A String Question

[William2]

I use D'Addario XS phosphor bronze strings on my guitars. D'Addario has the same set but labeled 80/20. What is this 80/20 all about and do they sound better? They cost $2 more but if it is worth it, that's no big deal.

[Silence Dogood]

I don't know what makes a string 80/20 but I know every time I put them on my guitar it sounds awful.  They are very dull-sounding to me. And they even feel different under my fingers.  Not as slick or smooth.  I'm not a fan. 

[Queequeg]

I use D'Addario XS phosphor bronze strings on my guitars. D'Addario has the same set but labeled 80/20. What is this 80/20 all about and do they sound better? They cost $2 more but if it is worth it, that's no big deal.

I don't know what makes a string 80/20 but I know every time I put them on my guitar it sounds awful.  They are very dull-sounding to me. And they even feel different under my fingers.  Not as slick or smooth.  I'm not a fan. 

It's the alloy mix. 80% copper/20% zinc.
Phosphor Bronze is 92% copper 8% tin alloy.
Silence Dogood-Actually, they are generally considered to be brighter than phosphor bronze.
I can't account for your experience finding them dull. Perhaps they were real old or coated or... I just don't know.

[Silence Dogood]

It's the alloy mix. 80% copper/20% zinc.
Phosphor Bronze is 92% copper 8% tin alloy.
Silence Dogood-Actually, they are generally considered to be brighter than phosphor bronze.
I can't account for your experience finding them dull. Perhaps they were real old or coated or... I just don't know.

Ive tried several sets over the years and they always sound duller to me.  Maybe it's just that my guitar doesn't like them.  It doesn't like old strings either.  It will not stay in tune when the strings get old.  Very odd!  I had an old cheap guitar that never acted like this.

[William2]

Thanks for your description of the 80/20 blend. I want to compare my new Larrivee D-40 with my D-40RW. And I want to get two sets of the same strings. Dave at Woodstock Music School put a new set of D'Addario EJ16 on the D-40. I like the strings, but they aren't as quiet as the XS I have on my D-40RW. I don't know if it is my imagination, but it seems easier to play the D-40 as far as pressing down and holding chords than on the D-40RW. The action looks the same and the necks are the same. I wonder if certain strings sets are just easier to play. I may just stick with the XS without the 80/20 blend. I don't know if duller means darker, but Dave said he likes the SX. He didn't say which blend however LOL. I really like my rosewood guitars, but I have to say there is so much clarity on the first two strings of the D-040, it makes a melodic line so easy to stand out. I do have a set of Eixor hybrids on my Sd-40RW. Elixor describes their strings as follows:
 Polyweb 80/20 Bronze - Warm, Feel - Fast and slick.
Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze - Rich and Full, Feel - Smooth
Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze - Bright and focused, Feel - Smooth

[Myopic Squirrel]

FWIW - apparently we all hear strings differently. After a 40 year hiatus, when I started looking at string choices it was like getting a drink from a fire hose. So when I saw someone playing the same guitar I had just acquired (laminated EIR sitka dred to Adi-TC/EIR dred to Moonwood TC/EIR OM to Sitka OM) asked how long they played it and their string preference. Resulted in a good starting point.

[B0WIE]

"Better" doesn't mean much in audio. They have fewer overtones. So, think of them as the mahogany of strings. Whether that's better to you or not is up to you.
Lack of overtones can sound more clear and fast to us. Even though they 80/20s aren't adding anything, they feel brighter.

[Sandstorm]

I never gave much thought to acoustic strings until I really committed to it.  I remember playing phosphor bronze and then happen to learn about 80/20, then put those on and definately prefer the 80/20...brighter and crisper and on a mahogany guitar its music to my ears.  I do appreciate the warmth of phosphor bronze from time to time...I guess it depends on the individual guitar and the type of player you are and sound you like.