BEST STRINGS FOR D25

[Tony Burns]

On my '79 D-25CH ,I have Dadarrio EXP's lights in 80/20 -i like its sound alot - it has that wonderful woody sound , but it wont be a s bright as your D-50 ( i have a '71 D-55 ) im going to try elixar nano-webs ( 80/20's ) next - but i really like the EXP's 80/20's lights .

 

[spiderman]

Doc
I find it interesting that you use a reversed Bluegrass setup (heavy trebles, light bass) I may have to give that a try, sounds interesting. Any method to your madness, or just trial and error.
Spider

Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired)
Alvarez AC60S 2008
Eastman AC320ce 2008 BOOKMATCHING BOOKMATCHING WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BOOKMATCHING!
http://www.massstreetmusic.com/store/sh ... id-Cutaway
GAD-JF30E(blonde) 2008
JF55 1997
D25M 1974

 

[Bikerdoc]

Doc
I find it interesting that you use a reversed Bluegrass setup (heavy trebles, light bass) I may have to give that a try, sounds interesting. Any method to your madness, or just trial and error.
Spider

How about madness to my method? :lol: Mostly I don't know what the heck I'm doing but I figure a HOG deserves to be as soothing as the wood allows. The lighter bass doesn't detract from the mellow tone of the wood whereas, to me, lighter trebles (in my not so knowlegeable opinion) just mess with the sound of the wood, i.e., inconsistent and harsh. I think the "reversed" Bluegrass setup is a good balance between bass and treble so that when the strum is followed through, it's as if you've "eased" into the end of the chord. I wish I could explain better what I hear.

For the record. I haven't done this setup on the guitar I got from Joe. I'm afraid to lose the pleasant tone it already has but when it comes time for new strings I will. I'm not sure why my D15M isn't as mellow with all light gauge but it made a difference when I went to that reverse setup, just as it did with my J40.

BTW, I didn't know that a "Bluegrass" setup even existed. I just thought a bluegrass musician used all medium gauge. Mmmm, good bit of knowledge to have. Thanks. Now, can someone tell me what they hear when it comes to the wood variations in the neck?

Peace

 

[spiderman]

Doc
Thanks, your reasoning definitely makes sense. I ordered some single strings (Strings and Beyond), all D'Ad, to make a set of "reverse bluegrass", when it comes to a string change on the D25M I'll try them.
Don't think I could hear differences in neck wood, anymore than I could hear differences in bridge pins.
Spider

 

[adorshki]

Now, can someone tell me what they hear when it comes to the wood variations in the neck?
Peace

That's a great question, because I remember once distinctly feeling the neck vibrating sympathetically with the body on my D25, Mahogany neck and sides. While it was happening I was thinking that maybe the neck was helping drive the top in a feedback loop. I've never really noticed it in the F65 which has a maple neck and sides for example. But your question made me think maybe it's really the fretboard since it's in direct contact with the top, and they're typically made of rosewood or ebony. D25 is rosewood for example, but F65 is ebony and I've never noticed any of that sympathetic vibration like I did on the '25. I'm guessing that any real vibration in the neck itself would normally be soaked up by the heelblock.
I think it was over on the archtop forum some guys were discussing solid vs laminated tops and as they compared the issues to solid-bodies somebody mentioned he thought there was a lot more influence on the tone from the neck/fretboard on solidbodies than from the body wood itself.
I like to play the '25 right over the frets between the soundhole and the edge of the upper bout because there's a distinctively woody timbre spot right there. Try it on yours!