Michael Watts Acoustic Guitar Lesson: Why String Gauge Matters | ELIXIR Strings
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
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Have you ever wondered what effect your choice of string gauge has on the sound and playability of your acoustic guitar? In this video, award-winning acoustic guitarist Michael Watts compares three string gauges of Elixir Phosphor Bronze Strings on the same instrument to find out!
Using gauges 11-52 (custom light), 12-53 (light) and 13-56 (medium), Michael plays through a series of beautiful musical examples including singer-songwriter fingerstyle playing, strumming with a 1mm pick and fingerstyle in DADGAD tuning.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:51 Custom Light fingerstyle standard tuning
1:28 Custom Light strumming
2:17 Custom Light fingerstyle DADGAD
3:10 Custom Light Recap
3:22 Light fingerstyle standard tuning
4:23 Light strumming
5:14 Light fingerstyle DADGAD
6:12 Light Recap
6:49 Medium fingerstyle standard tuning
7:24 Medium strumming
8:11 Medium fingerstyle DADGAD
9:02 Medium Recap and Conclusion
There is a huge sonic range to explore among the custom light, light and medium gauge sets and we recommend listening on headphones to get the best of these detailed recordings.
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Custom light are my go to!
Another wonderful example of Michael’s playing playing a fantastic guitar with Elixir Strings & great Mic’s Love it.Thanks Michael
Thanks for watching, John
Wow. Micheal, that guitar just loves those 13/56 string guage. The quality of the projection was fantastic.
thanks for watching!
Wow with that guitar with mahogany from “The Tree” + the Medium Elixir is the best.
I just bought a yamaha acm5 which came with elixir 80/20 12-53. I replaced them with 11-52 and sure, it's easier to play, bend, vibrato... but somehow I feel like the magic is gone. They sound good but it's not the same. I think I will go back to 12-53 even if they are a little harder to play for me (mostly electric guitar player, 10-46 or 9-46 depending on the guitar).
Amazing guitar, wonderful demo of the strings, and I really enjoyed the 12 lights and mediums!
thanks for watching!
Gorgeous guitar. Strings are perusal Elixir sweetness. Consistent set to set. For me, the perfect strings. Nice job
Thanks for watching!
The right string guage to use depends mostly on what the guitar needs and partly on the player's style. I have an old Martin O21 which plays beautifully on 11s. My OM needs 12s to really project. An old Gibson acoustic archtop has 13s and an acoustic archtop by 'The Loar' needs 14s to bring out the sound properly.
I've been playing the same set of medium elixirs for so long that the only reason I'm considering replacing them is so I can thoroughly clean the fretts and fretboard. The neck is getting dirty. I always make sure my hands are clean too. Elixirs will get mottled but still perform. I never blame my strings for anything.
Really wish you had done these comparisons using an off the shelf guitar everyone is familiar with, like a like a $700 Yamaha or Taylor 314. Everything probably sounds good on his bespoke masterbuilt guitar. I
Thanks for the feedback, we appreciate it
He is such a great player he probably would sound good using rubber bands on a broomstick.
Did he say which set he thought sounded the best, or had the best feel? Maybe I missed it. He did say he uses 12-53. So do I, and have for years. I only wish I sounded like he does.
Hi Paul, Michael uses 12-53 also. Thanks for watching!
Advice:
Beginner no callouses
1970 Epiphone Hollow body large Dreadnaught
Soft sound not loud
Smooth not sharp
Almost nylon sound?
Thanks for suggestions
I guess I missed this because it came on Elixir's channel, not @Michael Watts, but it is interesting. I've been playing either 11s or 12s for ages and there really isn't that much difference, in my experience. Surprising Michael didn't go for the 10-47, as there are lots of tubers recommending this gauge. Tony Polecastro has a comparison, as does Rick Beato. The general conclusion is that thicker gauges are more punchy and louder, thinner are more resonant and softer. In passing, Elixirs are hard to beat if you have a fair number of guitars. You can put them on, leave a guitar in its case for weeks and they sound good as new. Equivalent non-coated strings die in the case unplayed. Ask me how I know ....
Thanks for watching, Robert.
Hello Michael, that's an unusual nut on your guitar, and the forth fret bending on the G string is really nice. Did you go out of tune at all?
Lovely playing. I've been playing D'Addario XS phosphor bronze D'Addarios since I got a free set after answering a questionnaire over a year ago. I keep buying them. £22 with postage from Strings Direct. Best regards. 🙃
Subtle differences - they all sound good, as I'm sure virtually any string would with you playing one of Jason's guitars. For years I played bluegrass gauge to get the brightness and flexibility of 12s on the top and the depth of mediums on the bottom end. Now you have me wondering if I should go further and use 11s for the treble, lights for the midrange and mediums for the low end!
thanks for watching, Stan!
wow that guitar sounds unbelievabel.. You are a great precise toneful player...What kind is it (I couldn't hear the builder's last name..I caught his first as Jason)? Year? Where is it made? Strange looking grooved/scalloped nut and saddle. Bone? German spruce top? Quilted Mahogany Back and sides? Scalloped bracing? Is it X bracing? If so, is it forward shifted, rear shifted, mid shifted?
Hello Bill- thanks for watching - that's my Modified Dreadnought made by Jason Kostal in Phoenix Arizona. It was made in 2010 when Jason was still an apprentice with Ervin Somogyi and it is made from Quilted Mahogany from The Tree and German Spruce. I hope that helps!
@@MichaelWatts Do you think the 80/20 has more bass and bottom end than P.B.? Which has the most resonance?
Hi I am new playing the guitar and have an Ibanez Acoustic Electric I have had this guitar for a long time probably close to 15 years and never changed the strings. I feel like its about time but still a beginner person. I feel like new strings will make it easier to play and more fun. I really need some guidance on gauge and type.
If you are playing this guitar regularly, you should be replacing the strings at least twice a year. When I’m trying to figure out what strings are perfect for a given guitar I always start with 12 gauge (light gauge) phosphor bronze. In your case coated strings like Elixers would be ideal since you probably don’t want to change them often. But cheaper uncoated strings will always give you better sound. They just don’t last as long.
@@nathanmiller9785 so two follow up questions. What would be the difference in the Elixir strings. I thought they were all coated. Also Ibenez says I have .10 gauge stock on the guitar. Will I notice a difference with .12? I never changed these strings ever cuz I never knew I needed to and the guitar has always stayed in tune. Thanks for all the help.
I would be surprised if your Ibanez came stock with 10s. is this an acoustic we are talking about here? they do make 10 gauge strings for acoustic but you are going to sacrifice so much volume and tone. if you want easy playing strings that you won't have to change for a long time buy some Phosphor Bronze Elixir 11s and put those on there, it'll treat you right. if you can handle a little more tension then put 12's on it for slightly better volume and tone.@@NormanRea
Our customer care team would be happy to provide you with help finding the best strings for your guitar - elixirstrings@wlgore.com
@@nathanmiller9785 Thank you for all your help I did end up picking up the 12 gauge that you recommend and strung my acoustic guitar for the first time. It went really well and I am very happy with the process and the recommendations. The only thing I did notice is that at times there seems to be a vibration in the low e string that I have haven't figured out why but everything tunes up great. Thanks for the help!
Comparison after every lick would be much more demonstrative.
Thanks for the feedback, we appreciate it