String suggestions to tame overly bright guitar?

[ccasey]

Hi all,

 

Haven't posted on here much, but enjoy the forum. A question: I've got a Guild GAD50ATB, which I really loved the sound of at the time I bought it and have enjoyed since, until recently. At one point, I had a setup done and was putting John Pearse 13-56 strings on there (I know the 13 is right ... think I've got the 56 right). Recently, haven't had the JP's and had some D'Addario Phosphor Bronze lights (12 - 53?) which I've put on twice and hate the sound of on this particular guitar. It's overall too bright and buzzy for my tastes, with poor separation between the low-mid-high strings, and the high "E" is downright shrill. Don't know if this could purely be a function of the lighter guage high E, but doubt it? In any event, can't always get the JP strings, and am looking for suggestions for strings to give this a more balanced, and slightly mellower sound. Guitar has a solid spruce top and is inherently bright with a lot of projection. Is Phosphor Bronze where I've gone wrong? Any suggestions (brand and/or type and guage)?

 

Thanks, Chris

[Gary Palmer]

Phosphor Bronzes are normally fine, but whether or not you head in the direction of 80/20's is a matter of personal taste and the guitar itself. It basically boils down to the fact you'll need to experiment a little with other brands or focus solely on John Pearse strings.

 

I often exchange between Martin SP phosphor bronze, Earthwood, D'Addario EXP, depending on which guitar.

[HarleyCharley]

I use D'Addario PB's and according to my ear, it takes a few days for the strings to settle down. They sound a little too shrill for my taste when brand new.

[totamus]

Some coated strings are less bright than their uncoated counterparts. You might try a set of Elixir polywebs

[Hudman]

Let your strings age a bit and don't change them as often. Slightly old / dirty strings will sound less bright.

 

Eddie Van Halen prefers to record with crusty old strings for the same reason.

[C70man]

I recently am using some D'Addario EJ26 (.011-.052)custom lights on my Penco...a very bright spruce/maple guitar. These Phoshor Bronze really toned the guitar down. It has taken me a month to get used to the sound (vs Elixirs), but it's really growing on me...they are warm, balanced, and bright when they need to be.

I think your Guild would like them.

[ccasey]

Thanks for the suggestions. I use Elixir's on my Alvarez, actually, and it sounds great (of course, it is a very different guitar, being koa and laminate, rather than all solid).

 

I'll experiment with some of these suggestions, and also probably try to go back to a heavier guage a la the JP's.

 

Chris

[DeepEnd]

The fact that you're hearing this phenomenon with the high E is the tipoff, IMHO. Plain strings of a given gauge should sound pretty much the same. With wound strings it's a different story because of different metals used for the windings but plain strings are just--well--plain steel, essentially the same steel. The only variable is gauge. Is there a reason you used d'Addario 12's instead of 13's? Try a set of d'Addario mediums and see how you like them. Or Martins or Ernie Balls or DRs, etc. Or, since you already know you like the John Pearse strings, why not buy them online if they're not consistently available locally? Just Strings has a nice selection and the mediums you like are on sale at the moment.

[rjoxyz]

GHS Vintage Bronze are the warmest strings I have ever encountered.

[benzem]

Try a thicker pick

[Samilyn]

 

Hi all, Haven't posted on here much, but enjoy the forum. A question: I've got a Guild GAD50ATB, which I really loved the sound of at the time I bought it and have enjoyed since, until recently. At one point, I had a setup done and was putting John Pearse 13-56 strings on there (I know the 13 is right ... think I've got the 56 right). Recently, haven't had the JP's and had some D'Addario Phosphor Bronze lights (12 - 53?) which I've put on twice and hate the sound of on this particular guitar. It's overall too bright and buzzy for my tastes , with poor separation between the low-mid-high strings, and the high "E" is downright shrill. Don't know if this could purely be a function of the lighter guage high E, but doubt it? In any event, can't always get the JP strings, and am looking for suggestions for strings to give this a more balanced, and slightly mellower sound. Guitar has a solid spruce top and is inherently bright with a lot of projection. Is Phosphor Bronze where I've gone wrong? Any suggestions (brand and/or type and guage)? Thanks, Chris

 

 

Hmmm...you mention "buzzy". If you're getting a bit of buzz after changing to a lighter gauge string, you may need to adjust your truss rod just a wee bit and/or fine-tune your setup to the lighter gauge strings.

 

I don't think using Phos Bronze strings is where you went wrong, as they are customarily known for a warmer, mellower sound than 80/20. And yes, they do need to settle down a bit before the true warmth is evident.

 

And, at the risk of starting another bridge pin war, I'll say that in my personal experience, ebony bridge pins made a difference for me, toning down an otherwise too-bright git. YMMV.

[LaurentB]

I use Martin SP on my Crafter GAE-30, which is also too bright with some other strings.

[LaurentB]

 

(...) And, at the risk of starting another bridge pin war, I'll say that in my personal experience, ebony bridge pins made a difference for me, toning down an otherwise too-bright git. YMMV.

 

 

We might start numbering them BPW I, BPW II...

[ccasey]

Thanks again for the helpful suggestions, including the most recent few. I actually managed to pick up some Pearse strings of the heavier guage I was previously using this afternoon, and will try putting them back on tonight and see how that works out. I'm glad to have the alternative suggestions to try as well, however, as I like playing this guitar and want to get it back to sounding like I want it to, if possible.

 

Chris

[Gary Palmer]

Treble strings can often become shrill sounding if over fretted. Over fretting is easily done if moving down a string gauge or two. In other words, if placing a little too much pressure on the string you can raise it's pitch slightly and produce more emphasis on the treble notes than normal, so - if this is the case - you could try checking and possibly easing up on fretting pressure.

 

Checking nut slot action and the cleanliness of the slots themselves could also highlight potential problems.

[Guitar_stringer]

String suggestions to tame overly bright guitar?

 

Have you tried sunglasses???

[Queequeg]

And, at the risk of starting another bridge pin war, I'll say that in my personal experience, ebony bridge pins made a difference for me, toning down an otherwise too-bright git. YMMV.

ccasey, I can sell you my old strings as I take them off of my guitars. Guaranteed not to be too bright when I get through (ahem) "customizing them" for you.

As usual, Sami is wrong and a liar. Fossilized possum femur is the only way to go with your bridge pins.