DR Sunbeams vs John Pearse 80/20's

[GibbyPrague]

I would like to ask if anybody had a chance to compare and play both of those specific string brands.

I'm asking because Im still trying to find the right strings for me for my rosewood SWD.

I'm 100% happy with the Sunbeams on my mahogany guitars, but not on the rosewood.

I find the Sunbeams are fantastic at the beginning when they have enough sparkle but also natural warmth to find the perfect balance for the SWD. However when the sparkle goes the tone can arguably be a little 'muffled' or just not crisp enough on the highs. This 'mellowness' sounds great on mahogay guitars, but kills the tone somewhat on rosewood dreads, to my ears of course.

I tried Daddario 80/20's on the suggestion of trying this string type on the AGF. Initial reaction was that yes, certainly more brightness, very clear note seperation and generally a HUGE sound. It almost made the SWD plugged in sound like a Les Paul, and im not exaggarating. However after a while i missed the warmth, especially when playing slower songs with more feeling.

So I wanted to ask how do the JP 80/20's compare to the Sunbeams ?

I remember a number of people (in particular Wade) endorsing the JP's making the point they also have a 'mellow' element to the traditional 80/20's sparkle. This would sound like my type of string to try out.

So, has anyone compared both of those specific strings ?

Or do you recommend another string type given my dilemma ? Pls note I strongly dont like Elixirs and Im not fond of strings that are too tight or sharp. I like to bend them and easily get across the fretboard, hence one of the reasons why I favour Sunbeams.

Pls note that both of these strings I would need to order from the US as they are not available in the Czech Republic, hence why im doing this 'due diligence' to get the most out of my next order.

cheers.

[kirkham13]

I have used SB extensively on both my guitars, as well as others, and find they are excellent when used in a heavier gage, IE mediums for lights, and heavy for medium. That being said, I am beginning to lean towards other strings now, most specifically Pearse... though othere brands are also good. Daddario 16s PBs come stock on many instruments for a reason.
Pearse Nickle alloy are great, as well as the pb, currently with the medium light on the OM. I have yet to put on the 80/20s but I'm sure they will not dissapoint...
I find Pearse strings to be a touch more substantial feeling than others, in the lighter gages, and tonewise as well. Very highly recommended. Again, many good string manufacturers, and a trial is well worth your time and investment...

[RussMason]

Given your parameters, I'd take the John Pearse 80/20s in a heartbeat over the DR Sumbeams.

Tell you why.

I have had bad sets of DR Sunbeams. Specifically the low E string was dead flat gone. This has happened so many times that I will no longer even consider buying them.

I say the same for John Pearse phosphor bronze.

But the 80/20s were extremely fine. Arrived sealed, played like a dream and are still on my rosewood dreadnought. The tone is exceptional, as is the playability. Also, they seem to last a long time, which is a bit odd for 80/20s, but the John Pearse 80/20s are a bit magical.

[GibbyPrague]

But do you prefer the JP's mainly because you've had a few dud Sunbeams strings in the past, or all things considered you simply prefer the JP's ?

Because Ive never ever had an experience where I received a dud set of Sunbeams, so this is not a factor for me, its just about tone and secondly playability.

Originally Posted by RussMason

Given your parameters, I'd take the John Pearse 80/20s in a heartbeat over the DR Sumbeams.

Tell you why.

I have had bad sets of DR Sunbeams. Specifically the low E string was dead flat gone. This has happened so many times that I will no longer even consider buying them.

I say the same for John Pearse phosphor bronze.

But the 80/20s were extremely fine. Arrived sealed, played like a dream and are still on my rosewood dreadnought. The tone is exceptional, as is the playability. Also, they seem to last a long time, which is a bit odd for 80/20s, but the John Pearse 80/20s are a bit magical.

[Michael T]

Sunbeams on my DV09 (rosewood) and my L05-12 mahogany, (custom set), I've only had 1 bad experience when I 1st started using them and that was due to strtching them in like I would hex core. Surprise, low E too. After that I've been through a ton of them with no problem, best tone for me.

[GibbyPrague]

Originally Posted by Michael T

Sunbeams on my DV09 (rosewood) and my L05-12 mahogany, (custom set), I've only had 1 bad experience when I 1st started using them and that was due to strtching them in like I would hex core. Surprise, low E too. After that I've been through a ton of them with no problem, best tone for me.

You dont find that the Sunbeams mellowness kinda kills the sparkle and treble a bit after a while on the rosewood model ?

I adore Sunbeams on my mahogany guitars but just am not convinced on rosewood.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by TaylorPrague

So I wanted to ask how do the JP 80/20's compare to the Sunbeams ?

In my experience they don't, and they are not really comparable other than being guitar strings.

I haven't found fault in any JP products I've tried and haven't found any lower % copper strings to last as long as the alloys with more copper and phosphorus.

Originally Posted by RussMason

I have had bad sets of DR Sunbeams. Specifically the low E string was dead flat gone. This has happened so many times that I will no longer even consider buying them.

I've buy round core strings from a few companies and they _all_ have the tendency for a dull string in larger diameters. Careful winding and the twisting trick Richard Hoover and Frank Ford describe will help.

My tendency to shy away from the more expensive imported (I'm in US) offerings is exactly because the same thing can happen when spending almost twice the price.

I sometimes wonder if I find the Newtones are less special than people say because I started with a group buy of a dozen sets that cost me less than Sunbeams. I think lots of trials and not paying a premium to make my brain think they have to be more special were an influence.

[Michael T]

Originally Posted by TaylorPrague

You dont find that the Sunbeams mellowness kinda kills the sparkle and treble a bit after a while on the rosewood model ?

I adore Sunbeams on my mahogany guitars but just am not convinced on rosewood.

I do use a 14 & 18 in place of the 13 &17 on the rosewood dread to pull out more top end, love those overtones and the Sunbeam holds the sustain in tune during the decay for me.

[GibbyPrague]

Originally Posted by Michael T

I do use a 14 & 18 in place of the 13 &17 on the rosewood dread to pull out more top end, love those overtones and the Sunbeam holds the sustain in tune during the decay for me.

Thank you for the note. PM sent to f/up this little experiment.

[Broadus]

I've just put a set of John Pearse 80/20's on my Martin OM-21 after having had two sets of Sunbeams. I liked the Sunbeams well enough, but the JP's have more "sparkle" to them. Right now, the John Pearse 80/20's are my preference.

Bill

[JohnnyDes]

I find the Sunbeams vs Pearse 80/20s to be an interesting comparison, since I've compared them both on two guitars and they have both been finalists for both guitars. In both cases, I ended up using the Pearse in the long run, but maybe for different reasons than you're looking for. The Sunbeams were just too shimmery sounding on both guitars when I strummed them, but to your point it sounds like you're after that to some extent.

There's something about the Pearse 80/20 that are just really special. Each note just has a warmth and sweetness that I can't get enough of. I'm really loving them on my Taylor GC8, especially with my new Colosi FWI saddle. I'm usually a compulsive string tryer-outer, and I have several other 80/20 sets to test, but I just keep the Pearse on because I can't imagine not having that sound. The 80/20s were also supposedly John Pearse's personal favorite.

JD

[catdaddy]

Coincidentally, in the past month I have strung my D2H with DR Sunbeams and JP 80/20's.

Normally I have been using DR Sunbeams on this guitar due to their lower string tension. They have been the best string that I've found for ease of playing and I've liked the tone very much as well. As RussMason mentioned I have had a couple of sets that seemed to have a 'dud' 6th string but that has not been a consistent phenomena. The Sunbeams also seem to last longer than any other uncoated string that I've ever tried.

A few weeks ago I put on a set of John Pearse 80/20's simply as an experiment. I use Pearse strings on all of my other guitars and have found them to be the best sounding strings to my ear whether it be 80/20's or Phosphor Bronze.

After stringing the D2H with the Pearse strings and giving them a day to 'settle in', I immediately noticed a 'sparkle' that was not present with the Sunbeams. The overall tone was sweet and clear with fewer overtones than with the Sunbeams. As it happens I used the D2H for a recording of a song that I was working on at the time and had a couple of musicians who heard the recording tell me how much they liked the sound of the guitar. I liked the sound of the guitar as well for that bluegrass-style song but the D2H has a tendency to brightness that as a singer/songwriter I prefer to mellow out a bit
and the Sunbeams seem to complement that guitar better for my purposes.

In conclusion I would say that both the Sunbeams and JP 80/20's are great strings that offer potentially quite different sonic qualities, with the JP's being a bit more on the 'bright' side of the spectrum and the Sunbeams leaning toward a mellower tone. However, one must always consider the caveat that how one guitar responds to a certain type of string may not necessarily be predictive of any other guitar, for as each type of string exerts its effect on a guitar, each guitar has its own unique qualities that define its own response.