POLL-80/20 vs Phospher Bronze

[Ian]

 Just bored at work and thinking about strings. I just took off a set of Pearse 80/20's and put on the PB, I think I liked the 80/20 better and might switch back,(at least for awile). What do you use and why?
CHEERS!!!

[Blue in VT]

I love the coated PBs (Elixir nano) lights on my OM-05MT....but I prefer the 80/20 nanos for my parlor...hmmm...go figure...

since I could only vote once I went with my "main" instrument for the poll



Blue

[jeremy3220]

I usually like 80/20s for a more traditional sound.I think PBs have that hi-fi sound, possibly due to the overtones in the high end. 80/20s have that looser midrange which also has more presence (mainly those upper mids). I use 80/20s on both my guitars now. The OM-MT doesn't care what you put on it, but the 80/20s sound more blues like. The OM/PW prefers Martin SP med/light 80/20s usually, but the Martin SP med/light PBs sound really good for strumming.

[Hoser Rob]

I've used both.  There's no unequivocal best there.  Depends on the guitar and your own personal preference.  Strings are highly subjective.  The only really concrete disadvantages to 80/20s are that the sound changes really fast.

I used to use 80/20s on my Seagull until I put a bone saddle in.  Then the things I was trying to bring out ... tighter bass, string separation ... didn't need to be brought out anymore.  Went back to d'Addario PB lights.

Actually I use d'Add EXP16s now.  90 to 95% of the tone, better intonation, and they last 3 or 4 months with me.  The ones I have on now still play in tune after almost 4 months.

[aboss]

I'm torn on this for now...

I was using elixer pb nano's on my L-03, and i liked the sound and longevity... but i prefer the feel of non-coated. So i put a set of D'add ej16's on (the first set of uncoated i've tried on my larry) and the feel is much better, but the sounds really bad to my ears! Wierd, i know... since uncoated supposedly sound better, but i lost all the definition and crispness in my low end, which was one of my favourite things about my larry's sounds. THe ej16's sounds kinda muddy and dead to me.

So i voted coated pb... so far my favourite.

on a side note, if anyone has any suggestions for why this could be, or another type to try and get my crispness back... it would be much appreciated. hmm...

aboss. 

[Larrivee4me]

Phos bronze strings take a few days to settle down. They're wayyyy bright and jangly when new so don't judge them till they've calmed down. The uncoated strings usually mellow out in 3 days then sound good for another week or two at the most.  I just put a set of Elixir PB's on 4 days ago. I haven't tried these yet but I've heard a lot about them. They're just now starting to sound right when I finger pick with bare fingers.  I've been told they should hold this sort of tone for a month or more.  For the money I can have 3 sets of plain strings and just change them more often. We'll see how the Elixirs do over the next few weeks. Just for reference this is on a cedar topped Taylor.  The 80/20's were ok but didn't have the darker tone of the phos bronze when it's good and mellow

[gobseulmuhri]

This is my take on strings.  Note I have an L-03R with a bone saddle installed.

So far the best strings I have used are the Elixir PB nanos.  They weren't perfect, but they were the only strings that gave decent bass response.  The reason why I wasn't satisfied with them was that the mid range was way too strong and a bit artificial sounding. 

Right now, I'm using EXP16s and I'm mixed on them.  The bass E just doesn't have any clarity - even for rosewood standards.  Actually there isn't too much clarity all across the board....and I don't think I'll be coming back to these.  The string tension is also higher than the Elixir PB nanos.

I also used 80/20 Elixir polywebs, and once again - bad bass E response.  Same case with Martin SP 80/20s. I tried EJ17s, but they binded a lot and sounded way too warm. 

I think my next experiment will be the 80/20 Elixir Nanos.  Otherwise, I'm stuck and it would have to be that my guitar was one of the mess ups at the Larrivee factory.  I've only had it for about 2 and 1/2 months now, but whether it's the guitar or the strings, I'm not getting the tone I've heard on other Larrivees even with old cleartone strings. If I don't find a good set of strings and if the guitar doesn't open up after 1 year, it's gonna have to go, and I won't be coming back to the 03 series again.

GYAHHH!

[jeremy3220]

gobseulmuhri, try some Martin SP Phospher Bronze med/lights (.0125-.055). I think that may be what your looking for. Of course the gauge is slighty bigger but not as big as those EJ-17s. They don't feel much heavier than lights.

[skywinkle]

gobseulmuhri, try D'Aquisto acoustic guitar strings, they have a fuller sound than almost anything else I have tried.  They are not as well known as some of the others, and as a result, are not as expensive either, between $4 and $5.50 at juststrings.com:  http://www.juststrings.com/daquistoacousticguitar.html  (if you can't find them locally)
They are available in both phosphor bronze and 80/20, and the .012 and .013 gauges offer a choice of lighter or heavier low e string.  Their "Bronze Masters" (phosphor bronze) will definitely take the edge off a too bright guitar, and enhance the fullness of the bass at the same time, and their "Brass Masters" will provide just what it sounds like you are looking for, an enhanced tight sounding bass and clarity everywhere else.  I have mentioned these strings elsewhere in this forum; nothing in it for me but the hope that enought people buy them that they stay in business for a long time.  Try a set and let us know what you think?

[hal537]

Plain PB's sound good on my SD50.

[rrgguitarman]

gobseulmuhri, try D'Aquisto acoustic guitar strings, they have a fuller sound than almost anything else I have tried.  They are not as well known as some of the others, and as a result, are not as expensive either, between $4 and $5.50 at juststrings.com:  http://www.juststrings.com/daquistoacousticguitar.html  (if you can't find them locally)
They are available in both phosphor bronze and 80/20, and the .012 and .013 gauges offer a choice of lighter or heavier low e string.  Their "Bronze Masters" (phosphor bronze) will definitely take the edge off a too bright guitar, and enhance the fullness of the bass at the same time, and their "Brass Masters" will provide just what it sounds like you are looking for, an enhanced tight sounding bass and clarity everywhere else.  I have mentioned these strings elsewhere in this forum; nothing in it for me but the hope that enought people buy them that they stay in business for a long time.  Try a set and let us know what you think?

Thanks for the input on the D'Aquisto strings, i've been thinking about trying them for a while now so I went ahead and ordered a few sets from FQMS they had them on sale for $3.71 a set (lights only).

I've tried the 80/20 several times on different guitars and I always go back to the P/B, they just have the sound that I enjoy for my style of playing.

[myztk]

I've used both but now stick with Phosphor Bronze EXP's.