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  #16  
Old 01-13-2019, 07:48 AM
donlyn donlyn is offline
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Which came first: the strings, or the guitar?

The strings.

Stringed instruments have been around since antiquity. There are many that pre-date the guitar. I believe the Spanish word guitarra is derived from ancient Latin term for a stringed instrument, possibly some type of lyre.

(Latin cithara, from Greek kithara and Persian sihtar.
Persian tar means string)

Note parallel development of various stringed instruments worldwide.

Don
.
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  #17  
Old 01-13-2019, 07:52 AM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclistbrian View Post
I like these Thesues like discussions. I've recently put 80/20 lights on my 000-15m. In the year I've had it the action has crept slightly higher. I've played the heck out of it so it's changed a bit from use as well. It has a not insignificant ding and the neck is glossed from playing it. It is sounding absolutely awesome right now. I'm reluctant to get a setup. Lower action might take away some of the tonal magic.

So i's not the same guitar as when I bought it new case candy still attached. Couldnt even tell you what strings it had. Whatever Martin puts on them. Embarrassing confession but true. I can tell you this guitar had me at the first E chord. I cant imagine approching the purchase of a guitar from the aspect of strings first although in theory its completely valid. But even if I had, the guitar itself has changed enough that the initial assessment might be invalid. So as a practical matter, we play the guitar. Strings are a part of the whole. Lots of other things matter. As a regular performer I can state with 100% confidence, the nuances we fret over are lost on the audience. They do not matter. I get to perform to listening audiences on occassion, not just wallpaper gigs. I would go so far as to say looks are almost more important. We hear a lot with our eyes. The magnificent Pierre Bensusan would sound great on Merle Travis's Bigbsy necked Martin but something would look off.

I think chasing tone with an acoustic is a hard game. You either hear the sound you're going for in that instrument or you don't. Everything else is a game of inches. I want a dry old timey sound. Someone else wants lush overtones. With electrics you can throw technology at them and manipulate result. My only requirement for electric strings is a wound third and a slightly heavy guage. But thats for feel, not tone.
Wow, great discussion on the 000-15m. I think you’re right about not getting the action lowered which often chokes a guitar off. Mine is new and I tuned down 1/2 step on day 3 after the action crept up a little. I think it came from the factory with coated phosphor bronze. I have mine with custom light retro monel strings and it’s been disappointing so far.

It’s a great model from Martin, I’m happy you have the opportunity to play it in almost exclusively instead of spread out among other competing instruments. As for electric, having a wound g really is a game changer for balance string to string I have found.
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  #18  
Old 01-13-2019, 10:39 AM
cyclistbrian cyclistbrian is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaden View Post
Wow, great discussion on the 000-15m. I think you’re right about not getting the action lowered which often chokes a guitar off. Mine is new and I tuned down 1/2 step on day 3 after the action crept up a little. I think it came from the factory with coated phosphor bronze. I have mine with custom light retro monel strings and it’s been disappointing so far.

It’s a great model from Martin, I’m happy you have the opportunity to play it in almost exclusively instead of spread out among other competing instruments. As for electric, having a wound g really is a game changer for balance string to string I have found.
I've flipped and horse traded too many guitars. I gig with a Gibson J-15 and I have a love / hate relationship with that guitar. The Martin stays home or gets taken to parties or jams where I'm not plugging in. It probably gets 70% of my attention. 80/20s were a happy accident. Somehow I had a set of Diadarrios lying around. Figured "why not?", and it' worked out well for what I want to hear. I'm not personally a fan of monel but a lot of folks love them. I want to hear the grainy low fidelity sound of an old 78 rpm Skillet Lickers album coming from a guitar. That's what I hear from that Martin. You might be searching for something else. But try different strings first.
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  #19  
Old 01-13-2019, 11:06 AM
Goodallboy Goodallboy is offline
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All guitars are different and my opinion is regarding my guitar and not any other.

My McCollum reacts to any string change, revealing the character and components of the string. No matter the string composition, the guitar sounds incredibly good. From Monel to PB, there’s complete satisfaction with the sound, with only string preferences to deal with, not rejecting any string based on my guitar have a problem with them. From there, my string choices are based solely on string life as it relates to holding tone and tuning.

I admit being confused by the reports of certain guitars not performing with certain string brands. I don’t think any guitar should be so dependent on string choice, but I understand I’m perhaps in the minority on the subject, at least in forum-land. I don’t remember ever having a face to face discussion with another guitarist about string brands and being told anything like what I’ve read on the forum. Perhaps that’s because it’s easier to delve deeper in written communication and perhaps it’s something else.

Rather than “the strings, or the guitar”, it’s reminds me of “the chicken, or the egg” debate.
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  #20  
Old 01-13-2019, 04:16 PM
Martie Martie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclistbrian View Post
I want to hear the grainy low fidelity sound of an old 78 rpm Skillet Lickers album coming from a guitar. That's what I hear from that Martin.
Love that description...
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  #21  
Old 01-13-2019, 07:41 PM
Rosewood99 Rosewood99 is offline
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I think the chicken came first..........wait, maybe it was the egg.
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  #22  
Old 01-13-2019, 08:33 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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Ok, just wanted to report the Martin retro strings on my 000-15m I mentioned earlier have finally settled down after a few days from when new, they sound good, not as full out ringing as 80/20s, but I’ll be leaving them on as long as is possible.
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  #23  
Old 01-17-2019, 11:32 PM
Pdfiddler Pdfiddler is offline
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The person of craft
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