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Anyway to change Battery in LR Baggs without taking the string off?


RockyMtnAirShow

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Hi,

 

I just bought a Gibson Songwriter Deluxe Guitar with the LR Baggs pickup in it. I was wondering if there is anyway to change the battery in the LR Baggs pickup without taking the strings off?

 

Also, has anyone tried using bone pins? Do they make a difference?

 

And What does everyone use for strings with this Guitar, is there a favorite that a majority seems to like best?

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your time, answers, and replies.

 

Rocky

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Welcome to the Gibby Forum. I think you'll enjoy it here...........On guitars that have a battery attached similar to the Baggs unit, I usually loosen the strings enough to get my hand and wrist under them so I can reach the battery. Often, I change the battery when I change the strings, so it's not an issue, but you can loosen the strings enough to get your hand in there to change the battery and then just re-tighten the strings to tune.

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Or, you can use 2 capos. Loosen much of the string tension at the tuners. Place a capo at around the twelfth fret. Pull out the bridge pins. Pull the ball ends of the strings out, and loop them back up to the neck, and secure those loose ends with capo #2. Now you have unencumbered access. Change out your battery, and reverse the whole process. Here is a picture of my lyric install - which shows using the capos to manage the string in the top center of the picture.

LyricInstall_zps0515ec0d.jpg

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Thanks for the info, Missouripicker and duluthdan!

 

Excellent with the helpful photos too duluthdan. Mine does have the empty sound hole, but I know the battery that is in there I would just as soon change, as I don't want it going out on me in middle of a gig. So I appreciate the info.

 

I am new on the forum, just signed up and became active today.

 

 

 

 

Also, has anyone tried using bone pins? Do they make a difference?

 

And What does everyone use for strings with this Guitar, is there a favorite that a majority seems to like best?

 

 

 

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Hmmm... I have never owned a Gibson Rosewood - try some 80/20s in your favorite brand and gauge. On my Martin I use Martin SP 80/20 13s. On my Gibsons they are all Curt Mangan 80/20 in both 12 (on the J-45) and 13s on the Legend and J-50. I have bone pins in my J-45 and J-50, sock plastic in the art in D-35 and in the J-45 Legend. Yep plastic. I detect no change in tone using bone, but they do hold up a bit better.

 

Welcome aboard the board ! [thumbup]

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cut-hole.jpg

 

You can always cut a hole in the side to put your hand through. [biggrin] But seriously I do the same as was said above, change the battery during a string change. As for bone pins I ordered a nice looking set for my Songwriter Deluxe Studio about a year ago, I put them in and I found the guitar lost a little bit of the low end that I liked. They seemed to add a little bit of sustain which I did like but I found they took away more than they added. But that's just me... a lot of guys will tell you pins are just a cosmetic thing and to their ears that may be true, either way try them if you're curious it's an inexpensive reversible way to change the sound and/or look of your Songwriter. As for strings I personally like Elixir phosphor bronze in light gauge for strings.

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You are asking tough questions friend! :)

 

My opinion on pins has gone back and forth. I used to swear they made a difference, then began to believe they couldn't possibly. Sometimes I hear a difference, sometimes I don't; or, it might be my imagination.

 

I would say choose the pins you like the look of best and give them a try and see if they sound different and if you like said difference. Rest assured that anyone hearing the guitar probably will not notice a difference, so just choose what you like best.

 

I've found that ebony pins add a little depth of tone and woodiness and perhaps dampen the highs ever so slightly; bone tends to brighten everything a little. I just try everything on every guitar, because I never seem to be able to predict which will do what. Could all be in my head.

 

I played a rosewood songwriter. Nice thumpy tone. Bone might be a nice fit to liven it up, or ebony to accentuate the thump. It will be subtle, or non-existent.

 

Strings on the other hand make a huge difference which even some of your listeners might notice. All we can do is recommend our favorites. I like the Gibson 80/20s an awful lot. I also LOVE John Pearse Pure Nickels. The PNs give a really vintage tone and last forever. Neither the 80/20s or the PNs exactly "cut" though. A lot of folks just prefer phosphor-bronze. Get a bunch of strings and pins and try them all until you are sick of it.

 

Congrats on the guitar! One thing a lot of people do with Songwriters is get the nut and saddle switched to bone. Personally I see nothing wrong with Tusq, though, and Gibson says they use Tusq because it helps with the undersaddle transducer. I don't mind Tusq, but I hate undersaddle transducers. :)

 

Good luck!

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Hi welcome to the Forum , I am new myself , hope this helps . I have only used three sets of strings on my 45 over the last two months of ownership , this is due to playing and trying out different brands . I like 80/20 Gibson but they tarnish really quickly with me . I then tried Gibson P Bronze , perfect for me , sound great after a few hours I then tried Martin SP 12-54 and they came off and I went back to Gibson P Bronze I'll stick with these after all I was told by My string supplier that Gibson make their own strings so they must know what sounds best for the guitars . I changed the battery when I changed the strings and I invested in the new extended life Panasonic battery . With regard to bridge pins I have left well alone , remember it is better to have well seated stock tusq / plastic pins than changed new bone or ebony pins that don't quite fit 100%. My J45 sounds great stock so I left alone , just can't put it down or stop playing it .The only problem I have is the sticky residue left on the top after playing from my forearm with the nitro finish , this means I have to clean the top neck and top side after each playing session with Gibson Luthiers Choice cleaner rolleyes.gif

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Hi welcome to the Forum , I am new myself , hope this helps . I have only used three sets of strings on my 45 over the last two months of ownership , this is due to playing and trying out different brands . I like 80/20 Gibson but they tarnish really quickly with me . I then tried Gibson P Bronze , perfect for me , sound great after a few hours I then tried Martin SP 12-54 and they came off and I went back to Gibson P Bronze I'll stick with these after all I was told by My string supplier that Gibson make their own strings so they must know what sounds best for the guitars . I changed the battery when I changed the strings and I invested in the new extended life Panasonic battery . With regard to bridge pins I have left well alone , remember it is better to have well seated stock tusq / plastic pins than changed new bone or ebony pins that don't quite fit 100%. My J45 sounds great stock so I left alone , just can't put it down or stop playing it .The only problem I have is the sticky residue left on the top after playing from my forearm with the nitro finish , this means I have to clean the top neck and top side after each playing session with Gibson Luthiers Choice cleaner rolleyes.gif

 

I have this problem too with my arm and the finish creating some kind of goo on the top! I have never had this issue with any other guitar. Shouldn't my Martins be the same nitro finish as a Gibson? Seems okay though. I just wipe it off. I haven't used polish or anything, but I did actually order a bottle. :) Relic, maybe it is something to do with the VOS finish they do on our guitars. We both have the Vintage model. Maybe that's why this is happening and why it has never happened to me on any other guitar? Since it's happening to you to...??

 

I agree entirely about the string info above. I wish Gibson made some kind of coated 80/20, because I love them, but they die too fast for me, and I don't like the break-in period on the PBs. So, I'll stick to John Pearse Pure Nickels, which sound great too. (Also do not like the Martin strings)

 

As far as ill-fitting bridge pins, they should be okay. They shouldn't cause damage, and they usually have little or no contact with the string. Martins ship with pins that can be described as ill-fitting. :) I've never had trouble. One cool thing about my Hummingbird is that it seems to happily accept any size pin I've tried on it, whether "martin size" or whatever. I had a little box of pins that I bought that never fit on any of my guitars, and lo and behold, they fit on my Hummingbird. I don't get it. I should just sell my extra pins. Where the heck did I get them all?

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Wow! Awesome Forum,

 

Man, do I appreciate the advice and opinions. I have heard a ton of great things about the Elixir 80/20 Bronze Nanoweb Extra Light Strings with the ultra thin coating, on the Songwriter Deluxe. Some people swear that they would not put any other strings on it.

 

Just seems like the extra light might be too light, and I would go to the lights to try first. When I was researching this Guitar, I had a lot of owner say they swapped out and went to bone pins and swear it is better but to leave the rest.

 

I did order a nice set of bone pins and about four different kinds of strings. I will check out the extended life battery. I can't imagine the battery going out right in the middle of a gig. I had no idea you couldn't just swap out the

 

battery and I didn't think about it for some reason. I guess the fastest way would be just to loosen the strings enough to squeeze your hand in there and change the battery, but changing it every time I change the strings is a given.

 

But yeah, it is great getting the opinions and very helpful right now, as I am new to this particular Guitar and forum.

 

 

 

 

I was told never to use any type of cleaner, or anything except a nice polishing cloth by Gibson support. On my Violin, every now and then, I use a DAndrea Lemon oil cleaner and conditioner on the fiddle and top dealers and fiddle players that have hundred thousand dollar Violins swear by it.

 

It is really good stuff, clean, shines, does not rub off on your hands or chin or shoulder, and you only have to use a drop or two. I clean every instrument when I finish playing it with just a nice clean cloth always. My Grandfather played forever and he would kick my (* @) if I didn't do that. LOL

 

 

 

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Yikes, don't change your battery every time you change strings! How often do you change strings? The batteries last for hundreds of hours. Don't kill our planet dumping all those batteries into landfills. If I were worried, I'd just get a battery tester, and every time I changed strings, I'd pull it out and test its level. Even a nearly empty battery should last at least a couple hours.

 

Gibson sells guitar polish, so I find it odd they say not to use anything. :) That's true, though, that you don't actually need polish, and I don't think we really need to oil our fingerboard/bridge either. Supposedly some people have caused damage by oiling their board/bridge too much. I don't know about that. I do know that I've never oiled a board or polished a guitar, and mine are all fine.

 

Not a bad idea to wipe a guitar off after playing it though, yeah :) Although I don't even do that and, again... mine are good.

 

Don't get chemical mosquito repellant on them, though--that's the only real warning I can give. It melts nitro. I don't know first hand but I wouldn't want to find out either!

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I would use a very good rechargeable and always put a fully charged battery in each time I change strings. I also give my batteries to a friend who is a computer tech and he recycles the batteries at the company he works for.

 

I called Gibson support and they told me flat out to never, and his exact word was "never" use anything except a nice super soft, excellent quality cleaning cloth. I read and hear different opinions on that. I will definitely take your

 

warning on mosquito repellant. I had no idea.

 

 

 

 

 

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I would use a very good rechargeable and always put a fully charged battery in each time I change strings. I also give my batteries to a friend who is a computer tech and he recycles the batteries at the company he works for.

 

I called Gibson support and they told me flat out to never, and his exact word was "never" use anything except a nice super soft, excellent quality cleaning cloth. I read and hear different opinions on that. I will definitely take your

 

warning on mosquito repellant. I had no idea.

 

Thumbs up on all the above!!!!

 

Yeah, the mosquitoe repellent is a strange thing. I wonder if it's the deet or what. I hate using it on my skin anyway! Lucky for me, natural repellent (citronella oil and the like) is safe for guitars and humans. Well, as safe as guitar polish anyway, or maybe safer! :) I am kind of having second thoughts about the Gibson guitar polish and fretboard oil I ordered... That's $15 I coudl really have saved...

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I've polished my guitar with Virtuoso guitar polish or cleaner to buff out that weird sweat residue that builds where your arm hangs.

 

There's an entire folder dedicated to strings and we bring it up all the time and yet we still never reach a complete understanding. :rolleyes:

 

I think our tastes change over time. What inspires you today may leave you flat eventually. I'm one of the very few who prefers .11s (most here like .12 and .13). While there is a difference when you're playing, I believe the human ear adapts and enjoys the tone it grows to love. .11s are easier for me to play and, therefore, allow me to play better. Also, after googling various videos of guitarists playing the different gauges and types, I found myself liking the .11s as much, if not more than the .12s. I prefer D'addario PBs. (It's been said that Gibsons and D'Addarios are the same strings...) I've enjoyed some Elixirs when experimenting and hope to apply Martin Monel strings shortly to see how it goes.

 

Have fun! Experiment. (Should probably write your reactions down or else you'll never keep it straight. Or at least that's advice that I need to heed.)

 

Cheers! And WELCOME!!

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Welcome to the forum!

Strings are a journey... So many brands, styles, materials....

For example, right now I have Martin Flexible Core 80/20 light mediums. I love the combo. On my Gibson Hummingbird, I like the Gibson strings best, although right now I have DR rares on my Hummingbird, which are also nice. My LG2 has Elixir PB lights. Love those on that one. Try them all out and have fun! I actually am trying Pyramid Western Folks next...

DR Rares, DR Sunbeams, D'addario EJs, EXPs, elixir, Martin Lifespan, Martin Retro... I like all of them.

Oh, and I changed pins on my guitar to Bone.... I hear no difference at all.

 

 

 

 

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Wow! Awesome Forum,

 

Man, do I appreciate the advice and opinions. I have heard a ton of great things about the Elixir 80/20 Bronze Nanoweb Extra Light Strings with the ultra thin coating, on the Songwriter Deluxe. Some people swear that they would not put any other strings on it.

 

Just seems like the extra light might be too light, and I would go to the lights to try first. When I was researching this Guitar, I had a lot of owner say they swapped out and went to bone pins and swear it is better but to leave the rest.

 

I did order a nice set of bone pins and about four different kinds of strings. I will check out the extended life battery. I can't imagine the battery going out right in the middle of a gig. I had no idea you couldn't just swap out the

 

battery and I didn't think about it for some reason. I guess the fastest way would be just to loosen the strings enough to squeeze your hand in there and change the battery, but changing it every time I change the strings is a given.

 

But yeah, it is great getting the opinions and very helpful right now, as I am new to this particular Guitar and forum.

 

 

 

 

I was told never to use any type of cleaner, or anything except a nice polishing cloth by Gibson support. On my Violin, every now and then, I use a DAndrea Lemon oil cleaner and conditioner on the fiddle and top dealers and fiddle players that have hundred thousand dollar Violins swear by it.

 

It is really good stuff, clean, shines, does not rub off on your hands or chin or shoulder, and you only have to use a drop or two. I clean every instrument when I finish playing it with just a nice clean cloth always. My Grandfather played forever and he would kick my (* @) if I didn't do that. LOL

 

 

 

 

One word (or two) of caution. Never use Lemon Oil on a nitrocellulose finish. Might work well on your violin, and lots of other things - but it has been found to really mess up nitro guitar finishes. I got a drop on my neck when doing by fretboard and it caused it to sort of melt and then reharden - so it is permanently marred. Small spot and barely noticeable - but I'd hate to think what it might do if smeared all over the top.

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I think our tastes change over time. What inspires you today may leave you flat eventually. I'm one of the very few who prefers .11s (most here like .12 and .13). While there is a difference when you're playing, I believe the human ear adapts and enjoys the tone it grows to love. .11s are easier for me to play and, therefore, allow me to play better. Also, after googling various videos of guitarists playing the different gauges and types, I found myself liking the .11s as much, if not more than the .12s. I prefer D'addario PBs. (It's been said that Gibsons and D'Addarios are the same strings...) I've enjoyed some Elixirs when experimenting and hope to apply Martin Monel strings shortly to see how it goes.

 

Totally agree with all the above. My tastes sure have changed in some ways, stayed the same in others, and both are worth exploring. And what's comfortable to play is more important than anything. No one will notice if you're plays 11s or 12s or 13s. Probably not, anyway. I've watched videos comparing string gauges and I can barely tell a difference. As a player, you'll notice a difference for sure, in both the sound and the feel. I used to think I needed mediums on everything. I have found that is really not necessary.

 

Yeah, apparently D'Addario makes Gibson's strings for them. Weird. However, it is (also apparently) not the same formula, so a Gibson 80/20 (made by D'Addario) will not be the same as a D'Addario 80/20. Not sure what would be different, but I guess a Martin 80/20 is different than a D'Addario 80/20, despite both being the 80/20 blend...

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Thanks everyone! I wouldn't use the DAndreas Lemon oil cleaner and conditioner on the Guitar for sure. I will probably do what Gibson support told me and just use a very nice cleaning cloth and nothing else, if possible.

 

This one set of Elixir NanoWeb Acoustic Strings 80 / 20 bronze with ultra thin coating on them, and are extra lights with extended tone and life are:

 

0.10 on the E,

 

.014 on the B, .

 

023 on the G,

 

.030 on the D, .

 

039 on the A,

 

and .047 on low E

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Rocky Mtn.

Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of helpful folks here.

 

What town are you in? I live in Bozeman. Are you a Griz or a Bobcat? Did you catch the game this week-end? It was a thriller. For you non-Montana folks the Griz beat the National Champion North Dakota Bison on a 4th and two with two seconds on the clock. Sorry it's a Montana thing.

 

 

Check out the "Gibson Homecoming" thread at the top this forum. It's a group of folks that meet in Bozeman once a year. You should make the trip. People come from all over the country and you can tour the Gibson plant and meet all the folks as well as play a wide assortment of wonderful guitars. It's a good time and you will make a lot of friends.

 

For the most part waxes and polish just sit on top of the nitro and after time they will build up smudge and smear. If allowed to build up they will look messy. A soft clean cloth that is put under a hot water faucet and wrung out dry will clean most grunt off the finish. If the cloth is warm and almost dry you will be successful.

 

The fret board and bridge are raw,exposed wood and they dry out and will shrink and crack. A high quality oil will help despite other advice given here. Oil both every time you change strings. Most posters here don't understand the weather in Montana. A week ago, here in Bozeman, it was 92 degrees Fahrenheit and 9% humidity. That is deadly for any guitar. Use Gibson fret board and bridge oil and be very careful to follow instructions on the oil bottle and don't over oil as that is worse than dry. There can be a lot of stress on the bridge so be sure to maintain it regularly. Just so the other posters know. Montana can see -30 below zero Fahrenheit and 10% humidity in the winter. We get it all. Dan gets the same weather in Colorado.

 

Most locations around the country are a bit more temperate. If your fret ends are starting to protrude it just means your fret board is shrinking due to lack of moisture. Get it some help immediately or you will have to file the fret ends down. A little oil goes a long way....Small cracks between the bridge pin holes are just your bridges way of telling you it's dry and needs some help before things get serious. Keep the oil off the nitro or it will get messy.

 

If you get to Bozeman PM me and we can have a drink at the Molly Brown or just sit in my back yard and play guitars.Same for anyone else out there. I know and have met a lot of the posters here and enjoy the company. J-185forme stopped by a couple of days ago and we sat in the back yard and discussed all things Gibson. I got to play one of his many incredible guitars. He went home with a lot of Gibson souvenirs. SlimT was here yesterday and he played several guitars. He wants to buy Lynn's J-185 "Horse Guitar" and my 12th fret J-45. Slim is my good friend and we have made many "deals" in the past. I want Sal to get the 45 but he hasn't seen or played it yet so it's up for grabs. It's funny as when writing this I just realized that J-185 and Slim are both Canadians. How fun is that? I learned to speak Canadian many years ago so there is no language barrier. Gilliangirl is a good friend as well and she's Canadian.I miss her a lot. She needs to come back to the forum.

 

Hope to see you soon.

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Hi Rocky Mtn.

Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of helpful folks here.

 

What town are you in? I live in Bozeman. Are you a Griz or a Bobcat? Did you catch the game this week-end? It was a thriller. For you non-Montana folks the Griz beat the National Champion North Dakota Bison on a 4th and two with two seconds on the clock. Sorry it's a Montana thing.

 

 

Check out the "Gibson Homecoming" thread at the top this forum. It's a group of folks that meet in Bozeman once a year. You should make the trip. People come from all over the country and you can tour the Gibson plant and meet all the folks as well as play a wide assortment of wonderful guitars. It's a good time and you will make a lot of friends.

 

For the most part waxes and polish just sit on top of the nitro and after time they will build up smudge and smear. If allowed to build up they will look messy. A soft clean cloth that is put under a hot water faucet and wrung out dry will clean most grunt off the finish. If the cloth is warm and almost dry you will be successful.

 

The fret board and bridge are raw,exposed wood and they dry out and will shrink and crack. A high quality oil will help despite other advice given here. Oil both every time you change strings. Most posters here don't understand the weather in Montana. A week ago, here in Bozeman, it was 92 degrees Fahrenheit and 9% humidity. That is deadly for any guitar. Use Gibson fret board and bridge oil and be very careful to follow instructions on the oil bottle and don't over oil as that is worse than dry. There can be a lot of stress on the bridge so be sure to maintain it regularly. Just so the other posters know. Montana can see -30 below zero Fahrenheit and 10% humidity in the winter. We get it all. Dan gets the same weather in Colorado.

 

Most locations around the country are a bit more temperate. If your fret ends are starting to protrude it just means your fret board is shrinking due to lack of moisture. Get it some help immediately or you will have to file the fret ends down. A little oil goes a long way....Small cracks between the bridge pin holes are just your bridges way of telling you it's dry and needs some help before things get serious. Keep the oil off the nitro or it will get messy.

 

If you get to Bozeman PM me and we can have a drink at the Molly Brown or just sit in my back yard and play guitars.Same for anyone else out there. I know and have met a lot of the posters here and enjoy the company. J-185forme stopped by a couple of days ago and we sat in the back yard and discussed all things Gibson. I got to play one of his many incredible guitars. He went home with a lot of Gibson souvenirs. SlimT was here yesterday and he played several guitars. He wants to buy Lynn's J-185 "Horse Guitar" and my 12th fret J-45. Slim is my good friend and we have made many "deals" in the past. I want Sal to get the 45 but he hasn't seen or played it yet so it's up for grabs. It's funny as when writing this I just realized that J-185 and Slim are both Canadians. How fun is that? I learned to speak Canadian many years ago so there is no language barrier. Gilliangirl is a good friend as well and she's Canadian.I miss her a lot. She needs to come back to the forum.

 

Hope to see you soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Hogeye,

 

Thanks for the welcome, so far I love this forum. It has some great people with some good opinions, advice, and a variety of styles and experience.

 

I actually am a fan of both the Bobcats and the Griz. But when the two play, I side with the Griz. (sorry Bobcat fans) I did see the game. It was awesome! I am also a Broncos Fan, and a big Peyton Manning Fan. Followed him from the Colts to the Broncos. I go where my QB goes.

 

Thanks for the tips on the cleaning and everything else. I keep a high quality humidifier in my cases, and we keep all of our instrument in a special room where we

 

monitor the temp, and humidity, and it has a very good air cleaner system in the room. All of the family instruments are kept in the room most of the time at my place, as everyone else doesn't play everyday like I do.

 

I am a Rocky Mountain Montana Man, grew up here, and still live here. I am also a US and Canadian Citizen. I lived in Canada for about 10 years, went to College there and got my citizenship, so I have dual citizenship.

 

So, I seem to automatically switch over to the Canadian vocabulary when I am speaking to another Canadian. LOL

 

I keep my Guitars in their cases when I am not playing them, I wipe them down and put them back in the case after every time I play an instrument. My Grandfather, kind of put that in my head since I was a kid. He played a lot of instruments.

 

 

 

 

 

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Hmm, those are the strings it came with? I am all for using whatever you like best, whatever is most comfy, but 10s are pretty darn light. Maybe that's all it needs though. Would be interesting!

 

 

 

 

I don't know what strings these are on the Guitar, the ones I was talking about above, I have a pack of them, but I agree, the 10's might be too light for me. I will

 

probably start with 12. I do like the Elixir Polyweb strings, they seem to be a little warmer, but I am going to try several kinds until I find what I like and what I think I am hearing. LOL

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