Just changed strings on my acoustic...

ThePrettyDamned

... For the first time in over 6 years.

A cheap and cheerful (damaged top) Vintage with a mahogany body and top. It was in dadgad all that time, and now it's in standard to learn some simple cowboy chord stuff and teach ladyprettydamned.

Goddangit that neck is bowing a good un. Truss rod needs a wrench. 

Anyway, first time using coated phosphor bronze from daddario. Straight from the pack, horribly bright still but I never like new strings on acoustic (or electric for that matter). Hoping in a few days the zing settles a bit. 

Andy79

Coated strings. No no no

ok maybe just me. But no

ThePrettyDamned

Andy79 said:

Coated strings. No no no

ok maybe just me. But no

These actually, honestly, don't feel coated particularly. My only experience with coated is the elixir nanoweb and they're... Grim. Like, slimy. 

These feel like normal strings. I mean, smoother, but my old strings were heading to their 7th birthday so more rust than anything. These don't feel like elixirs for sure. It's these. 

https://www.stewmac.com/strings-and-accessories/strings/acoustic-guitar-strings/daddario-exp-phosphor-bronze-acoustic-guitar-strings.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=2021-01-gp&pref_currency=P&shipcalc=UK&gclid=CjwKCAiA_9r_BRBZEiwAHZ_v1x7EBmPZKWW9maTErUT1ZQiC3BPzVNNTRby7E9df3OAZVbbhgowzhhoCNNYQAvD_BwE

Andy79

Gotta say hats off to nearly 7 years. I think Mark Stutman of Folkaway has a guitar with 30 year old strings on. That’s gotta take some loving care to get to that age

I like just worn in PB or very worn out bronze ones, really really nice

I brought an old Supertone out of the attic and had to rub the strings over with a scotch pad to stop my skin tearing on them. Good times

rze99

I put new Martin Bronze strings on my Guild acoustic. Terrible. Dulled quickly and started to tarnish in days. Not heavy sweaty live play, this is home stuff. Waste of money. 

Anyone recommend ones that last for ages are bright but not clangy?  I might go Elixr. 

Wazmeister

These arent cheap, but are a noticeable improvement on ‘standard’ strings...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0014STI7S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

richardhomer

I managed 15 years on a set of (uncoated) D’Addarios on a Strat which I have a Roland midi pick-up on/set up for slide. I changed them about four years ago and have barely played it since.....

drofluf

To be fair I think compared to six year old strings any new set will sound zingy!

Basher

Must say that I've grown to like the sound of old strings on acoustic guitar so much so that I'm tempted to try a set of the Martin "Retro" strings for more of an old-timey, dry sound.
 
Have used monel strings on my mandolin and liked them. A big plus is that they seem to last for ages.

Anyone tried the retros?

ICBM

Andy79 said:

Coated strings. No no no

ok maybe just me. But no

Not just you...

The only ones I can stand are DR Dragon Skin, but I still don’t like them as much as any uncoated strings I can think of.

TheBigDipper

Basher said:

Must say that I've grown to like the sound of old strings on acoustic guitar so much so that I'm tempted to try a set of the Martin "Retro" strings for more of an old-timey, dry sound.
 
Have used monel strings on my mandolin and liked them. A big plus is that they seem to last for ages.

Anyone tried the retros?

I've got Martin Monels on a Brook Taw. I like the way they don't "zing" quite as much for the first few days on. Makes the guitar sound a bit more balanced for my ears. There's no obvious "retro-ness" as far as I can tell. I've got Elixirs on a L'Arrivee, though - and like them. 

bluechargeboy

I use retros. They don't sound as good as phosphor bronze to my ears (and on my guitar), nowhere near as complex or rich. But they last a lot longer for me. I can kill PB strings in one sweaty gig though (remember those?)

Gandalph

I’ve got monels on my Waterloo’s they sounded too bright and brash with PB’s and I’ve never been a fan of Elixers personally. If you’re looking for the old time dry sound they are ideal and they last ages. 

Cirrus

Agree re; coated strings. Have a couple of mates that swear by the elixer ones and to me the overtones are metallic and overbearing. I like the D'addario exp non coated PB ones, though.

ThePrettyDamned

Cirrus said:

Agree re; coated strings. Have a couple of mates that swear by the elixer ones and to me the overtones are metallic and overbearing. I like the D'addario exp non coated PB ones, though.

These daddario ones don't seem awful, but they still have a bit of that... Slight slippiness to them. 

I am glad I only ordered one pack - in error - I don't think I'll go for them again. 

I'll let you know what I get in a few years time  

drofluf

The D'Addario ones lasted a week on my guitar before I took them off.

thermionic

I swore off Elixirs a couple of years after getting a Taylor dread, and found D’Addario EXP to be superior. The difference with the EXPs is that the windings are coated before they are wound onto the core. However now I really like Elixirs on my GS Mini. I like Monels on my Loar, I think they work well on a mahogany bodied guitar, especially for capoed fingerpicking. 

I’ve concluded that different types of guitar need very different types of string.

meltedbuzzbox

Love daddario strings on my electrics.
Won't let them near my acoustic. Zingy, too much treble, horrible sound in general.
I use martin lifespan on my acoustic 

tomjax

rze99 said:

I put new Martin Bronze strings on my Guild acoustic. Terrible. Dulled quickly and started to tarnish in days. Not heavy sweaty live play, this is home stuff. Waste of money. 

Anyone recommend ones that last for ages are bright but not clangy?  I might go Elixr. 

Try Adamas 1818E sets, not the easiest to find, but a really great string with  a beautifully bright and balanced tone. 

drofluf

Gandalph said:

I’ve got monels on my Waterloo’s they sounded too bright and brash with PB’s and I’ve never been a fan of Elixers personally. If you’re looking for the old time dry sound they are ideal and they last ages. 

I've actually taken the monels off my Martin and replaced with PBs and far prefer the tone. Whereas they sounded great on my Faith.

So the moral is, probably, strings are both a very personal thing and depend on the instrument they're put on. For the same  gauge and manufacturer the monels felt heavier, quieter and less comfortable to play.

Gandalph

drofluf said:

Gandalph said:

I’ve got monels on my Waterloo’s they sounded too bright and brash with PB’s and I’ve never been a fan of Elixers personally. If you’re looking for the old time dry sound they are ideal and they last ages. 

I've actually taken the monels off my Martin and replaced with PBs and far prefer the tone. Whereas they sounded great on my Faith.

So the moral is, probably, strings are both a very personal thing and depend on the instrument they're put on. For the same  gauge and manufacturer the monels felt heavier, quieter and less comfortable to play.

Yes agreed - horses for courses and all that.