Unofficial String Gauge & Brand Poll.

[sammyman]

Originally Posted by BearfootBob

I say restore the poll! No I am not serious!

I could sense some sarcasm but you were starting to worry me. I think we’ve all spent more time discussing the definition of official than talking about strings.

In my defense, far more people selected a gauge and a brand than “other”. Thus I think, despite some fair criticism, that the selections did accommodate the majority.

I believe this unofficial poll is pretty helpful and did spark some interesting conversations on strings. If I could edit the original poll to add options I would, but it just isn’t allowed. So this official poll will have to live on unofficially forever.

For the record, I tend to use D’addario medium gauge strings, but am going to try out some lights on my smaller guitars and maybe elixirs next as well.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by BearfootBob

So, when does the Official Poll start?

*

Also, 11's are the mojo. Elixirs for gigging guitars. D'Addario for others.

B-Bob,

> So, when does the Official Poll start?

The next time you buy some strings.

Be well and play well,

Don, who likes .013's (HD gauge) on his six string guitars, 100% fingerpicked using my nails as picks.
.

[ruger9]

Sunbeam 12's for me, on everything. I do like the longer life of Elixirs, but LOVE the lower tension of the Sunbeams (and the tone of course)

[nflea7]

Elixir Phosphor Bronze 10 - 46 for me. 10's on all my guitars, my luthier suggested the Martin Phosphors, which sound good to me, but I switched them back to the Elixir on the Gibson Koa, and D45.

[Zaam]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Everything, and I’m being serious. This until I find the perfect set once I’ve determined I’m keeping a given guitar. I keep notes and then finally settle on a set or two.

To me it’s a fun and cheap experiment, and I’ve never understood why someone won’t take time to bring out the best voice their guitar has to offer, especially if they have spent thousands on their instruments. Strings and picks are critical apart from your own voice. I play fingerstyle and have recently really gotten into hybrid picking, and Atkins, Emmanuel, Travis, Dykes styles.

Could not agree more. It’s not about the best string as much as it is finding the best match for your guitar and playing style. I’ve also ‘auditioned’ countless sets and noted the results of each before narrowing the field. Some sets stay on just long enough to give them a fair chance, so there’s a cost involved; but it’s a worthwhile expense and it’s kinda enjoyable (even though I don’t really like changing strings).

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by nflea7

Elixir Phosphor Bronze 10 - 46 for me. 10's on all my guitars, my luthier suggested the Martin Phosphors, which sound good to me, but I switched them back to the Elixir on the Gibson Koa, and D45.

As a long-time happy 11 player on electric and acoustic guitars (rock, blues, etc.) with a flat pick, I lean toward the lighter end of the AGF continuum. Thus, I'm curious to learn what styles you like to play with 10s on your acoustic.

[Brent Hahn]

Martin Marquis MA150S 80/20 .13's on my dread, the same in .12's for my 016NY. No nickel (I'm allergic) and very even with magnetic pickups.

[BearfootBob]

just having a little fun with the previous post

I settled on 11's for Acoustic Guitar long ago, because of how the E string speaks. I find there is a dramatic improvement in tone and volume between .10 and .11 on the guitars I play. The .10 is just anemic on an acoustic guitar.

(my first guitar playing after classical was a Kramer Stryker, so by the time I got to steel-string acoustic I was accustomed to .09 and .10 sets)

A .12 does sound even louder and fuller, but far more difficult to bend, and the trade-off - especially on long busking sessions of 3-5 hours, just wasn't worth it for me then. I tried .13 at some point as well, but found that gauge unplayable for my style.

Now I have 11s for both Acoustic and Electric.

For bass guitars (including ABG) I much prefer a .40 , and a lighter D-string -

I went well down the rabbit hole of string tensions, hence the D'Addario chart became a bible for a while. I discovered that string tension is radically different within a given set of strings, and I got into ordering up custom sets - which D'Addario started doing themselves, their "balanced tension" sets - it really does make a difference if you're sensitive to such things. FYI, phosphor bronze has more tension than flatwounds (of the same gauges) in many cases. Nickel wounds are significantly lower tension than PB. So the alloys do matter.

For ABG, the options are awfully limited, and the string sets are terrible. Hard to find anything without a .45 G, and the D strings in bass guitar sets are MUCH higher tension than the rest. No idea why that would be, must have something to do with core/wrap ratios and $profit per string.

I've spent hundreds on acoustic bass strings in that tone quest, and tried them all - Acousticore, flatwound, tapewound, and finally back to bronze - because you can't "Blister in the Sun" without bronze, and you can make them sound dark in other ways.

Prior to joining this forum, I had a scare. I've had nerve issues in my neck, arm, and left hand for about a year, but on top of that, I am now dealing with an impingement in the left shoulder. For the first time, I found I couldn't even hold a guitar and play chords in first position. I couldn't even face my left palm upwards without feeling pain. I'm not even 50 yet. And I'm not done!

Fortunately, stretching, and I believe 3-day water fasting, has regained some range of motion. 11's are comfortable again. I have ortho appointments lined up as well.

Anyway.

I'm interested in trying even lighter acoustic sets, and re-visiting the anemic .10 E-string issue. Maybe an 11 as the E, and lighter strings after it, are something to explore.

And lastly, any time you're dealing with playability and strings, the setup is paramount, particularly the string height at the nut, which most players do not measure or adjust.

[mas30066]

DR Sunbeams and Throbak roundwound PBs.

[mercy]

I use 11,s from Newton with a larger low E cause they afford me more accuracy and sound better for fingerstyle.

[121]

All my acoustic guitars have
Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze (GA120PBF)
10 14 22 28 38 48 strings.
Some guitars are at standard tuning and
some are tuned down.

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by 121

All my acoustic guitars have
Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze (GA120PBF)
10 14 22 28 38 48 strings.
Some guitars are at standard tuning and
some are tuned down.

I use 11s. And I often chuckle at broad-brush proclamations on AGF that "anything less than 12 (or 13) is a waste of an otherwise good guitar." Super subjective IMHO.

I'm keenly curious what styles of music other 11 fans (and 10s) like to play.