Mixed Guage Medium-Lights vs Light Mediums - Who's on first !

[mediaman]

My 2013 818e came with medium gauge - tons of volume but a little hard to play. Also sounded muddy at times especially with bare fingers. Recently switched to EXP16 lights- much more comfortable and cleaner, but noticeable loss of volume. Took some of the punch right out! Non issue plugged in, but unplugged it’s a bit too quiet/thin for my liking.

Thought I would explore mixed gauge re light-medium, medium-light etc.

If I am looking for more volume (vs lights), and more comfort (vs mediums), am I correct that the light top (comfort and clarity) and medium bottom (volume) just might do the trick? Thought I'd try an EXP19 next (or Elixir PB Nano Light-Mediums)

Or have I got this backwards Some of the 818 criticism is it can get boomy- suggesting lighter bottoms (like the Elixir HD) would be better. And they may be more comfortable (eg barring the bass strings).

I will try both ; just curious if there was some conventional wisdom on this !

Thanks.


Light Top End / Medium Bottom End - LIGHT treble strings (gbe) and MEDIUM bass strings (EAD) eg
D'Addario EXP 19(12-56): .012 .016 .025 .035 .045 .056
Elixir Light-Medium 16077 (12-56): .012 .016 .024 .035 .045 .056

Medium Top End / Light Bottom End - MEDIUM treble strings (gbe) and LIGHT bass strings (EAD), eg .
Elixir HD Light 16182(13-53) : .013 .017 .025 .032 .042 .053

[pickinray]

Martin makes a light/medium gauge that is in between light and medium. It's not a mixed gauge set. The gauges are .0125-.055. This might give you the combination of tone and playability you're after, especially if you try the FX flexible core version.

[HHP]

I've used three versions. The Martin Lt/Med sets are halfway between light and medium, I found playing comfort more like lights and sound more like mediums.

John Pearse make two sets I use, True Mediums and Bluegrass. The True Mediums pair medium trebles with light basses. Use them on bass dominant guitars to balance the sound by boosting the treble.

The Bluegrass sets pair medium basses with light trebles. I use those to get a powerful bass for rhythm or add more bass to a guitar a little lacking in that area.

Neither comfort nor volume is much affected with any of these, its more about shifting tonal properties.

[Dirk Hofman]

Yeah, I don't know that you can solve this with strings. It's a relatively large, heavily built guitar that seems to need mediums to move the top the way you like to hear it. I'd go with the medium-lights and see how it works out. You can't fundamentally change tone with these kind of minor string-weight adjustments.

[kydave]

Try a set of Martins SP4150 strings. Each string is exactly between medium and light, as opposed to half the strings light gauge/half medium.

They go from .0125 to .055.

[MrBJones]

Originally Posted by HHP

...John Pearse make two sets I use, True Mediums and Bluegrass. The True Mediums pair medium trebles with light basses. Use them on bass dominant guitars to balance the sound by boosting the treble.

The Bluegrass sets pair medium basses with light trebles. I use those to get a powerful bass for rhythm or add more bass to a guitar a little lacking in that area.

Neither comfort nor volume is much affected with any of these, its more about shifting tonal properties.

John Pearse also makes a mixed set set of PB's (#800) that's meant for open G, though I suppose it might work for some other open tunings.

[mediaman]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

.... You can't fundamentally change tone with these kind of minor string-weight adjustments.

True, but I don't think I am looking for a fundamental change in tone ; just looking for subtle (or not so subtle) change that may result in more comfort, playability, enjoyment etc. I think is pretty undeniable that string choice can make a significant difference, regardless of the guitar.

[mediaman]

Originally Posted by pickinray

Martin makes a light/medium gauge that is in between light and medium. It's not a mixed gauge set. The gauges are .0125-.055. This might give you the combination of tone and playability you're after, especially if you try the FX flexible core version.

Originally Posted by HHP

I've used three versions. The Martin Lt/Med sets are halfway between light and medium, I found playing comfort more like lights and sound more like mediums. .....

Originally Posted by kydave

Try a set of Martins SP4150 strings. Each string is exactly between medium and light, as opposed to half the strings light gauge/half medium. They go from .0125 to .055.

Hmmm, that's a really interesting idea. I was aware of the many "mixed" combinations out there, but hadnt picked up on this "in-between" one. I see they are also available, as mentioned, in the thinner core FX line, also an option re comfort .. but not available is the coated SP Lifespan line

SP Light/Medium (MSP4150): .0125 .0165 .0255 .0335 .0435 .055
FX Light/Medium (MFX745) : .0125 .0165 .0255 .0335 .0435 .055

If the FX really are more comfortable, just going with FX mediums is also an option.

FX Medium (MFX750): .013 .017 .026 .035 .045 .056

Is there a downside to FX?? Breakage??

[smaragio]

I've been using the D'Addario exp bluegrass mixed gauge strings. Medium bottoms and light tops. I think they're great I'd you want to beef up the low end, but keep the lighter touch on the treble strings.

[Dreadful]

I use Martin .0125-.055 light mediums on most of my dreads. I don't notice any loss of volume, but doing bends and bar chords is easier. I really like the tone from the light-mediums.

[RustyAxe]

I use D'Addario EJ19 ("Bluegrass gauge") on my dreads and have for many years. Perfect for me.

[Wade Hampton]

I use John Pearse Bluegrass gauge strings for a couple of guitars; HHP's description of them shifting tonal properties a little bit is a good one.

Depending on which alloy sounds better on a given instrument, I use either the 250LM Bluegrass set in 80/20 bronze or the 650LM Bluegrass set in phosphor bronze.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[ericcsong]

Have you tried mediums tuned a half step down? Gives you the medium sound you like with less string tension.

Post deleted

[mediaman]

Originally Posted by Dreadful

I use Martin .0125-.055 light mediums on most of my dreads. I don't notice any loss of volume, but doing bends and bar chords is easier. I really like the tone from the light-mediums.

Do you use the MSP 4150 (PB) or the MSP 3150 (80/20)?

The 80/20 seems to be suggested a lot for spruce/rosewood acoustics. At first I stayed away when I read they lose their brightness early on, but they apparently do mellow out nicely.