All Acoustic Strings Explained | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 49 | Thomann
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- čas přidán 19. 07. 2024
- Which strings should I get? How does bronze and phosphor bronze compare?
What's up with 80/20 and 85/15 bronze strings? What are the pros and cons of coated strings?
What if I'm allergic to most metal?
Get all your answers from Kris in this Guitar Tech Tips video! Enjoy!
All electric guitar strings explained: • All Electric Guitar St...
Gear used: tho.mn/g5d94
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our cameras, lights and mics: tho.mn/triad
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Bronze strings
1:24 Vintage bronze strings
1:53 Phosphor bronze
2:27 Coated strings | first Elixir...
3:14 ...then D'Addario XT
3:42 Advanced strings | first nickel-bronze...
4:23 ...then Paradigm
4:58 Round core strings
5:56 Silk & Steel strings
6:33 Gold strings
7:02 String gauges
7:45 STRING COMPARISON
9:00 Outtakes
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D'Addario Nickel Bronze Light Gauge are a safe string for any guitar. Every axe has its ideal string set, yet after 30 years of changing string I found these to be a great set for any newly acquired guitar.
Looking for differences makes my head hurt so I'll just appreciate how much you've paid for strings to make this episode
I played an Epiphone Acoustic Dreadnought in store that had Flat wound strings and immediately loved the warmth and deep sound it produced. I bought one got it home and surprise, no flat wound strings. Had to special order them and they were pricey. I didn't care however I wanted that sound. Different type strings can make such a huge difference to your sound. That's why you to know what is you are after. Videos like this help because you can hear the different sounds. My personal taste leans toward a booming bass sound of an acoustic. A full rich sound as opposed to a thin sounding Guitar which doesn't project far or sustain well. So I tend toward a larger gauge string as well to achieve the overall sound I love. Good video.
I liked phosphor bronze the best, sounded warmest. That must have been crazy changing the strings so many times to make this video!
Hey, thanks! Yeah it was "fun" changing strings so many times. But hey, it's all for education so it makes a lot of sense. :) //Kris
Elixer coated acoustic guitar strings corrode green ! Caveat Emptor.. There’s nothing like trying stuff yourself and learning from your own experiences
Best acoustic string comparison video
Perfect way to compare strings! Thank you for the work you're doing!
The one thing that always annoys me about acoustic guitars, you buy one because you like the way it sounds and as soon as you change the strings it sounds different!
That’s any instrument dude just some more than others.. The only constant in life is that nothing stays the same!
Also Jeff, if you change the brand of strings or gauge to a different set, there may be set up differences to contend with as well. If you are really interested in a specific guitar, and it’s not nearly a budget or beginner model, pay to have the strings that you want put on the guitar as a condition of sale, and then if you don’t like it, you can always decline; a retailer with nothing to hide I’m sure can manage to help you out with that. Good luck!
I don't play acoustic much, but I like the tone of phosphor bronze for how dark it sounds. I also wanna see you guys cover tuners, the kinds of tuners and function of each kind of tuner.
Excellent comparison!
Awesome video! Thank you so much for putting this out there. I struggle with a bit of arthritis (old guy here) and been considering round core strings for less tension but I always thought they would sound dull and flat compared to hex core. I heard no difference between any of them and if any, very slight.
oh man i was so wishing you had the ernie Aluminum bronze. it was a very insightful video, thanks
Great video and thank you for taking the time to show all of these different strings. I believe that there is an optimal set of strings for each guitar. I’ve put strings that I really like such as D’addario EJ16s, Nickel Bronze, Martin Retros, etc. on the same guitar and they all sound different with some sounding better than others on it. Nano Elixirs may sound great on a spruce top dreadnought but not so good on a mahogany top smaller guitar.I’ve learned that you really have to experiment to see which sound best on each guitar and it doesn’t matter if you pay $6 or $16 on a set for them to sound best on a particular guitar.
Kris,
Always great to see you my friend. Your show was as always extremely informative. I do not care for acoustic guitars at all for varying reasons referring to sound but now after your show I am thinking twice. I do like the acoustasonic variation as well. Best of both worlds. Another fantastic show. Thanks Kris.
Thank you Joseph!! I love how acoustic guitars makes me focus on the essentials of playing the guitar. It's refreshing to be "forced" to play less and concentrate on the details of playing and on the rhythm more than on electrics. Cheers //Kris
@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses
Kris,
Yes I definitely agree but the farthest I will go is probably a acoustasonic type guitar. You can switch back and forth although Taylor makes an amazing acoustic. Lol
I like Martin Retro' 11's or 12's on my acoustic they really sing... I like Martin Magnifico's HT's on my classical, the top three are carbon and thinner than usual strings but they ring like a bell.
Man I have been playing for like 10 years and I really tried here, but I honestly can't hear the differences at all.
Hey, the differences felt bigger in the room, which is interesting. Some tonal differences just don't come through a recording apparently. I can still hear how the Elixirs and the gold strings have a very different top end but yeah, the rest sounds surprisingly similar. Cheers //Kris
I hate changing strings! So I really appreciate this video! Now, I could barely notice a difference in sound. I wonder what the verdict would be when evaluating durability vs price vs sound... are the more expensive ones worth it?
Hey Kris .. gr8 content .. concise & precise .. Can you tell us sometime , please Why did manufacturers change to compensated Bridges ? . I was forced to become my own Guitar Tech' Late in life .. I trusted my Takamine G series to a local Luthier when the top corner of the original Bone Nut ( low E string ) broke off after a ferocious Ragasuendo ending on my part . What I got back was not the original saddle ( plus Piezo pk/up not working ) & a new Bone nut which had the notch for the 'B ' string cut too deeply .. & so started my long search for How & why to fix things on my own . Thank God for U tube etc .. But since the guitar was already 2nd hand when I bought it & is now at least 30 years old .. The reply from Takamine when I asked for replacement parts for a G series that old was " Well good Luck with that " they recommended I buy a new Guitar . In the early 1990's when I bought it as I said it was 2nd Hand & it cost me £200 .. Since then I have tried many guitars some beyond my Budget & some just nowhere near as wonderful as my old Takamine . One Luthier who wanted to charge me about £ 200 or more to fit a new bridge & saddle & new nut & new more modern electronics also offered to sell me a Solid top Guitar by a well known name which at £499 he assured me in 30 years would sound just as good as my old guitar just laughed when I told him in 30 years time I would be over 90 years old & probably not still playing as much . Since then & last count I have 26 ( to 32 ) Guitars & Bass .. from Old epiphone Casino to Gibson D.C re - issue 2008 or 20012 ? about a dozen guitars that will not stay in tune from one end of the neck to the other & a couple of Gem's where I got Lucky . But all of the guitars need some work & I find that with new guitars even fitted with strings as recommended by manufacturer still suffer this problem . Segovia said " Tuning " a guitar is always a compromise .. & I have heard that some guitarists use different guitars for different projects ? But with only my small pension to purchase with I have been trying to learn how to mix & match trying to get a really nice playable guitar . & I am left with the feeling that unless I invest in a Jazz guitar with the ability to tune it at the bridge .. expensive .. I will be stuck I even ( B4 Covid ) tried really expensive guitars in shops & found the same problem . It seems like anything under a few £ thousand or more is just getting lucky & the last three guitars I bought online new from respected Manufactures have been really poor in comparison to my old Takamine .. Even to set up as a luthier is too expensive .. So thanks for the tips & perhaps when this Pandemic is over I will be able to try B4 I buy .. all the best to all at Thomann .. I wish I could visit . Stay safe & keep on doing what you are doing I have learned a lot & I guess it's all part of the Journey .. Lol bye
THANK YOU!!!!
Kris .. slightly off topic but ..
what about as part of the hit the tone series you or G do some videos on delays reverbs and modulation for people who might still be struggling .. not found a chorus sound I like even though I love chorus! Mmmm
Thanks
Stay well
Is there a same sort of video for acoustic bass strings? I recently bought a Fender acoustic bass at Thomann and thinking about changing the bronze strings to coated strings or flatwounds.
COOL !!!
I was surprised how little difference there was between the various sets. This guitar sounded too mellow and didn’t really sound like many expensive guitars sound. I hate say it, but this guitar sounded cheap (even though it probably wasn’t!).
I play since 50 years but lately my skin seems to develope a corroding element. I get dark stains on left and right hand when playing 2 or 3 hours. I hoped to remedy that with Elixir but to no avail. I will try Optima as next. Funny this happens only on my acoustics not on the electric.
Very interesting. I get the feeling that all recordings were tweaked for approximately equal volume. In particular, the silk and steel seemed much louder that i expected. Is that true or were all recordings done with the same eq / gain / mic placement set ups?
I mix and edit all the Guitar Tech Tips episodes and I made sure all the recordings in this video (all the different strings) get the same audio treatment. Same volume, same EQ, same everything. I basically used a subtle plate reverb and a low cut on the guitar track and I mixed a little of the piezo pickup's signal under the condenser mic's signal. That's it really. I was surprised how small the differences are in the finished video to be honest. Whilst playing those tonal differences felt way bigger. Interesting, isn't it? I guess some details just don't record really well and those will be more relevant to the player than to the audience. Cheers! //Kris
Is there a recommendation for a beginner guitarist? This video helps but there’s still a lot of confusion. Thanks
is it just a tribute?
Save a cat go with metallic strings. Or nylon mmm that smooth synthetic string sound of petrochemicals.
Idk why but a lot of these sound the same to me lol
Do you guys know what strings Ed Sheeran use?
I've heard something about him using Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 bronze 12-53 strings. Not sure if that's correct though. Cheers //Kris
@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses thanks mate!
Gold string, bright but not harsh! Why my ears choose the thing my wallet doesn't like 😂
haha! I know what you're talking about. I also often have the same ears vs wallet issue. :) //Kris
nie słychać różnicy :)
Good coverage of different makes but they all sounded the same so nothing gained
a cable's comparison on basses could be well. The low end disapears on cheap cables compared to high end cables. Btw the cable comparison you have on this channel is very bad. You should delete it.
The sounded all the same. And all sounded bad
guitar sounded small and tinneee.....ahhh the gs mini...cmon use a real guitar...
Can't hear no real différence.
Can't no, so you do.
there was no real difference..this guitar the gs mini wont sound much different
Don't do the fashionable but annoying side views.
No, it's not 'creative', just annoying and pointless. And imitation.