OldGuitarPlayer Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I currently have D'Addario EJ11s 80/20 bronze light gauge on mine but have a set of Martin SP phosphor bronze mediums ready for the next string change. What strings do all you H-bird player use? Anyone out there using meduim gauge strings on their H-bird? If so...what brand do you like best? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtufguy Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I've been using 11's and really like them. I'm still trying different brands and have not set on one specific yet. I do like the elixirs though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuitarPlayer Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I've been using 11's and really like them. I'm still trying different brands and have not set on one specific yet. I do like the elixirs though. I guess like you I am still also in the "trying out different brands" phase. I kinda like the Elixir nanowebs but my issue with them was breakage...like after a matter of hours of being installed. Both D and G strings. This was on a guitar that never exhibits any tendencies to extreme string breakage. Especially with new strings. At $20 a set I decided to go back to non-coated strings which kind of sucked because I don't mind the tone and the fact that (when they dont break) they last longer. The Elixirs Nano's that came with my Taylor 114 sounded great and felt nice to play. I have found consistency with Martin SPs on my other guitars so that's why I thought I'd try them out on the H-bird too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtufguy Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Hey OGP, Check this site out. http://www.shorelinemusic.com/accessories/elixir.shtml They seem to have GREAT prices on the Elixir strings and they have FREE shipping. Let me know what ya' think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug music Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Funny you should mention this. I've been going through the same "string quest" thing with my bird, I use .012's but here's what I've tried so far. These are just my opinions of course. I do a lot of a lot of twangy country blues/rockabilly type flattop picking so YMMV. But here goes... I just put a set of the D'Addario EJ-11's on tonight, so far they seem alright but I know with the D'Addarios you have to get over the inital 24 hours of extreme brightness before you can say for sure . I am missing the volume of the bronze phosphor strings though. IMHO the hummingbird is lacking a bit in the volume department. The bronze phosphor strings seem to help there, as they seem (at least to me) to be louder than the 80/20's. I had been using the Martin SPs for a while, and while I liked the deep boomy growl of the SPs lower strings, I found them to be a bit dark and muddy overall on the hummingbird. I tried a set of Gibson Masterbuilts, and they were OK, but to me they sounded an awful lot like the EJ-16's. That and the fact that they were so hard to find made me a little less enthused about them. I've tried the Elixers in the past, and didn't like them much (sounded a bit dead to me), but figured I'd give them another go on the hummingbird. I put a set on, and I broke the G the next day right at the tuner just like on my Yamaha and there's no burrs on either tuner shaft . So off they came. I usually end up going back to the old standby D'Addario EJ-16's, which are pretty good but lack the wound string growl of a good 80/20 string. Like I said I like the sound of the EJ-11's but they are quieter than the EJ-16's. Does any one make a set of strings that has the deep twangy growl of an 80/20 set, and the volume of a bronze phosphor set ? Oh yeah, and they have to last a long time... and be cheap... and readily available... and not break... and... yeah nevermind, I know it's probably too much to ask. Sorry for rambling so long. - Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerDugliness Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Does any one make a set of strings that has the deep twangy growl of an 80/20 set' date=' and the volume of a bronze phosphor set ? Oh yeah, and they have to last a long time... and be cheap... and readily available... and not break... and... yeah nevermind, I know it's probably too much to ask. Sorry for rambling so long. - Jay Jay, I don't have a HB, but I do have 14 guitars and I've settled on one brand of strings for all of them--Dean Markley Gold-Bronze Alchemy strings. They meet all of your criterion EXCEPT the "...and be cheap" one, but I do find them to be economical in the long run b/c they last practically FOREVER. I've never had a string break in all the years I've been using them and being retired I have time to play a LOT. They are expensive (between $10 and $13/set, depending on where you find them), but they hold not only their tone but also a tune for a long time, so in the end they come out ahead of the D'Addarios I had been using and replacing every month or so. I have one Washburn guitar with a set of DM Alchemy strings on it, going on 3 years now, and the tone is still as good as the ones I put on my other Washburns and my Epiphone Masterbilt just recently :D/ . Try a set, they have that great volume you get from the bronze-phosphors and the tone is absolutely fantastic, IMHO. I use them on my $4K Breedlove custom shop guit, even sent a set to Breedlove as they were making the guitar so that the nut could be slotted specifically for the strings. I predict you'll :- them--they'll "...tickle your innards"! Dugly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug music Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Jay' date=' I don't have a HB, but I do have 14 guitars and I've settled on one brand of strings for all of them--Dean Markley Gold-Bronze Alchemy strings. They meet all of your criterion EXCEPT the "...and be cheap" one, but I do find them to be economical in the long run b/c they last practically FOREVER. I've never had a string break in all the years I've been using them and being retired I have time to play a LOT. They are expensive (between $10 and $13/set, depending on where you find them), but they hold not only their tone but also a tune for a long time, so in the end they come out ahead of the D'Addarios I had been using and replacing every month or so. I have one Washburn guitar with a set of DM Alchemy strings on it, going on 3 years now, and the tone is still as good as the ones I put on my other Washburns and my Epiphone Masterbilt just recently :D/ . Try a set, they have that great volume you get from the bronze-phosphors and the tone is absolutely fantastic, IMHO. I use them on my $4K Breedlove custom shop guit, even sent a set to Breedlove as they were making the guitar so that the nut could be slotted specifically for the strings. I predict you'll them--they'll "...tickle your innards"! Dugly [/quote'] Wow ! Thanks man, I'm going to have to give those a try next ! I hadn't heard of those. Honestly, I don't mind paying a bit more if they last (being the cheapskate that I am) :) . Thanks again ! - Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuitarPlayer Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 Well I did look at the Shoreline Music site wbut unfortunately they don't ship to Canada. It's cool since I now have recommendations for the D'Addario EJ16s and Dean Markley Gold Bronze Alchemy strings which I am sure I can find at my local music store easily. I'm thinking the D'Addarios would be the least expensive of the two. Thanks for the recommendations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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