String Gauge - Taylor 810??

[Hap]

Great new forum! Thanks for putting it together. Found a link here through the PRS forum, and I will publicize it on the Fender Forum as well.

I have a Taylor 810 ('96) and the factory recommendation is medium strings (13 for high E). I admit it sounds great with mediums, and when I step down to use lights (12 for high E) to give my fingers a break, the guitar plays easier, especially for fingerpicking and string bending, but the volume is considerably less. I think I recall reading that you need the heavier strings to get the top to vibrate the way it was designed. Here's my question: is there anything I can do, even a minor mod to the guitar, that will give it better volume with light gauge strings? Or am I doomed to forever play mediums with this guitar? <g> I noticed that most of the other Taylor guitars come with lights as standard strings, and it looks like only the full size dreadnoughts, like the 810, come with mediums.

[J.R. Rogers]

Greetings, Hap! Welcome to the forum. All of the Taylor dreadnought guitars come with the heavier gauge strings for exactly the reason you mention. Most players want more volume from the bigger-bodied guitars. I'm a little surprised that going down a gauge makes a huge difference, though. Perhaps you might want to try a different brand like Adamas (which seem to have a slightly louder sound). Or, you can try a "hybrid" set of strings that have thicker bottom strings and thinner top strings. (This is what I use on all my electrics - gauge 9's to 46's.)

On my Taylor 710-BRZ, I have the neck set very flat, and I don't notice much of a difference between that and my x14 series guitars with lighter strings. You might want to tweak the truss rod a little and see if it helps.

Anyone else?
J.R.

[Hap]

JR, unfortunately going to light strings does make a noticeable difference in volume and fullness. I like the idea of mixing strings; maybe I'll try a "light" high E and B, then go with mediums for the rest of the set. I've tried Adamas strings, and don't much like them. The Martin phosphor bronze are better, but the Elixirs that come with the Taylor are pretty easy on the fingers and I like the way they hold up over time. Wonder if there is a way to modify the bracing on the guitar top, but that could be major surgery. Anyone know the difference in bracing on an 810 compared to, say, an 814, where lights are specified?

[J.R. Rogers]

I've heard of luthiers "shaving" the bracing to achieve different sounds. As far as the bracing is concerned, this pretty much explains it:
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/specs/bracing.html

J.R.

Shaving the bracing will void the warranty since it's messing with the structural integrity of the guitar. It also may not be all that effective given the larger size of the soundboard and volume of air in the box of an x10 as compared to that of an x12 or x14.

My suggestion would be to play your 810 every day for a month or two until your finger strength builds up and it will then feel like lights would now.

[J.R. Rogers]

....Or you could buy one of the three x14's I have for sale right now. (shameless plug)

[Noflatpick]

I have a model 615 that came from the factory with medium gauge strings. All the jumbo bodies as well as the dreadnaughts come with the heavier strings.

It was the first guitar I had ever owned with anything but lights and I had a tough time getting used to it. I felt like I was learning all over again. Buzzing or dead strings in my chords, sore fingers, hand fatigue, etc.

I called the Taylor tech. people and asked about changing to light strings and they advised against it. They said I'd lose volume and projection and I'd probably have to adjust the neck. The guy wanted to know what the problem was with the mediums. I told him it was hard to play. He sorta laughed and said, "Bear down and practice."

I felt pretty silly and must have sounded like a wimp to this guy. So I did just that, and later on was glad I'd left the strings alone. I don't play anything now but medium gauge Tomastic Infeld (Spectrum) strings. My guitar sounds great.

[Hap]

Noflatpick, thanks - I needed that. <g> Guess I'll suck it up and put the mediums back on. What was I thinking? <g>

[Purfling]

A lot of it depends on what style you are playing. Flatpicking bluegrass really calls for heavier strings than playing fingerstyle.

In a question and answer forum, Steven King says that the way he is able to play his fast runs and complex arrangements is to use EXTRA light strings (10-47W) I would not refer to him as a wimpy guitar player. He admits to the regretable loss of volume but he sees it as an acceptable trade off.

I play fingerstyle on my 414C and decided to try the extra lights. Playing chord positions in the twelfth fret area just got a lot easier. I did, however, find the first two strings a bit too light so I substituted them with 11 and 15. Just right!

[Jon S.]

Hap, hey, I'm just down the road in Fairfax!

My advice: do what I do, cut the baby in half. Go with light top 3 strings, medium bottom 3 strings.

There are several string manufacturers who can accomodate you. Elixer sells such a set. They can be hard to find in our area, but you can pick 'em up up Melodee Music in Sterling off of Rts. 7 and 28, or by mail order from JustStrings. I haven't actually tried these yet, but last week week I picked up a couple of sets. They'll go on in a week or so at my next string change (I have a Taylor custom dreadnaught).

Another choice, which I'm using now and really like, are the custom gauge .012-.056 Newtone-Master Class strings. Those are hand made in England. They are very unique in that, unlike virtually every domestic acoustic string which use a hex core, these use a round core. I find that gives them alot of brightness and I believe (can't prove it, but ...) it helps 'em last a long time because less gunk gets trapped between the core and the wrap. I mail order those from The 12th Fret in Canada.

Hope this helps.

Oh, by the way, I did NOT need to address the truss rod at all when I went from pure mediums to lights on top/medium bottoms.



------------------
"I don't want to be making my own vintage reissues. I want to make better guitars today than I did yesterday." Bob Taylor, August 14, 2000.

Or you could buy one of the three x14's I have for sale right now. (shameless plug)

I happen to be looking for a 14...Is it against the rules to ask what they are and how much you want for them?

Have just taken up guitar again after a 25 year hiatus. Was going to simply go down and buy a Martin D35. But when I tried it, it sounded "dead". And let's face it, the action on them was never great - you put up with it for the tone! Then I tried 3 other brands before a Taylor 714 was put in my hands. Even after a 25 year absence, I don't think I've ever sounded quite that good! And the action was incredible for an acoustic. I must have one.

So I'd appreciate any info. I'm still squeezing a nickel until the buffalo has to go until my divorce is finalized. So even a small savings over a new Taylor, right now, is important.

Thanks,

Schaef

[J.R. Rogers]

Originally posted by demojockey:
Or you could buy one of the three x14's I have for sale right now. (shameless plug)

I happen to be looking for a 14...Is it against the rules to ask what they are and how much you want for them?

Schaef

Hi, Schaef. I sold two of the three that I had for sale. I still have the 714CE for sale - $1699 (ok.. $1698 ) and I also have a 710BRZ for sale. It's the one in the Gallery. Price: Not cheap

Unfortunately, I had to scale back the collection a little because of a new vehicle purchase.

J.R.

[gmccall]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jon Silberman:

My advice: do what I do, cut the baby in half. Go with light top 3 strings, medium bottom 3 strings.

There are several string manufacturers who can accomodate you. Elixer sells such a set. They can be hard to find in our area, but you can pick 'em up up Melodee Music in Sterling off of Rts. 7 and 28, or by mail order from JustStrings. I haven't actually tried these yet, but last week week I picked up a couple of sets. They'll go on in a week or so at my next string change (I have a Taylor custom dreadnaught).

Another choice, which I'm using now and really like, are the custom gauge .012-.056 Newtone-Master Class strings I find that gives them alot of brightness and I believe (can't prove it, but ...) it helps 'em last a long time because less gunk gets trapped between the core and the wrap. I mail order those from The 12th Fret in Canada.

Hope this helps.

Oh, by the way, I did NOT need to address the truss rod at all when I went from pure mediums to lights on top/medium bottoms.

----------

Hi Jon,

Curious about your trial of the Elixir mixed string set, and do you still like the English set on the 810?

Do you finger pick your 810?

I am also trying to get more out of my 1999 810.

Thank you.
-gm

[JW]

Iknow this may sound lke a stupid peice of advice but it may be the cheapest and long term answer to your delima. Buy a cheap(VERY CHEAP) used guitar and set it up with heavy strings and make the action high if possible. Play this monster for 45 minutes a day for a month(or until the bridge pulls off) and this will really make a differance. I play a 39 harmony and the action is high enough for a good slide but I use it as my dirty blues guitar.(it plenty dirty sounding) and after playing it for a while everything else seems effortless. I know its a wierd option but it does give the fingers a good workout. Plus it really makes those fingertips tough. Just another option.

[ljm712]

You might, as has been suggested, use what is called a "bluegrass" gauge which is medium 4th, 5th and 6th, with light 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Or try what is called "true medium" which is medium gauge on the 1st, 2nd and 6th, with light on the 3rd, 4th and 5th. I use light on my 712 and 000 Martin guitars and mediums on my drednaughts. I like Martin SP strings in either 80/20 or phosphor bronze. I tend to use 80/20's on the dreds because they seem a little less stiff than phosphor bronze especially in medium gauge.