So purchased a nice acoustic - JWJ Orchestra Cutaway

Dave_Mc

Wow very nice! 

I'm much more of an electric player than acoustic so I'm not sure I can really say much regarding the string tension thing... going down to 11s certainly feels quite a bit more manageable to me than 12s. 

I like silk and steel, but I can't remember if I noticed much difference in the tension! Sweeter/softer in tone, as you said.

Tuning down is worth a try, but it can affect the tone (maybe not with a capo, though, I don't use capos much!).

thomasross20

Can't wait to hear a demo of this beast

guitars4you

Dave_Mc said:

Wow very nice! 

I'm much more of an electric player than acoustic so I'm not sure I can really say much regarding the string tension thing... going down to 11s certainly feels quite a bit more manageable to me than 12s. 

I like silk and steel, but I can't remember if I noticed much difference in the tension! Sweeter/softer in tone, as you said.

Tuning down is worth a try, but it can affect the tone (maybe not with a capo, though, I don't use capos much!).

You sound just like me

Dave_Mc

guitars4you said:

Dave_Mc said:

Wow very nice! 

I'm much more of an electric player than acoustic so I'm not sure I can really say much regarding the string tension thing... going down to 11s certainly feels quite a bit more manageable to me than 12s. 

I like silk and steel, but I can't remember if I noticed much difference in the tension! Sweeter/softer in tone, as you said.

Tuning down is worth a try, but it can affect the tone (maybe not with a capo, though, I don't use capos much!).

You sound just like me

LOL yeah I didn't even know silk and bronze existed till you mentioned it!

Just had another thought when I re-read your first post- you mentioned low tension strings. I'm not sure about acoustic, but round core strings often feel a bit slinkier, so they might be worth a try- assuming you can get them for acoustic!

guitars4you

Dave_Mc said:

guitars4you said:

Dave_Mc said:

Wow very nice! 

I'm much more of an electric player than acoustic so I'm not sure I can really say much regarding the string tension thing... going down to 11s certainly feels quite a bit more manageable to me than 12s. 

I like silk and steel, but I can't remember if I noticed much difference in the tension! Sweeter/softer in tone, as you said.

Tuning down is worth a try, but it can affect the tone (maybe not with a capo, though, I don't use capos much!).

You sound just like me

LOL yeah I didn't even know silk and bronze existed till you mentioned it!

Just had another thought when I re-read your first post- you mentioned low tension strings. I'm not sure about acoustic, but round core strings often feel a bit slinkier, so they might be worth a try- assuming you can get them for acoustic!

I’d forgotten about them but will try them - also now available as silk n bronze- believe a touch more tension- they don’t appear to last as long and less volume but for home not an issue 

Newtone are local to me and at Northampton show in a week or so , so will have a chat as their name keeps cropping up

Should have time tomorrow to put it on the bench and see how low I can get the action 

Dave_Mc

guitars4you said:

I’d forgotten about them but will try them - also now available as silk n bronze- believe a touch more tension- they don’t appear to last as long and less volume but for home not an issue 

Newtone are local to me and at Northampton show in a week or so , so will have a chat as their name keeps cropping up

Should have time tomorrow to put it on the bench and see how low I can get the action 

Yeah the Newtone electric strings are great, especially the Lucidity ones which are probably the absolute best strings I've ever tried, but I haven't tried their acoustic (or bass) strings yet.

That's interesting about the slight added tension of the silk and bronze... I tend to prefer a slinkier feel. (That might be why I really like the Lucidity electric strings, they're round core I think, though I have tried other round cores too and I still think the Lucidities were a step up from them.)

guitars4you

So quick update - starting to get there

For now it is still strung as it was, with Elixir 12's - But have taken down the action - Using the simple rule that 2mm shaved off the saddle is 1mm lower at the 12th fret - The nut was already cut to perfection - With a lower 'PRS' style action it is so much easier for me to handle

12's still feel like I'm picking telegraph wires - But a) will stay as is for a few days and b) try an Eb tuning

But have order 2 sets of Silk n Steel - 12 gauge and 11 gauge as my suspicion is these will be ideal 

So very promising so far - As it happens yesterday I had a regular customer in the shop - Showed it to him and let him have a play - This was before I made any adjustments - he said wow what a slinky action - Just goes to show how different we are - but he is use to playing 2 old vintage Gibson's 

guitars4you

Interesting and further update - I know 2 days with a new guitar doesn't answer all your thoughts and questions

I haven't mastered 12 gauge and don't think I will - But with a far lower action I can tolerate them - Especially if doodling around with chord work, blues shuffles/licks etc - But struggling when I'm playing my poor 'versions' of any jazz/classic in the style of Tony Emmanuel etc - Such a guitar is far less forgiving than an electric, but that is good as it gives you something to work towards as you try to improve your technique - Who needs to learn a new song when you can work out how to play the ones you know better 

However the interesting point is that 10-46 now feel to thin on my electrics - No meat on the Low E/A/D when doing those shuffle bass lines - Something I've been aware of for a while and have tried 10.5 to 52 on a few guitars and like them  - Just re-strung my fav PRS with 10-5-52 and instantly feels better - So I've moved up a touch on electrics - Still think I'll end up silk n steel (certainly as a test drive) on the acoustic , but will need to try both 11 and 12 gauge to see which wins

bertie

if you can "tolerate them"  now,   you will master them.   Even more so if your leccy 10s are feeling "light"

trust me.

I can sometimes play only leccy for just a short period,  couple or three weeks, and going back to acoustic can be a "trial"  but it lasts for just a few minutes, or maybe a day.

Like you, I feel 10s are too light for a short scale,  I like to use 10.5s on me LP,   11s are just too far.   10s on a Fender scale is fine.

It sounds weird,  but I can (feel like) bend/vib  12s on an acoustic better than I can 11s on a LP !!

Dave_Mc

Wow good news @guitars4you , a low action definitely helps! My Dowina has a very low action, and it has 12s, and pretty much like you, it means I can tolerate them.

guitars4you

Well nearly 4 weeks later and I've not yet re-strung it - Still on 12's and my level of tolerating them has gone up - To be fair it has been at Eb for 2 weeks or so now and happy with that as it 'drops the tension' - I am struggling a bit with a 54 gauge bottom E - like hitting a telegraph wire - But use to a 52 low E on an electric

So for now I'm looking at trying a set of low tension 11-52 at regular E pitch

Whilst I had it in my head that I will try to play all my electric songs on the acoustic, the phrasing/tone/feel does not always work - ie Girl from Ipanema so will have to kind of re-do it somehow - But loving the journey so far 

guitars4you

Well that didn't work - Was talking a few weeks ago about trying a set of silk n steel strings - Trying to take some of the tension away and after reading a few other comments, on other forums, I thought they might be worth a try - Previous gauge was 12-54 so went for 11-52 on silk n steel - A) they sound pure garbage - dead and lifeless I had kind of managed to tolerate 12-54 gauge and still feel 11-52 might be the option

Next to try is 11-52 low tension - Probably Newtone but at the back of my mind I'm wondering if low tension 12-54 might be the answer 

Interesting that I've moved up to either 11-49 or 10.5-52 on all my electrics as 10-46 feel to skinny now after playing the acoustic