Andy Hiwatt
Member
Lately I 've been playing my 1982 D25 a lot , both in live gigs and when I'm practicing home.
I find the D25 meaty neck and wide fretboard so much more comfortable than my D50, but of course the tone is dramatically different being made of mahogany back and sides and a rosewood fretboard compared to the rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard of the D50.
I love the sound projection that the arched back gives to the D25, but sometimes for my ears the general tone of the D25 is a little bit "thin" and a bit trebly ( especially the E-and B strings, the bass strings are ok to me ,very deep sounding) compared to the D50. I know that it's an impossible comparison between different tone woods, but I'm wondering if changing and experimenting with strings and gauges could improve the tone of the D25,making it a little bit warmer, less trebly and with more "body".
Currently the D25 is strung with D'Addario 12-54 EJ39 Phosphor Bronze strings, I also tried the lighter 11-53 EJ16 , then tried Martin SP and Marquis 12-54 ,but even switching back and forth these 2 brands I didn't notice much tone difference.
I also tried some bronze wound strings but the feeling wasn't very good for my fingers and it looked like they were deadening the tone,I could hear the treble strings no more very clearly.
I'd like to avoid using a gauge thicker than 12-54, because the action is already a bit stiff for my taste using 12-54, and I'd like to keep the guitar comfortably playable.
Please if you have any suggestion or have been through the same problem let me know.
I find the D25 meaty neck and wide fretboard so much more comfortable than my D50, but of course the tone is dramatically different being made of mahogany back and sides and a rosewood fretboard compared to the rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard of the D50.
I love the sound projection that the arched back gives to the D25, but sometimes for my ears the general tone of the D25 is a little bit "thin" and a bit trebly ( especially the E-and B strings, the bass strings are ok to me ,very deep sounding) compared to the D50. I know that it's an impossible comparison between different tone woods, but I'm wondering if changing and experimenting with strings and gauges could improve the tone of the D25,making it a little bit warmer, less trebly and with more "body".
Currently the D25 is strung with D'Addario 12-54 EJ39 Phosphor Bronze strings, I also tried the lighter 11-53 EJ16 , then tried Martin SP and Marquis 12-54 ,but even switching back and forth these 2 brands I didn't notice much tone difference.
I also tried some bronze wound strings but the feeling wasn't very good for my fingers and it looked like they were deadening the tone,I could hear the treble strings no more very clearly.
I'd like to avoid using a gauge thicker than 12-54, because the action is already a bit stiff for my taste using 12-54, and I'd like to keep the guitar comfortably playable.
Please if you have any suggestion or have been through the same problem let me know.
