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Post by jackorion on May 29, 2020 10:18:27 GMT
I've always used Daddario EJ16 12-53 Phosphor Bronze strings - mainly because they just seemed to be the 'standard' that you could get everywhere.
I've tried all kinds of different strings over the years (Wyres, Newtone, DR, Elixir, Martin) but I've always come back to the EJ16 after some experimenting.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, I was thinking about my upcoming (and now postponed) recording dates and I thought it might be nice to 'tone' down the 'richness' of my guitars a little bit - both my Martin and my Collings have a decent amount of overtones and the Collings in particular has a lot of mids that I sometimes think gets in the way of my vocals (it's also the reason I think it works so well with the ETL Edwina setup).
I've tried Monels and the Daddario NB strings in the past but found them a bit too 'plain' sounding, so I thought I'd try the EJ11 12-53 80/20 from Daddario.
I've gone back and forth between 80/20 and PB on both my guitars a few times now and I think I prefer the 80/20 tone - it seems a little more muted, more emphasis on the fundamental with less overtones, and I also think it's calmed the mids down a little bit which actually makes my guitars seem warmer (even though the general consensus is that 80/20 strings are brighter than PB).
I just wondered what everyone else thought?
Also, if anyone wants to swap a 10 pack of EJ16s for 10 sets of EJ11s let me know!
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Post by jangarrack on May 29, 2020 10:53:28 GMT
I've had much the same experience of string opinions and feel that I have finally settled on the D'addario NB1252BT Nickel Bronze 12-52 balanced tensions. On my guitars they have a lovely fullness about them that I had never expected from nickel, they're very clear, feel nice and smooth and they last for ages. I posted about discovering these strings a while back here. Strings For My BrookBy the way, I recently bought Live in Lancashire, it's a great album and there is one particular song on there I found very moving so I'll post separately on that when I get a moment.
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Welshruss
C.O.G.
Posts: 477
My main instrument is: Turnstone, Wandering Boy & Santa Cruz
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Post by Welshruss on May 29, 2020 11:07:05 GMT
EJ16s have always been my fall back strings. I often go between them and John Pearce 80/20s. I find certain guitars work better with different strings. Though now I like Santa Cruz low tension strings which are not as cheap or readily available as EJ16s especially down under.
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Post by jangarrack on May 29, 2020 13:04:57 GMT
EJ16s have always been my fall back strings. I often go between them and John Pearce 80/20s. I find certain guitars work better with different strings. Though now I like Santa Cruz low tension strings which are not as cheap or readily available as EJ16s especially down under. I bought a couple of sets of Santa Cruz low tension strings and have had one of them them on a Brook Taw for about 10-12 weeks. They are certainly very loud and it would seem that they last well, but I can't say that I get on with them very well. For reasons beyond my limited understanding, my 2 Brooks seem to react very differently to the same strings types, so it may be that they would be great on the other one. I won't know unless I try them, but I'll stick with the D'addario NB1252BT Nickel Bronze 12-52 balanced tensions as they work well for me.
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on May 29, 2020 13:19:22 GMT
I used to use EJ16's all the time until a few years ago I saw a 3 for 2 offer on Elixir Nanoweb PB 12's and I was hooked especially because there was much less finger squeaks. I have only 3 sets left now and can't find any 3 for 2 offers so I am on the look out again I'm also looking for a warmer sound and currently have Martin Retro monel 12's on my rosewood Torridge but whenever I try uncoated the string squeaking etc increases which puts me off. Jury is still out on sound but don't think I'll keep them on. Probably try them on the others before binning them. Have you tried Elixir Polywebs? Allegedly they are warmer than the Nanowebs.
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Post by fatfingerjohn on May 29, 2020 13:33:35 GMT
Having used Elixir Coated Nanoweb 80:20 for a while when I first got my Taylor (that's what they were fitted with) I ended up not liking them a lot as they just felt too slippy, particularly for the first few weeks. After quite a few trials elsewhere I settled on D'Addario coated EXP11s which sounded great and lasted just as well as the Elixirs and didn't have that slippy feel. More recently I tried the same D'Addario 80:20 strings but the 'Phosphor Bronze' EXP16s. They are a bit brighter than the EXP11s but nice. I normally used 11:52s.
When I got my superb new guitar from Francis he fitted Newtone PB Materclass. I liked them but were a little too loud for my taste and have dropped them from the mediums (12:54) that were supplied to 11:52s which I like a little more. Next change I might try the D'Addario EXP11s on her.
My playing is not subtle enough to be too fussy but after many years I seem to have settled for the D'Addario EXP 11s or 16s with the Newtone as a nice option. The EXPs are more expensive than the Newtones but last me for ages.
FFJ
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Post by jackorion on May 29, 2020 15:48:10 GMT
I used to use EJ16's all the time until a few years ago I saw a 3 for 2 offer on Elixir Nanoweb PB 12's and I was hooked especially because there was much less finger squeaks. I have only 3 sets left now and can't find any 3 for 2 offers so I am on the look out again I'm also looking for a warmer sound and currently have Martin Retro monel 12's on my rosewood Torridge but whenever I try uncoated the string squeaking etc increases which puts me off. Jury is still out on sound but don't think I'll keep them on. Probably try them on the others before binning them. Have you tried Elixir Polywebs? Allegedly they are warmer than the Nanowebs. I've tried all the different Elixirs and I've never got on with them to be honest - I've always found they have a sort-of 'tubb-y-ness' to them, like they go 'thomp'.... Plus it's normally retuning too much that kills strings for me so I'm not that fussed about the coating making them last longer....
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Post by dobro on May 31, 2020 23:17:56 GMT
My impression is that 80/20s "die" faster than PBs.
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Post by jackorion on Jun 1, 2020 8:14:59 GMT
My impression is that 80/20s "die" faster than PBs. Yeah I find that as well - I think the curve from 'bright and new' to 'slightly dull' is much steeper with 80/20 but I also feel that, once they've lost the initial new sound they seem to stay at that level without getting worse...
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Post by curmudgeon on Jun 1, 2020 9:54:13 GMT
My impression is that 80/20s "die" faster than PBs. Hi, I'm not sure, but I think that that was the "sales pitch" for Pho-Bronze when they came in in, I think, the early/mid '70s.
Every so often Channel 4 run their "Acoustic at the BBC" collection mostly of OGWT extracts. Every acoustic guitar sounded as if it had dead strings on, and , compared to today, I think they were!
I've been using EJ16s on my 000,00, and 0 for ages, but recently bought some old new stock of Jim Dunlop "DAP1254" PB lights, and found that my Collings 0002h seemed to like them.
I recently ordered some from a pricvate (looking) seller in Scotland but I was sent Bronze in error - they apolgised and I set them back for refund.
Then I ordered some from a company called BAX and got - Bronze again! Currently negotiating another refund!
Also trying Martin "Retro" monels on my Waterloo. - unconvinced thus far.
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Post by jackorion on Jun 1, 2020 15:23:35 GMT
My impression is that 80/20s "die" faster than PBs. Hi, I'm not sure, but I think that that was the "sales pitch" for Pho-Bronze when they came in in, I think, the early/mid '70s.
Every so often Channel 4 run their "Acoustic at the BBC" collection mostly of OGWT extracts. Every acoustic guitar sounded as if it had dead strings on, and , compared to today, I think they were!
I've been using EJ16s on my 000,00, and 0 for ages, but recently bought some old new stock of Jim Dunlop "DAP1254" PB lights, and found that my Collings 0002h seemed to like them.
I recently ordered some from a pricvate (looking) seller in Scotland but I was sent Bronze in error - they apolgised and I set them back for refund.
Then I ordered some from a company called BAX and got - Bronze again! Currently negotiating another refund!
Also trying Martin "Retro" monels on my Waterloo. - unconvinced thus far.
I think all those 60/70s folk records were probably played in strings that were months old!! In fact that was partly why I tried out some 80/20s in the first place - my favourite records all come from that era (well with the exception of Julian Lane’s Worlds Fair) and I’m going into the studio at some point post covid and I thought those recordings were probably all done with 10 year old Martins (when a 50s Martin was just second hand not vintage) and 80/20 strings so I wonder if I can get there with my 11 year old OM28v and some played in strings... turns out I probably can, although so used to the crispness of new strings that it’s taking a lot of effort to fight the urge to restring!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2020 16:43:22 GMT
I used EJ16s or Elixir Nanowebs until recently. Just put some Martin Retros on a cedar top Lakewood and very pleased with the result. I've got some Gibson Masterbuilt Premiums to try next. I've never used them before so I'm looking forward to it. I used Martin Eric Clapton strings on a Martin D15M and I loved them. They lasted for ages too. I don't like the EJ16s much. I don't think I'm going to go back to them.
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