Six new phosphor bronze string sets to try on the D-55

dwasifar · Apr 24, 2024

dwasifar said:
I have an unverified suspicion that Darco are exactly the same as Martin SP.

I did just put a set of Darco 13s on the Taylor, and I could follow that up with Martin SP (of which I have many sets) and see how it seems. But it's so subjective.

I think at least 60% of perceived string differences are hoodoo; confirmation bias, you hear what you want to hear. It's hard to achieve anything resembling objectivity, when not only is every instrument different, but they can change day by day or even hour by hour with ambient conditions. And strings age. Sure, I can put on a set of SP after the Darcos come off, but unless I do that right now, while the Darcos are still new, it won't be a valid comparison; I'll be comparing old Darco to new SP, and of course they will sound different. This is why I tried to bring some blind-test methodology to this the last time I tried it, but in the end it's still subjective and variable. So I'll muddle along and hope for the best.

dwasifar · May 4, 2024

This does not have to do specifically with the strings I'm testing in this thread, but it's funny. My niece visited last weekend, and we played guitar together; I was playing the Guild and she the Taylor. After she went home I texted her: "Do you use hand cream?" "Yes I do use hand cream." "Thought so. Are you curious how I know?" "Yes." "I can feel it on the guitar strings."

She accused me of being on the spectrum for sensory hypersensitivity.

(In her defense, she is a special ed teacher and so she thinks that way.)

That is all, just a funny anecdote.

dwasifar · Monday at 9:36 PM

dwasifar said:
Organizing my string box, I came across some other sets of strings that I bought for the string shootout on the original (pre-warranty) D-55, and forgot about. So now the testing list grows from six to twelve. If I could figure out how to edit the thread title, I would change it to "~~Six~~ Twelve new phosphor bronze string sets to try on the D-55." Maybe a mod would like to help, hint hint. Until then, just imagine I did it.

The new additions, all made in USA, are:

D'Addario XT 12-53 (Yes, a coated string. The package is black-on-black because it's on the dark side. )

DR Veritas 12-54

GHS Americana 12-54

La Bella 12-52 (52???)

SIT Royal Bronze "Fusion Wound" 12-54

Webstrings "Portland Acoustic" 12-53

This should keep me busy for a while. I'll go in alpha order from this point, so the Adamas strings are next.

I decided to go in random order instead of alphabetical. I asked Alexa to pick a number from 1 to 11. She picked 9, so the John Pearse set goes on tonight.

The Galli strings were pretty nice, not transcendent, but generally good in all categories. Stayed nice-sounding for the duration. I would buy them again.

midnightright · Tuesday at 5:27 AM

I remember when I bought my first acoustic, a used D-25 at Guitar Center in '02. The Sales Guy, after doing a "Quick," ~maybe 3-step EVAL (right in front of my eyes). . . such as, "We want to check the bridge, & make sure that it is in contact with the body/top, and we can see that it is..." Anyway? After purchasing, he handed me the beat, but sweet unoriginal case (no idea what kind or style/type - but way different & I'm thinking road worthy). He also handed me a Damp-it, 'There's instructions.' (on how to use). . . & some Med. Elixirs~ "Here, these are the strings you'll need to use." And use them, I did. For nearly a dozen years or so, maybe? Can't remember exactly when I'd switched over to John Pearse Phosphor Bronze, but it was within the decade, for sure. Only other kinds I've tried are Martins--which I did not like. And D'darrio's - which I did. But did not like the way they were all intertwined & difficult to get just one out if you say, broke the G-string, which was always at that time, my main 'culprit!'

Been meaning to try some others, but these have (still) been working just fine~

GGJaguar · Tuesday at 6:34 AM

dwasifar said:
The Galli strings were pretty nice, not transcendent, but generally good in all categories. Stayed nice-sounding for the duration. I would buy them again.

I hope that bodes will for the Galli flatwounds I have in the queue for the acoustic archtops.

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 9:09 AM

dwasifar said:
I've always liked La Bella too, but that 52 gauge low E worries me a bit.

I have an unverified suspicion that Darco are exactly the same as Martin SP. The gauges and tensions are identical, they're both made by Martin in their Mexico factory. But I cannot prove this, and naturally Martin is mum on the point.

Currently I have the Gallistrings set on, and they are good, but not exceptional.

I find the .52 E a perfect gauge, and you can always touch up the Truss rod a bit to give a bit more relief.

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 9:11 AM

I just put a set of Martin Originals, .11-.52 on the F30R. They are a good match, surprisingly. and so easy to play. However, real dull, these strings. They are like the monels but dead right out of the package. I have Elixir nano 80/20s on the Br, light gauge, and I think I am starting to really like those. Maybe I have found a string? Oh, I think we know that is a snipe hunt....

portsider · Tuesday at 11:22 AM

dwasifar said:
I've always liked La Bella too, but that 52 gauge low E worries me a bit.

I have an unverified suspicion that Darco are exactly the same as Martin SP. The gauges and tensions are identical, they're both made by Martin in their Mexico factory. But I cannot prove this, and naturally Martin is mum on the point.

Currently I have the Gallistrings set on, and they are good, but not exceptional.

In the mid 70s I used Darcos on my F412 (god I wish I'd kept it!!!). They were perfect on that guitar. Then they disappeared for a long time and I moved on to Earthwood lights.

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 11:30 AM

portsider said:
In the mid 70s I used Darcos on my F412 (god I wish I'd kept it!!!). They were perfect on that guitar. Then they disappeared for a long time and I moved on to Earthwood lights.

So Darco is not a new string? How interesting. Are they made by Martin or were they then, or were they on their own?

dwasifar · Tuesday at 12:19 PM

Westerly Wood said:
So Darco is not a new string? How interesting. Are they made by Martin or were they then, or were they on their own?

It's a little convoluted. C. D'Addario & Son existed as a brand for classical strings, and then another member of the D'Addario family started Archaic Musical String Manufacturing to make electric guitar strings. Later the two companies merged as Darco (D'Addario Archaic Co) and developed a close relationship with Martin. Eventually Martin became the owner of the Darco brand and D'Addario continued independently as J. D'Addario & Company.

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 12:21 PM

dwasifar said:
It's a little convoluted. C. D'Addario & Son existed as a brand for classical strings, and then another member of the D'Addario family started Archaic Musical String Manufacturing to make electric guitar strings. Eventually the two companies merged as Darco (D'Addario Archaic Co) and developed a close relationship with Martin. Eventually Martin became the owner of the Darco brand and D'Addario continued independently as J. D'Addario & Company.

wow! mind totally blown! all I knew about strings till now has been a lie.

GGJaguar · Tuesday at 12:29 PM

dwasifar said:
It's a little convoluted.

Yes, but we love factoids and trivia like that!

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 12:44 PM

It makes me want to buy Darcos. Maybe that was my string all along.

well..................

You realize if I do one day commit to one string brand, string mfgs around the world will weep due to lost revenue stream...

dwasifar · Tuesday at 2:22 PM

Westerly Wood said:
It makes me want to buy Darcos. Maybe that was my string all along.

I have Darco 13s on the Taylor now, and they're perfectly fine. Quite nice in fact. Better than you'd think for a budget string. As I said earlier, I suspect they're the same as Martin SP.

Westerly Wood · Tuesday at 2:48 PM

dwasifar said:
I have Darco 13s on the Taylor now, and they're perfectly fine. Quite nice in fact. Better than you'd think for a budget string. As I said earlier, I suspect they're the same as Martin SP.

totally going to get a set off amazon, at 4.99 shipped, worth a shot

dwasifar · Tuesday at 3:24 PM

Westerly Wood said:
totally going to get a set off amazon, at 4.99 shipped, worth a shot

I sometimes rely on Darco to top off an order from S&B or wherever, to reach the free shipping threshold.

dwasifar · Tuesday at 11:04 PM

Well, I've had a day with the John Pearse set. I really want to like them because so many of you guys swear by them. But, same as each time I have tried them before, I remain unwowed. They just seem a little, I don't know, lifeless, like they're half-worn-out already. They sound broken in, but my experience is that strings that sound broken in immediately sound broken down in a couple of weeks. They're plenty loud, and the tonal balance is good, but a little dull-sounding and dull-feeling.

I'm wondering if this could be the result of Pearse being one of the last holdouts of old-school non-sealed packaging. Maybe they aged in the package. I have no way of knowing how long they've been sitting at the warehouse.

I'll give them a few days and see if they grow on me.

chazmo · Wednesday at 7:28 AM

Interesting! Those JPs are my goto strings on most of my 12s. I have 6 sets in my string drawer waiting their turn to relieve the groty strings in the rotation. I think they're all pre-COVID so they've been stored for a while. I think I'll put a set on my Taylor later, which I think has D'Addario 80/20s on it. The Taylor is a pretty quiet beast to begin with, so I'm not sure if I'll notice any long storage issues until I get a new set on one of my Guild boomers!

Cool that you keep hunting through these brands for the sound you like, dwasifar. That's always fun.

dwasifar · 2024-05-17T17:25:06-0400

Guys, I'm just not feeling it with the John Pearse strings. Maybe they're just wrong for this instrument. But now the tone balance is veering off too. They're coming off this weekend. Alexa picked number 6 when asked for a random number, so that will be the GHS Phosphor Bronze set.

GGJaguar · 2024-05-17T17:50:04-0400

dwasifar said:
I'm just not feeling it with the John Pearse strings.

Ya can't like 'em all. I know I don't*.

*I do like the JP's though.

Six new phosphor bronze string sets to try on the D-55

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