Have 4 sets of 12-52 on the way

[TBman]

I'm taking a break from 13-56 strings for a while. I have some Curt Mangan Fusion Matched Round core 12-53 on the Pellerin and Furch, while the Avalon has a set of Cleartone EQ 12-53 with an oddball combo of string types. The 6th string is copper bronze, the 5th and 4th are PB and the 3rd string is 80/20 bronze. I haven't really played it since putting the strings on it so maybe tonight a review.

Anyway on the way are 2 sets of D'Addario NB 12-52 and 2 sets of GHS Thin core PB 12-52. Not sure what guitar will get what, but I'm not feeling a lot of love for the Curt Mangan on the Pellerin, but I like them on the Furch and liked them on the Avalon when those were on it. I am going to test both the D'Addarios and GHS on the Pellerin over the next couple of weeks.

[Coler]

I dipped into 13s on the last dread I had and loved the sound but couldn't hack them. Martin Lifespan PB. Too much for me.

I have 12s on both 6ers now. Feels like the sweet spot, but I would consider 11s.

Martin Retro on the McNally which are 12-54. An experiment. Sounds great. I like them. Lush tones, but great clarity.

Lifespan PB 2.0 on the 000-28. Seems a perfect string for that one. Also 12-54 but a little more pep on the high trebles.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by TBman

I'm taking a break from 13-56 strings for a while. I have some Curt Mangan Fusion Matched Round core 12-53 on the Pellerin and Furch, while the Avalon has a set of Cleartone EQ 12-53 with an oddball combo of string types. The 6th string is copper bronze, the 5th and 4th are PB and the 3rd string is 80/20 bronze. I haven't really played it since putting the strings on it so maybe tonight a review.

Anyway on the way are 2 sets of D'Addario NB 12-52 and 2 sets of GHS Thin core PB 12-52. Not sure what guitar will get what, but I'm not feeling a lot of love for the Curt Mangan on the Pellerin, but I like them on the Furch and liked them on the Avalon when those were on it. I am going to test both the D'Addarios and GHS on the Pellerin over the next couple of weeks.

Hi Barry, I have a set of the GHS Thin Cores on my Gibson G-00 and man they feel incredible. I think the tension on them is 138lbs, so easy to play. What I've found though, is they don't seem to drive the soundboard as much as a typical 12-53 set . But they feel so good. So in my mind, I'm going back and forth between comfort and sound. i'm curious to hear your thoughts...

[jaymarsch]

I never liked the sound of the Mangan’s on a couple of my guitars. Funny how strings differ from one guitar to another even when the guitars have a lot in common.
I just put the GHS Thin Core on a friend’s guitar and it is true that they don’t drive the top in the same way. She had had mediums on it so the relief needed to be adjusted with the shift in tension. They feel great but only you will have to decide if there’s a discernible difference in tone and if you like it.
Keep us posted on what you learn.
Best,
Jayne

[donlyn]

Have 4 sets of 12-52 on the way

Originally Posted by TBman

I'm taking a break from 13-56 strings for a while. I have some Curt Mangan Fusion Matched Round core 12-53 on the Pellerin and Furch, while the Avalon has a set of Cleartone EQ 12-53 with an oddball combo of string types. The 6th string is copper bronze, the 5th and 4th are PB and the 3rd string is 80/20 bronze. I haven't really played it since putting the strings on it so maybe tonight a review.

Anyway on the way are 2 sets of D'Addario NB 12-52 and 2 sets of GHS Thin core PB 12-52. Not sure what guitar will get what, but I'm not feeling a lot of love for the Curt Mangan on the Pellerin, but I like them on the Furch and liked them on the Avalon when those were on it. I am going to test both the D'Addarios and GHS on the Pellerin over the next couple of weeks.

Hey Barry,

Not sure where you are going with all this. Maybe kind of throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks?

But if you are leaving Mediums (.013-.056) behind, I did, and I ended up with a hybrid gauge. I like playing large body guitars a lot, and everything I own is either a Jumbo or a Jumbo-related shape. Hence the Mediums. Some years ago, I got a short-scaled Taylor Grand Concert, which, while a jumbo type shape, is smaller with a 15" diameter lower bout. Came strung with an Elixir PB HD Light gauge set, (.013, .017, .025, .032, .042, .053). Basically Medium trebles with Light gauge bass strings.

Elixirs aside, as I know some players don't like them, but the gauge is the thing. I happen to like Elixirs, but that HD set can always be made up by combining a favorite brand's Medium trebles and Light bass strings from two different sets, just to give it a try. Or even easier to just slap on some Light gauge bass strings before you take off the Medium trebles.

Here's the why. I like my guitars to have a balanced sound, and I find Jumboes provide that as well as any, and better than most. And this gauge helps also. That short scale Grand Concert is spruce over rosewood and provides a surprisingly good bass sound, and combined with the bump from the thicker trebles, has a wonderful sound overall. Broke in quite lovely. I fingerpick all my instruments and use my nails as picks.

Started experimenting with that HD gauge on the other guitars, and found out the big boys don't really need Medium bass strings to drive them and they sound even more balanced with the Light gauge bass. They still have the Medium trebles too. So my Grand Orchestra (Large Jumbo with a wider waist) and three J-200 Jumboes all use this gauge now, along with the Grand Concerts.

Sorry if this sounds familiar, but I have mentioned this in bits and pieces in previous posts. You might want to try something like this if you are experimenting with a new sound. I kind of stumbled into it over the years, and like it a lot. Even better if you like Elixirs.

And it makes them all a bit easier to play for my aging septuagenarian hands. Less tension than straight Mediums.

Be well and play well (I know you do, because of your appended audio files),

Don
.

[Lillis]

I have Labella 12-52 80/20 on my Larrivee and they sound and feel fantastic. Highly recommend if you like those gauges.

[Robin, Wales]

I have just gone the other way tonight Barry and put a set of 13-56 mediums 80/20s on my A&L Legacy 000. I may use it at an open mic on Friday, and I'm not going to plug in.

I had to work on the nut as the new strings pulled it off (even though the slots were already cut with Stumac files for medium gauge strings) but some "flossing" with an old set of mediums seems to have sorted it, and it's now re-glued.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by TBman

I'm taking a break from 13-56 strings for a while. I have some Curt Mangan Fusion Matched Round core 12-53 on the Pellerin and Furch, while the Avalon has a set of Cleartone EQ 12-53 with an oddball combo of string types. The 6th string is copper bronze, the 5th and 4th are PB and the 3rd string is 80/20 bronze. I haven't really played it since putting the strings on it so maybe tonight a review.

Anyway on the way are 2 sets of D'Addario NB 12-52 and 2 sets of GHS Thin core PB 12-52. Not sure what guitar will get what, but I'm not feeling a lot of love for the Curt Mangan on the Pellerin, but I like them on the Furch and liked them on the Avalon when those were on it. I am going to test both the D'Addarios and GHS on the Pellerin over the next couple of weeks.

Fwiw, I think the D’Addario NBs are the standard strings that Dream Guitars put on their guitars for demos. I have them on a few guitars and really like them.

[EZYPIKINS]

Haven't played 12's or 13's in years.

I'm an 11-52 er, contact core, all the way.

[johbren]

13s down a whole step for me

[steelvibe]

I've been shocked with how much I appreciate 11-52s, even on a short scale guitar and with tuning down on some songs. For me, the trade off in playability over a slight loss in projection is well worth it. I suspect these things like anything else is guitar and guitarist style specific.

Also have to agree with donlyn in that Elixir nailed it when they made a custom gauge standard with HD LIghts. I put a 13 and 17 on everything now regardless of brand or alloy; the fatter and tighter treble tones I get just make me happy. I like them so much that Elixir keeps winning my money even though I hate how they shed after awhile (I have a travel guitar that just needs coated strings).

[colins]

Fun experiment, I use 12-52s a lot so I’ll be interested to read your findings.

Like you and Jayne, the Curt Mangans don’t do anything for me. I was given some sets once and after one try I gave the rest away. But other people like them!

My experiments with the GHS Thin Core show them to be very guitar-specific. First guitar I put them on didn’t sound the way I wanted ( and it wasn't lack of drive for the top, which is very responsive ). But the second guitar I put them on sounds fabulous and I really like low tension feel they have.

[gmel555]

My experience w/those Mangans is the same, ie, nice strings but not for all guitars. I like D-Add NB's, quite a lot on most but not all my guitars...only like the traditional tension though, not the "Balanced Tension" version. The latter -to my ears- lacked the clarity that the non-balanced version provides. After decades of playing mostly 13's I made the move to 12s about 5 years ago on pretty much everything I play except my gs-mini (13's on that).