String recommendations sought….

[dhanners623]

Yeah, I’ll waded into those waters…. I’m in a mood to try different strings on my J-35. I know that might prompt an avalanche of replies but I’ll wade through them.

The parameters:

— I’m looking for something with good bass and mids;

— I’m looking for mediums;

— I am NOT looking for coated strings. Just don’t like them;

— The guitar currently has DR Sunbeams on it. I like them ok. In the past, I’ve used Martin Monels, which I also like ok, but being nickel, I have to switch out the pole pieces in my Baggs M1 pickup, which I don’t want to do. I’ve also used EJ-17s, a thoroughly usable string you can buy anywhere.

What strings are you guys liking right now?

[Larsongs]

I waded those waters a few years ago trying to find the Best Strings for my Gibson Bozeman Masterbilt J-160E. I tried all the better known Strings & some lesser known Strings in all Price points.

I wanted Strings that were not too expensive, are easily available & sound great both Plugged in & Unplugged. For my Guitar the Martin Retro Monel 11’s did both better than any of the other Strings. They sound great with my traditional P-90 Pickup & sounds great playing all Acoustic. A really good balance for me.

Maybe it’s different the Baggs & other like Active Electronics? 

Edited August 3 by Larsongs

[dhanners623]

18 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

I waded those waters a few years ago trying to find the Best Strings for my Gibson Bozeman Masterbilt J-160E. I tried all the better known Strings & some lesser known Strings in all Price points.

I wanted Strings that were not too expensive, are easily available & sound great both Plugged in & Unplugged. For my Guitar the Martin Retro Monel 11’s did both better than any of the other Strings. They sound great with my traditional P-90 Pickup & sounds great playing all Acoustic. A really good balance for me.

Maybe it’s different the Baggs & other like Active Electronics? 

I’ve got a Baggs M1 and an M80, but I haven’t used the M80 in the J-35 yet. But both require you to replace the pole pieces for the E and B strings since they are nickel. I don’t have an amp so I can’t do the adjustment necessary to get the best sound, so I don’t want to mess with it. I’ll avoid nickel strings for the time being.

[Larsongs]

I wish you the best of luck finding the best Strings.

I’m curious,  what is it about the Martin Retro Monel Strings that require you to change the Pole Pieces? Is it because the Pickup sits too high in the Soundhole? Or?

[dhanners623]

1 hour ago, Larsongs said:

I wish you the best of luck finding the best Strings.

I’m curious,  what is it about the Martin Retro Monel Strings that require you to change the Pole Pieces? Is it because the Pickup sits too high in the Soundhole? Or?

Monel is a nickel alloy, so the pole pieces don’t “read” the string as they would a string of some other material. The signal is much weaker. From the M1’s instruction manual:

We have provided two additional 3/4” pole pieces for use in the B and little E string positions with nickel or electric guitar strings, and one spare 3/8” pole piece for use with acoustic sets that have an unwound “G” string.

And for the M80:

The pole pieces on the M80 are factory set for bronze acoustic strings, but this is just a starting place. They are adjustable with the 3/32” Allen wrench to obtain the optimum balance and tone. Raising the pole pieces will increase the output of the strings; lowering them will decrease the output. We have provided two additional 3/4” pole pieces for use in the B and little E string positions with nickel or electric guitar strings, and one spare 3/8” pole piece for acoustic strings that have an unwound “G”.

 

Edited August 3 by dhanners623

[egoidealmusic]

Can you exlain what you don't like about the Sunbeams?  I ask as I think they have the best low and mid sounds of all that I've tried so that's what I use (started based off of recommendation here).  That's on a J-45, so I'm not sure how different they might sound on a J-35.

[Dave F]

I know you said not coated but you know we don’t follow direction very well on this forum. It’s like cat herding. The last new guitar I bought was from Music Villa and it was a J45. They asked me how I wanted my guitar setup. I said low action and Custom Light gage strings. They did the best setup I ever had and put these strings on it. I was so impressed, I bought a few sets for some of the other guitars when I get around to changing them. 

 

 

[Buc McMaster]

5 hours ago, dhanners623 said:

Monel is a nickel alloy, so the pole pieces don’t “read” the string as they would a string of some other material. The signal is much weaker. From the M1’s instruction manual:

We have provided two additional 3/4” pole pieces for use in the B and little E string positions with nickel or electric guitar strings, and one spare 3/8” pole piece for use with acoustic sets that have an unwound “G” string.

I'm confused.  The upper strings in Martin's Retro sets are wound with monel but the core  is steel.......same as a phosphor bronze set.  Why would different magnets be necessary for the E and B when those strings are plain steel?  I used the Retros with a Sunrise magnetic pickup and didn't have an issue with output level.  Is there something different with the M1?

[Larsongs]

1 hour ago, Buc McMaster said:

I'm confused.  The upper strings in Martin's Retro sets are wound with monel but the core  is steel.......same as a phosphor bronze set.  Why would different magnets be necessary for the E and B when those strings are plain steel?  I used the Retros with a Sunrise magnetic pickup and didn't have an issue with output level.  Is there something different with the M1?

I’m confused too. It may be something to do with those Baggs Soundhole Pickups.

Martin Retro Monels work & sound excellent on my J-160E with P90, my Martin D-35 with Fishman Electronics that I own. As well as the Martin HD28E with L.R. Baggs Anthem Electronics I used to own.

[dhanners623]

Argh. I was looking for string recommendations, not a discussion about pole pieces in Baggs soundhole pickups. All I know is the times I’ve played a guitar strung with Monels with the standard M1 or M80 pole pieces, it didn’t sound good. If I had an amp at home, I could sit around and fiddle with the other pole pieces and get everything dialed in. But I don’t have an amp at home and can’t really justify the expense of getting even a cheap acoustic amp. So when I’ve switched out the pole pieces before getting up on stage, each gig is trial-and-error and I don’t want to take up stage time fiddling with pole pieces.

Re: DR Sunbeams…. As I mentioned, I have no particular beef with them. Just looking to try something different in a medium non-coated string.

Might just say to heck with it and go back to EJ-17s….

[duluthdan]

Pyramid Spectrums.  They're round core.  Love 'em on my J-35.  Not cheap, but worth it.  Ren Ferguson uses John Pierce.

 

 

[Larsongs]

I’m trying to understand the problem to help direct you to a solution, if I can.

I’ve owned several different kinds of Acoustic Electric Guitars & had great results from Martin Retro Monels. Each of the Guitars had different types of Pickups & Electronics. I’ve used different Amps & have plugged direct into different kinds of Recording systems, Mixers & Interfaces without any issues. I’ve not heard of the kind of problem you’re experiencing.

If you don’t have an Amp what are you plugging into? Knowing that may help to help you with String choice.

Also, does the problem occur when you’re playing unplugged?

[dhanners623]

22 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

I’m trying to understand the problem to help direct you to a solution, if I can.

I’ve owned several different kinds of Acoustic Electric Guitars & had great results from Martin Retro Monels. Each of the Guitars had different types of Pickups & Electronics. I’ve used different Amps & have plugged direct into different kinds of Recording systems, Mixers & Interfaces without any issues. I’ve not heard of the kind of problem you’re experiencing.

If you don’t have an Amp what are you plugging into? Knowing that may help to help you with String choice.

Also, does the problem occur when you’re playing unplugged?

I think you’re over-complicating things or I’m not explaining things clearly, or both. Let’s try this:

—  I gig out 2-4 times a month. A couple of the places I play have the wherewithal (and room dynamics) to mic the guitar, but most places are just plug-and-play, hence the use of a pickup.

— When I’ve used the Baggs M1 and M80 on guitars with Monel strings, I have to switch out a couple of the pole pieces because it hasn’t sounded good; the sound is very unbalanced. Baggs warns you about that happening with nickel-based strings and so they include alternate pole pieces for the E and B strings.

— Because I have no amp at home (and no desire to get one) I am unable to sit with the guitar at home and fiddle with the pole pieces and adjust and re-adjust them until their height is dialed in to my liking. Similarly, most places I play really aren’t keen with me getting up on stage and taking up their time to adjust and re-adjust the pole pieces until their height is dialed in to my liking.

— As a result, I’m looking for a string that isn’t nickel-based.

Edited August 4 by dhanners623

[BoSoxBiker]

I've done a ton of experimenting the past 4-5 years and still do some. I have settled on some go-to options, though. Where I've landed, I've done so with an emphasis on getting good low end response, usually in the form of some of that rumble on strums and some thick, but still toneful bass notes when picked of otherwise desired.

Have you tried the DR Veritas? The mediums are my go-to on my Martin D-41. I tried a set of Lights on my HC RW SJ-200. They're still on, but getting some age to 'em. Anyhow, the low end has been there on both counts. Not the best, but still there.

I've been thrilled with the John Pearse 80/20. These get me an even better low-end rumbling feeling, but not mud. Both Mediums and the hybrid sets like the Blue Grass(12-16-24-35-45-56)  and the New Medium (13-17-24-32-42-55) sets. The New Medium is my go-to on the SJ-200 and my "affordable" go-to for my  Dove (see below). 

My HC 1942 Banner J45 is only 3 years old and still getting broken in with that Addy top brightness, but has been much better over the past 4-6 months. I've used the  Medium DR Sunbeams early on, which helped. I've not tried the John Pearse 80/20 Mediums on it yet, but have used New Mediums(good) and Lights. The Lights were annoyingly bright, but have had some usefulness in the studio as an accent guitar. As they've aged, the low-end has made huge gains in terms of low-end tone. I'm looking forward to going back to Mediums or at least a hybrid set.

My Love Dove absolutely loves the Thomastik-Infield Spectrum SB112. Pure tonal heaven complete with an immersive rumble. I thought I'd scoff at them, but I had to try based on who was raving about them at the time. $31 a set, though. major-ouch! I've had two other sets of strings on the Dove since (John Pearse 80/20 and DR Sunbeam), but I missed the Spectrums so much that I ordered a set and will be putting them on today. I also got a set of Mediums. They'll go on my Bourgeois Slope-D HS or the J45 within the next few weeks.

The closest I've come to a set of Mediums on my 2018 Hummingbird Standard was a set of John Pearse PB Bluegrass hybrids. It adds a good bit of heft to the balance of the tone despite the A and D strings remaining Lights. I tried my first set of John Pearse PB & Silk yesterday, but the biggest size they do is yet another hybrid. I wish they did mediums. The bass tones were distinctive and warm even on the first day.  I'm very much looking forward to where these land. I went to these from a set of coated Cleartones, which are quite boisterous and not horrible for coated strings. I thought the volume would drop a large amount. Nope. 

I've also got a set of Dogal V71 Mediums and La Bella Silk & Steel Mediums to try, though the latter has light B and High-E strings.  One last note. IIRC, you're in GB these days.  If so, you might be able to find a set of Newtones(?). I've never tried them as I can't get them here, but have heard they have a nice tonal balance. I've seen the Spectrums being mentioned as an alternative. Might be a good score if they're anything like the Spectrums.

[PrairieDog]

Question: are you all ordering these brands on-line?  I never see anything other than the typical names in my local shops.   I have to have coated strings, and I’m happy with the D’darrio XS’s, but my wife might be interested in some of these others.  

[BoSoxBiker]

I've been getting them mostly through Strings by Mail. https://www.stringsbymail.com/

I've gotten some from Strings and Beyond, too. https://www.stringsandbeyond.com/

 

[PrairieDog]

1 hour ago, BoSoxBiker said:

I've been getting them mostly through Strings by Mail. https://www.stringsbymail.com/

I've gotten some from Strings and Beyond, too. https://www.stringsandbeyond.com/

 

Thank you!

[dhanners623]

Over here in the U.K., I’ve been ordering strings from Strings Direct online. I just ordered three sets of a British-made string called Legacy. They are phosphor bronze 11-52 (although I should’ve gone with the 12-54s) and they sell for £5.99, which at today’s exchange rate works out to $7.67. I’ll try them and see what I think.

In looking online, I’ve seen some good reviews and somebody is claiming they are actually made by Rotosound.

Years ago, I used John Pearse 80-20s. Thought of trying them but StringsDirect is sold out at the moment.

[BoSoxBiker]

16 hours ago, dhanners623 said:

Over here in the U.K., I’ve been ordering strings from Strings Direct online. I just ordered three sets of a British-made string called Legacy. They are phosphor bronze 11-52 (although I should’ve gone with the 12-54s) and they sell for £5.99, which at today’s exchange rate works out to $7.67. I’ll try them and see what I think.

In looking online, I’ve seen some good reviews and somebody is claiming they are actually made by Rotosound.

Years ago, I used John Pearse 80-20s. Thought of trying them but StringsDirect is sold out at the moment.

I just looked them up. Seems that they could be a private label string made for Strings Direct by Rotosound. I saw a thread on AGF that suggested they might me akin or even the same as the Jumbo Kings. Might be the same thread that you found. Anyhow, I did try 2 sets of the 12's out on my Hummingbird about a year apart a few years back. A low-E string's winding lost it's grip about 2 months after stringing the first set up. Tried another set a year later and kept them on for 4 months, which was decent for me back then. 

They might be the most unique sounding set of strings I've tried. The low end was balanced and articulate, especially so in the low-mids. I'm curious to hear your take on them. I still have a couple packs left.

[generaldreedle]

I know you've had sunbeams but I love DR Rares bluegrass gauge

[BoSoxBiker]

6 hours ago, generaldreedle said:

I know you've had sunbeams but I love DR Rares bluegrass gauge

DR Rares are an enigma of sorts for me. I know I should like them based on what folks have said about them here and on the AGF. Even DR's little description suggests I should, which I've copied and pasted below. I've tried a set of Lights on my Hummingbird and my Bourgeois Slope-D. Definitely different, but I've not gotten it yet. Almost feels like I'm missing something.  

Quote

Acoustic Guitar players who want a fatter, louder sound, with a deeper bottom will appreciate the DR Rare phosphor tone, sound, and feel.