Do you like Bronze 80/20 strings?

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I am very very old, and I believe that I was playing before phos bronze strings came out.

As far as I remember, they were introduced as an improvement to 80/20s (which,back in the day were often corroded when brand new!)

Whilst I mostly use D'addario EJ16s and EJ17s, I have a preference for Dunlops PBs on Dobro and mando and like them on my Collings 0002h, but they are not always easy to get in the UK.

I recently ordered three packs but they sent me bronze strings in error. They refunded me, but had no PBs, and I had thee sets of strings that weren't my choice.
I tried one set on my Waterloo and found them trather dull sounding, and removed them yesterday after a few days, replacing them with my normal EJ16s.

Of course, I recognise that I might be "conditioned" by my familiarity, but I fail to see the attraction of 80/20s, so rather than simply rejecting them, I really like to hear from those who do prefer them, and why,

Thanks in advance,

[Mirosh]

I recently tried 80/20s after decades with PBs. I like them. They have a brighter sound and seem to clean up some muddled bass sounds when played a little hard. I still think of PB as the norm, but just bought a 3 pack of 80/20 to keep them available. D'Addario mainly, all the above.

When I was new to guitar in the 1970s, a musician coworker recommended D'Addario phosphorus-bronze lights. I have used them more than anything else since then. I see now that was a fairly new product at the time.

[Robin, Wales]

I use 80/20s on my cherry/spruce Seagull. After trying everything else, they are the strings that work best for me on that guitar. Lots of rich bass and scooped mids with individual string separation. PBs are just too much for me on that guitar: too many overtones and zing and not anywhere near as much of the fundamentals coming through. 80/20 v PBs on that guitar with my flatpicking style is the difference between a nice clean boom-chick and something much messier and more difficult to control.

PS - I like pure nickels on my squareneck dobro.

[Lillis]

Love them on my 0015M. Switch back and forth between them and JP pure nickels. Keeps the guitar fresh

[RussL30]

The more warm and fundamental a guitar is, the more I prefer 80/20’s and even Monels. I’m not a fan of PB on Gibsons or Mahogany guitars as they get too muddy.

I do prefer PB’s on my Taylors as they enhance the bass and play well with the tonal characteristics of the Taylor build.

[RogerPease]

I never met an 80/20 that I liked. _RP

[Mycroft]

Andy, weren't you playing when catgut strings meant Saber tooth Tiger gut?

I have found that I often like 80/20s on Rosewood family-backed guitars, but PBs on anything else. I find that they help overcome any tendency toward a muddy low end and make the harmonic series more clear.

[catfish]

Originally Posted by RussL30

The more warm and fundamental a guitar is, the more I prefer 80/20’s and even Monels. I’m not a fan of PB on Gibsons or Mahogany guitars as they get too muddy.

This is my impression as well. My three guitars have mahogany bodies - J-45, 000-15M and Seagull M6 Gloss (mahogany laminate and spruce top).

I prefer 80/20 and Martin monels on all guitars. I tried Martin Authentic PB on J-45 just to make sure that I do not miss anything, and it was awful tone to my ears -- overtones overload, 'the wall of sound'.

I can use PB on Seagull, though, but 80/20 sounds cleaner and more to my liking.

[Rosewood99]

Depends on the guitar.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by RussL30

The more warm and fundamental a guitar is, the more I prefer 80/20’s and even Monels. I’m not a fan of PB on Gibsons or Mahogany guitars as they get too muddy.

I do prefer PB’s on my Taylors as they enhance the bass and play well with the tonal characteristics of the Taylor build.

I have a set of Elixir 80/20 because I kinda fell for the Taylor recommends Elixirs hype. Never tried Elixir or any kind of 80/20 strings, always used PB. Got these strings two months ago, but the problem is that she sounds so good with the 4 month old EJ16’s it currently has, that I don’t see why change them just to try the Elixirs.

[TBman]

I liked Gibson's 80/20 on my Gibson. Recently I tried a set of 80/20 by another mfg on my Avalon and didn't care for them at all. So the answer is "it depends"

[Wrighty]

I recently re-discovered them and have found them to be great on my rosewood body guitars - reason being they have cleaned up the mid/bass spectrum and given me more clarity and less overtones. Net result is the instrument sounds more balanced to me with no loss of the tone I like.

[warfrat73]

I've been using them for years on my Bourgeois (Sitka/EIR), they bring some nice sparkle and brightness to a fairly dark sounding guitar. (I ran through a bunch of different brands and alloys years ago to see what I liked best, and the Martin 80/20s came out on top).

I find them too bright on my D-18 though, where I prefer Monels, though during the summer when the humidity is up, I think PBs bring a bit more presence.

So, yeah, depends on the guitar.

[slide496]

Yes I switched over to them on my ladderbraced guitars a couple of years ago, but I think my touch has changed or the material I am working on, and I've half switched back to phosphor bronze. One kay guitar sounds the way I like with Aluminum bronze, but it's the only one - does nothing for my other guitars. The brands I like for 80/20's are Newtone and DR brand. My Art and Lutherie takes cleartone 80/20s - those are coated.

Harriet

[rgregg48]

I like them for an hour and a half before they go dead!