What are your Favourite Strings?

[albert_d]

I don’t have a favorite. My luthier usually uses D’Aldorrio or Exlisur? But I have Santa Cruz Parabolic Strings on my kids Christmas list for the next string change.

[polarpeak75]

Hi @albert_d thanks for the reply and I will give one of these 2 a try.

[Bill_Brown]

Hey @polarpeak75 , my experience with acoustic strings is limited because I play 1 guitar (I have a couple others) consistently and it’s a Martin 000-15. I’ve used the Martin strings for it all along to this point. I’ve settled on the Martin custom lights 2.0 80/20’s for a while and enjoyed the feel of those strings while playing – and I’ve had the last set on it for almost a year – yes I’ve used a string cleaner on them multiple times over that time to keep them “alive”. However, this recent string change (today) I used Santa Cruz “Low Tension” parabolic strings because I’ve heard so many people here at TAC say they loved them. The jury is out (in my mind), but I can tell you that they definitely give a more “robust” sound IMHO than I’ve experienced with the Martin strings. They are thicker strings than I’m used to and my fretting fingers have to adjust, but I feel that I can adapt. To me, it’s going to be about how long I can keep the Santa Cruz strings “alive” on my guitar compared to the Martin strings – what I’ve said is just MHO (YMMV).

Also consider that the Martin strings that I’ve been using cost around 13 dollars….the Santa Cruz strings cost around 30 dollars per set.

[polarpeak75]

Hi @Bill_Brown thanks for the reply and the Martins sound interesting – pardon the Dad pun. I’m going to get a set and try them out.

[Bill_Brown]

Hey @polarpeak75 , I just wanted to inform you that the jury in my mind is in! After 2 days of playing my guitar while using the Santa Cruz strings – I can’t wait for them to “wear out” so that I can go back to the Martin MA535T Custom Light (11-52)’s. For me, it’s not about the sound as much as it is about the feel – and I really can’t justify the price I paid for the Santa Cruz strings – way too much!

[polarpeak75]

Hi @Bill_Brown Thanks for the update! I had kinda moved the SantaCruz to bottom of the list based on mixed thoughts and price.

May Santa Cruz are great marketers 🙂

[jumpinjeff]

My favorite for sound and cost are D’addario EJ16 (lights) and EJ17 (mediums). I buy them in bulk and the cost is under 5.00 a set. They wear out reletively quickly 6 weeks is about the max. They lose some of the shimmer in their sound and feel less bouncy. I have heard though some people like them after the “settle down”. Suffice to say I have gotten fast at changing strings. I have two in the hopper to try (I have one guitar set up specifically for mediums). One is D’addario’s Nickel Bronze balanced tension string NBBT medium 13.5/56s and the other is Acoustix’s balanced tension Bright light 11/50s. I will be putting these on an old Koa 018k . I’ll report back.

I like Santa Cruz Parabolic (balanced tension) strings but the price is ridiculous. I have been told that the reason they are so expensive has to do with the way they are coated (prior to being wound rather than after being wound) but they are still marking up 400%. They are good but by my experience not that good. I have to say they do not feel like a coated string, of which I am not a fan. So hat’s of to them for solving that problem!

Have fun trying out the different strings. I would suggest and maybe you already know, buy a few different sets and have them ready to go. I have had the experience of putting on strings and not liking them and being able to change them out. I didn’t have to suffer the sounds I was not digging. Funny though because the same strings sound great on another guitar I put them on. It goes to show that all stings don’t act equally on all guitars.

[polarpeak75]

Hi @jumpinjeff Thanks very much for the reply and make a very good point to have 2 or 3 sets on hand and experiment, have fun and see where the strings lead. The 2 on my list so far are Martin’s as suggested by Bill_Brown and D’Addario EJ16’s as suggested by Albert_d and you. Thanks all!!

[HowardM]

What a great question and the replies are spot-on. I usually try different strings at each change and found interesting tonal differences. I have three guitars and each has a favorite.

[David_Leo]

Both D’Addario and String Joy have new coated strings which sound great and last longer. But I do still love the Santa Cruz low tension on the guitar I play the most.

[Philb]

I didn’t really like the coated strings after trying several. They were fine, but I have found they do seem to dampen the sound a little (totally a subjective experience); and so was using D’Adarrio or Earnie Ball Phosphor Bronze for quite a while. Both reasonable in price. Then I read an article on the Earnie Ball Aluminum Bronze as one of the best all around, especially for the price. They are currently my go to strings. A little more expensive than the Phosphor Bronze (cheaper than coated). I will experiment and try others at some time. It is such a subjective thing.

[polarpeak75]

Hi @Philb thanks and I’ll check out the Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze

[Loraine]

Hey @polarpeak75 I have a closet full of different manufacture and thickness and coverings of strings. I usemdiffent strings on different guitars, because each guitar has its own character and it will tell you which strings are best for it. The trick is to try enough strings and tensions until you find the one that sings on your guitar. Have fun trying out different strings. The ones Imise the most are D’Addario Phospher Bronze Light, Ernie Ball Earthwood Light and Martin Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Light

[Mrfredsporty]

Absolutely and positively Santa Cruz ! I liked martins a lot but when I took the clue from Tony I tried Santa Cruz and won’t switch back. I joined their string club which saved a couple of bucks and gets new strings evey3 months.

[Fletch]

As a left field choice for ya… Give the Lowden range of strings a whirl… (Longevity isn’t there thing, but they sound so sweet).

https://lowdenguitars.com/strings/

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Fletch.