Kopp K-35 owners: light vs. medium strings?

[generalliamsayn]

Can any K-35 owners share their experience / opinions on light (.012-.052/53) vs. medium (.013-.056) strings?

Thanks.

[llew]

I've used 12's and 13's on my K-35 (and Kevin confirms that 13's are okay it you prefer them) but I like D'Addario PB 12's (EJ-16's) on mine. It's such a responsive guitar it just doesn't take a whole lot to get a big response out of it. No right or wrong...just your preference.

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

I agree with Jim above. D'Addario EJ16's (phosphor bronze 12's) sound the best to me on my K-35.

[Zissou Intern]

I have a couple slope shoulders, one being a Walker Wise River J35. I string it with 12's or 13's, but I prefer 13's, because I get less overtones and a more fundamental tone with 13's. The 12's seem to ring a little more. I suspect that the top is so responsive that the higher tension on the 13-56 chokes it off a bit. But my theory could be totally wrong. That's not the case with my Gibson J35VC. I think that is strung with a set of J19's (12-56) right now, because that is what I had.

On both guitars the 56 gives that bass a little more thump.

[llew]

I have there slope shoulder dreads and string them this way:
Kopp K-35 12's
Walker Wise River 12's
Gibson CS (Herringbone) Advanced Jumbo 13's

[AMW]

Have used both, but my personal K-35 has had 12s on it for the last couple years. For the last two weeks, it has been tuned down to C-G-C-D-G-C and though that's not the most stable tuning for short scale, the guitar still sounds wonderful!

[Dryfly]

Phosphor Bronze lights 12-53. I like Curt Mangans and have been experimenting back and forth between his round and hex cores.

[Zissou Intern]

Originally Posted by llew

I have there slope shoulder dreads and string them this way:
Kopp K-35 12's
Walker Wise River 12's
Gibson CS (Herringbone) Advanced Jumbo 13's

llew, What strings are you using on your Wise River?

[llew]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

llew, What strings are you using on your Wise River?

I go back and forth between D'addario PB 12's (EJ-16) and John Pearse PB 12's. It's an Adirondack/Flamed Maple version so a little different than the Adirondack /Mahogany version.

[generalliamsayn]

Thanks for the responses!

[Zissou Intern]

I want to try some SCGC Mid or Low Tension strings. I just haven’t been willing to outlay $18 per set.

[llew]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

I want to try some SCGC Mid or Low Tension strings. I just haven’t been willing to outlay $18 per set.

Yeah they are pricey. I bought a couple sets a while back and didn't see/hear what all the fuss was about. But lots of people seem to love them?

[Zissou Intern]

I have been happy with Martin Monel Retros, GHS VB's, and D'Add PB's, which are three times less expensive than the SCGC's.

[llew]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

I have been happy with Martin Monel Retros, GHS VB's, and D'Add PB's, which are three times less expensive than the SCGC's.

I should probably try some Retro's again. I had a set on an old HD-28 (I no longer own?) and liked them a lot.

[aaronmarkson]

I don’t own a Kopp, but I do have a similar guitar (Gibson 1935 Jumbo fuller’s) and I love the Martin Retro stings on it. I use the LJ’s choice gauge, which is somewhere in between 12’s and 13’s in terms of overall string thickness and tension.