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  #1  
Old 07-21-2011, 08:32 AM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Thumbs up What Strings Do You Use

This may have been posted before, but I didn't see it so...
First, I started playing in the late 60's. Yeah, I know and dirt was already invented. Anyway, I have always loved Martin strings. Maquis to be exact. They sound so beautiful. Crisp highs and great lows. And in all those years I've tried everything that I know of. Now Martin has a coated version.(SP) It's less than a micron thick and is even on the plain strings. It's made from bronze and makes the plain strings look cool too. Read about them on the Martin web site. (http://www.martinguitar.com/strings/...php?typ=Martin SP Marquis). If you've never tried Maquis, SP or not, I really urge you to at least try them. I use mediums ( 13-56) To my ears they sound a lot better than the original Elixers. Now what about you.
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  #2  
Old 07-21-2011, 08:50 AM
fishstick_kitty fishstick_kitty is offline
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<sarcasm>I don't think this has ever been discussed before</sarcasm>

I have been on a DR Rare kick lately...they sound good right off...whereas I think coated strings sound a little spanky until they get some oil on'em
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  #3  
Old 07-21-2011, 09:05 AM
smokeynichol smokeynichol is offline
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Default have tried!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alanbama View Post
This may have been posted before, but I didn't see it so...
First, I started playing in the late 60's. Yeah, I know and dirt was already invented. Anyway, I have always loved Martin strings. Maquis to be exact. They sound so beautiful. Crisp highs and great lows. And in all those years I've tried everything that I know of. Now Martin has a coated version.(SP) It's less than a micron thick and is even on the plain strings. It's made from bronze and makes the plain strings look cool too. Read about them on the Martin web site. (http://www.martinguitar.com/strings/...php?typ=Martin SP Marquis). If you've never tried Maquis, SP or not, I really urge you to at least try them. I use mediums ( 13-56) To my ears they sound a lot better than the original Elixers. Now what about you.
Haven't tried the SP's BUT the FX and Bluegrass Martin-lousy!!!!!!
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  #4  
Old 07-21-2011, 09:10 AM
egkor egkor is offline
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I've used Elixir Nano 80/20 (strings as delivered by Taylor factory, no?) and Elixir Nano PB.

Right now I've got a set of DR Sunbeam .012 on my DN4e. They sound good but have a little less volume and are noisier (finger slides) than the Elixirs.

I'm staying with Elixir 80/20, factory gauge for my 314ce (.012).

I use one-size smaller than factory gauge for my DN4e (.012, factory is .013).

I've really come to love most things about Elixir Nanos, but I often wonder about a self-perceived "thin" sound.

I am experimenting with strings on my DN4e to see if I can add some "beef" to its tone.

On the advice of @fishstick_kitty, I will next try a set of DR Rares (going up a gauge size back to factory std. .013) on my DN4e.
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Old 07-21-2011, 09:47 AM
jmjohnson jmjohnson is offline
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DR Rares - check.
DR Sunbeams - check.
Martin SP - check.
Martin Marquis SP - check.
Martin LifeSpan - check.
Martin FX - check.
Martin Bluegrass - check.
Martin 80/20 Bluegrass - check.
Markley 82R - check.
Markley Helix - check.
GHS Vintage Bronze 85/15 - check.
GHS Signature Bronze - check.

BTW - the coated Martins are LifeSpan SPs, regular SPs are not coated (though the plain strings are bronzed). Marquis are regular strings or SPs with silk-wrapped ball ends.
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  #6  
Old 07-21-2011, 12:20 PM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Well I agree with most of you. I don't particularly like coated strings either. Let me be a touch clearer. My preference is 80/20 phospher bronze Marquis non coated. I've tried the other Martins, but have never been impressed with them. But the Marquis are great. Ok. I know strings are expensive but is there anyone out there that will and can afford to put a set of 80/20 phospher bronze Marquis on their guitar and report back to us? I know that tone and sound in general are subjective and there will be varied opinions. I am willing to try someone elses favorite as long as it's not coated. WOW! Isn't this fun kids?!
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Old 07-21-2011, 02:36 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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I just stick to the Elixir nanoweb 80/20s on my Taylor.
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  #8  
Old 07-21-2011, 02:43 PM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dru Edwards View Post
I just stick to the Elixir nanoweb 80/20s on my Taylor.
There seems to be a lot in favor of the Elixers. Maybe I should have left them on a little while. I'll try them again next change. What is the prevailing gauge here?
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Old 07-21-2011, 07:54 PM
Paul Ng Paul Ng is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dru Edwards View Post
I just stick to the Elixir nanoweb 80/20s on my Taylor.
Most likely my fav is Elixir PB for now, what difference is it between these two?

Thanks
Paul
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  #10  
Old 07-22-2011, 07:06 AM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Ng View Post
Most likely my fav is Elixir PB for now, what difference is it between these two?

Thanks
Paul
They are a different mix of phospher and bronze instead of 80/20 they may be 92/8 like the Martins are. Am I right guys?

Last edited by Alanbama; 07-22-2011 at 07:15 AM.
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  #11  
Old 07-22-2011, 08:48 AM
dannylightning dannylightning is offline
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i love the elixir pb on taylor guitars, they are bright and have a warm tone to them. the 80/20 strings are brighter and if you have a guitar with a darker tone i think the 80/20 strings are great but for a taylor it tends to be a bright guitar and the pb strings seem to have a better sound than the 80/20

i remember trying some 80/20 poly web and the coating was so thick on those they sounded very bland, but the nano web version was a different story.

but on my 310 the pb elixir strings seem to have the best all around sound. the standard elixir acoustic strings sound good if you want mellow with a little brightness to them, i think the are a more mid range oriented string

the elixir pb nano web strings offer better lows and highs and have a warmer mid range sound to them than the standard acoustic nano web strings.

the 80/20 nano web strings kind of sound buzzy and overly bright to me on my 310
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  #12  
Old 07-22-2011, 09:03 AM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Thanks Danny. I'll have to try those. Admittedly the 80/20 do sound a bit bright on my taylor.
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  #13  
Old 07-22-2011, 09:39 AM
dannylightning dannylightning is offline
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welcome, i really want to try some martin strings, but i have been so happy with the elixir pb nano web strings i have not tried any thing else. i think they have a really sweet sound to them. and they really do last a long time.

i do hear people say the martin strings have better bass. i am wondering how the coated martin strings sound, the coating does take away some sound quality on strings from what i understand,

one day i might get a set of martin strings, they martin has so many different strings its hard to know what to get lol.. i would probably try out the set that the put on the D-28 since those guitrs have such a great sound, i know my taylor wont sound like a d-28 but i wonder if the strings have any thing to do with that great bassy sound on the d-28 they really just have the traditional bluegrass sound that i really like.
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  #14  
Old 07-22-2011, 10:31 AM
Alanbama Alanbama is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannylightning View Post
welcome, i really want to try some martin strings, but i have been so happy with the elixir pb nano web strings i have not tried any thing else. i think they have a really sweet sound to them. and they really do last a long time.

i do hear people say the martin strings have better bass. i am wondering how the coated martin strings sound, the coating does take away some sound quality on strings from what i understand,

one day i might get a set of martin strings, they martin has so many different strings its hard to know what to get lol.. i would probably try out the set that the put on the D-28 since those guitrs have such a great sound, i know my taylor wont sound like a d-28 but i wonder if the strings have any thing to do with that great bassy sound on the d-28 they really just have the traditional bluegrass sound that i really like.

You are so right! Martin does have so many strings to choose from! It makes it difficult! You can go to the Martin web site and they have a guide that you can get a general idea of the string you need. I'm useing Marquis pb SP med 's. And they have really good bass. The SP's have a very thin bronze coating on the core of the wound strings and the plain strings are bronze coated as well. This keeps corrosion down and they look kinda cool too. The set number is, MSP2200. If you try them let me know what you think.
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  #15  
Old 07-22-2011, 08:53 PM
dannylightning dannylightning is offline
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i think those are the strigns they put on the d-28 so i would imagine they are good souding strigns..
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