Strings for my Acoustic ?

Kramer Guy

Kramer Guy

New member
Hey guys, as most of you know, I've recently made the switch to Acoustic and as of right now, I'm using both a Squier SA-100 and as of last week, I went and bought a brand new Fender CD-60 at Guitar Center for only $139.99 ,which was a great deal. Anyway , I've been using Fender 52/12's on both guitars which as far as the gauge is concerned, I don't have a problem with. What matters to me is, after about a week or so, the tone on them starts to go flat and I want go upgrade to a better brand of string. What would you guys recommend ?
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Elixir Nanoweb.

The coating resists corrosion. The downside is that the coating feels slightly odd at first.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

I have the same acoustic, fender cd60 in black. I like to use the d'addario exp strings, they last long!
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Funkfingers said:
Elixir Nanoweb.

The coating resists corrosion. The downside is that the coating feels slightly odd at first.
Click to expand...

Yep. I've also had good luck with D'addario EXP coated strings. Any other strings seem to go dead very quickly.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

DR Dragon Skins. Great tone, coated with real dragon skin for extra longevity.

DR Sunbeams are also a great sounding string. They are not coated, but the strategic application of sunbeams during the winding process really make them shine.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

i come from the non-coated strings school, and personally have no problems with them longevity wise. over the years i ve stuck with two types of acoustic strings, namely; phosphor bronze and 80/20 (sometimes called brass). As for brands, I recommend D'addario and Martin.

I like 80/20 over PB, but they sound very thin and bright when put on the guitar fresh. After breaking-in (usually couple of hours play) it settles into a rich vintage sort of a tone that is warm with presence and a ringing quality, and it stays that way for reasonable time (lasting for months sometimes) till they die. Phosphor Bronze ones sound warm from the time they are put on the guitar and usually lasts more, they have a very good low end with dreadnoughts and are indispensable for rhythm work.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Thanks everybody for all of your responses. After giving it some careful consideration, I decided to go with D'Addario's. I went back to GC last night and bought a 10 pack of 53-12's which sound amazing . I also got rid of the Squier SA-100 and am now just sticking with my Fender CD-60 as well.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

koshikas said:
i come from the non-coated strings school, and personally have no problems with them longevity wise. over the years i ve stuck with two types of acoustic strings, namely; phosphor bronze and 80/20 (sometimes called brass). As for brands, I recommend D'addario and Martin.

I like 80/20 over PB, but they sound very thin and bright when put on the guitar fresh. After breaking-in (usually couple of hours play) it settles into a rich vintage sort of a tone that is warm with presence and a ringing quality, and it stays that way for reasonable time (lasting for months sometimes) till they die. Phosphor Bronze ones sound warm from the time they are put on the guitar and usually lasts more, they have a very good low end with dreadnoughts and are indispensable for rhythm work.
Click to expand...

Been wondering about the 80/20s.

I use d'Addario Phosphor Bronze myself, as they have a decent rich tone that works well for chord work.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Favorite acoustic Sstrings are GHS Acoustic Signature Phosphor Bronze. It's the Laurence Juber Signature set it features a cryogenically treated copper, tin, and phosphor alloy wound over a hex, bronze-plated core. The result is long-lasting, rich, bright tone. I personally use a modified Laurence Juber Signature set that is 13Ga. - 54Ga.
 
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Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Congrats on the new guitar.

I prefer the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings, either the EF or EXP.

You can extend the life of your strings. Make sure you wash your hands before each playing session. At the end of a playing session, loosen the strings slightly and apply some of the Dunlop 65 String Cleaner to a soft cloth (like an old t-shirt) and wipe down the strings to remove any grime and dead skin cells. Then retune. That will leave a light coating to help prevent corrosion. Just wipe off any excess. This procedure will help you get maximum life out of your strings. I typically get 15 to 20 hours of "sofa playtime" on a set of strings--12-15 hours of "gig-time".

Now's a good time to wipe the guitar off with a slightly damp rag and then buff it dry to remove fingerprints, etc., before storing the guitar back in it's case. And don't leave your strap in contact with the guitar's finish--it can cause damage.

If you live in a climate where there are extreme changes in temperature and humidity, you might want to invest in a humidifier and a hygrometer. Planet Waves makes a neat little kit to use with acoustic guitars. The humidifier should be filled with distilled water--you'll want to keep the guitar between 45-55% Relative Humidity--and it fits in the sound hole between the strings. The Hygrometer helps you keep track of the temperature and humidity levels. Very handy if you live in a dry desert or mountain climate, or if you use a wood chip stove in the winter--it can dry out your house in a hurry. In wet humid climes, you may need to keep some silica gel packets handy to lower the humidity.

Take good care of your new guitar and it will be a lifelong friend and soul-mate. Best wishes.

Bill
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Laughing Kookaburra said:
Been wondering about the 80/20s.

I use d'Addario Phosphor Bronze myself, as they have a decent rich tone that works well for chord work.
Click to expand...

I love both. if you love PB, and you would surely hate how 80/20s sound like when they are new. New, they sound exactly the opposite of PB, thin and overly bright. But after sometime of breaking in, the bright sound settles into a tamed ringing sound, giving a nostalgic warm tone with balanced brightness to the instrument. If you are mostly into chordal work, I would recommend you stick to PB. I would not put them on an inherently brighter sounding guitar either. But on dreadnoughts, for both lead and chordal work, i feel the 80/20 work really well.
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

I find 80/20s need a quality guitar to sound good. On the Fender I was borrowing they sounded tinny and brash, followed by muddy and dull. PBs added some extra richness to the tone that was needed. On the other hand 80/20s on a great sounding acoustic are crisp and clear (and reflect what other said above).

The awesome thing about strings is that for a few bucks and some string changes you can really change the tone of the guitar. I'd try the 80/20 and Phosphor Bronze offerings from D'Addario, Martin and John Pearse to see which you prefer on your instrument.

(Currently I'm using Martin Lifespan Phosphor Bronze 13-56 on my acoustic)
 
Re: Strings for my Acoustic ?

Boogie Bill said:
Congrats on the new guitar.

I prefer the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings, either the EF or EXP.

You can extend the life of your strings. Make sure you wash your hands before each playing session. At the end of a playing session, loosen the strings slightly and apply some of the Dunlop 65 String Cleaner to a soft cloth (like an old t-shirt) and wipe down the strings to remove any grime and dead skin cells. Then retune. That will leave a light coating to help prevent corrosion. Just wipe off any excess. This procedure will help you get maximum life out of your strings. I typically get 15 to 20 hours of "sofa playtime" on a set of strings--12-15 hours of "gig-time".

Now's a good time to wipe the guitar off with a slightly damp rag and then buff it dry to remove fingerprints, etc., before storing the guitar back in it's case. And don't leave your strap in contact with the guitar's finish--it can cause damage.

If you live in a climate where there are extreme changes in temperature and humidity, you might want to invest in a humidifier and a hygrometer. Planet Waves makes a neat little kit to use with acoustic guitars. The humidifier should be filled with distilled water--you'll want to keep the guitar between 45-55% Relative Humidity--and it fits in the sound hole between the strings. The Hygrometer helps you keep track of the temperature and humidity levels. Very handy if you live in a dry desert or mountain climate, or if you use a wood chip stove in the winter--it can dry out your house in a hurry. In wet humid climes, you may need to keep some silica gel packets handy to lower the humidity.

Take good care of your new guitar and it will be a lifelong friend and soul-mate. Best wishes.

Bill
Click to expand...

Holy crap! I'd never play any of my guitars if they were really this much work to take care of. Mine live out of their cases in an environment that swings from close to 100% humidity in the summer to close to 0 in the winter. Might need to tweak the truss rod twice a year, but other than that they don't have any problems.
 
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