Can someone clearup this string thing for once and all?

[onewilyfool]

I'm pretty sure someone on this fourm knows this......what is the difference between Bronze, Brass, and Phosphor Bronze, 80/20 strings, with regard to Brightness, longevity, sound, etc? Thanks

[bkharmony]

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-79859.html

 

http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/014275.html

[drathbun]

Woah... some feisty words on those other forums!

 

All things being relative of course... I find Phosphor Bronze to be warmer and less brittle or brassy sounding than the 80/20s. Of course we're only talking about the four wrapped strings. All six strings are steel with the lower four being wrapped with either Phosphor Bronze or brass (80/20).

 

Phosphor Bronze is a metal alloy made of 3.5 to 10% tin, 1% phosphorus and the rest copper.

 

The 80/20 is brass... 80% copper and 20% zinc.

 

As to longevity, I think that is totally subjective; affected by everything from body chemistry, environment and style of playing.

[rar]

I'm pretty sure someone on this fourm knows this......what is the difference between Bronze' date=' Brass, and Phosphor Bronze, 80/20 strings, with regard to Brightness, longevity, sound, etc? Thanks

[/quote']

 

Well, I'm pretty sure that no one on this forum can answer this for anyone else.

 

-- Bob R

[Murph]

Well' date=' [i']I'm[/i] pretty sure that no one on this forum can answer this for anyone else.

 

-- Bob R

 

I can't answer it for myself.

 

 

I prefer 80/20's, then one day the store was out, so I got the Phosphor. After a day or two they sound pretty good.

 

Sheeze.......

[Jinder]

It's all very much subjective to the guitar they're being used with.

 

I generally use Phosphor Bronze strings, Rotosound Jumbo King 12-54s for my SJ200, D'Addario EJ16s for everything else. I just like the PB tone, nice overtones and pretty good longevity.

 

Having said that, I currently have a set of D'Addario 85/15 Bronze 12-54s on my SJ200 and they sound fantastic.

 

80/20 or 85/15 (it's all about the Copper-to-Tin alloy blend...I think) generally exhibit more top and bottom end, and slightly scooped mid tone, with less overtones in general. PB is more balanced, slightly warmer and (initially, anyway) generates an abundance of feathery overtones.

 

I have come across very few guitars that insisted on either, although I once owned a Dove which would only sound right with 80/20 11-52s, and a J45 which spat the dummy when confronted by anything but those trusty D'Addario EJ16 PB 12-53s.

 

Hey ho!

[onewilyfool]

Jinder, have you tried those Newtone guitar strings made in England??? They have round core instead of hex core???

 

 

It's all very much subjective to the guitar they're being used with.

 

I generally use Phosphor Bronze strings' date=' Rotosound Jumbo King 12-54s for my SJ200, D'Addario EJ16s for everything else. I just like the PB tone, nice overtones and pretty good longevity.

 

Having said that, I currently have a set of D'Addario 85/15 Bronze 12-54s on my SJ200 and they sound fantastic.

 

80/20 or 85/15 (it's all about the Copper-to-Tin alloy blend...I think) generally exhibit more top and bottom end, and slightly scooped mid tone, with less overtones in general. PB is more balanced, slightly warmer and (initially, anyway) generates an abundance of feathery overtones.

 

I have come across very few guitars that insisted on either, although I once owned a Dove which would only sound right with 80/20 11-52s, and a J45 which spat the dummy when confronted by anything but those trusty D'Addario EJ16 PB 12-53s.

 

Hey ho![/quote']

[Johnt]

Wily my dear old chum!!

 

Whats the point of having a solution when everyone loves the debate/arguement so much??

 

As Jinder wisley says it's so subjective!

 

C'Mon lets have the walrus nuts and Tusk saddles arguement ( it is nearly May after all)

 

And in June we are all looking forward to the spectacle of

 

Bridge Pins!!!

[onewilyfool]

Johnt....the reason I posted this, is that I am a cheap bastard, and don't want to waste a lot of money on strings. I have one guitar that sounds too bright to my ears, and one that sounds too dull......so I want to brighten up the dull one, and calm down the bright one. I have always felt that brass strings are the brightest, and PB are the more subdued? So I guess I was asking opinions on which are brighter and which are softer or mellower.....if that is a word....lol

[macaibhistin]

You've got it, Onewilyfool. I use the PBs on my SWD, and my Seagull sounds dead unless I use the 80/20s on it. It all depends on the wood the guitar is constructed from. I find the 80/20s sound like noisy crap on the SWD and I am sure it is the rosewood. The PBs sound wonderful, though.

[onewilyfool]

You've got it' date=' Onewilyfool. I use the PBs on my SWD, and my Seagull sounds dead unless I use the 80/20s on it. It all depends on the wood the guitar is constructed from. I find the 80/20s sound like noisy crap on the SWD and I am sure it is the rosewood. The PBs sound wonderful, though.

 

[/quote']

 

Andrew....you have any trouble with humidity, up in the great white north????

[albertjohn]

Don't mind either. As long as it's on a Gibson.

 

Now that's cheesy!

[drathbun]

You've got it' date=' Onewilyfool. I use the PBs on my SWD, and my Seagull sounds dead unless I use the 80/20s on it. It all depends on the wood the guitar is constructed from. I find the 80/20s sound like noisy crap on the SWD and I am sure it is the rosewood. The PBs sound wonderful, though.

 

[/quote']

 

+1

[gretchen55]

and calm down the bright one

 

Try using John Pearse Phosphor Bronze and Silk, or Thomastik Spectrum. Both a little pricier but well worth it.