Martin D35 - String Recommendations Please

[duluthdan]

Non-coated, 80/20s, mediums (13). Almost any brand. Give them a day to settle in. The 35 I used to own really roared with 80/20s.

[Silly Moustache]

It is a Martin Dreadnought. It is made for medium gauge strings.

The D35 is made to be even more bass heavy than a D28.
Why not use what Martin recommend?
Make, composition and brand are your choice.

I use D'add PBs on my dreads, and I sometimes (quite often) swap the b & e for 16 & 12.

Of course you could use light gauge if you want - but why bother when you have bought a guitar for big bass tone?

[Long Jon]

I'm with SillyM. You really need to go medium for power.
Martin 80/20 13's are what I use for my two Martin dreads and my Taylor GS Mini and my resonator and various other beaters.. (Good price on a six-set pack)!
I have used Martin PB 13's as well, I don't honestly know the difference, never really tried to compare or contrast them.
The consensus seems to be that PBs are "warmer" sounding and 80/20s are "brighter".
Personally , I don't care for coated strings, always end up looking and feeling like a snake shedding it's skin...

[heythereterry]

I would highly recommend you give the Cleartone Phospher Bronze 13’s

They blew me away compared to many others I have tried...

Second place would be Di‘adarrio Nickle Bronze

[woodruff]

Originally Posted by ecguitar44

One thing to try is using lights.

Some dreads have tops that respond very dynamically without much need to hammer it. The lighter bracing of a D-35 could also add even more to this. Sometimes mediums can suck the response out of a guitar and "lock up" the top. Ultimately is highly dependent on the guitar.

So, most folks use mediums...but try lights as you might be pleasantly surprised.

totally agree! i noticed same thing with my guild dread.

I would give EJ16s a go, from D'Darrio

[JoePa and Son]

Martin M550 mediums....

[L20A]

For many years, I used D'Addario med PB strings on my D-35.
Once in a while I would try other strings but always went back to D'Addario.

When coated/treated strings started to pop up, I tried a few brands in PB and 80/20. None of them gave me the tone that I get from D'Addario PB med strings.

That was until I tried a set of Martin Lifespan PB med strings.
They have been my choice now for about 2 years.

I also tried a few sets of Martin Retro strings in PB med.
They are alright but I still like the Lifespan strings best for now.

[Wild Bill Jones]

My D 35 is a 50th Anniversary Custom Shop, Sitka over Honduran Rosewood. To me, it sound a little brighter than an India Rosewood D35. Still has that big meaty bass. I have Phosphers on it but switched to 80/20’s. This is what this guitar wants. Mediums only. In this case LaBella Golden Alloy strings.