What's Your String of Choice?

[Wellington]

Just wondering what your preferred strings are, particularly for your Guilds and what model it is.
My D40 Traditional is a year old now, I've been trying different strings on it to find what I prefer. So far, overall I order 80/20 for finger picking purposes; adding some clarity. For strumming I prefer PB, but I finger pick half the time and strum the other half. I have a Yamaha LL16 that is fantastic for finger picking but I want to be playing my Guild so I do it all on it usually.

I don't know if it's the slightly longer scale, but I feel the strings have a little more tension then my other guitars, so I'm going to be trying DR Sunbeams round core.

So far on the D40T I've tried:
Daddario EJ16 80/20
Daddario EJ16 PB
Daddario EXP 16 PB
Earnie Ball Earthwood 80/20
Earnie Ball Earthwood PB
Earnie Ball Paradigm PB
Earnie Ball Aluminum Bronze
John Pearse 80/20
John Pearse PB
Martin Monel

The only strings I really disliked were the Monels and Aluminum Bronze but I'm going to try the Monels again even though I hate themon my other guitar as well. Mostly custom light guage sometimes light.

 

[donnylang]

I don’t know about current Guilds, but DR Hi-Beams are what I landed on for vintage old school Guilds. I think they are more lively and musically responsive than other strings.

 

[adorshki]

Me pretty much an EJ-16 purist, standing joke for a while, although F65ce requires EJ15 .010's and I've experimented with silk and steel on that one, (strung with 'em right now), even considering it on my 2 dreads, one at a time.

A very sweet bell-like tone on the maple F65ce, but suspect they'll do something enjoyable on the 2 'hog dreads too.

Was originally looking to try to tame the maple zing on the F65ce, and even though I was a "standard tuning purist" I did even tune down a whole step. I liked it. A lot more wood in the tone.

Can't imagine the D25 getting much woodier'n she already is, but WTH, why not?

 

[Treem]

Optima Gold Acoustic Strings .013-.057 on my DV72.

 

[walrus]

https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/the-absolutely-positively-last-string-thread.195557/

walrus

 

[geoguy]

Usually D'Addario EXP16 (light gauge, coated, PB)

 

[Westerly Wood]

I got DR Rares on both my Guild acoustics, they are louder sounding than EJ16s. I also like the .54 E string. I also always a fan of EJ16s, cannot really go wrong with them, but they are a tad loose tension wise for me. Based on Danny's consistent review re DR HI-Beams (80/20s), I think I will give those a try too.

There is hardly a brighter string than John Pearse 80/20. They are pretty sweet. I just find most 80/20 uncoated strings go dead fast, and not for trying, I cannot seem to adopt coated strings. ymmv...re strings, EMWV (everyone's mileage will vary). Still, not sure why so many dislike Budweiser.

 

[twocorgis]

I go around and around with strings, but always seem to come back to EJ16s. It helps that D'Addario is a great family run local company to me, that also treats their employees like family, and their customer service is exemplary as well. Companies like that are always a great place to spend your money. I do also like GHS Phosphor Bronze and John Pearse Phosphor Bronze on occasion as well, both in light gauge.

 

[Westerly Wood]

The other pet peeve I have re D'As in general is the alloy seems to bleed off onto my finger pads more than other brands. I am not sure the reason. The strings are rather oily. Maybe it's the finishing process they use, I have no idea. It's as annoying as the Elixir string shedding phenomenon, the strings just look diseased after some moderate play.

 

[GGJaguar]

D'Addario or John Pearse PB for my F-40 and D-55 (and non-Guild rosewood acoustics)
Martin Retro (monel) for all my mahogany 12-fretters (non-Guild)

 

[walrus]

Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze, .11 - .52.

walrus

 

[Brad Little]

Like Sandy, I've tried a number of different strings, until recently always came back to EJ16s, but after putting a set of DR Sunbeams on one of my guitars, I may have a new go to string, great sound.

 

[mclkar54]

Just wondering what your preferred strings are, particularly for your Guilds and what model it is.
My D40 Traditional is a year old now, I've been trying different strings on it to find what I prefer. So far, overall I order 80/20 for finger picking purposes; adding some clarity. For strumming I prefer PB, but I finger pick half the time and strum the other half. I have a Yamaha LL16 that is fantastic for finger picking but I want to be playing my Guild so I do it all on it usually.

I don't know if it's the slightly longer scale, but I feel the strings have a little more tension then my other guitars, so I'm going to be trying DR Sunbeams round core.

So far on the D40T I've tried:
Daddario EJ16 80/20
Daddario EJ16 PB
Daddario EXP 16 PB
Earnie Ball Earthwood 80/20
Earnie Ball Earthwood PB
Earnie Ball Paradigm PB
Earnie Ball Aluminum Bronze
John Pearse 80/20
John Pearse PB
Martin Monel

The only strings I really disliked were the Monels and Aluminum Bronze but I'm going to try the Monels again even though I hate themon my other guitar as well. Mostly custom light guage sometimes light.

try DR sunbeams in 11,s or 12,s...I use martin retro monels on my walnut and maple bodied guitars both 6 and 12 strings. on the mahogony , and rosewood bodied guitars, the DR ,s really bring out the guitars voice. However all but one of my guitars are all jumbo body guitars. i have one dread and a breedlove concerto, body. Give the DR sunbeams a try. Dr doesnt have sunbeams for 12 strings ,That would be DR rares ... also ,sunbeams are round ,not hex core

 

[fronobulax]

Still, not sure why so many dislike Budweiser.

Have you ever tasted it?

 

[Westerly Wood]

Have you ever tasted it?

Frono's to Budweiser is like me to Mick jagger.

lol

 

[Westerly Wood]

Have you ever tasted it?

Last night I was ruminating how much I like the Beechwood aged taste Fro...
There must be some sort of Bud forum I can join.
Like a Guild/Budweiser forum.

GAD...can we add a cold beer advocate section to the LTG?

Or maybe a section called How can we save Westerly Wood from Budweiser?

 

[tommym]

I use Elixir PB Nano Lights on everything. Yeah, they have issues with the coating, but I only seem to have issues with the third string on the treble side. I will be trying a set of D'Addario XS PB Lights to see how they compare to the Elixir Nanos.

Tommy

 

[Pike]

John Pearce phosphor bronze, lights or mediums depending. EJ16’s. Molson ale in my long past drinking days.

 

[Doons]

Martin Eric Clapton's, phosphor Bronze.

 

[HeyMikey]

I like the D’addario lights and their hybrid med/light bluegrass these days. Some guitars seem to like the PBs others the 80/20s.

I tried mediums for the increased tension on the guitars I tune down but they were too painful. The bluegrass for me seem to be a better fit on those guitars.