condie
Sore Fingers
Hello. New to this forum. Bear with.
Posts: 4
My main instrument is: Sobell Guitars.
|
Post by condie on Jan 21, 2015 11:41:12 GMT
I get the Legacy strings from Strings Direct. Used D'Addario EJ16s for years and frankly these are just as good.
|
|
|
Post by surfguy13 on Jan 21, 2015 19:08:19 GMT
It does seem to be conclusive in favour of Newtones! I'd much prefer a conclusive response though; I change strings very regularly and the price differential will make itself felt if I swap to Newtones but if Andy Howell is right and they do last longer then there's no contest.
I should maybe try coated strings as suggested by sigmadel; I did make a less than enthusiastic effort to try them many years ago but found that all my reference points on the fingerboard went out of the window. It made me realise just how much the type and gauge of string helps me work my way around the neck. Probably great for rhythm but for picking I found them a bit too slippy.
|
|
|
Post by earwighoney on Jan 22, 2015 0:17:00 GMT
I get the Legacy strings from Strings Direct. Used D'Addario EJ16s for years and frankly these are just as good. I read elsewhere someone had a suspicion they are rebranded Rotosounds. Next time I will buy some strings I'll place an order for some of the Legacy strings.
|
|
condie
Sore Fingers
Hello. New to this forum. Bear with.
Posts: 4
My main instrument is: Sobell Guitars.
|
Post by condie on Jan 23, 2015 11:08:19 GMT
I once got a box of them and, whild the individual packets were branded "Legacy", the larger outside box had Rotosound lables, so I think you are right earwighoney.
|
|
|
Post by surfguy13 on Jan 23, 2015 19:10:24 GMT
The Legacy strings are a bargain for the money and if they're Rotosound then the quality should be excellent. Rotosound are highly under-rated strings and I've always used them for electric bass. Superb strings and great value for money. I shall definitely try some Legacy strings, great tip!
Earwighoney suggested 80/20 for the Collings and so I decided to get a few el cheapo Martin sets of Bronze and try them before buying the Newtones. I've been using PB to date on the Collings. They arrived yesterday and I whacked a set on with the usual curses due to slotted headstocks and the upsidedowness of the keys and string posts, and really great results! These are the basic red packet Martin strings (12-54) and they sound remarkably good considering they were £9.50 for 3 sets delivered!!!!
The 80/20 on the Collings has really made a significant difference both when picking and flat picking. Much, much brighter and not nasty nasally bright but a warm well rounded brightness. When fingerpicking the E and A are well rounded and you loose that fuzzy edge I was getting with the PBs. I think I can safely say that I shall be using 80/20 on the Collings from here on in and will also try a set on the Chris Perkins 0 too.
I shall order a couple of sets of Newtone 80/20s and report back!
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Jan 25, 2015 0:15:29 GMT
big day today. I put new strings on my guitar! Newtones :/)
|
|
|
Post by eldergreene on Jan 26, 2015 22:35:46 GMT
G'day all, new poster here, thought I'd chime in - I've come to prefer 80/20 bronze to PB in recent years, possibly due to age-related hearing changes ( plus they are slightly lower tension than PBs), & usually opt for Daddario custom lights; have tried Newtones, but always seem to get buzzes off'em tho they do sound good - & one of my guitars, a 1933 Gibson L1 seems to respond best to Martin SP 80/20s..the SPs have a nice slinky feel, & might be worth adding to your list of possibles?
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 34,106
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Jan 26, 2015 23:29:44 GMT
Welcome to you eldergreene - congrats on your first post! Why not say Hi to everyone in the Introductions section? Keith
|
|
Welshruss
C.O.G.
Posts: 477
My main instrument is: Turnstone, Wandering Boy & Santa Cruz
|
Post by Welshruss on Jan 27, 2015 0:09:10 GMT
I use 80/20's on my 12 fret mahogany guitars and pb's on my rosewood guitars. I have tried loads of brands over the years but always end up back with John Pearce or d'addarios. I also like John Pearce open d strings for my weissenborn. I don't like coated strings, it's like wine and beer we all prefer different flavours.
|
|
Martin
Administrator
Posts: 11,890
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"http://mandocello.org/lytebox/images/adirondack.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0a530b
Mini-Profile Text Color: 4f3517
|
Post by Martin on Jan 27, 2015 0:09:22 GMT
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Jan 27, 2015 9:52:00 GMT
I use 80/20's on my 12 fret mahogany guitars and pb's on my rosewood guitars. I have tried loads of brands over the years but always end up back with John Pearce or d'addarios. I also like John Pearce open d strings for my weissenborn. I don't like coated strings, it's like wine and beer we all prefer different flavours. Must admit I can never get used to coated strings either. They sound to me as if they have a coat on ...
|
|
|
Post by scorpiodog on Jan 27, 2015 11:37:14 GMT
FWIW, I find coated strings reduce squeak enormously. I have tried the Newtones, and have found them quite grippy and squeaky.
As regards types of bronze, I find there's no generic best. I have some guitars where I use 80/20, some I use PB (and these will all be Elixirs) but I have one guitar that seems better to me with the Ernie Ball alumin(i)um bronze strings.
As Welshruss says, it's all a matter of personal preference.
One thing I've noticed recently is that in all the recordings of classic acoustic tunes from the 60's (from, for example, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Davy Graham and Martin Carthy) that I've listened to, their strings seem almost dead. There's very little sustain and no brightness worth speaking of. I wonder whether that's improvements in string technology or recording technology.
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Jan 27, 2015 15:48:01 GMT
One thing I've noticed recently is that in all the recordings of classic acoustic tunes from the 60's (from, for example, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Davy Graham and Martin Carthy) that I've listened to, their strings seem almost dead. There's very little sustain and no brightness worth speaking of. I wonder whether that's improvements in string technology or recording technology. Well these guys were not rolling money and I suspect they made their strings last. I can remember years ago almost every used guitar I picked up was like that. Martin Carthy is famous (at least to me) in having strings that are not only dead but tuned to C so they sound very flabby. Of course, he still sounds great with all that — which is a bit of a facer! You do beg a question though about new strings. I find all new strings pretty unbearable at first although one of the reasons I go of Newtones now is they seem to settle down quicker. Celtic instrumentals record/sound better with more shimmer and shine. I do find with singing I don't want that sound and are happier as the strings get a little older. Sometimes this can catch you out. Last Saturday I had the whole house to myself all day. Right, I thought, mammoth song recording session coming up (I haven't forgotten I keep promising stuff). I set off to record my Celtic Country song (as featured in the songwriting thread) and snapped the 3rd string as I moved up from F to G. No problems I though. I'm in a chilled mode. So, I changed all of the strings, cleared up the blood, and then went back to the guitar. I was aiming to record the guitar part independently. I just couldn't play it — the sound was everywhere. So, I decided to wait a week so that the strings have lost the shimmer that was putting me off. As for string squeak nothing seems help me . Some days there is squeak and other days there isn't. Or perhaps some days I just don't hear it! I suspect improved technique might help but, really,I'm past all that now!
|
|