Elixir or Martin
 

Which strings do you like better, Elixir or Martin SPs and why..I have an HD28 and need some opinions. Thanks

On my favorite Martin dread I like SPs fine, as uncoated strings. They sound great. These days I usually use Elixir PB nanos as they last 2-3x as long between changes, and I don't play my Martin as often as I used to. A lot less work :). Elixirs are nice enough sounding to me (a bit more bright, with less punch that the Martins, IMO). BTW I just tried some normal Bronze nanos (purchased by mistake), and they sounded very thin as compared with the PB Elixir nanos. I use John Pearse PB and DAddarios on occassion as well. I prefer the SPs and John Pearse these days, but have one guitar that really likes the DAddis. Takes some experimenting - another one to consider is DR PB Sunbeams. I hear a lot of guys like them on their Martin dreads - they are "roundwound" which makes them feel a little smoother to me - med set feel like lights. I tried them on an OM size guitar and really like the feel and sound. Life was OK too, maybe a bit better than average non-coated strings. I found the DR coated strings a bit bass heavy, but with a very good feel and a bit less life than Elixirs. Hope this helps!

Between those two, I'd have to go with D'Addario EXPs. :eek:

Seriously, I really like the tone of Elixirs, but I break 'em. Not crazy about Martin strings.

I love Martin SP strings and use them on everything I own at the moment. 80/20 on my all sapele 000, and PB on my spruce/hog dread.

I never liked coated strings. Even on my old Taylor I didn't use Elixirs. Most of the time I had John Pearse on that guitar.

elixer nano are the only 1 i use. i do like john pearse but they only sound good on certain guitars. elixers sound great on all and have never broke 1.

Coated string equals coated sound, I pass regardless of brand.

All my Martins get DR Sunbeams, but I Martin SP's just as much, they just don't last as long. I tried Elixers years ago, took them off the same day, warm guitars IMO don't need coated strings muddying them up, but coated strings work great on really bright guitars.

Experiment, see what you like, and enjoy that HD-28, nice guitar!

Not all Martins are good or bad the same.
It is very strange: almost nobody talks about the Martin FX flexible core phosphor-bronze, u can find them at 4.5 $ . I used the custom light .11-.52, they were great but recently went to the light gauge .12-.54 and i will never go back! I play about 1 hour per day and the set lasts for at least a month; many say that the Elixirs last 3 months (but usually nobody tells about the mean playing time...); *if* really so, the Martin FXs still cost less than Elixirs. Great tone, and very very good playability: going to higher gauge required minor relief and action adjustments and gave me no left hand distress.

I also play an HD-28. I bought it new a few months back, but before that, played a D-35. Actually, after playing the D-35 a few years, I took a too-long break from playing, and then I bought the HD-28 and so now I'm almost back to square one. Anyhow, right after I got the new Martin, I broke the high E string, and so I just replaced them all with Elixers. They were OK, but I knew from previous experience that I like the Martin SP's, so after a couple months experimentation with the Elixers, I bought a new set of Martin SP 4200's, and on my HD-28, I prefer them to the Elixers. I had intended to try the SP 4150's, but the music store didn't have any, & I didn't want to wait for them to arrive by mail order, so I bought the 4200's. To me, they're well-suited for the HD-28, but I guess it depends on what sound you're looking for. I like the "traditional" Martin sound. I grew up in the Carolinas and several of my relatives played guitars, fiddles, mandolins etc. in bluegrass groups, so that's the sound I love. Can't say I'm any good at playing it, but I love the sound. To me, the sound of a Martin is distinct. I may be bias, though. Martin is the last name of my mom's family. I'd like to say I'm related to CF Martin, but as far as I know, I'm not. How great would that be??? lol!!!

Great info guys.
Thanks Harry

Neither for my HD-28. My HD-28 sounds best with EJ and EXP-17s or round core phos bronze. SP are not really bad but just expensive strings that don't last long so I buy better US made cheaper strings.

I'd say go with Elixer PB nanowebs. The Martins sound great for a couple of days, then go dead very quickly.:)

Try both and see what you like.
Some like Elixirs, some don't.

Try John Pearse, D'Addario, DR's....a bunch of others while your at it.
Guitar strings get changed pretty frequently. Experiment.

(I hate coated strings....so I'd go with non-coated Martin's. But I tend to prefer John Pearse...so I'd go likely go that direction.
However, different guitars tend to sound better with different strings....so.......I'd experiment to see what worked best.)

Agree with everything said above. Coated strings just don't work that great on Martin guitars. I have experimented with them and find that, if it has to be coated, the D'Addario EXPs seem to work best.

More on strings...
 

I just got an HD 28...2006 in mint condition. The bottom end is a cannon as you would expect, to the point that it almost overpowers the g, b and e. Does anyone mix the e, a and d string from a lighter gauge set, say an .011 set with the g,b and e string from a .012 set? Or the low end of a .012 set with the high end of a .013 set?

It's an expensive way to string a guitar I admit but I want a bit more brightness (and relative volume) fro the g, b and e.

I like elixars as well as Dadarrio EXP"S -depends on the guitar as well as wether i put on PB's or 80/20's - with the buy one get one free on the EXP's you cant help but stock up on them - but then again the free T-shirt Elixar is offering makes it temping to get elixars.