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Put 13's on my AJ500M


ajsc

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Posted
Wow' date=',,, what a nice difference!!! [/quote']

 

isnt it amazing? i loved this guitar from the moment i played in the shop with tarnished, old, dead, brassy, blackened bailing wire-like 12s on it. i put the 13s on as soon as i got it and it made me laugh out loud for days. i still cant get over it.

Posted

I had the same thing with my SJ-200. I played 12's on it for about a year before changing to 13's, & it was like I had a new guitar.

The change to 13's on my Gibby AJ short scale did not have the same "dramatic" results. It was better, but not as much better, as, on my sj200,

& my aj500m

Posted

I can say 13's did improve the tone of my short scale AJ, just not as dramatically as my other 2 guitars. I'm not sure why that is!!

At the same time I would recommend 13's on a short scale as well as on long scale.

Though not as dramatic, it still improved the tone, & volume.

 

"sangemon"

I believe Martin is shipping it's HD-28, as well as the HD-35 with 13's now.

I played an HD-28 in gc the other day. What a nice guitar!!!

I played it next to an Advanced Jumbo. If both were the same price, & if I was in the market

for a new guitar, it would be a very hard decision to make.

Posted
I can say 13's did improve the tone of my short scale AJ' date=' just not as dramatically as my other 2 guitars. I'm not sure why that is!!

At the same time I would recommend 13's on a short scale as well as on long scale.

Though not as dramatic, it still improved the tone, & volume.

 

"sangemon"

I believe Martin is shipping it's HD-28, as well as the HD-35 with 13's now.

I played an HD-28 in gc the other day. What a nice guitar!!!

I played it next to an Advanced Jumbo. If both were the same price, & if I was in the market

for a new guitar, it would be a very hard decision to make.

decision

to make.

[/quote']

 

i, too, believe the hd-28 is the best martin going and 13s would make that guitar howl.

Posted
I can say 13's did improve the tone of my short scale AJ' date=' just not as dramatically as my other 2 guitars. I'm not sure why that is!!

At the same time I would recommend 13's on a short scale as well as on long scale.

Though not as dramatic, it still improved the tone, & volume.

[/quote']

 

OK, I've been reading and I've come up with a theory on this. Can it be due to being a short scale length the string is not tightened with as much tension as a long scale guitar, thus the string isn't vibrating in the same way and the result is not the same. The 13s may need more tension to output their optimum performance.

 

If any of that is true, is there a study some where that can say, for example, 12s are better for short scale and 13s are better for long scale? The string companies probably have that info.

 

I'm really just thinking out loud here.

Posted
I can say 13's did improve the tone of my short scale AJ' date=' just not as dramatically as my other 2 guitars. I'm not sure why that is!!

At the same time I would recommend 13's on a short scale as well as on long scale.

Though not as dramatic, it still improved the tone, & volume.

 

"sangemon"

I believe Martin is shipping it's HD-28, as well as the HD-35 with 13's now.

I played an HD-28 in gc the other day. What a nice guitar!!!

I played it next to an Advanced Jumbo. If both were the same price, & if I was in the market

for a new guitar, it would be a very hard decision to make.

decision

to make.

[/quote']

 

Oh, I've had 13s on both of my Martin Dreads for a while now. I've kept 12s on the 00-18 and on the Masterbilt, but next string change I'll try 13s on the Epi too. The 00-18 is a 12 fret, short scale slothead for fingerpicking and it likes 12s better than 13s.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I want to put 13's on my epi hummingbird (currently has 12's on it). Will I need to adjust the truss rod at all to compensate for the change in string gauge/tension? Any help gratefully received.

Also, what strings do people recommend, currently using Elixrs but want to cut costs a bit, thinking of D'addarios or Gibson Masterbuilts or Martin??????

 

Thanks, Matt

Posted

I didn't have to do anything to mine. Though it's possible you might have to tweak the truss rod.

I changed from elixers to D'addario's, & reget it. I can't stand the squeak I get when sliding down the fret board.

That's just me!!

Posted

i just put coated 13s on my el-00. wow. it sounds so big for such a little thing. the guy at the shop winced when i told him thinking the bridge might lift so he said be sure to keep it properly humidified - with distilled water - so the strings don't rust. great advice.

however, it pulls a little sharp though so i'm going to take it in for some nut and saddle tweaking or even change them. i might swap out for the tusq set but i can't part with it right now. i just cant put it down. its on my lap right now.

  • 3 months later...
Posted

Just a quick update. I had Elixir nano 13s on my H'bird for a while now and have just changed back to 12s and I think the 12s suit it more.

It's a loud guitar anyway and the 12s give it enough power but with a whispery edge to the tone that the 13s didn't have.

Will stick with 12s now I have the sound I like.

Matt

Posted
i just put coated 13s on my el-00. wow. it sounds so big for such a little thing. the guy at the shop winced when i told him thinking the bridge might lift so he said be sure to keep it properly humidified - with distilled water - so the strings don't rust. great advice.

however' date=' it pulls a little sharp though so i'm going to take it in for some nut and saddle tweaking or even change them. i might swap out for the tusq set but i can't part with it right now. i just cant put it down. its on my lap right now.[/quote']

 

The distilled water keeps mineral deposits from clogging up the sponge in the humidifier, so it continues to soak up water through its life. That's the first I've heard that it prevents corrosion in any way.

 

Red 333

Posted

 

The distilled water keeps mineral deposits from clogging up the sponge in the humidifier' date=' so it continues to soak up water through its life. That's the first I've heard that it prevents corrosion in any way.

 

Red 333[/quote']that is the only reason for distilled water.

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