Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

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DotDash
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by DotDash » Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:13 am

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Last edited by DotDash on Wed Apr 26, 2017 1:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

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ChrisFFTA
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by ChrisFFTA » Fri Oct 31, 2014 4:02 am

PorkyPrimeCut wrote:
ChrisFFTA wrote:Have you tried the silk and steel strings?
I haven't, no.

I just watched this, pretty much the first video that came up, that was very useful as he's comparing the strings I'm about to put on the Guild to the ones you've just mentioned. Not a huge amount to go by, them being new & him using an iPhone mic but I get a good idea of what they're like from his opinion (which seemed level-headed). I'm more a strummer than a picker so may favour the ones I'm getting over these but I like the fact they're warmer & sound good played softly. I'm better picking that way as, the louder & more pronounced I get, the more I seem to fuck up!

As has already been said by myself & others, trying a bunch will make the difference, especially as I'm moving up from a tough-as-old-boots mahogany Eko Ranger to a slightly more refined spruce Guild.
Fair point. The silk steels came on the 00-18 i just purchased and they sound lovely, feel great too. Will try them on my j-45 next

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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by NickD » Fri Oct 31, 2014 5:02 am

I've just started using Newtone strings, made by a local company and so far they sound great. They are also round core, it said to tune themto pitch and then snip the ends. A bit of a PITA on a slot head guitar, but not impossible.

I wouldn't be able to stand leaving them long - that would bug the hell out of me.

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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by ChrisFFTA » Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:11 pm

Letting them stand? Wow it's a rabbit warren of tone when you start doing this

I think of all my favourite acoustic tones on record and I can't picture any of them being as picky as this, and they sounded pretty great

But hey I don't get the mastery bridge either :)

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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:57 pm

I only let me strings stand with regard to them being new & in need of settling in. They always tend to drop out of tune when first put on so I clip the ends the day after, just so I can still re-string them, should I have to.

...and agreed, the Mastery's lost on me too (but then I've never seen the need for one owning a '59 bridge).
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:02 am

I figured I resurrect an old thread, rather than starting a new one.

I decided it was time for a string change on my Guild D50. I always leave it too long, this time being well over a year. Maybe longer.
I've been using Elixir Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings (12 - 53) and have been really happy with them. Curiosity got the better of me though so, after reading about round core VS hex core, I forked out for some Pyramid Round Core Bronze Wound strings (12 - 54). I've been super impressed with pretty much every set of Pyramids I've ever got - for electric and acoustic.

I strung them up last night, after giving my fingerboard a good clean & oil. They've sat over night &, when I get back in later today, I'll give them a proper once over. I've got to say though, just from tuning up again this morning, they sound brilliant. The Guild seems to be on 11!

:)
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by Larry Mal » Sun Feb 11, 2018 5:45 am

I just use D'Addario Phosphor Bronze .12s on all my acoustics.

I'm not very imaginative when it comes to strings, I guess. The Elixirs I found didn't have bright sound at all, I thought they sounded muffled compared to what I was expecting. That being said, though, I tried them when they first came out, and never again, so my memory is not strong at this point.
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by Ursa Minor » Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:29 am

This thread came at a perfect time. I'm ready to string up my acoustic after several years. A garbage find Sigma D10 Anniversary with a fixed headstock and cracked top. Its light gauge for fear the guitar will implode on itself.

Not to hijack, but do you all have a preference for bridge pin material?
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by Larry Mal » Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:48 am

If I was looking to reduce stress on the top, Power Pins might be a good idea:

http://www.f1pick.com/
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by Ursa Minor » Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:00 am

Larry Mal wrote:
Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:48 am
If I was looking to reduce stress on the top, Power Pins might be a good idea:

http://www.f1pick.com/
Interesting. Not a fan of the look though.
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Re: Favourite strings on a dreadnought?...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:40 am

The new Pyramids are great. Aside from the quality they have a real spank & chime about them. Very balanced too. Also, the high ends seem much more noticeable than on my previous Elixirs (maybe adding truth to what Larry said). Of course, new strings always tend to sound good but these seem to be getting positive reviews for their longevity. Only time will tell with that one.

As to bridge pins, I swapped the stock (?) bone pins for ebony ones. I wanted the warmer undertones you supposedly get from ebony, having played a guitar with mahogany back & sides for years (Eko Ranger). The rosewood back & sides of a Guild D50 tend to be quite bright & I figured losing the bone pins would dial that back a bit...

Image
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