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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2020 16:34:19 GMT
Just put some of these on a cedar topped Lakewood. I had Elixirs on it previously. I don't suppose non-guitarists would notice. It still sounds like a guitar. I notice something though. My Lakewood tends to ring like a bell, loud and clear and very clean but with these there are more overtones. It's not such a clean sound. I think I like it more when it's a bit dirty. Anyone else tried them? What do you think?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2020 17:31:33 GMT
Update: I've been playing it for most of the afternoon. They seem to have settled in now and are holding the tuning nicely. I was thinking of selling this guitar but I've decided to hang on to it for the time being. The difference is subtle but to me it's significant. I like it. It seems more expressive somehow. Edit: I'm now wondering if the reason I was thinking of selling was because I left the strings on too long and it sounded a bit dead to me
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Post by bellyshere on Jun 16, 2020 18:17:32 GMT
Update: I've been playing it for most of the afternoon. They seem to have settled in now and are holding the tuning nicely. I was thinking of selling this guitar but I've decided to hang on to it for the time being. The difference is subtle but to me it's significant. I like it. It seems more expressive somehow. Edit: I'm now wondering if the reason I was thinking of selling was because I left the strings on too long and it sounded a bit dead to me Yep old strings will sound rubbish.. it amazes me how long some people leave strings on. A friend of mine who is a decent musician only ever changes strings when he breaks them. I might give the Martin strings a go.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2020 18:26:53 GMT
We spend a couple of thousand pounds on a guitar and then begrudge paying less than a tenner for a set of new strings or a set of different picks.
Weird.
They are nice though. Quite different from the Nanowebs although probably won't last as long. I'm glad I tried them. Also invested in some new picks recently and I'm delighted how much difference just the thickness can make, never mind different materials. It's like having a whole set of different guitars.
Edit: I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to guitars. I've not been playing long so all these things, although probably obvious to most people, are quite new to me.
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Post by dreadnought28 on Jun 17, 2020 0:50:11 GMT
I’ve started using Martin Authentic Treated strings. Can’t speak for longevity yet but they sound great.
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on Jun 17, 2020 7:36:55 GMT
I'm a Martin strings fan myself, favouring SPs, and these sound as if they might suit me very well - especially so as I love the sound of Norman Blake, with all his clicks, clangs and overtones included.* I'll order some in case I ever go back to playing acoustic.
*I happen to be listening to the pianist Vikingur Olaffson at present, and keep being distracted by his breathtaking poise, precision and clarity. Nowt so strange as folk.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2020 9:18:07 GMT
I used Martin Eric Clapton strings on my Martin D15M and they sounded great. Lasted for ages too.
My LV10 is getting set up by a luthier at the moment and I've given him some Gibson Premier Masterclass strings for it. I've never used them before. I've been told they're quite bright. They're a lower price point than the Elixir or the EJ16s. I will report back.
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Jun 18, 2020 15:50:30 GMT
I've been trying out the Retro's. Had them on the rosewood/spruce Torridge but not keen. Taken them off today and now trying them on the walnut Lamorna. Will probably replace them tomorrow with my usual Elixir Nanoweb PB's. Sound not really suitable for me and they squeak and feel rough to the fingers. Mind you my tinnitus isn't great at the moment
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2020 20:00:18 GMT
Interesting. They're not squeaking at all for me.
My understanding is that they suit hog and cedar better than spruce. The bring out more of higher frequencies and make the sound more complex on my Lakewood. I can imagine they might be a bit bright or even tinny on a spruce top.
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Post by walkingdecay on Jun 19, 2020 7:48:16 GMT
Mind you my tinnitus isn't great at the moment I sympathise. There have been some times when the squeaky rush in my ears has been so bad I've relied far too much on electronic tuners, others when I've suddenly. realised that it's gone really quiet. The latter moments usually occur when I don't feel like playing anyway.
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Jun 19, 2020 8:59:08 GMT
Interesting. They're not squeaking at all for me. My understanding is that they suit hog and cedar better than spruce. The bring out more of higher frequencies and make the sound more complex on my Lakewood. I can imagine they might be a bit bright or even tinny on a spruce top. Actually playing my Lamorna this morning which is English walnut with Adi top and they sound quite nice. Much better than on the rosewood/spruce. Having said that the squeaking and noise is much more noticeable than coated strings for me. Could be my poor technique? My wife says I'm obsessed with noise like that. I'll give them a few days of playing to see if it reduces.
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Post by ocarolan on Jun 19, 2020 9:40:16 GMT
.......the squeaking and noise is much more noticeable than coated strings for me. Could be my poor technique?.......... You could be right, Phil. Try eating crisps, or better still, fish and chips with your left hand before and during playing sessions. Should reduce squeaking a fair bit. Keith
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Post by Matt Milton on Jun 19, 2020 9:43:50 GMT
There were Martin Retros on my Recording King RNJ26CNA when I bought it (secondhand). They had, I imagine, already settled in, they didn't sound like new strings, not exactly bright but still with plenty of overtones. I liked their sound and would be interested to hear what they sounded like when played fresh. I know Adam Levy prefers Martin Retros on his acoustics, so if you listen to any of his videos of the past 2 years on YouTube, you'll hear those strings. To my mind, overtones aside, they are slightly more muted and less bold and dramatic than yr standard Phosphor Bronzes.
The most dramatic strings difference I've ever encountered was when I put Kerly Earthtones strings on an acoustic that sounded very dry and straightforward sounding. The guitar was pleasingly dark-sounding (a lot of very articulate and clear bass and lower range) but almost to the point of boredom. It was a 'straight man'. No overtones, no shimmer. I was going to get rid of it and was doing a lot of Googling for 'bright strings' and 'responsive strings'. The Earthtones transformed that guitar, frankly. I'm sure they would have sounded way too bright and probably thin on plenty of other guitars (yr stereotypical Taylor, for instance) but they were just the job for that one.
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Post by vikingblues on Jun 19, 2020 11:07:51 GMT
Interesting. They're not squeaking at all for me. My understanding is that they suit hog and cedar better than spruce. The bring out more of higher frequencies and make the sound more complex on my Lakewood. I can imagine they might be a bit bright or even tinny on a spruce top. Actually playing my Lamorna this morning which is English walnut with Adi top and they sound quite nice. Much better than on the rosewood/spruce. Having said that the squeaking and noise is much more noticeable than coated strings for me. Could be my poor technique? My wife says I'm obsessed with noise like that. I'll give them a few days of playing to see if it reduces. It does make choice of strings more complicated doesn't it, when a type of string sounds great on some guitars but not others?
I'm currently at the stage where with 2 of my guitars I'm not sure what type of strings are on them.
So it'll be pure guesswork when I need to replace the strings - at best a 50:50 chance of putting the right sort on. I need to make notes of these things I fear - the old memory just ain't what it was.
I've found all-mahogany guitars to be the more temperamental in making more types of strings sound bad, than where other common woods are involved.
Mark
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Post by Phil Taylor on Jun 19, 2020 13:38:45 GMT
.......the squeaking and noise is much more noticeable than coated strings for me. Could be my poor technique?.......... You could be right, Phil. Try eating crisps, or better still, fish and chips with your left hand before and during playing sessions. Should reduce squeaking a fair bit. Keith I'll make a note of that Keith. When I was doing my CD I absolutely obsessed over spurious string noises and I think there is very little on there if any. I used to wash my hands a lot and also use talcum powder as well as licking my finger tips a lot.
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