What Strings?

[Noise...]

Ok..I'm going to need some new strings soon for my Washburn D10S. It's setup for 11's and is playing nicely with them on.

 

Up until now I've always used D'Addarios on it. What do you guys recommend I try next?

[kwakatak]

I'm gonna get slammed for this but try out Elixir Nanoweb (Phosphor Bronze).

 

I like them on my Takamine F-360 which is my "beloved beater"! I get about 4-6 months of worry-free playing with just the right amount of edge taken off its tone to make it sound warm and inviting!

[Noise...]

Ok -I'll give them a shot. Do they play smoothly? How long do they last?

[moctzal]

I think half the people on this forum (including myself) really like Martin SPs either the 92/8 or 80/20. I use 12's myself. I think Elixirs sound good for fingerstyle, but I don't like the sound of them strummed...just my $0.02

[Noise...]

I do very little finger picking...almost everything I play uses a pick.

 

I'll check out the Martins as well..

[Freeman Keller]

If you can hold out about another week or two at the most I am going to post mp3 comparing Martin SP Bronze and PB's, Elixer Poly Bronze, Nano PB (and maybe Bonze), DR Rare. They are all recorded at day one and three on the same mahogany guitar.

 

If you can't wait you will get a lot of different opinions - all of them correct.

[kwakatak]

 

I think half the people on this forum (including myself) really like Martin SPs either the 92/8 or 80/20. I use 12's myself. I think Elixirs sound good for fingerstyle, but I don't like the sound of them strummed...just my $0.02

 

 

That would be my primary "brighter" string choice: Martin SP Fingerstyle PB (92/8). I also like John Pearse custom lights phosphor bronze (600L) for strumming. I used to use 80/20s on all but they usually sounded too bright for the first couple of days, sounded only OK for the next week or two and then became dull-sounding and stiff after 3 weeks.

[moctzal]

If you can hold out about another week or two at the most I am going to post mp3 comparing Martin SP Bronze and PB's, Elixer Poly Bronze, Nano PB (and maybe Bonze), DR Rare. They are all recorded at day one and three on the same mahogany guitar. If you can't wait you will get a lot of different opinions - all of them correct.

 

I think all of us are waiting for that one...the pin test was great .

[moctzal]

 

They usually last me several months. I edited my prior post to say 4-6 months though I've gone longer (when I was playing my other guitars more) and shorter (when I felt it was time for a "brighter" string choice. That would be my primary "brighter" string choice: Martin SP Fingerstyle PB (92/8). I also like John Pearse custom lights phosphor bronze (600L) for strumming. I used to use 80/20s on all but they usually sounded too bright for the first couple of days, sounded only OK for the next week or two and then became dull-sounding and stiff after 3 weeks.

 

 

Yes 80/20 strings do have a shorter life. Dammed elixirs. I wish I liked them more. They last so long. They do make an SP+ Martin coated version of both types of strings. I have no experience with them though. I find coated strings a bit slippery...

[Noise...]

If you can hold out about another week or two at the most I am going to post mp3 comparing Martin SP Bronze and PB's, Elixer Poly Bronze, Nano PB (and maybe Bonze), DR Rare. They are all recorded at day one and three on the same mahogany guitar. If you can't wait you will get a lot of different opinions - all of them correct.

 

Yeah...I'd say that's well worth me waiting for. I'm not hurting for strings or anything, and I'd rather get a good idea of the different strings out there.

[smatel]

I played a D10 for several years. I eventually decided that bright was better. The guitar I had absorbed much of the strings energy.

 

D'Addario EJ16, changed every two weeks.

[Noise...]

Every two weeks?

 

My set of D'Addarios has been on it for ~a month and a half. The set before that probably 3 months.

 

Isn't every two weeks a bit much??

[guitarist21]

Isn't every two weeks a bit much??

 

Not at all. Strings really should be changed regularly. I, however, am totally lazy and change them... oh... when they break, mostly.

 

I have a Washburn dread and I use Martin SPs on it. Sounds great, IMO.

 

Ellen

[ESL94]

I agree with kwakatak...I use Elixir Nanoweb (Phosphor Bronze).

 

[Noise...]

Not at all. Strings really should be changed regularly. I, however, am totally lazy and change them... oh... when they break, mostly. I have a Washburn dread and I use Martin SPs on it. Sounds great, IMO. Ellen

 

The same rule applies for me. Because, not only do I not want to change strings that often, I also don't want to be spending $7.99 on a pack of strings every two weeks.

 

If I get a chance to go to the guitar shop before Freeman posts his clips, I'll probably grab some Martins. Otherwise I'll wait until after.

[DeepEnd]

Ok..I'm going to need some new strings soon for my Washburn D10S. It's setup for 11's and is playing nicely with them on. Up until now I've always used D'Addarios on it. What do you guys recommend I try next?

If it ain't broke . . .

 

Seriously, if you like d'Addarios you'll probably like DRs. Martins are decent too. I haven't played GHS in quite a while but I used to like them as well.

[Freeman Keller]

Anti, just to add a little fuel to the fire before the test comes out, here is my opinion. First, you need to settle on a gauge that fits your playing style, guitar and setup. Next, within brands of uncoated strings, I think you need to narrow it down to composition, and there are two major choices - so called Bronze (also called 80/20) and so called Phosphor Bronze. I will contend that most of us cannot hear the difference between, say a D'Addario PB and a Martin PB and a John Pearse PB and DR PB - it you can it will be really subtle. But people have very strong feelings about one composition over another and certainly brand loyality.

 

Next you need to decide if you like the sound brand new, or after a few hours of play. Most people think that strings change sound a little. (That is why some performers change strings before every gig). After that, you need to decide when you think the strings are starting to sound "dead" - one week, one month, three months. That is a funtion of a lot of things including your body chemistry, how much you play (and of course, your own personal ears). People have very strong opinions about how long they last and when to change them.

 

Lastly, you need to decide if coating either a Bronze or a PB string changes its sound and/or gives you more life, less string noise, or something else to justify the increase in price. There are different types of coatings and people tend to have strong feelings about them too.

 

Lastly, some strings deviate from the standard hex core Bronze or PB, coated or not. There are round cores and thin cores and funky compositions and siilk and steel and .... And people have strong opinions here too.

 

My little test will attempt to let you hear a few of these differences on one guitar with five or six or seven different strings at two different ages. I will also put three sets of the same strings (uncoated Bronze, uncoated PB and a coated Bronze) on four different guitars - different woods and body shapes and setups.

 

Stay tuned (pun intended)....