Strings for Eastman E20 00

menamestom

Strings are currently XS PB.  Guitar sounds good but I’m thinking something a little more ‘fundamental’ may suit better.

I’ve never really experimented with strings but want to with this guitar to try and find the right match early on.

 

Currently there’s quite a bit of high ‘zing’ and also low mids/bass can be a bit ‘woofy’ when I dig in.  Part of this will be the guitar, small size and rosewood back and sides, but can’t help thinking there is probably a better string – something slightly more muted.  The EXP’s have settled in a bit, but being coated they will be trying to keep that core sound.

Strings I’ve been thinking about:-

 Martin Retro’s

GHS Vintage Bronze

GHS Silk and Bronze

Daddario nickel bronze

 

Not trying to change the tone of the guitar, I’m enjoying it so far, and would be happy as it is, but I think there will be a better string for a guitar of a 1930’s type design.  Woods are adi/rosewood.

Tannin

If you don't want to make a radical change to the sound of the guitar, cross out:

* Martin Retros (dull, flat, metallic - all in a good way, but very different)

* GHS Silk & Bronze (lovely strings, but very different in an opposite direction. They are not the full silk & steel sound but they go a long way towards that. These would work better on (say) something with a cedar top. Would they take the zing of the Red Spruce? Absolutely. But they might strangle it. Try by all means, but as an experiment, not an answer.)

* D'Addario Nickel Bronze (I love them, but they are even more retro than Martin Retros.Very dark.)

GHS Vintage Bronze are nice but a bit colourless in my experience. (Which mightn't be such a bad thing on a rosewood and Red Spruce guitar like yours - that combo can want a bit of taming.) Curiously, although they are brass (in an 85/15 alloy rather than the more usual 80/20), they are not blow-your-face-off bright like most brass strings. Maybe this unexpected  dash of softness is something that 85/15 strings do (though I can't for the life of me imagine why that should be so) because the D'Angellico Prohibition Bronze 85/15 strings I love on my Cole Clark Angel are similar in this respect (and might make something you'd like to try). 

Just the same, I reckon your best bet is staying with phosphor bronze but going to something with a bit more heart and body than the rather colourless and sterile D'Addarios. 

The first ones I thought of (which is to say these are the obvious choices and a good place to start), more-or-less in this order:  Darco D220 or Martin MA540 (same string, different packet); SIT Royal Bronze, GHS Phosphor Bronze, John Pearse Phosphor Bronze, Galli LS, Pyramid Western Folk, Rotosound Jumbo King, Wyres CP1254.

Might just be perfect, but very expensive: Philippe Bosset Acoustique. Perhaps also Richard Cocco Bronze. Although quite different, these two are both full and warm and well-controlled without too much top end and yet never dull. Absolute class. Beware of the Rolls Royce pricing!

DavidR

Well Martin Retro are certainly looking back to the 1930's and have proven popular. But! If you don't want to alter the tone, don't experiment with Martin Retros (Monel). I use Monels a lot and they are significantly less bright than other strings. They have a complex sound to my ears, which is why I like them, and they last a long time, but PB they ain't. Try one/all of your other choices. Have fun.

(P.S. I envy you the E20 OO. I have been studying what's about to buy a smaller guitar for my 70th and the Eastmans E20 and E10 were on the list. Also the lovely Sigma SOOR 45VS. Current fave is Taylor GS Mini - probably the mahogany one.)

menamestom

Tannin said:

If you don't want to make a radical change to the sound of the guitar, cross out:

* Martin Retros (dull, flat, metallic - all in a good way, but very different)

* GHS Silk & Bronze (lovely strings, but very different in an opposite direction. They are not the full silk & steel sound but they go a long way towards that. These would work better on (say) something with a cedar top. Would they take the zing of the Red Spruce? Absolutely. But they might strangle it. Try by all means, but as an experiment, not an answer.)

* D'Addario Nickel Bronze (I love them, but they are even more retro than Martin Retros.Very dark.)

GHS Vintage Bronze are nice but a bit colourless in my experience. (Which mightn't be such a bad thing on a rosewood and Red Spruce guitar like yours - that combo can want a bit of taming.) Curiously, although they are brass (in an 85/15 alloy rather than the more usual 80/20), they are not blow-your-face-off bright like most brass strings. Maybe this unexpected  dash of softness is something that 85/15 strings do (though I can't for the life of me imagine why that should be so) because the D'Angellico Prohibition Bronze 85/15 strings I love on my Cole Clark Angel are similar in this respect (and might make something you'd like to try). 

Just the same, I reckon your best bet is staying with phosphor bronze but going to something with a bit more heart and body than the rather colourless and sterile D'Addarios. 

The first ones I thought of (which is to say these are the obvious choices and a good place to start), more-or-less in this order:  Darco D220 or Martin MA540 (same string, different packet); SIT Royal Bronze, GHS Phosphor Bronze, John Pearse Phosphor Bronze, Galli LS, Pyramid Western Folk, Rotosound Jumbo King, Wyres CP1254.

Might just be perfect, but very expensive: Philippe Bosset Acoustique. Perhaps also Richard Cocco Bronze. Although quite different, these two are both full and warm and well-controlled without too much top end and yet never dull. Absolute class. Beware of the Rolls Royce pricing!

Thanks for the suggestions, some left field options here!  I’ll add these to the list.

DavidR said:

Well Martin Retro are certainly looking back to the 1930's and have proven popular. But! If you don't want to alter the tone, don't experiment with Martin Retros (Monel). I use Monels a lot and they are significantly less bright than other strings. They have a complex sound to my ears, which is why I like them, and they last a long time, but PB they ain't. Try one/all of your other choices. Have fun.

(P.S. I envy you the E20 OO. I have been studying what's about to buy a smaller guitar for my 70th and the Eastmans E20 and E10 were on the list. Also the lovely Sigma SOOR 45VS. Current fave is Taylor GS Mini - probably the mahogany one.)

Cool.  I’ll have to try the monels, they seem to divide opinion but the fact they are different means they are worth a try.

Yeah the E20 OO is great, I love the neck and string spacing.  I would have tried the GS mini’s but they missed my searches due to the narrower nut.  They should do a wide nut version!

rustneversleeps

If you do  try Martin retros be warned when first put on they don’t sound great.Give them at least a week before you judge them.I use them on all my guitars.

menamestom

So I've down tuning down half a step and using a capo on the first fret really helps tame what needs taming.  The woofy bass notes have subsided and the top end is sitting right (which might just be playing a lot and the strings dulling a bit).
Either way, tuning down has opened the guitar up, certainly until it is full broken in.  But being a 12 fretter losing a fret is not an ideal permanent solution.

I was looking at what strings would have the same tension at concert pitch as my current XS 12-54 strings have a half step down.  They are about 160lbs

I was thinking the GHS silk and bronze, but they are showing as 174lbs, unless I'm reading things wrong.
Do different manufacturers quote tension using different scale lengths?

Saying that, looking at other GHS strings, their standard PB's and Vintage blond are both lower tension than their low tension silk and bronze strings.

I may just drop to 11's for now, not something I've ever done on an acoustic and I don't particularily need to but the guitar might prefer it.

WindmillGuitars

@menamestom Try Stringjoy's Naturals Phospher Bronze

Tannin

One gauge up or down = one semitone up or down, near enough. So a standard set of 11s should be pretty close to what you want. 

@WindmillGuitars suggestion of Stringjoys is worth considering. I thought of listing them earlier but left them off because I am not the only one here to have tried them and thought they were dead, muddy, dull things. But that's what you are looking for! Something to tame the highs. Could be worth a try.

sir_strumalot

You could try the XS 80/20s, they have a more fundamental sound with less fizzy overtones.

MartinB

Well played "dead" 80/20 strings can be lovely for clear fundamental, but you've got to get through the lively stage first.

BadTiming

Saw your post and thought of the quentissential “Nick Drake” tone

menamestom

Okay Martin Retro’s on and straight out of the box they are working better.  Will see how they change over the next week or so, but first impression is they seem to work with, rather than against the guitar.

Tannin

You call my suggestions "left field" and then go and put Monels on! Now that's funny.  

menamestom

Tannin said:

You call my suggestions "left field" and then go and put Monels on! Now that's funny.  

Lol! Yes, well from an availibility point of view.
These were an easy first choice as they were cheap on Amazon Prime and ticks a quick box before I get a setup.

But I’m going to play the field a bit and take some notes along the way so suggestions are all duly noted.

But yeah, monels are definitely different.

Tannin

Lord of the Strings is your friend. Close by (just over the water in the Netherlands), fast, efficient service, cheap postage, huge range, great prices.  http://lordofthestrings.com

guitarjack66

Tannin said:

Lord of the Strings is your friend. Close by (just over the water in the Netherlands), fast, efficient service, cheap postage, huge range, great prices.  http://lordofthestrings.com

Only just discovered that website and the prices look very competitive.