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Medium strings on Hummingbird MC?


Jesse_Dylan

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Jesse:

Until I got my Gibson Hummingbird, and now my J-200, all I used were medium strings on my Martin and Taylor guitars. I still do. I don't dislike mediums and wondered how I would like playing lights. Well I can tell you this, I really like both the feel and sound of light strings on my two Gibsons. You certainly can do what you like, but how about getting yourself a Hummingbird and trying it as is before going with new string gauges? You might just find out you really like the feel and tone of these strings on this particular guitar. If not, what's a few bucks to try out some new strings? The same could be said for picks of various gauges and the difference in sound. Or the acoustics of the room you are playing in. That's why playing guitar is so much fun. You can do whatever YOU like!

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It's worth a try…I went fom 12's ro 13's on my D-18….WHAT a difference….some guitars are just made for heavier strings. Often I will put on 13's and tune down to Eb. Easier on my vocal range, AND on my fingers!!..lol (AND bass sounds really good at Eb)

 

 

Long-scale Martin dreads seem to love medium strings, as do long-scale Gibson archtops. Having never had a flat-top long-scale Gibson, I don't know how mediums would change things. Maybe someone here with an AJ could comment on that?

 

The modern 'bird, however, is a short-scale guitar, probably optimized for 12's. But strings are the world's cheapest tone experiment, so I'd say go for it.

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I'd probably like it with lights. Like you guys mentioned, I am just used to Martins! My D-18 and D-28 can do lights, but they really seem to do best with mediums. My Martin M-36, on the other hand, is so lightly braced that I swapped to lights on it, same with my 00-18V.

 

I bet Hummingbirds are really comfy to play with lights, especially compared to a long-scale Martin dread with mediums. :)

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Hey Jesse like you I used mediums on my D18 before selling it and mediums also on my current D28. I had no trouble going over to lights when I bought a J35. With the new Hummingbird the lights were good but I just knew there was so much more of a complex sound to bring out. So I have been trying different brands of medium/ lights Martine SP's, D'Addirios and Elixirs. The True Medium D'Addirios which are just a different configuration of med./lights right now seem to be the best but I have yet to try any 80/20's. I'd like to try Elixir 80/20 med./ lights..The slightly heavier string is not a problem with my Bird and I have not had to make any adjustments but they have really been a plus in getting the best sound I could from my Hummingbird . Before I changed string gauge I did replace the plastic pins with FWI and also changed out the Tusq saddle.,there were improvements from that upgrade and the them changing string gauge seemed to just make my Bird my best acoustic I had played in along time.

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My experience is that at times individual guitars will take to tension differently, in addition to the type and build.

 

And personal taste is also a consideration, of corse.

 

Sometimes, when I suspect it may be the case, I will tune the guitar up or down to change the tension to help give myself an idea of how it will react to different gauges.

 

The laws of nature and physics that govern our perceptions of beauty and tone are just as much a reality as those that govern the growth of a tree and the air and water.

 

Mother nature can dictate who hops in your car and go to the shop and buy some fat, thick strings.

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