#16
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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 ?
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#17
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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!!! |
#18
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So am I hearing right that medium strings can damage our Guitars? Fill me in guys.
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#19
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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 |
#20
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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. |
#21
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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.
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#22
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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 |
#23
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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.
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#24
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Quote:
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. |
#25
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Quote:
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... |
#26
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When you tune your guitar one step down, what does it mean ? I.e.: how do you tune the low E string ? Thanks
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#27
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I think it means the guitar would be tuned D,G,C,F,A,D, from the low E to the top E.
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#28
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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 |
#29
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Quote:
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. |
#30
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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 |