Martin Darco Strings

[jmjohnson]

Originally Posted by GuitarLight

I...When it comes to strings ..for me...there is no compromise. Elixirs may cost a considerable amount more...but they sound good 10 times longer. That makes them a bargain.

Funny - mine never last that long; usually just a couple weeks till I take em off that new Taylor...always curious to hear what I might be missing.

[sbeirnes]

Originally Posted by Leftyplay

"Darco's" were made by D'Addario. The main reason for them sounding so good and lasting so long. I still have a couple of sets that I've been saving.

This is true. I would contact D'Addario and find out what string they sell that was being rebranded for Martin.

[Tobias Music]

I always thought that Darco was a stand alone company until Martin bought them many years ago. I thought Martin bought the facility and then made all of the Martin strings in the same factory. (Mexico)

Just found this info online...In the late 1960s, Darco was approached by Martin Guitars regarding a merger in order to pool resources and development efforts. While the partnership was beneficial for both companies, by 1974 the D'Addario family decided it was time to market strings under their own name, and the J. D'Addario & Company corporation was formed. Darco is still a brand name used by the Martin Guitar company.

Anywho, Darco has pretty much been our "house brand" here in the shop for a couple decades. Great quality strings at a very affordable price. We are going to miss them a little bit. As someone else mentioned, you can pretty much get the same Martin strings in different packaging for a buck or two more.

[GuitarLight]

Originally Posted by JeremiahB.

I'm convinced this guy works for or holds stock in Elixir. Anytime and everytime someone asks a question or posts observations about strings, without fail he denounces any string other than Elixirs as products of Satan and hails Elixirs as the only strings handcrafted by angels and worthy of being on a guitar. You know, the greatest thing since Fiji water. It's actually rather comical. Getting hard to take him serious, though!

No offense but uhhh...Talk about an exaggerated response! Your response couldn't be more animated unless it included a picture of Popeye and Olive Oil on the string package! ---products of Satan? ? ...handcrafted by Angels? ? ...Fiji Water? ? (your words not mine that's for sure lol) I think I'll stick with my Elixirs thanks, you would likely do better sticking to bazaar comical cartoon animations.

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by GuitarLight

No offense but uhhh...Talk about an exaggerated response! Your response couldn't be more animated unless it included a picture of Popeye and Olive Oil on the string package! ---products of Satan? ? ...handcrafted by Angels? ? ...Fiji Water? ? (your words not mine that's for sure lol) I think I'll stick with my Elixirs thanks, you would likely do better sticking to bazaar comical cartoon animations.

You have a point but I think it was your dramatic statements in multiple threads that elicited that response.

[DanPanther]

Originally Posted by Tobias Music

I always thought that Darco was a stand alone company until Martin bought them many years ago. I thought Martin bought the facility and then made all of the Martin strings in the same factory. (Mexico)

Just found this info online...In the late 1960s, Darco was approached by Martin Guitars regarding a merger in order to pool resources and development efforts. While the partnership was beneficial for both companies, by 1974 the D'Addario family decided it was time to market strings under their own name, and the J. D'Addario & Company corporation was formed. Darco is still a brand name used by the Martin Guitar company.

Anywho, Darco has pretty much been our "house brand" here in the shop for a couple decades. Great quality strings at a very affordable price. We are going to miss them a little bit. As someone else mentioned, you can pretty much get the same Martin strings in different packaging for a buck or two more.

Let me add Here that the particular strings I'm referring to are (Darco D2100'S' Phosphor bronze extra lights 10-47).

So am I to assume that recently Darco has discontinued to make strings under the Darco name ? It is of little consequence now, but I feel good about the fact that I picked a very popular brand from experience of using several brands. Considering all aspects Darco seemed the best to me. Within the reasonable price range. The Darco brand also says Martin on the package, plus Martin has an identical set of strings in a green pack but with Martin ob the front. Are those the strings everyone talks about as the same, just a little more expensive ?

Dan

[Tobias Music]

Originally Posted by DanPanther

Let me add Here that the particular strings I'm referring to are (Darco D2100'S' Phosphor bronze extra lights 10-47).

So am I to assume that recently Darco has discontinued to make strings under the Darco name ? It is of little consequence now, but I feel good about the fact that I picked a very popular brand from experience of using several brands. Considering all aspects Darco seemed the best to me. Within the reasonable price range. The Darco brand also says Martin on the package, plus Martin has an identical set of strings in a green pack but with Martin ob the front. Are those the strings everyone talks about as the same, just a little more expensive ?

Dan

It was my understanding that Martin bought the Darco factory many years ago and used that factory for all of the Martin strings. Darcos have been a Martin string for many years. Earlier this year, Martin announced that they are discontinuing the Darco Brand. Over the years, many have thought that the Darcos were the same strings as the SP's, just marketed as a budget set of strings. (Not sure if this is 100% accurate)
Bottom line, Darcos were a nice set at a reasonable price but Martin wants to be known as a higher end string company. Shouldn't be too big of a deal, just a buck or two more for a string change.

[JeremiahB.]

Originally Posted by GuitarLight

No offense but uhhh...Talk about an exaggerated response! Your response couldn't be more animated unless it included a picture of Popeye and Olive Oil on the string package! ---products of Satan? ? ...handcrafted by Angels? ? ...Fiji Water? ? (your words not mine that's for sure lol) I think I'll stick with my Elixirs thanks, you would likely do better sticking to bazaar comical cartoon animations.

The only thing comical is your unprompted diarrhea of praise for Elixir strings, even in posts that have nothing to do with Elixir strings. I had posted recently that Amazon had Ernie Ball Everlast strings for $5.99/set, just as a public service for anyone that may like these strings or want to try them at a discounted price. Rather than just pass over the thread knowing you had no personal knowledge or desire to even try them, you felt the need to take a huge verbal dump on them by saying, "These strings are TREATED (chemically) ..not COATED....thus...the cheap price. You get what you pay for in coated strings. These will likely be dead in a week or two. Elixirs....6 months to a year on a set for many people. So I ask...which is really cheaper?" I mean, what type of person pops in on a thread to make such negative comments regarding the subject of the thread, and then offer their unprompted opinion regarding an entirely different set of strings than the ones referred to.

And, a quick look at many of your other posts show the same pattern. This thread was started due to someone asking about the availability of Darco strings and somehow you felt the need to comment about how you "left Martin strings in the dust once you discovered Elixirs." Well, I'm sure you're going to delve into some whole "free speech" argument, to which I say "Whatever!" We get it, man, you really like Elixirs and I'm happy for you. Thing is, there's a lot of us that don't like them and have our reasons. You repeating how superior they are to every other string isn't going to change anyone's opinion.

As far as my comments being animated and "(your words not mine that's for sure lol)," you're exactly right. You never said they were handcrafted by angels. I believe your exact quote on 8/22/2014 was "The fingers of Jesus touch every set...." which is vastly different from my comment. I apologize for not quoting you verbatim the first time.

[pok3rpl8yer]

Put some research into that post and well done!!

I tired the Elixirs and found they did not sound like any guitar I had ever heard before. Yes, they last long, but longer lasting does not mean better. For me it is about sound. The best sounding strings typically die the fastest. For two reasons = I play them more because they are addictive, and they are not coated - the whole reason the sound as good as they do.

I kind of understand the guy pushing his favorite brands though, I have a really bad habit of thinking what I like is best and everybody else just needs to learn what I know. Been trying not to do it though because even when I am right, assuming it is something not based on subjective matter, people don't usually want to know anyway. I learned that all to well driving taxi. People that mispronounce things for example? Don't bother, they have been told a million times and it is falling on dead ears.

Elixirs Dude - unless specifically asked, people don't care what kind of strings you think are the best. We use our own ears, experience, and for me, budgeting to determine the best strings.

OP - I loved the Darco Strings for the price too. But if you go to strings and beyond and by 10 packs or so of the Martin and add the 15% coupon they offer right now for anyone, the price is about the same.

The trick is to go into the section where you shop by instrument - NOT BY BRAND - The inexpensive Martin strings are ONLY listed on the acoustic instrument page. Put as many in the shopping cart as you want and then checkout. In the checkout scroll down and you will see the enter coupon box type in holiday15 and submit. The price is right around where you want it and the shipping is free. Cant beat that. I buy 20 or so at a time. Best deal out there that I can find.

Hope that helps.

[Wade Hampton]

I've come late to this discussion, and my main experience wasn't with Darco guitar strings but with their mandolin strings. But - what the hey - I thought I'd share my experience with them, anyway.

One of the many mutant instruments I own is a mandolin-banjo, a Gibson Mastertone mandolin-banjo similar to this one:

Normally I don't name my instruments - that's a bit too twee for me. But this little guy has so much personality that I made an exception in this case: I call him "Stubby."

I've been using John Pearse strings almost exclusively on all my instruments since the mid-1980's, and have been an artist endorser for the brand since the late-1990's, but the lightest John Pearse mandolin strings available when I first got Stubby weren't as light as I wanted to go.

But Darco had a set that used really light string gauges.

I was a little hesitant to even try the Darco strings on it at first, given that they were so cheap. If that makes no sense to you, it had to do with the rather involved process that stringing a mandolin-banjo can be: in technical terms, restringing a mandolin-banjo is what you might call "a complete pain in the butt."

So I didn't want to go to the trouble of stringing up the instrument with really crummy strings only to have them sound lousy once I got them on there.

But they sounded great, and lasted a good long time. After that I strung that instrument with Darco mandolin strings for about the next 16 or 17 years.

Since then, a lighter gauge set of John Pearse mandolin strings became available, and when I ran out of Darco mandolin sets I switched over to using the JP light gauge mandolin set.

But the Darcos were fine. I never had any of them break on me or die too soon or exhibit any problems at all. They were good serviceable strings.


Wade Hampton Miller

[DCannon]

In the two years I've had my Guild F-130R, I've tried MANY different strings on it and Darco 80/20 lights are a great fit, producing excellent balanced tone and volume. Just put a new set on it today and it sounds fantastic. I've found Darco to be among the better strings and flying under the radar.

Wade, that mando-banjo is just too cool!

DC

[Kupuna50]

Originally Posted by GuitarLight

I left Martin strings in the dust 12 years ago when I discovered Elixirs. I wouldn't put Martin strings on my guitars if they gave me a lifetime supply for free. When it comes to strings ..for me...there is no compromise. Elixirs may cost a considerable amount more...but they sound good 10 times longer. That makes them a bargain.

Nice personal information, but is nnot even close to the core of the topic!

[DanPanther]

Originally Posted by tpbiii

We use these -- in quantity 48, a bit over $2 a set.

http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/a...qk1qgicp569ac5

Several companies sell them.

The ad says the strings are full sets UNPACKAGED. Are they just thrown in a shipping box without an envelope ?

Dan

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by greg947

Is this what you are looking for?
http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/madaphbracgu.html

Looks like they're being phased out. The only gauge available is extralights.

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

They were good serviceable strings.


Wade Hampton Miller

I'm curious. How do you service a string, Wade? Change the winding every now and then? Recoat the surface? Unstretch them when need be?