Strings To "Warm Up" a Rainsong

[BuzzTurner]

I've done some searches on AGF in the Carbon Fiber posts but being a luddite I've come up with no results. Got my first Rainsong back in November (WS Concert) and loving it for sure. Any of you experienced carbon fiber guys/gals have recommendations for strings that tame some of the high-end "zing"? I've used Elixir Nano's for the past fifteen-plus years on my Lowdens and love 'em. Put Elixir Light Nanos (but beefed up the 1st and 2nd string to mediums) on the Rainsong and it plays like a dream. Just wondering if there are some options the carbon fiber faithful might suggest. Thanks!

[PeterM]

Whatever flavor of Elixirs that were shipped with my Rainsong (I cannot remember exactly) sounded like mud. Never heard any brightness or zing with them.

Martin Retros or Dadarrio NB is what you should try IMO.

[mulausk]

A little backstory... I used to own a Composite Acoustics GX Player, OX Raw, and a Cargo model. Sold them all years ago, and have grown to regret it. Recently scoured the internet and found one (1!!) OX Raw for sale. Decided to pull the trigger, and it should be coming to me soon from across the pond. (That's right, the one I *could* find wasn't even located in the continental US.)

I have grown fond of John Pearse strings, Phosphor Bronze Wound, New Mediums. When I get the OX, I'll be putting a set of those on and will check back in here & let you know what I think. I love them on my wooden guitars... gotta think I'll like them on the "plastic" guitar as well.

[jricc]

Hi Buzz, I really like the Martin Retros on my Rainsong, especially after a few days. I would also recommend John Pearse Nickels. These should help warm things up.

[CRM]

Martin Retros are the one's I've been using on my Raingsong Smokey, they sound great and they last awhile.

[steelvibe]

I no longer have the guitar but Martin Retros were my all-time favorites on the Shorty. I found that guitar to be exceptionally bright for my tastes and Retros beat out even GHS Vintage Bronze. If you want mellow I’d steer clear of any phosphor bronze strings, but that’s just the opinion of a guy on the internet.

[Chipotle]

I felt the same way about D'Addario phosphor bronze (EJ16) on my Composite Acoustics GX--way too zingy for me. I found that DR Rares were more mellow, and balanced without being muddy or zingy.

[BuzzTurner]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll order some Martin Retros today for the next string change and start there.

[Methos1979]

The AGF 'Search' function can be fickle at best even the most tech savy of us. That said, I posted the exact information you were looking for in a post back in June. I own both a RainSong Black Ice dread (very bright) and a RainSong Nashville OM (very dark) and found that I can both warm the BI tone and brighten the OM tone with string choice. You can view the whole thread here:

RainSong Nashville Shorty Custom at the beach - plus, new strings content!

Here is a summary from the first post, with the salient details to your query highlighted in bold:

"I had been using John Pearse #710 PB New Medium strings for quite a while now and they work great on the Black Ice dread as provides a little warmth to the bright CF sound. I was also using them on the Nashville which was in need of a string change. I had a few sets of John Pearse 80/20 Lights as those are the recommended strings for the Froggy Bottom I own so I decided to try them out on the Nashville to see if they brightened up the darker sound a little bit and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they did indeed do just that."

[KennyEC]

I do not own a Rainsong, but I do own an X30 and a Sable. I use medium gauge D'Addario EJ17's on both of them and I'm really happy with the sound these strings produce. Of course, a "warm up" sound is subjective.

[kyee]

Another vote here for John Pearse PB Mediums.

[Steve DeRosa]

Got Martin Monel Retros on both my Rainsongs...

[seannx]

Santa Cruz Parabolic Low Tension strings sound great on my RainSong, are easy on the fingers, and last a very long time for me.

[esse]

At the end of last year, in the shop, I felt that the D'Addario NB was not suitable for BI(ws).
I think the BI is a very bright, energetic guitar.
However, D'Addario NB reduced the powerful energy characteristic of BI(ws).
It didn't impress me.

Vote : Elixir PB HD light

[AZLiberty]

My Rainsong Shorty has EXP-16s on her. Not sure what I will use when I run out of those. But, something Phosphor Bronze.

The 80/20 Elixirs used by the factory are simply god-awful sounding. Although to be fair to Elixir, I think that 80/20s of any manufacturer sound terrible on everything.