GHS Signature Bronze vs "The World"...

[vindibona1]

Ok... So not the world. But GHS Signatures vs my 614 as a control and Straight Up Strings medium tension (both GHS and SUS on my 814ceDLX).

And the winner is... Straight Up Strings.

Actually I was surprised. Frankly the GHS and the SUS have similar sounds and both are quite good, so don't get me wrong. I was actually thinking and kind of hoping in some ways that GHS would come out on top. I dunno...

The real winner was my 614ce with 10 week old Elixir Nano 12's. Still sound incredibly good (coming from a man who generally doesn't dig Elixirs and never previously kept a set on for more than 3 weeks. The 614 was used as a control as I recorded it, the 814 with the GHS and then the SUS.

The GHS Signature Bronze was a self constructed hybrid set. I initially set out with the 12-54 lights, then modified it to be a True medium putting a 13 and 17 on strings 1 and 2 and then putting a 56 on the 6th string. I ultimately went back to the 54.

BTW... I'm finding that while heavier strings may kick out the lower fundamentals a little better, I'm finding that the overtones in the light bass strings add more harmonics to the mix which brings more resultant harmonics overall and more perceived volume.

Anyway... I was surprised at how similar my 614 (w Elixirs) and the 814 with GHS hybrids sounded. The 614 was a little warmer and was my preference. Frankly I was a bit bummed as I was thinking "what do I need this 814 for"? But then came the SUS.

Sure the Straight Up mediums were fresher by a few days. And initially I didn't like them as well as my 614. Again, thinking tomorrow's gig will be with the 614. But I played it a bit. Let them settle for several hours, retuned and did the side-by-side test again. This time the 814 and SUS strings came out on top. Maybe the freshness? I don't know. But again I found a very similar sound between the two guitars (odd for maple and rosewood to sound similar, no?). What I liked with my 814 was that it provided more harmonic sizzle without being what fundamentally brighter. It's just the harmonics inside the sound were more apparent and there were fewer harmonics that I would hear as not quite in tune.

In a few days, who knows how the GHS and SUS would compare. But if there was anything that would push the SUS strings over the edge in a tie was the tension. It was pretty easy to bend the upper strings. Bending that B string the tune "Windy and Warm" was quite difficult with the GHS .017 and I considered sliding it. The SUS B string easily bent up the half step and with only a little more effort I could bend it up a full step.

And so I'll play this set of Straight Up Strings a few days, gigging it tomorrow then put on a fresh set of GHS Signatures to see if their fortunes reverse with fresh GHS and played in SUS.

But again, I liked the GHS a lot and I'll have to try test them with some other acoustics. They could definitely be a home run on the right guitars.

Just thought I'd share for those interested.

[Brucebubs]

Just wondering, how do GHS and SUS compare cost wise?

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Just wondering, how do GHS and SUS compare cost wise?

The cost is very similar. GHS with one of the discounters will run about $7+ per set. Then if you need to customize the set as I did add $2. Straight up Strings will vary depending on quantity. Dealers are limited. You can buy from them directly and the only dealer that I know sells them is Elderly. Single sets are about $10 but $8.34 for a six pack with $5 shipping... $9.16 per set delivered, unless you ordered more sets to reduce the per-set shipping cost.

FWIW, the SUS strings are the same strings as Santa Cruz, except not coated. But the Santa Cruz strings are $18 per set plus shipping, so there is a considerable savings if you don't need coated strings and you like these. Heck, if SC can get $18 for a set and they put them on all their guitars they must be good, no?

[Brucebubs]

Thanks vindibona1, I'll make a note of SUS in my 'strings-to-try' book.

[jaymarsch]

SUS are very nice. I tried them but have an skin sensitivity to them. I am highly allergic to aluminum and they may have that as part of their alloys. Good thing I like the GHS and Pearse. So great to have choices and I do really love the feel of the GHS strings.

Best,
Jayne

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

SUS are very nice. I tried them but have an skin sensitivity to them. I am highly allergic to aluminum and they may have that as part of their alloys. Good thing I like the GHS and Pearse. So great to have choices and I do really love the feel of the GHS strings.

Best,
Jayne

That skin sensitivity thing isn't fun. A lot of trumpet players gold plate their mouthpieces because they're allergic to silver. With some of the string prices nowadays you'd expect the strings to be gold plated .

In a "confluence of threads"...
Last night I wanted my significant other's opinion on the sound of my guitars. I'd been playing a bit for her each night to get her opinion on the sound of my 814 as I navigated through each set of strings. So I brought our my 814 and she said "I want to hear another guitar so I can have a comparison". So I brought our my 614 with the well-played-in Elixirs.

At first she thought she preferred the 614, citing it as "warmer" and the 814 as sounding "tinny" (???). I then realized that perhaps I was striking the strings a bit harder than necessary. So I backed off the instensity of my strokes and she said it sounded like a different guitar and then preferred the 814 (tone really is in the fingers, isn't it?). So having gone through that exercise I brought out my 1981 MIJ Epiphone PR-755s with the Infinity Bronze strings that were now 3 days old.

As I strummed the Epiphone she put on a big smile. "That's the guitar you paid $150 for, isn't it"? I'm thinking to myself that she prefers my "hundred dollar wonder" over my $4k Taylors- say it ain't so. Mercifully she preferred the Taylor, but thought the Epi sounded wonderful and the "warmest" of the three.

The GHS Infinity Bronze strings seem to have broken in. But there are two things I am noticing about these strings. The tension seems to feel lighter in the bass strings because as I strum a bit harder I'm getting overtones that don't quite match up well which I think is due to string deflection. I'm all into harmonics these days and I'm finding that unpleasant harmonics occur when I try to drive the guitar too hard. As I said in another thread, my mission right now is to lighten up my touch on everything. I digress... I like the warmth of the Infinity Bronze on the Epiphone, but I think I'm looking for a touch more clarity and string separation, something my 814 with the Adirondack bracing provides in spades...

...which I think is the defining difference between my 814ceDLX and a standard 814ce. I'd fallen in love with the sound of the 814ce but it can get a bit boomy and muddy where the the 814ceDLX could use a bit more boom while retaining the clarity. So I think all the string trials was to try to find strings that could split the difference.

[Wrighty]

I am interested in when you last tried Elixir’s on the 814 - and also to hear what you didn’t like about them on this guitar (compared to what you do like about them on the 614) I have found that now I have warmed to what they do best on my spruce/rosewood guitar, that I am now appreciating the same on my cedar/mahogany guitar.