Strings land - Birds take off

[E-minor7]

Managed to fly in 2 sets of the new Gibson steel.

Admit I fell for the amber-Bird, which was presented here some weeks ago and as I'm almost sure it either had coated Phosphor B or ditto 80/20 after talking with presenter, Mr Ravita, I went hunting for these strings. Only ones within reach were the ph. b. - and they arrived today. 

Here the better and better Birds, May and April - also known as Black-ring and White-ring - await the comin' aventure. 

Normally not a coated flier at all, but I intend to keep them on till they begin to fade and then revive this thread for a report. It may be months ahead, , , perhaps mid-summer, so stand by. 

P.S. - a very intriguing thing is that the package-surface feels like a mix between rubber and velour. Sure starts good. . 

[Lars68]

Good luck with your string experiment. I have tried coated strings three times, and they did not work for me. To me, they sounded dull, and kind of lifeless. This was a few years back and they weren't Gibson strings. Also technology has most likely made advances since then.

Please,report your findings!

Lars

[Mime]

I bought some of the new Gibson pb coated strings at Christmas time. I put them on my j45 and the guitar never sounded better.  The strings have held up pretty well until now although it’s getting about time to change them.  I am going to put another set of these on. I had been using the uncoated strings that Gibson phazed out, but I actually like these better.  I think they are louder and sound better.  They are not cheap but are definitely worth a try. 

[E-minor7]

50 minutes ago, Mime said:

I bought some of the new Gibson pb coated strings at Christmas time. I put them on my j45 and the guitar never sounded better.  The strings have held up pretty well until now although it’s getting about time to change them.  I am going to put another set of these on. I had been using the uncoated strings that Gibson phazed out, but I actually like these better.  I think they are louder and sound better.  They are not cheap but are definitely worth a try. 

Thanks - I can't say anything at all right now, , , and by the way prefer old (and un-coated) strings. The idea is to make them fade till they merge with the Birds 1:1 - well, we'll see.

Did you notice that the end-balls shift between gold and silver/bronze and nickel. G-S-G-S-G-S from low to high E. Never seen that before.  

[Jinder]

Always interested in seeing how these experiments pan out...at the moment I'm in love with Newtone Masterclass round core 12s. Very much an old-school string but just enormous sounding, especially on my Maple AJ. Great wires!

[E-minor7]

Newtones are fine. Been using them here and there the last decade. Got Master Class Custom Ph. B. 12-16-24-34-44-54 on the HD-28V and they do good. 

The fresh Gibson sets still sounded like a synthesizer programmed as a c o u s t i c  g u i t a r  this afternoon, but I'm sure they will change. I keep faith in these strings.  Would have liked 80/20s though. 

[E-minor7]

Second update - 

As always the 2 sets were put on within the same hour and tuned up 1-2 just afterwards. Then a strrrange thing happened :

While getting the second high E up to D#, the ball-end unwinded and fell to the bottom of the box with a double-sound = snap-tick. Never experienced this before and blame it on 1 in a 100.000-bad luck. Immediately tied the ball back on with a scout-knot and continued. It holds up fine, , , so far. 

Soon I also contacted seller, who apparently is willing to replace the pack. Well, , , nothing serious, but as said, a rare peculiarity.  Ever seen anything like it ?

[62burst]

43 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Ever seen anything like it ?

On an electric, yes. And it was the high E.

So. . .  will both sets be the same age, going forward into your experiment? 😬

[E-minor7]

3 hours ago, 62burst said:

On an electric, yes. And it was the high E.

So. . .  will both sets be the same age, going forward into your experiment? 😬

Choice is between replacing it with the new-set-high-E or keeping the tied original.  Guess #2 -  they're are already played a bit in and the knot doesn't make a big difference.

[E-minor7]

First update 

So now over a month in, the Gibson Coated Phosphor Bronze lights are beginning to calm down. Mind that I don't fly the 2 Birds as often as possible simply because there are other tempting acoustics around. At this stage however the strings have fallen to a level where they don't sound overwhelmingly artificial. Yet there continue to be way to much new-sting-force in them (which some would admire) to say anything final. Their nature keep reducing the fine guitars to carriers of extrovert bronze-power and I don't want my hog squares hidden behind a nickel-tin fountain. 

All that said, I haven't lost faith in these strings. For the aim is something different, far from reached at this point. As mentioned in post 1, the plan is to wear them to a state (almost under) normal. Then sense if vision bares fruit :

A faded set - which suits the Hummingbird so well - with the coating close to gone, still barely present, all adding to the ideal symbiosis between wood and steel.

We'll see, , , and hear, , , s t a n d   b y

[QuestionMark]

Thanks for the update.  Down the road let us know another update...

I use uncoated Martin Authentic Acoustic strings (formerly SP’s).  They seem to last and last without being coated.  But, looking forward to continuing to learn of your experience.

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

[E-minor7]

30 minutes ago, QuestionMark said:

I use uncoated Martin Authentic Acoustic strings (formerly SP’s).  They seem to last and last without being coated.  

O yes, know them - like them too.  Good longevity. . 

[E-minor7]

> Old thread revived <

Back in April 2020 2 sets of the then new Gibson strings landed here and after a recommendation from this Board, I decided to give them a try on my 2012 Hummingbirds. The plan was to play them until the coming mid-sommer and then continue this thread by laying down a report. Yet for reasons that had to do with recordings the experiment was interrupted in June and postponed.

However this weekend it was time to take up the test where it was left. So on went the 2 sets again and though they've been breathing oxygen for 16 months, they still sound great. New and strong of course, but not overwhelming and neither coaty - nor in feel.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I look forward to sense them break in and predict they will match the Birds very good - probably develop serious doses of glaze too.  Well, the winter will show. . 

Pardon for the delay - it was announced in other threads more than once. But stand by - at times things have ways and patterns of their own. 

[Peter Z]

The Gibson coated (PB and especially 80/20) and D’Addario XS are my favorite strings. Only my Dove seems to like Elixirs a little better.

[Kwlsky]

On 4/28/2020 at 12:02 PM, E-minor7 said:

also known as Black-ring and White-ring

Forgive me for the off topic question, but what does "Black-ring and White-ring" mean? I'm clueless, so I'm looking at the rosettes and they look the same to me.

[DanvillRob]

58 minutes ago, Kwlsky said:

Forgive me for the off topic question, but what does "Black-ring and White-ring" mean? I'm clueless, so I'm looking at the rosettes and they look the same to me.

I had the same question.....but it was not relevant to the thread....but if I had them, (they're both beautiful), I'd call them "Audrey" and "Gypsy" (since one if fashionably dressed and the other is naked!).

[E-minor7]

2 hours ago, Kwlsky said:

Forgive me for the off topic question, but what does "Black-ring and White-ring" mean? I'm clueless, so I'm looking at the rosettes and they look the same to me.

So very welcome - but I'll have to roast you a bit further. Search the web and zoom in - you'll get the point, , , and some exercise for the eyesight. 🤓

1 hour ago, DanvillRob said:

I had the same question.....but it was not relevant to the thread....but if I had them, (they're both beautiful), I'd call them "Audrey" and "Gypsy" (since one if fashionably dressed and the other is naked!).

Thanx, Danvill - Audrey, Gibsy, , , and Seth Ward Joplin in that other thread. What gallery. . 

[DanvillRob]

8 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

So very welcome - but I'll have to roast you a bit further. Search the web and zoom in - you'll get the point, , , and some exercise for the eyesight. 🤓

Thanx, Danvill - Audrey, Gibsy, , , and Seth Ward Joplin in that other thread. What gallery. . 

I'd put a heart on this....but I'm still not allowed!

[E-minor7]

> Old thread revived < 3

Time to yet another update on the Gibson Coated Phosphor 80/20 Bronze lights. As mentioned in earlier posts they went off and on a few times over the period since they arrived in the spring of 2020. In fact on in April 2020 - off the following June - on November 2021 - off June 2022 - and then on again August 2022 - finally off in September 2023. All the time both Birds moved in synch and were played almost equally in order to be able to follow the fade the whole way down.

Well, , , as you can see in earlier reports they were overwhelmingly  powerful in the beginning, close to hyper-artificial. Not my cup of tea, but as they faded some of the qualities I was looking for and expected actually began to appear. A good core-tone with an organic nectar became a solid lasting flavor and that sound'n'feel grew into the bein' the stabile sonic identity of the 2 flyers for quite some time. Still, , ,  even when they dried out with this taste of coating left, , , , as some slightly alternative basic character(can't say modern).

However - the big revelation seemed to arrive when I put on the the new Gibson 80/20 Bronze light stings in Sep. last year.                                                                                                                                                                                              Talking 'bout those 12-53, which have the silver-gold-silver-gold-silver-gold ball-ends.                                                                                                                                            Man, , , they sound good - and more than that - they are the first strings that bring the 2012 Birds back to the sound I bought in 2013 and 14 ❗  Strong - kind of smokey - yet glazed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    What a circle - what a triumph.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

To freshen up what happen we have to rewind to Board-member Janglemore's post in 18th of March the 18th 2023. He then presented the following link on this Forum - 
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6121729&postcount=45

                                                                                                                                              , , , , and received a huge trophy for the effort'n'insight. Heps to U out there Janglem. 

Edited March 22 by E-minor7

[Murph]

So, what are you saying....

[Murph]

Just kidding.

That's a great story, it just took a while.

[62burst]

1 hour ago, Murph said:

So, what are you saying....

My guess: The 80/20 Bronze lights that aged in 6 months sounded much better than the Coated 80/20 Lights that were brought up to pitch and uninstalled 3 times over the course of almost three and a half years.

[62burst]

A noble experiment with a happy outcome.

Good to keep in mind the metal fatigue that occurs on strings, or any metal,  when worked, or brought up to tension. The luthier/guitar fixer person, when trying to sort out an intonation issue on an Eastman I had, mentioned intonation being one of the things that can be affected by old strings.

Also- one of the reasons I like the longevity of Elixir strings is the idea that each time a string's ball end comes up against the bridge plate when changing strings and bringing them up to full tension, there is just a little more wear/gouging on the 'plate each time. 

[PrairieDog]

And for those of us who have the issue, coated strings are a lifesaver if you have a metal allergy…. I thought I was dead in the water 2 weeks after getting my first guitar, when I read a thread that suggested trying p/b coated. I don’t mind the sound of the elixirs, and that a good thing, since I don’t have any other choice. Do the guitars sound their absolute best? I won’t ever know… but otherwise I’d be stuck playing the gut string banjo now.   

[Murph]

6 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

 I’d be stuck playing the gut string banjo now.   

Don't be dissin' the banjer...