Praises for Martin 80/20 bronze strings

[exhaust_49]

I put a set of Martin 80/20 bronze strings on my acoustic just to try. I've always used pb strings because I thought that 80/20 bronze strings sounded very bright and harsh. I've had the strings on my guitar for about a week now and that harsh bright sound that I hate is beggining to die down. Now that the metalic sound is pretty much gone, I really like these strings. They bring the sound of the wood of my guitar out better then pb strings. I used to use snake oil strings but I really like the Martin strings. They make my guitar sound deeper (not darker, deeper) and a lot like a Martin! Can anyone else that uses Martin 80/20 bronze strings (light gauge) tell me how long they last? With snake oils I changed my strings every 6 months and I would like to keep that up If I can with the Martin strings.

[guit30]

Totally agree, if I want a bright sound, I use Elixor Polywebs, if I want a warmer tone, I use Martin 80/20s

Jim

[moctzal]

I use the (coated) SP+ 80/20s. Last me about a month and I'd say I play around 45+ min. a day on average. Half of that being on the acoustic. They don't feel slippery like other coated strings. And they aren't balance towards the lower end like Elixirs seem to be. My strings of choice for my dread.

[kwakatak]

I'm of the opposite opinion. I used to like using Martin SP 80/20 lights on my all-laminate Takamine dread and here are my impressions:

 

- for the first three days the strings had that metallic sound with very clear response in the upper registers. The tone is not "warm" by any stretch since the strings have that jangly percussive effect.

 

- after the third day that metallic effect goes away and for about a week I get a "bright" tone where the trebles remain clear and resonant and aren't overshadowed by the volume of the bass strings.

 

- after about three weeks sustain and clarity seem to go out the window. The guitar no longer seems to resonate as clearly in any tonal range (bass, treble, whatever) and the strings seem to be physically stiff, which I define as being dead. At this point I take them off and replace them with something else.

 

OK, here's the disclaimer. I refuse to be anal about wiping my strings. This particular guitar also has a laminated top so it doesn't have as much volume as a genuine Martin D-28 that it's modeled after. Being a dread in physical dimensions and bracing patterns, it still has the typical bass-heaviness and crisp trebles with subdued midrange (i.e. the "scooped V EQ" response) It's no longer my primary guitar and I limit my playing to strictly strumming with minimal fingerstyle - I now own a Larrivee OM-03R which has taken over fingerstyle duty and now has my favor.

 

Nowadays I put Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze lights on that particular guitar and leave them on there for anywhere from 3 to 6 months. The current set has been on for a couple of months now and for strumming it's still clear as a bell. The highs are more prominent than the bass which is normal for this guitar and is what I define as being "bright".

 

As for the Larrivee, I now have Martin SP Fingerstyle Phosphor Bronze lights on it. They've been on for just a couple of days and never had that metallic harshness that the 80/20 version that the same Martin SP FS had when I used to use them. Typically, I also only get about 3 weeks out of them though. Compared to $14 for a set of Elixirs, I have no problem buying up Martin strings in bulk for $6.50 a set.

[Freeman Keller]

The Great String Test seems to support Neil's observations, at least on a hog bodied dread.

[SpaceCowboy409]

I use the SP+ 80/20s. For me, the sweet spot is 3 days - 3 weeks. But being a lazy bastard, I usually keep them on for 6 weeks.

[whit townsend]

Observations on bronze vs phos bronz on my D28 standard:

 

I like 80/20 right out of the pack. For a special recording project, or if I'm changing strings at least once a week for a gig, its my string of choice. But they dont last. Go dead pretty quick, and when they go, they go, really sound dull and crappy.

 

So if I want the string to last a while, I put on phos bronze. Less bright and puncy out of the pack, but they last longer.

 

If I want em to last REALLY long, put on coated strings. Kinda dull out of the pack, but I've had those last for a year of intermittant use.

[exhaust_49]

 

The Great String Test seems to support Neil's observations, at least on a hog bodied dread.

 

 

I want to thank you for doing that string test Freeman. Because of your string test I decided to try 80/20 bronze strings again and to me the sound difference between pb strings and 80/20 strings is like night and day.

 

Ive had the strings on my guitar a week now and I think there holding up well. I don't like the sound of them right out of the pack. I like the sound of broken in strings. I keep strings on my guitar for a long time (6 months) compared to you guys so I'll just have to wait and see how long they last.

[Freeman Keller]

I'm glad it helped and your feedback as your string age would be very helpful. I have the DR's and the Nano PB's undergoing a long term test. I would also like to add EXP's and Alchemy's to the clips, but I'm kind of burned out on changing strings right now LOL

 

btw - the strings on one my reso's are probably close to a year old. Need to get around to changing them one of these months.

[exhaust_49]

 

I'm glad it helped and your feedback as your string age would be very helpful. I have the DR's and the Nano PB's undergoing a long term test. I would also like to add EXP's and Alchemy's to the clips, but I'm kind of burned out on changing strings right now LOL btw - the strings on one my reso's are probably close to a year old. Need to get around to changing them one of these months.

 

 

I love to give you my feedback as the string ages. Is there a certain time you want the feedback? ex. at 2 months, 3 months? I'll be keeping these strings on for 6 months with approx. 2 hours of play every day.

[Freeman Keller]

 

I love to give you my feedback as the string ages. Is there a certain time you want the feedback? ex. at 2 months, 3 months? I'll be keeping these strings on for 6 months with approx. 2 hours of play every day.

 

 

I usually think of benchmarks for strings being fresh, after 4 or so hours of play and retuning (that is why I did day 3), somewhere around 3 or 4 weeks of pretty regular play (most people think uncoated strings are going off by then) and if they still sound good at 3 months I would say you've got your money's worth. I'm going to record the DR's and Nano's in a few days (which will be a month) and again at 3.

 

Body chemistry, style of play, moisture and corrosion , number of tuning cycles all seem to affect string life.

[0rbitz9]

Most of my guitars sound great with Martin phospher bronze strings.

My old Fender Malibu guitar, which is a dread made out of sycamore, seems

to be the exception. It sounds dull with phospher bronze strings, but really

sings with Martin bronze strings on it. Which strings are best really depends

on the guitar, but overall I'm happy with Martin strings.

 

I haven't tried the Martin Fingerstyle strings. Maybe I should, since I'm strictly

a finger picker. Can anyone explain what the advantage of these would be,

or should I just buy some and see for myself?

[rjoxyz]

 

Most of my guitars sound great with Martin phospher bronze strings. My old Fender Malibu guitar, which is a dread made out of sycamore, seems to be the exception. It sounds dull with phospher bronze strings, but really sings with Martin bronze strings on it. Which strings are best really depends on the guitar, but overall I'm happy with Martin strings. I haven't tried the Martin Fingerstyle strings. Maybe I should, since I'm strictly a finger picker. Can anyone explain what the advantage of these would be, or should I just buy some and see for myself?

 

 

I use Martin Fingerstyle 12-54's on my 000-15S which I use only for fingerpicking. The guitar sounds better with them than any others I have tried. General, I am not a fan of Martin PB strings, but these are a clear exception. I could be wrong, but the "slinkier" feeling of the strings is due to a smaller diameter core wire, which makes them more flexible. They definitely do not feel as stiff as SP's.

[Freeman Keller]

 

haven't tried the Martin Fingerstyle strings. Maybe I should, since I'm strictly a finger picker. Can anyone explain what the advantage of these would be, or should I just buy some and see for myself?

 

 

rjoxyz is right, the Fingerstyles have a smaller diameter core wire (for less tension) but the overall diameter is the same. I my one experience with them I thought they sounded like a normal PB string, played easy enough (my calloused old fingers couldn't feel any difference) and I thought they were very noisy (switching from Nanos it would be easy to perceive that). Obviously they were not included in the string test - I didn't think there was that much difference and my initial feelings weren't that great. YMMV

[simplygoodmusic]

I love these things..only strings that actually sound GOOD.