Low-Tension String Recommendations Please

[Rocky Dijohn]

My luthier has recommended GHS Silk & Bronze stings for my 1905-ish parlor guitar for less stress on its thin bridge.

I am not a physicist enough to know how string tension gets measured. I only know that heavier gauge strings exert more tension than light.

I would like to experiment with alternates to the GHS Silk & Bronze. Can anyone suggest something comparable?

[Brent Hutto]

In the GHS range, their "Thin Core Phosphor Bronze" are lower tension than the Silk and Bronze and they will have (in my opinion) a much more pleasing sound. Any of the "Silk and..." strings always sound too quiet and almost dead to me.

GHS say Silk and Bronze have the following tension:

370 Light 11-14-23-29-39-49 153 pounds

That is not low tension at all to me, not for an 11-49 set.

The Thin Core PB tension:

TCB-XL Extra Light 11-15-20-24-35-46 122 pounds
TCB-L Light 12-16-20-27-38-52 138 pounds

The TCB-XL set is more or less comparable to the 370 Light Silk and Bronze but with much lower tension.

That TCB-L set is what I've got on an ancient basket-case Takamine dreadnought with a cracked bridge. They are 12-52 guage and don't sound miles different from a conventional PB Light set. But even they are lower tension than the Silk and Bronze.

[JonWint]

Excuse the repetition from Post #2

According to: http://www.ghsrep.net/uploads/2/2/2/...ring_guide.pdf Silk and Bronze 370 Light strings (.011 to .049) have a tension of 153.1 lbs. That is not low tension. You might need a new luthier.

Nylon strings vary from 88 to 92 lbs tension. I don’t have data on gut strings but expect them to be near the nylon tensions.

I use Thomastik Infeld KR-116 (90.6 lbs tension) or Newtone NHS-010 (94 lbs) on my 19th century Martins. If any guitar they can't handle either of them, they need repairs.

NHS-011 have 114 lbs tension if you need more string to drive the top.

[Rocky Dijohn]

I am trying to run down the Thomastik Infeld KR-116 strings but one site called them classical guitar strings. Amazon says:

Thomastik-Infeld KR116 Classical Guitar Strings: Classic S Series Rope Core Set W/Nylon Tape Trebles E, B, G, D, A, E

So they are a mixture of steel and nylon?

[RogerHaggstrom]

Your best bet is Newtone Heritage strings. They are low tension and sound great, a 0.11 set have the same tension as a standard 0.10 set.

[JonWint]

Originally Posted by Rocky Dijohn

I am trying to run down the Thomastik Infeld KR-116 strings but one site called them classical guitar strings. Amazon says:

Thomastik-Infeld KR116 Classical Guitar Strings: Classic S Series Rope Core Set W/Nylon Tape Trebles E, B, G, D, A, E

So they are a mixture of steel and nylon?

G, B, & E are Nylon Tape Wound on Rope Core

E, A, & D are Silverplated Copper Flat Wound on Rope Core

The rope core is made of steel strands. Windings give a slick surface. JustStrings has them listed for $42.95. I think I paid $27 when I last purchased some. I have some with about 4 yrs of use on them.

[Quickstep192]

I second the Newtone Heritage as well as the Thomastik Infeld Classic S (KR116) While theKR116 are a classic guitar string, they play much like a steel string. I’d think they might be ideal for a guitar that couldn’t handle regular string tension.
John Pearse Folk strings are similar the the Infeld Classic S. They both have a very unique sound. (Which I love)

Another possibility is Thomastik Infeld Plectrum which are available in a .010-.041 set which is really light.

[YamaYairi]

I have an 1889 Washburn with no truss rod and ladder bracing, so I have to use light gauge low tension strings. I did not like the silk and steels, they go dead too fast. I found some low tension bronze strings that I like very much.
I used part of each of these 2 sets to make up one set I liked.
Optima VintageFlex Low Tension Acoustic Guitar Strings, 10-43
Optima VintageFlex Low Tension Acoustic Guitar Strings, 11-47
Out of the .010 gauge set I did not use the .017 and .023 and I used the .019 and .026 out of the .011 set

[Rocky Dijohn]

Follow up question: Instead of buying specialized very low tension strings, what about using typical light gauge strings, but only tune them up to pitch now and then instead of leaving them tuned up (but not even played) for months at a time?

[YamaYairi]

Originally Posted by Rocky Dijohn

Follow up question: Instead of buying specialized very low tension strings, what about using typical light gauge strings, but only tune them up to pitch now and then instead of leaving them tuned up (but not even played) for months at a time?

On my 1889 Washburn, the neck started to bow immediately when I tuned a set of 10 - 47's up to pitch. You could try tuning down a step.

[M Hayden]

Originally Posted by JonWint

G, B, & E are Nylon Tape Wound on Rope Core

E, A, & D are Silverplated Copper Flat Wound on Rope Core

The rope core is made of steel strands. Windings give a slick surface. JustStrings has them listed for $42.95. I think I paid $27 when I last purchased some. I have some with about 4 yrs of use on them.

I use these on an 1892 Martin 2-18 and find them spectacular. I’ve strung it with super light steel and these are much, much better.

[Quickstep192]

Rocky,

I bought a bunch of sets of Thomastik Infeld Plectrum AC110 (.010 -.041) and they turn out to be way too light for my guitar. If you'd like to try them, PM me your address and I'll send you a set.

[redir]

The concern on those old guitars is not really how thin the bridge is but how the top is braced and what it can handle. Steel strings were introduced to the guitar market around 1900 so that guitar may have been made to have them. It can't hurt to try a set of nylon and see how it sounds. I have tried to like Tomastik strings but so far on every guitar I have tried them on they don't sound as good as steel strings and fall short of nylon.

I like to use nylon strings for any guitar built during the gut string era.

[gmel555]

Straight Up Strings "Lights" https://straightupstrings.com have a total 138.5 lbs. of tension which is quite light. Santa Cruz Parabolics "Lo-Tension" will be in the same ballpark as well. Besides low tension both are really nice strings with great tone IMO. Straight Ups are just about half the price of the SC.