Best Acoustic Guitar Strings for Recording

[jaguarsg]

i just purchased an old 70s Gibson Dove copy. i'm just wondering what acoustic guitar strings people prefer for recording.

[Brad McGowan]

I know it's kind of guitar dependant, but I prefer the DR Phosphor Bronze. I've tried D'Addarrio, Gibson, Elixirs and keep coming back to the DR's. That reminds me--I have some Martin strings I have yet to try.

Brad

[kafka]

I really like John Pearse Silk & Phosphors.

[mds]

I dig Pearse strings as well...

[Old Goat]

I've used Martins for years, but I just put on a set of Elixirs (I had a coupon), and I'm pretty impressed both by the sound and playability.

[Unclenny]

I don't like to make string changes specifically for recording. It has taken too long for me to settle in to the strings that work......and if it works live I need to keep it the same in the studio.

[Protools Guy]

dean markley alchemy

[sethmeister]

I'll third the Pearse. My favorite!

[Classic]

Elixir Nanowebs

[vernier]

Gibson and Martin mediums.

[wabisabi]

The ones I liked best so far for my Lakewood and Collings, have been DR Pre Alloy. Really nice tone from the start, I really like the sound of these when they are quite new, that means I normally change them after 2 full days of recording.

[chrisgraff]

Not Elixirs. Unless you like the sound of plastic.

[xcycle]

Depends on what your style of playing will be and the inherit sound of your guitar.

I sometimes use some of the the Wes Montgomery octave style in my lead playing and regular wound strings squeak like a rusty gate. I'll go for Elixers if I need some brightness (they even feel slippery) or if I don't need much brilliance I'll use D'Addario flat wounds, they don't squeak at all and feel amazing.

If you play lead or bend strings a lot use a lower tension string like the D'Addario Steel wounds ususally reserved for electrics. I use 12-46 guage. They are quite a bit looser feeling than Phosphor Bronze sets of the same guage. I think the core is a bit smaller with a slightly heavier wrap. Got this tip from Tom Bresh the Merle Travis guy. They really sound good for some stuff.

Phosphor Bronze are slightly darker sounding than 80/20 bronze which are really bright.

Cheers,
Eric

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by kafka

I really like John Pearse Silk & Phosphors.

something new? I have to try them

I like Martin Silk and Steel. Very smooth

[Chunky But Funky]

D'Addario phospher / bronze mediums (EJ 17's) on both of my Bourgeois' here (Vintage D and Slope D). The EXP's coated ones are not my preference.

Doug

[3waytie4last]

If you want "best", try Thomastik-Infeld.

[BudgetMC]

Originally Posted by Chunky But Funky

D'Addario phospher / bronze mediums (EJ 17's) on both of my Bourgeois' here (Vintage D and Slope D). The EXP's coated ones are not my preference.

Doug

What he said.

[big country]

Originally Posted by Brad McGowan

I know it's kind of guitar dependant, but I prefer the DR Phosphor Bronze. I've tried D'Addarrio, Gibson, Elixirs and keep coming back to the DR's. That reminds me--I have some Martin strings I have yet to try.

Brad

I have yet to try any other string besides Martin DR phospher bronze

no reason to...

BTW don't forget to stretch your strings right after you put them on
putting a fresh set on before recording ahhhh. a must I tell ya
strings don't last long if your going for the full sound of the instrument.

[rockstar_josh]

I like GHS phosphor bronze. The last set of Martin strings I had were made newly made in Mexico and I hated them. The Elixirs are killer, but they're so brilliant that it almost seems like cheating!

[vernier]

Btw, extremely old strings can sound wonderful on guitar and bass. Depends what you're after.

[flail19]

Originally Posted by chrisgraff

Not Elixirs. Unless you like the sound of plastic.

What? Are you crazy? Entitled to your opinion but crazy....

+1 Elixir Nanowebs

[Al Rogers]

Brand new phosphor bronze strings. Any good brand. Change them as soon as they start to go dead (a couple hours of playing for me).

By the way, there are only a small handful of string manufacturers and they make all the brands of strings that are out there. The strings are branded and marketed by different companies.

-Al

[mds]

...though often to different specifications set by the different manufacturers...

[dualtone]

Anything but new ones.

[xcycle]

Originally Posted by chrisgraff

Not Elixirs. Unless you like the sound of plastic.

Ok...? This doesn't sound plastic to me. Maybe I'm biased...but

WWW.myspace.com/jazzkick4u

Click on the track called "Sweet Evening Cafe". Huss&Dalton Dread with Nanowebs. My Song, My guitar, my playing so I know its true.

Cheers,
Eric

[dfarness]

I have an Epiphone Dove that sounds killer with the Elixir Bronze.

[ddp]

I've heard lots of the different brands are coming out of the same factories in China now.

Would not surprise me if this was true.

[djwayne]

I use D'Addarrio EXP's exclusively on all my guitars.

[big country]

1bigcountry's SoundClick page

fresh set O martin SP

[HeavyG]

...I have put just about every type of string on my Epi (AJ200...looking to buy the SJ200 with the sweet mustache bridge)....right now I have Martin Silk and Steel and they sound pretty darned good. I tried DR...didn't like them. LOVED ELIXIR NANOWEBS, too...I think I put too heavy of a gauge on (my fingers were not happy with those)...but man did they sound good. Going to buy some Elixirs in a lighter gauge...expensive, though. Sheesh...$14 for one set of strings?

+1 for Elixir. I just got a BreedLove AD25RS Atlas Plus...and I put both Elixir Nanowebs and their Phospur Bronze Nanowebs. I liked them both...I am on a mission for the best tone...but these are the best I have tried so far. They sounded good on my Epi...they sound even better on my BreedLove.