The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 07-25-2010, 08:48 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,448
Default

I wonder if my Martin MMV is lightly braced or not ? If it is it would probably handle lights very well. If it isn't, I guess that Mediums are the right choice. Is there any owner of a Martin MMV who could comment in addition to TwoMartinMan ?
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 07-25-2010, 08:57 AM
$ongWriter $ongWriter is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Lafayette, TN....near Nashville
Posts: 3,529
Default mediums!!

Mediums all the way if you wanna get a better "acoustic" sound!!!
__________________
Collings, Martins, Gibsons, Taylor, Fenders, PRS's, a Takamine and MORGAN amps..love them all!!!
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 07-25-2010, 08:58 AM
MichaelG MichaelG is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 102
Default

So am I hearing right that medium strings can damage our Guitars? Fill me in guys.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 07-25-2010, 08:58 AM
Daveyo Daveyo is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,564
Default

When I had an MMV I used Elixer lights , as I do on all my dreads
not much of a loss on volume if at all, and more easy to play
by the way, the MMV is one of the best Martin values out there.
dave
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 07-25-2010, 09:42 AM
ewalling ewalling is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 20,772
Default

I think in some cases - my own for instance! - if you want to put lights on a dread, you may be better off selling the dread for a guitar that works better with lights.

My experience was a Larrivee SD-50. It was a perfectly gorgeous-looking and gorgeous-sounding guitar .... with mediums! It was also set up with a superb low action, but my problem was that I simply don't like the feel of mediums. Even a set like SP Medium Lights, which spans 12.5-55 felt a tad too stiff for me.

However, when I put a set of 12-54s on the guitar, its oomph and character diminsihed noticeably. There may well be many other dreads out there that function perfectly well with lights, but this one, to my ears, did not.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 07-25-2010, 10:14 AM
BTF BTF is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,324
Default

If I tune to standard on my DM18, I use light guage GHS Vintage Bronze, but I prefer to tune down a step and use the same strings in medium. The sound is deep and huge and playability is unreal. It's just a pain having to transpose when playing with others.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 07-25-2010, 10:39 AM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Coastal Washington State
Posts: 44,926
Default

My own experience is that you need a pretty responsive dreadnought to be able to get away with light strings. My 1967 Martin D-35 is such an instrument and so is my Gibson custom Advanced Jumbo (Braz RW B/S, Adi top). My Taylor GS8 (if you could call that a dread) cannot handle light strings, so I use light mediums or bluegrass strings on that.

I have tried mediums on my D-35 and AJ and they sound good but lack the treble sparkle that I like for the fingerstyle playing that is my main mode of playing. So I am back to lights and appreciating the sound more than ever.

Regards, Glenn
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 07-25-2010, 10:43 AM
mondoslug mondoslug is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 693
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by gerardo1000 View Post
I wonder how many prefer to use light gauge strings on their dreadnought and why ? And why mediums ? I have a new Martin MMV with Elixir Medium and I wonder if it would lose some power and tonal quality if I switch to light strings?
I've settled on Lights with a 13 & 17 on the top of my Bourgeois Dread. It's a little bright up there otherwise - although it sounds good with mediums all the way around, I'm just just a wimp.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 07-25-2010, 10:47 AM
Misty44 Misty44 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Posts: 3,028
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelG View Post
So am I hearing right that medium strings can damage our Guitars? Fill me in guys.
Most if not all dreads are designed and constructed for use with medium strings. I have yet to see one with a "Do Not Use Mediums" warning label on it.

Light gauge strings will exert less tension, but that doesn't make them better for the overall health of the guitar. Mediums will not damage a dread.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 07-25-2010, 11:16 AM
moctzal moctzal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 162
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelG View Post
So am I hearing right that medium strings can damage our Guitars? Fill me in guys.
I don't think so.

Almost all new Martin dreads ship with medium gauge strings.
Larrivee says on their site their guitars are all braced for up to medium gauge strings.
Taylor ships and recommends mediums on their dreads and grand symphony shapes.

In any case it would probably be a good idea to find out with each individual guitar from the perspective manufacturer, not from a bunch of hearsay on an online guitar forum...
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 07-25-2010, 11:42 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,448
Default

When you tune your guitar one step down, what does it mean ? I.e.: how do you tune the low E string ? Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 07-25-2010, 12:07 PM
ewalling ewalling is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 20,772
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by gerardo1000 View Post
When you tune your guitar one step down, what does it mean ? I.e.: how do you tune the low E string ? Thanks
I think it means the guitar would be tuned D,G,C,F,A,D, from the low E to the top E.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 07-25-2010, 12:33 PM
geetarman geetarman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 725
Default

I use Pearse New Mediums they have excellent balance across all strings whilst being easier on the fingers.
__________________
'99 Taylor 814-CE
'01 Martin Custom J
'07 Collings D1
'09 CA Guitars X
'09 CA Guitars Custom OX
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 07-25-2010, 01:04 PM
ljguitar's Avatar
ljguitar ljguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: wyoming
Posts: 42,556
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Misty44 View Post
Most if not all dreads are designed and constructed for use with medium strings.
Hi Misty…
Capability for mediums resides in most guitar, they are not mandated though - not even for optimum tone...that very much depends on playing style of players, the height of the action, and the design/construction of the guitar itself.


__________________

Baby #1.1
Baby #1.2
Baby #02
Baby #03
Baby #04
Baby #05

Larry's songs...

…Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 07-25-2010, 01:14 PM
drbluegrass drbluegrass is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,666
Default

I'm a mediums guy. If you want easier to fret mediums try a round core string like DR Sunbeams or Newtone Master Class (I think those are round core?).


Tom
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:36 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=