Question for dberch and OM05MT?

[om4me]

Hi Dave.  Just curious if you could pls let us know your fave string of choice and guage used on your OM05MT?   Thanks for any info you can share.  P.S.  Super job on the Fisherman track you recorded.  Wow, that's like way hot!

[Blue in VT]

Glad you asked this om4me...I was about to pm Dberch with the same question.  I've had my MT for 6 weeks now and I'm on my third set of strings...and not sure which ones I really like.  So far I've tried the 1.  Elixer Nanos that came with it...nice..not too bright (not sure how long they had been on it) little finger noise.  2. John Pierce 80/20 bronze...great tone...maybe too bright for my ear...lots of finger noise...perhaps its my technique but this drives me up the wall.  3. Diad EXP lights...nice..bright..little less finger noise...not quite the nice tone of the JPs.  Of these three I hate to say I think I like the Nanos best...I hate regular Elixers...but these at least feel like real strings to me.  Next I would like to try some Silk and Steel or Silk and Bronze...never used either before so I'm just curious.

Cheers,
Blue

[pg60]

i have OM-03MT, i like the EXP-16s best but i may have found new favorite.

i put on some of the JP Bronze & Silk last night and really like them so far.  they are definitely easier to play (less tension), also they are kind of slick like elixir polywebs (especially the 2 unwound strings).  not sure if i like that part or how long it will last. 

but for now anyway they play really smooth & easy  and i think the tone is better then the EXP-16s.

[Blue in VT]

Great to hear about the bronze and silk...I'll switch mine out to some GHS bronze and silk in a couple of weeks.  never used GHS strings but I got them real cheap at the saratoga guitar show...$2.50 a pack!!!!  I got 4 different sets of strings since I'm still in the experimental phase.

cheers,
Blue

[Randy_R]

there are several active threads over on the Martin forum right now about silk&steel strings. Some people seem to really like them, some like them only on certain guitars. I've used them in the distant past when I needed a string that was easier to fret than even a light gauge (read, excessive string height).  I'm not sure I've ever used them on a 'good' guitar.

[Blue in VT]

I'm intrested in trying them for sure...I've been following the threads on the Martin Forum as well...maybe this is a good chance to upgun to Meds...with the reduced tension and "softer" feel I may be able to get away with a heavier string.

worth a try anyway

Blue

[dberch]

Hi Dave.  Just curious if you could pls let us know your fave string of choice and guage used on your OM05MT?   Thanks for any info you can share.  P.S.  Super job on the Fisherman track you recorded.  Wow, that's like way hot!

Thanks, OM4ME, that's one of my all-time favorite tunes.  I'm currently using D'Addario EJ16s (PhosBrnz .012s) on my OM-05MT.  I've gone back and forth between those and the mediums.  I like the mediums a tad better, but the .012s are easier on the finger tips.  ^_^

When I first got the guitar, I used the EJ16s but I thought the B string was a bit 'swanky' at times, so I swapped out the two treble strings for mediums.  That really worked well, but was a bit of a hassle.  Maybe the guitar has opened up a bit, or I have unconciously altered my playing, but I don't notice it any more.

I did try a  set of John Pierce lights PhosBrnz lights (.011s) once and really liked them, but they were a bit too slinky. I was pushing them all over the place, including right of the side of the neck  :GRN>.

Never tried the silk and steel on my hog-top.  I'm getting some for an old KayKraft, so maybe I'll try a set sometime.

Later,
David 

[sigurdd48]

(laughs) must've been a run of MT's about the same time

I've had mine for a couple months as well. I played the Elixirs for 3 weeks or so, then stripped them off, put on a bone saddle, and put some JP phospor strings, lights, on.
They sound okay, and in the meantime I switched back to the TUSQ saddle, ordered up some Newtone LIghts (I htink these are like 50-11...which seem more like extra light)
I have not mounted them yet, but I'm about to as I'm also about to switch the tuners to Grover Sta-tites (like some players, I've found the stock tuners to be sorta sucky... 'turn, turn, turn again' to get the string to even change pitch). When I do, I will mount the Netwones -- which I have heard have a nice tone and different playability.  The Silk and steels sound interesting too...

I'm with dberch... I think it's easy to mis-perceive sound early as the guitar opens... I swear, some days it sounds great, other days it sounds bleah... or better when barely picked.

[om4me]

Thanks for the info Dave.  And also thanks to everyone for your comments!