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  #1  
Old 11-04-2001, 08:24 PM
worship_guy worship_guy is offline
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Post Strings for 510ce

I was wondering what strings you all use on your 510ce? Mine came with medium gauge Elixers, but I was thinking of changing to light gauge. Has anyone used light gauge strings on their 510ce? Should only medium gauge be used because that is what came on it? Any thoughts?

[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: worship_guy ]
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Old 11-04-2001, 09:28 PM
Jim
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There would be three problems with switching to lights on a 510. The first is that it would make your guitar sound relatively weak and thin. Taylor has specially designed the 510 bracing and top thickness to give its best sound when it is "driven" with mediums. Lights just don't have enough power to "drive" the top very well and so it doesn't vibrate the way that it should resulting in a poor tone being made. The second problem is that the guitar would need a truss rod adjustment and possibly a full set up to switch otherwise the neck will bow back from the much lighter pull of lights. Third, you could void your warranty if something bad results for doing something that Taylor says not to do.

Your best bet is to simply keep the mediums on it and tough it out for the several weeks that it will take you to build up your finger strength and calluses. After a while mediums will play as easily as lights and your guitar will sound great.
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Old 11-05-2001, 02:19 AM
Christian Koa Christian Koa is offline
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Quote:
Third, you could void your warranty if something bad results for doing something that Taylor says not to do.
Hey Jim,

Where Can I read about this?? Does Taylor Really reccomend not putting Lights on a X10?
<><
Mark
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  #4  
Old 11-05-2001, 12:42 PM
slw slw is offline
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Check out the Taylor Tech Sheet on strings:

Taylor Tech Sheet on Strings
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Old 11-06-2001, 01:31 AM
Christian Koa Christian Koa is offline
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Thanks SLW!!
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Old 11-06-2001, 08:53 AM
worship_guy worship_guy is offline
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Thanks everyone for your advice. It looks like I'll be keeping the mediums on.

Blessings,

Ron
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Old 11-06-2001, 10:58 AM
John G. John G. is offline
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Ron, I just started a thread in the General Discussion forum on DR Rare strings. So far, they are the best string I've tried on my 410. Of course, tone is very personal and you might hate them, but if you have not tried them yet it's worth $7. They call their mediums - med/ hvy, still a 13-56 set. Also because of their construction they have a slightly lower tension than some strings, which I also like. Good luck. JG
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Old 11-07-2001, 05:45 PM
Jim
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It's a matter of interpretation, but if Taylor wanted to they could point to several parts of the warranty (click on link below for the full text) and say that you misused the guitar if anything bad happened.

In particular:

. . . This Limited Warranty does not apply [to]: . . . (b) asserted defects caused by modification, misuse, or abuse, or improper maintenance of the instrument; . . .

. . . CARE INSTRUCTIONS Taylor guitars are built to last a lifetime. By following the instructions on proper care outlined below, and on the factory-issued "Tech-Sheets" found in the accessories compartment [and in the Reference section of this website], you will protect your instrument . . .

. . . STRING GAUGES For the best tonal qualities, we recommend using medium-gauge strings on your Dreadnought or Jumbo six-string, and light-gauges on your Grand Concert or Grand Auditorium . . .

. . . Experimenting with different gauges might require additional adjustments to your guitar. Call our customer service department for details or information . . .

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars.../warranty.html
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Old 11-08-2001, 06:37 PM
bagelsgirl bagelsgirl is offline
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Hey Worship_guy, I hope you are still checking this thread.

Because I happen to use light gauge strings on my own 510ce, and love them! And I HATE a thin, treble sound. Absolutely HATE it when a guitar has too much treble end. But the light guage strings don't seem that much thinner sounding, except maybe the first day... I play amplified all the time anyway so I can adjust the treble out a little with the eq on the amp and/or guitar.

The reason I do it is that although I play a good deal of fingerstyle, on the strumming songs I tend to have a hard attack and I get buzzing if I don't set the action up high enough. I wouldn't call my action "high" but it might be higher than what some Taylor players and some of you here prefer. So I like the light gauge strings, they are a little easier on the fingers. Yes, you may have to adjust for the lighter tension initially but once you have it set, you are good for light gauge. (I have been using Martin SP lights, 80/20 bronze. Phospher bronze I don't like, they seem, well bright and trebly! )

If you don't like lights for tonal reasons, that is one thing. Taylor is probably right and the tone is better with mediums, after all the guitar was designed/braced for mediums. I believe that, about the mediums better for fully driving the top. But for me it is just a compromise. Putting lighter gauge strings on a dread won't void your warranty. Yes, as someone said, the warranty card COULD be interpreted that way... but Taylor would have to be major jerks to try try to say someone voided the warranty by putting light gauge guitar strings on a dreadnought guitar! And they are far from jerks, they treat their clients great.

You might void a warranty by putting too heavy (as in, say- strings meant for a different instrument...or I might even worry about putting mediums on their smaller bodies although even then I'll bet the guitars would take the tension).. but I'd bet any amount of money that if you called Taylor and said, would I void my warranty if I chose to put lighter strings on my dread they would say of course not. Guitar strings are guitar strings, and we don't build guitar that arent meant for guitar strings, in the range of gauges all guitar strings are made....I read the tech sheet and it doesn't say anything about it harming the guitar, it says something like, "In our opinion, we don't think you get the tone or volume you should ought of a dread unless you you use medium gauge strings..." (It isn't a quote, but close, check into it if you want to, I'm putting way too much time into this...)

Gad, I hope nobody takes me as sounding heated over this! I am only responding emphatically because I am just soooo happy to have found what works for me, I'd like to encourage people to experiment. And I am certain it is safe, and wont void your warranty, to put lighter gauge on your Taylor dread. Just a tone issue after that...
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  #10  
Old 11-09-2001, 09:32 AM
510picker 510picker is offline
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I use lights in my 510e with excellent results. Tone is a very subjective thing. What one person hears is very different than what another person hears. If you like 'em, use 'em!
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