Dont hate your guitar, hate the strings.


kvsealegs
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Joined: 03/14/15
Posts: 74
kvsealegs
Registered User
Joined: 03/14/15
Posts: 74
06/25/2016 4:55 am

I almost made the biggest mistake of my life, and believe me, I have made some doozies! After changing the strings on my 000-15M, I really hated the sound. I used the Martin phosphor bronze. I have bought some strings before that sounded horrible, but broke in well. And being a bit frugal, I wanted to get some use out of them. I quit playing the guitar, unless I was in a bad mood, cuz the strings didn't sound so bad when you really dug in.

Long story short, I changed the strings to what seems to be my prefered strings 80/20 bronze, and OMG, I love my guitar again. I can't believe it's the same guitar.

Has anybody gone through this before and found those strings that you absolutely hate? What were they? Are there any phosphor bronze fans? If so what guitar and genre do you play?
# 1
RCB-CA-USA
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Joined: 05/25/08
Posts: 103
RCB-CA-USA
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Joined: 05/25/08
Posts: 103
06/26/2016 12:08 am
Didn't like Elixir at all, just found Everly Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Sessions.

I tried about 20 brands, different gauges, etc. The Everly strings are crisp, clear, amazing string separation, they tune perfectly and quickly. The first day they sounded weird. But, they just kept sounding nice, and nicer and they've lasted longer than all the other un-coated strings. Nothing else compared.

Electric guitar? D'Addario NYXL 10's, done.
# 2
kvsealegs
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Joined: 03/14/15
Posts: 74
kvsealegs
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Joined: 03/14/15
Posts: 74
06/26/2016 6:42 pm

Eric Clapton plays Phosphor Bronze on his HD-28. I can't deny that he makes his guitar sound awesome. One day when I am feeling adventuresome I may give your Everly's a try. It is quite likely that every type of string lends itself more to a particular style of play. As a beginner, I am mostly strumming, but beginning to get into finger picking and flat picking melodies. I was disappointed in my HD-28 when my inexpensive Yamaha FX700 would sound better when strumming out a song. I now understand that the HD excels when finger picking or flat picking melodic riffs. I am now attempting to match the abilities of my guitar with my own ability.

It would be awesome if there were a string comparison site that compared the different strings on the popular types of guitars with the various style of play. I found a YouTube comparison of a brand of strings using all the different gauges. It encouraged me to go to a lighter string.

I'm using ErnieBall Earthwood 80/20 on the FX and Martin 80/20 on the 000-15M. Both extra lights. I don't notice a "huge" difference in loudness or broacast, and the sustain is really nice. And it seems that I can consistantly get that second string to ring with my barre chords.

I tried the Dean Markly Blue Steel on my Les Paul and did not care for them. I then tried the Elixer Nanoweb and my opinion is (meh). I will check out the D'Addario's.

Thanks for your thoughts...
# 3
RCB-CA-USA
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Joined: 05/25/08
Posts: 103
RCB-CA-USA
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Joined: 05/25/08
Posts: 103
06/26/2016 10:59 pm
Originally Posted by: kvsealegs

I'm using ErnieBall Earthwood 80/20...

I tried the Dean Markly Blue Steel

Thanks for your thoughts...


The Earthwood phosphor bronze were nice but for the muddiness in the bass strings and they went dead quickly.

I tried the Dean Markley's on a few electric guitars, they sounded good, but they snapped a lot, and I generate high heat when I play, those strings went in and out of tune. In other words, I'd tune the guitar, play, as soon as I did heat generating chord slides, bends, speed picking, the strings would...heat stretch and go out of tune, then cool and come back in tune, which all strings do, but it was very noticeable on the Dean Markley Blue Steals. I suppose they'd be good for the gentle, careful, cold-fingered player. Come to think of it, it would be interesting to see how they do in an ice cold room. I had an SG that just came to life in an ice cold room, was dead and had a wobbly neck at normal and just above normal room temps.

I've tried a bunch of strings, the Everyly's and NYXL's ...they tune up fast, stay in tune, last a long time, sound great, no trade-offs, nothing compares.
# 4

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