Acoustic strings - a journey...

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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26747
    Cheers @earwighoney that's good to know. 

    Which EBs have you used? I didn't get on with the Paradigm 80/20s I tried but haven't used Earthwoods yet. I've never been a big EB fan on electric either, so not sure if worth testing too many of those.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    ICBM said:


    I never cut strings before they're locked onto the posts and tightened either - I don't know why you would, it makes it harder. 
    https://youtu.be/FPhF2X_bdXg

    Here’s one suggestion :

    I’m not saying it’s the only / right way, but since I’ve been doing this way it get much more consistency on the wraps , and I’ve found it a lot easier than trying to get kinks in the right place and in the right direction etc.



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  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3489
    Cheers @earwighoney that's good to know. 

    Which EBs have you used? I didn't get on with the Paradigm 80/20s I tried but haven't used Earthwoods yet. I've never been a big EB fan on electric either, so not sure if worth testing too many of those.
    I like the standard Earthwood 80/20's.  FWIW, I don't think the difference between 80/20 sets is as extreme as it is with PB's, but coated strings are a whole different thing.
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  • interstellarinterstellar Frets: 486
    GTS strings are game changingly good, expensive yep, need imported from the US, yep.  Everyone i know who has tried them has been blown away
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    I use Santa Cruz. Not because I’ve tried every brand and concluded they’re the best but because I just like ‘em. £19 a set but they’re coated and last plenty long. 
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  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3489
    jellyroll said:
    I use Santa Cruz. Not because I’ve tried every brand and concluded they’re the best but because I just like ‘em. £19 a set but they’re coated and last plenty long. 
    I never knew about those before, and they seem very interesting indeed.  Available in different tensions a bit how nylon strings are.
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  • camfcamf Frets: 1190
    So which ones doe people like best, the Newtone Heritage or the Newtone Master Class? Pros and cons with either?
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  • TimcitoTimcito Frets: 708
    I seem to hover between D'Addario PBs and Martin SP 80/20s. Tonewise, the Martins have the edge for me. I also hover between 12-54s (53s for D'Addario) and 11-52s. On my Eastman E8D dread and the E100ltd I have 11-52s, but on my Takamine Peak I have 12-54s. The 11-52s on the parlour ring beautifully, and because of the narrower nut width and short scale 12-fret, even the most difficult pieces have become easy.  
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  • bbill335bbill335 Frets: 1368
    camf said:
    So which ones doe people like best, the Newtone Heritage or the Newtone Master Class? Pros and cons with either?
    I'm using the heritage 12-52 (i think?) and they sound nice and feel easy. The set came fitted to a new-to-me guitar and I put a fresh set on, but the old set were well worn and sounded lovely and warm.
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    bbill335 said:
    camf said:
    So which ones doe people like best, the Newtone Heritage or the Newtone Master Class? Pros and cons with either?
    I'm using the heritage 12-52 (i think?) and they sound nice and feel easy. The set came fitted to a new-to-me guitar and I put a fresh set on, but the old set were well worn and sounded lovely and warm.
    camf, they're two different products -
    Masterclass 'winding' can be got in 80/20 - PB and the now the re - discovered very retro very vintage Nickel - which Newtone have been doing for many years !. And the startling discovery (to some) they're 'Round Core' - they are 'standard tension'.
    Heritage strings are 'Low tension' - by means of reducing the core wire - some manufacturers (like DR Rares) up the wrap wire to achieve a given diameter (gauge).
    I believe Heritage are Newtones excellent Phos Bronze alloy  viz “Our phosphor bronze is of the Cu92 Sn8 composition, a 92% copper to 8% tin”,  no Zinc as found in typical $5 a set - this is the formulation used in Cymbal manufacture.
    hope this helps
    happy picking




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  • camfcamf Frets: 1190
    Thanks @AliGorie. That's really helpful. I've heard that you can't sue the Heritage sets on short scale guitars, so I think it will have to be the Master Class for me just now but when I'm next changing strings on my J45, I quite fancy giving the Heritage PBs a go. 

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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    camf said:
    Thanks @AliGorie. That's really helpful. I've heard that you can't sue the Heritage sets on short scale guitars,
    'Don't 'sue' the Heritage. :#
    I have experience of using 'Low Tension' strings on a 'short scale' - they work fine - in saying that I would add that's for 'standard tuning / pitch, if u use alternative tuning's u may experience some 'string slap' on the f/board.
    I only play 'in tuning's' and use DR  Rares (low tension) on a 25 inch scale guitar - near as dam it to 24.9 which is considered short scale.
    Dont get misguided by all the wisdom on the net - get a few different sets and find out u'self. (he say's using the net :#)
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  • camfcamf Frets: 1190
    Don't worry, @AliGorie, ;I won't sue Heritage unless these strings fail to make me a much better player. But if I see no immediate improvement, it's straight to the High Court. My Larrivee is only 24 inch, so it feels like that might be pushing it a little. But I'm definitely going to try both types next time I'm restringing. Thanks for the input, though. 
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    24" thats not s/s thats a 3/4 size :o but u'r right -
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  • camfcamf Frets: 1190
    The 12 Fret Parlour is a dinky wee thing for sure. (The very same... )
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26747
    edited June 2018
    Update from me. The EJ16s are already off. Fine for strumming but pony for fingerpicking. 

    D'addario EJ11s now installed and really really nice. Absolutely as good as the Martin SPs if not better. Really sparkly and well balanced across finger picking, flatpicking and strumming.  I have a set of the Martins en route so I can directly compare with these. I'm guessing these may not last very long, but we'll see.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • GagarynGagaryn Frets: 1553
    DiscoStu said:
    You should try some Newtones @stickyfiddle I've been using D'Addario for years on acoustic and electric but another thread on here got me curious.  I went with the Newtone Master Class 12 - 54 set and they've been nothing short of fantastic. They give a smoother sound with less of the bright shrill I can get with my heavy strumming, they feel played in from day one and a couple of months later still sound fresh, and less finger squeak too.
    Definitely worth a go whilst you're trying things out.

    Just DON'T cut them until they're up to tension!

    I finally got around to trying the Masterclass 12-54, had D'Addario 13's on previously. Starting to wonder whether I should have bought the Masterclass 13's - although the guitar is noticeably easier to play now and does sound sweeter it seems to have lost a lot of character and a shedload of volume.
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26747
    @Gagaryn I've actually found it quite remarkable how big a difference gauge and make can both make on a decent guitar. You definitely need to compare like-for-like gauges to give a fair comparison.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • GagarynGagaryn Frets: 1553
    @Gagaryn I've actually found it quite remarkable how big a difference gauge and make can both make on a decent guitar. You definitely need to compare like-for-like gauges to give a fair comparison.


    Yeah - agree with this, guitar (Guild 12 fret - modern but lightly built) sounded great when I got it but wasn't sure what it was strung with - think it may have been coated D'Addorio 13's think that's what Guild fitted but might have been restrung by the German box shifter that supplied it.

    I tried a few sets of strings I had at home but it never sounded as good again. I then stopped babying it (keeping it in it's case with a humidifier) left it on a stand, restrung it with D'Addarios and it has been great for months although it did feel quite tight. Not sure if the leaving the guitar out has helped - not sure I buy the vibration thing but the guitar will be less moist!

    I'll get some Newtone 13's and see how they sound and feel.

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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12641
    I've recently bought a Guild F50. It came with a set of D'Addario 12s on it and it sounded epic - full, rich and yet sparkly. It also was like a cannon - loads of bottom end and strummed, it sounded enormous.

    When the strings died, I popped on a set of Elixr Nanos - as that's what I'd previously been using on my old acoustic. All of a sudden the richness, warmth and bottom end was gone - and in its place was left a clanky, bright and unbalanced sound. It was vile.
    I left it for a few days in case it needed to stretch in or whatever, but it was unchanged... horrible.
    I bought another set of the D'Addarios and normal service was resumed.

    A lesson learned.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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