Silk and steel strings

[stryder]

Hi, I have a question I was hoping someone would be kind and knowledgeable enough to answer: I have pretty much always used 10 gauge D'Addario strings on my acoustic guitar, but I'm curious to try silk and steel strings - partly because I wonder if I'll prefer the sound, partly because I'm hoping it will hurt my fingers less and I'll be able to play the guitar for longer at a time (2 hour playing sessions just don't cut it).
I noticed the gauges on some strings is different, eg. the e string on a silk and steel set is a 50, rather than a 47. So my question is, do you know if I'd have to adjust the truss rod to change string sets? Or is there anything else to consider?

Much appreciated

[mercy]

very soft playing and sounding which is perfect for some folks. You may need to adjust if you notice the action changing but I dont think so. I go from 11's to 12's and back with no need.
I prefer Newtone Heritage 11's though so you might think about them. They have a more D'Addario type sound which I like.

[PaulRF]

I recently purchased a Yamaha FG820 and took it to a luthier a couple of weeks ago for a setup and had a set of Martin silk and steels put on (.0115 - .47) and really enjoy the sound and feel of them. For me as a beginner they are easier to fret and strum as well.

[alnico5]

I tried S&S on my 1996 Taylor Grand Concert. I did not have to adjust the truss rod from using 11-52 D'Addario custom light strings.

[Quickstep192]

I like Thomastik Infeld silk and bronze “Plectrum” strings.

[DoryDavis]

I've never had to adjust the truss rod when going to silk and steels. For ease of playability they are hard to beat. Especially as you point out, for long practice sessions. I'm a fan of silk and steel. Good luck!

[stryder]

Thank you all very much for your replies! 😁 Good vibes, and rock on 🤟🏻

[boneuphtoner]

Hey Guys - I'm glad somebody brought up this topic as I have a couple of questions. My 10 year old, who started playing steel string last summer (on a great Yamaha FS820) immediately started complaining about the strings hurting his fingers. His teacher told me about these silk and steel strings, and I restrung his FS820 with the Martin variety.

He has had them on for nearly a year now and he seems to find they are more comfortable than the light 80/20s that were on there when new, but what I don't understand is how these silk and steels improve comfort. The two strings that have bothered him in the past, the B and high E strings, are not in any way silk and steel - just the plain steel wire! Am I missing something here? I can tolerate more string tension than my kid, but when my fingers do feel sore, it is almost always as a result of these two strings. The wound strings by contrast don't seem to bother me at all, and this is where the silk and steel come into play. Can someone please shed light on this? My kid's guitar is due for a restring, and at this point, unless I hear something to the contrary, I'm going to put either a plain set of 12s or 11s on this guitar. His Martin silk and steel strings are 11.5s.

[mercy]

If your 10 yr old hasnt been conplaining about the SS why go to a higher tension string? But yes the e and B are the same on any set of 11's or in the case of Martin's SS 11.5. I think that making the wound strings easier to push down makes the plain strings easier to tolerate. I dont like the sound of SS but you didnt mention that your child had said anything about it.

[boneuphtoner]

Originally Posted by mercy

If your 10 yr old hasnt been conplaining about the SS why go to a higher tension string? But yes the e and B are the same on any set of 11's or in the case of Martin's SS 11.5. I think that making the wound strings easier to push down makes the plain strings easier to tolerate. I dont like the sound of SS but you didnt mention that your child had said anything about it.

Actually, I'm contemplating going to 11s, which are technically even lighter than the Martin Silk and Steel. I'm not a huge fan of the tone either, but he seems indifferent.

I suppose a better way to phrase my question is - what is it about the silk and steel wound strings that makes the plain B and high E strings easier to tolerate? When the plain strings are the ones that have bothered him in the past?

[Justinian]

On one of my guitars I used exclusively D'Addario EJ40 Silk & Steel Folk Guitar Strings (11-47) for last 10 or more years without any truss rod adjustment. This guitar is always on guitar stand (ready) and most comfortable one from my small collection.

[caperrob]

I've tried at least a dozen different strings on my Martin GPCPA4R but always go back to the exact same set PaulRF shows. I find them on the mellow side and easy to play. To my ears, they suit my guitar nicely. I've never adjusted the truss rod either - slap em on and play your heart out.

[PaulRF]

caperrob, how often do you change your silk and steel strings?

[PaulRF]

Can anyone who uses S&S strings give me an idea on how long they get to use a set before they need replacing. I don't have the ear yet to really tell that they are losing sound. I play them about 30 mins each day and have had them on for about 5 weeks.

Thanks, Paul

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by PaulRF

Can anyone who uses S&S strings give me an idea on how long they get to use a set before they need replacing. I don't have the ear yet to really tell that they are losing sound. I play them about 30 mins each day and have had them on for about 5 weeks.

Thanks, Paul

Here is the thing........it depends. The chemistry of some peoples skin deaden strings quickly, a couple weeks or less. Some can go months before changes. I usually notice the wound E and A string becoming dull sounding. After 5 weeks you might be ok but I will bet if you did change now to the same set you would notice it being brighter with more chime. If you still like the sound keep them on..........going down the string changing rabbit hole is very dangerous to ones sanity.