I use GHS Set 2510 Nickel on my classical (wound third), which I play exclusively now.

[garthman]

I use 80/20 on all my acoustic guitars except for my old Eko Ranger VI which has nickel-steel wound strings because it has a magnetic soundhole PU.

 

For a while a few years ago I switched to PB but I find that 80/20 sound just as good and are more resistant to corrosion.

 

Oh and PS. Also except for my nylon string dred upon which, of course, I use nylon strings.

[Grant Harding]

I use PB exclusively. I find 80/20 strings too bright for the sound I'm after. If I need extra zing I grab a thin pick.

[Mikeo]

EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze, Light, 12-53

[Samilyn]

D'Addario phos bronze on everything but my all-hog dread. That one gets DR Rare which seem a little brighter than the D'Addario ones. Once in a blue moon I'll slap a set of Silk & Steel on my 12-er when I'm in the mood for that airy sound.

[DeepEnd]

Normally PB's because they keep their tone longer. But for a long time I used 80/20's on my Ibanez after I bought a set by mistake. I discovered that 80/20's weren't prone to the G string binding at the nut like PB's were. I've since replaced the original "Ivorex II" nut with TUSQ and I can use PB's on it but I never figured out why the formula of the strings made a difference.

[panhandler]

Last couple of years I've been using Martin Lifespan PB's

[lucasroy37]

Still a fan of the 80/20s. Although my taylor is already very brilliant sounding, I find that they fill out the sound more, or make it richer. I guess I also am a creature of habit and have stepped out side or D'addario and elixir strings. After reading this forum I might

[Freeman Keller]

Worked on a charming little 1931 Martin the other day and there was a package of Black Diamond strings in the case

 

 

Also a 25 cent instruction book and an 85 cent pitch pipe.....

[bigald18]

On my steel I use GHS phosphor bronze. They last longer than any other string I've owned. Don't like coated strings and Martin 80-20's are my substitute (Marquis). Nylon I like any D'Adarrio

 

BigAl

[Grant Harding]

Do you tie the classical strings at the bridge or use ball end? If you tie them I strongly recommend you try a set of Savarez or Hannabach at some point. I tried several sets after I got my GC10 and these really stood out. I tried 2 flavors of D'Addario and they were only just average.

I never want to change a set of nylon strings again though. What a pain!

[Glenn F]

Savarez are good strings.

 

As for the question at hand, It depends on the guitar. A couple of my guitars are brighter than others, and PBs work better with them. Others, I prefer 80/20. They are usually Elixir nanos of one sort/gauge or another.

[Samilyn]

Do you tie the classical strings at the bridge or use ball end? If you tie them I strongly recommend you try a set of Savarez or Hannabach at some point. I tried several sets after I got my GC10 and these really stood out. I tried 2 flavors of D'Addario and they were only just average.

I never want to change a set of nylon strings again though. What a pain!

 

To toss in my .02 here... I tie mine because it's what I learned to do some bunchteen years ago. Old habits die hard and I don't find it a pita to tie 'em. I do like Savarez ones on my little gut box. Never tried Hannabach, so thanks for the recommendation.

 

[DeepEnd]

. . . I guess I also am a creature of habit and have stepped out side or D'addario and elixir strings. After reading this forum I might

I'm a creature of habit too. I typically use d'Addario or Martin strings on my acoustics but I've also tried Ernie Ball Earthwoods back when I was still using 80/20's on my Ibanez. When I set up guitars for friends I normally use DR's for acoustic because they last fairly long. Still, nothing wrong with thinking outside the proverbial box.

[Grant Harding]

I went on a search for decent ball end nylons and gave up. I wanted them for a guitar that has a really shaved bridge saddle as they provide more break angle. In the end I just use a simple double knot for that guitar rather than a traditional tie.

[Neal]

I think the most important question is "Worth or Aquila ukulele strings?".

I'll go Worth.

 

Guitar, no preference, they tend to sound the same after a week, but I'm usually a D'Addario pb buyer.

[garthman]

Although, like Samilyn, I generally prefer loop-end strings, I have found La Bella "Folksinger 830" ball-end strings to be pretty good.

 

http://www.labella.com/products/830-folksinger-black-nylon/

 

I use them on an old classical guitar to get a better break angle since that the top has risen a little.

 

PS. I think Willie Nelson likes them too.

[catscurlyear]

80/20 Bronze Martins 12`s to 54`s ,i only bought them because they came as 3 pkt`s and were cheaper online, i was a bit wary cause i`d never tried this brand before but was pleasantly suprised and will buy them again, but that will be some time off yet ,i only change them when i have a breakage and i don`t like the sound of new strings ,these strings weren`t overly bright when they were new.

[lucasroy37]

I'm a creature of habit too. I typically use d'Addario or Martin strings on my acoustics but I've also tried Ernie Ball Earthwoods back when I was still using 80/20's on my Ibanez. When I set up guitars for friends I normally use DR's for acoustic because they last fairly long. Still, nothing wrong with thinking outside the proverbial box.

 

Cool! Thank you! I'll try these earthwoods! A question about the DR's - they last long but do they still SOUND good for a long time? If the answer is yes I will definitely pick up some of these as well. I find with the elixirs that they lose their touch after a while. They still PLAY fine but don't sound as brilliant. Thanks for the response

[DeepEnd]

Cool! Thank you! I'll try these earthwoods! A question about the DR's - they last long but do they still SOUND good for a long time? If the answer is yes I will definitely pick up some of these as well. I find with the elixirs that they lose their touch after a while. They still PLAY fine but don't sound as brilliant. Thanks for the response

The life of strings is primarily about sound. Older strings don't intonate (stay in tune up the neck) as well either. The nice thing about Earthwoods is that they're cheap but watch the way they label gauges. Both Ernie Ball and DR call 12's "medium" whereas most manufacturers would call them "light." A normal "medium" set from Martin or d'Addario would be 13's. If you like 80/20's, look for DR Hi-Beams.

[Grant Harding]

 

Cool! Thank you! I'll try these earthwoods! A question about the DR's - they last long but do they still SOUND good for a long time? If the answer is yes I will definitely pick up some of these as well. I find with the elixirs that they lose their touch after a while. They still PLAY fine but don't sound as brilliant. Thanks for the response

I've had bad corrosion issues with DR, so if you live in a humid place I'd recommend picking them up as you need them and checking for rust spots in the store. I really like the sound of their strings and they do last long for uncoated strings.

[recordingtrack1]

I use 80/20 because of the brighter sound. I rarely use use a pick and I rely on my nails to strum. PB's don't give me that brightness. That's about it.