Acoustic strings - a journey...

jellyroll

I believe there is some connection between Santa Cruz and Straight Up Strings. 

RandallFlagg

Ref The Martin Lifespan 2.0s, a few days in they are feeling just a little draggy, still sound really good but not as smooth to play as the Elixir nanowebs.

jaymenon

One practicality is that if you have a number of acoustic guitars, then the longevity of strings becomes a really relevant matter - and I've reverted therefore to using Elixirs (previously a D'Addario EJ16 / EXP16 user).

The Elixirs are a little more 'slippery' and so I find one can get more 'physical' so to speak with uncoated strings.

I totally agree re: the slightly brittle / bright sound of Elixirs - but I find that's only for the first couple of days.  After two days Elixirs lose that initial irritating brightness - and then they stay stable for months and months. And nothing else comes close...

'String sqeak' is also significantly less - and that makes a real difference whilst recording, especially if you want add a little top-end eq while mixing.

This is something I recorded with a month old set of Elixirs - no eq or processing, just used the mic on my MacBook...

Typo: Those strings were SIX months old...

James87

For me I've spent silly amounts of money on string's for both my Martin d35 2011 and my takamine eg523sc both fitted with a bone nut and saddle and for me it was Martin acoustic sp but they simply don't last long. 

I have since tried out daddario xp 12's and by God are they superb string's on both guitar's so much so I've ordered 10 sets to see me though the following years 

Give em a try you will love em

p90fool

@jaymenon that's my experience too, I need to grab a guitar off the wall at random times and Elixirs are always ready to go. They're not my first choice tonally, but they're 90% there and remain there. 
I get less than two good weeks out of silk and steels despite slightly preferring the tone, so six month old Elixirs sound way better than three week old silk and steels for me. 

Lovely playing and singing btw. 

stickyfiddle

Time for another update from me and my HD28. I've had Lifespan 13s on for a few weeks. They sound great and the guitar is a little louder which is fun, but its not worth the extra playing effort, so following a bit of general joint pain brought on by other medical stuff I'm going back to 12s. I have a couple of sets of Martin's new(ish) Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0s, so I'll give those a whirl. 

And I'm back in the UK in a couple of weeks so might finally pick up some Newtones (if I remember..)

bbill335

stuck some daddario nickel bronze on my old caballero/LG0. this is never gonna be a huge sounding guitar but it already sounds fuller than it did with the newtones. should mention i've gone from newtone 12-52 to dadd 12-56. the string noise is more prominent but i reckon that'll calm down after they're broken in.

biggest problem is the plastic A tuner disintegrated so i need to get new'uns fitted

stickyfiddle

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had. 

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next. 

Phil_C

jaymenon said:

One practicality is that if you have a number of acoustic guitars, then the longevity of strings becomes a really relevant matter - and I've reverted therefore to using Elixirs (previously a D'Addario EJ16 / EXP16 user).

The Elixirs are a little more 'slippery' and so I find one can get more 'physical' so to speak with uncoated strings.

I totally agree re: the slightly brittle / bright sound of Elixirs - but I find that's only for the first couple of days.  After two days Elixirs lose that initial irritating brightness - and then they stay stable for months and months. And nothing else comes close...

'String sqeak' is also significantly less - and that makes a real difference whilst recording, especially if you want add a little top-end eq while mixing.

This is something I recorded with a month old set of Elixirs - no eq or processing, just used the mic on my MacBook...

Nice playing @jaymenon ;

I use the Elixirs too, they've always sounded the best; to me.

markj

Just put on my HD28 a set of Martin Retros in 13 gauge. They sound good and will sound superb after a weeks playing when they settle in.

fields5069

I’ve just gone to medium Martin retro strings. Apparently they’re supposed to sound the same for longest, and best with fingers. This is on a 24.75” scale Simon & Patrick all-mahogany folk. I like them so far but I’m no connoisseur. I think the jump to mediums strings has had more effect on the tone, which I’m liking so far. 

stickyfiddle

Cheers chaps, I’ll add a set of those to my next amazon order

markj

fields5069 said:

I’ve just gone to medium Martin retro strings. Apparently they’re supposed to sound the same for longest, and best with fingers. This is on a 24.75” scale Simon & Patrick all-mahogany folk. I like them so far but I’m no connoisseur. I think the jump to mediums strings has had more effect on the tone, which I’m liking so far. 

I had a Martin 00015m that sounded superb with Retros. They suit all mahogany guitars very well so wasn’t sure if they would suit the spruce/rosewood of the HD28. If any body tries them they take a week of playing to settle and mellow.

TimmyO

stickyfiddle said:

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had. 

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next. 

Tried the Authentics ? 

stickyfiddle

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had. 

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next. 

Tried the Authentics ? 

Not yet. I currently have an amazon basket with those (blue packet, non-Lifespan version), plus a set of Martin Retros and some Mangans to try over the next few string changes. I can imagine both Martin sets will be great, but whether they last long I don't know. Will let y'all know.

bbill335

bbill335 said:

stuck some daddario nickel bronze on my old caballero/LG0. this is never gonna be a huge sounding guitar but it already sounds fuller than it did with the newtones. should mention i've gone from newtone 12-52 to dadd 12-56. the string noise is more prominent but i reckon that'll calm down after they're broken in.

the nickel dadds, despite being significantly heavier, don't really feel stiffer than the newtones. in fact, i can pull off some good bends with them.

Nikc

A surprise day of (unwell son needs looking after) the weathers a bit crap - soooooo time to change some strings and play with the setup on my freshman - Elixirs nanoweb - all done sounds as nice as ever just slightly lower action

TimmyO

stickyfiddle said:

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had. 

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next. 

Tried the Authentics ? 

Not yet. I currently have an amazon basket with those (blue packet, non-Lifespan version), plus a set of Martin Retros and some Mangans to try over the next few string changes. I can imagine both Martin sets will be great, but whether they last long I don't know. Will let y'all know.

Authentics on my D28, Retros on my 00-17S - I'm there now 

stickyfiddle

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

TimmyO said:

stickyfiddle said:

I put the new Martin Lifespan 2.0s on my HD28 last weekend (12s gauge, 80/20). They're objectively fine, but I don't like them anywhere near as much as the old now-hard-to-get "old timey" Lifespans. They're much more plinky like Elixirs and don't have the lovely low-mid growl that the old Lifespans had. 

Really rather disappointed and not sure where I'll go next. 

Tried the Authentics ? 

Not yet. I currently have an amazon basket with those (blue packet, non-Lifespan version), plus a set of Martin Retros and some Mangans to try over the next few string changes. I can imagine both Martin sets will be great, but whether they last long I don't know. Will let y'all know.

Authentics on my D28, Retros on my 00-17S - I'm there now 

Good to know. How long you get out of a set between changes?

TimmyO

I'm really not playing much so can't say with any confidence - but the Retros definitely seem to be in the longer lasting camp. A chap in Guitar Village reckoned the coated versions of the Authentics still sound really good so I may try those