Also, there are different types of bronze, depending on the chemical composition. In summary, bronze is an important alloy of copper. With such a range and notoriety, it’s no big surprise D’Addario are so famous with acoustic guitarists around the globe. I’ve got a Yamaha APX500III with under saddle piezo pickup/ system 66 preamp, with an oval shaped sound hole to emphasize the low-mid/ low end. 35. If they get better with age, that’s an added plus. Phosphor Bronze was introduced to string making by D'Addario in 1974 and has become synonymous with warm, bright, and well balanced acoustic tone. Thanks Roger. These new strings are dark compared to d'Addario 80/20 bronze or Martin SP Phosphor Bronze which are among my favorite acoustic strings. Featuring an innovative combination of nickel-plated phosphor bronze wrapped onto a high carbon NY steel core, these strings bring out the unique tonal characteristics of any guitar, allowing its natural voice to truly shine. Alan Jackson, Ben Harper, Jewel, Dave Matthews, Bon Iver, Death Cab for Cutie - the list of stars and headlining bands just goes on and on. I’m not a fan of heavy gauge strings on small bodied guitars. The material also has higher electric conductivity than stainless steel materials. I use these exclusively on my Martin D-28. But it’s not an easy guitar to play. Featuring an innovative combination of nickel-plated phosphor bronze wrapped onto a high carbon NY steel core, D'Addario's premium uncoated acoustic string set provides a crisp, clear sound to accentuate the unique tone of your guitar. I recently switched back to the Nickel Bronze … I have been reliably informed that a hybrid set is available, using a combination of bronze AND nickel. MONEL®, INCOLOY® and INCONEL® are registered Trade Marks of Special Metals Corporation. Synonymous with warm and well-balanced acoustic tone, Phosphor Bronze is precision wound on a hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core, resulting in long lasting, bright sounding tone with excellent intonation. Phosphor bronze is one such type. I played two short on the same guitar, first with coated phosphor-bronze strings, and then with uncoated nickel-wrapped ones. So which do I like better? These alloys are notable for their toughness, strength, low coefficient of friction, high fatigue resistance, and fine grain. It came with phosphor bronze 1253’s which were ok; but anyway, I switched to the D’Addario’s and moved to NB1256’s since the nickel takes away just a bit of volume/ bite, unplugged. Note: The Retros and the Nickel Bronze both got about 3 hours of playing before recording. Learn how your comment data is processed. The phosphor bronze has high stiffness and wear resistance than the nickel bronze counterparts. Meet the Quesocaster! My original designs were two gauges...light & heavy - 15/56 and 16/59) Both types of strings are popular with players and both sound great. I put a set of the D'Addario Nickel Bronze on my Godin with a Bartolini floater and was disappointed that the string balance was off, just like phosphor-bronze or 80/20 acoustic strings. And I was seriously bummed out by the tone, as I lamented over at the forum. That seems to be the price you pay for the extra projection. D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings are precision wound with corrosion resistant phosphor bronze onto a carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core. I think the best way to characterize the Nickel Bronze (NB) strings is that they are between the Phosphor (PB) and the 80/20 Bronze tonally, and in terms of longevity they seem to outlast both. D'Addario; Classical; Pro-Arte Nylon Core; Pro-Arte Rectified; Pro-Arte Carbon; Pro-Arte Dynacore (It wasn’t a conscious decision to noodle around a lot more on the nickel performance — the strings made me do it!) I’m lucky enough to own many electric guitars, but I’ve played one steel-string acoustic almost exclusively for many years — a small-bodied Lowden with a tone that a very famous manufacturer of acoustic pickups once described as “like a f%^$ing cannon!” Its sizzling-bright treble and modest low-end make it a great recording instrument. These strings are great for music genres that require mellower tones like folk and classical fingerstyle. It is set up for 11s, and it’s currently strung with D’Addario EJ26 Phosphor Bronze Custom Light strings (.011-.052). Phosphor Bronze Introduced by D'Addario in 1974, Phosphor Bronze has become the world’s most popular acoustic guitar string. Obviously, this is nothing like a comprehensive comparison — I just picked two string types at opposite ends of the tonal spectrum. I’ve got a bunch of nickel electric strings here — I’m probably going to do a stainless steel vs. nickel comparison post soon. The Phosphor Bronze set offers a full, warm and complex tone. D'Addario; Classical; Pro-Arte Nylon Core; Pro-Arte Rectified; Pro-Arte Carbon; Pro-Arte Dynacore; Pro-Arte Composites; XT Classical; Pro-Arte Polished; Student Classics I'm hoping for a somewhat easier playing string with a softer feel than flatwound or phosphor bronze as well as more fundamentals in the tone than PB. YOu discuss the material but you don’t reference the gauge. There is a significant difference in string tension between the two sets, 148.57 lbs. Personally, I prefer brass-wound strings, and have been using them on my acoustics since 1972. This alloy typically has a tin content ranging from 0.5% to 1.0%, and a phosphorous range of 0.01% to 0.35%. Depending on the precise amounts of chemical composition, the melting points vary, but the nickel bronze grades have the higher melting point ranges. They have sligthly thicker E, A and D-strings and I like that. D'Addario; Classical; Pro-Arte Nylon Core; Pro-Arte Rectified; Pro-Arte Carbon; Pro-Arte Dynacore The elasticity of the bronze helps it be used in these various applications. I highly recommend em no matter what gauge you prefer. I did a search and nothing came up. Currently, they are on a Martin D35(1970), a Gibson J-50(1965), and a recently purchased Regal resonator (year unknown). Meanwhile, I’d be most appreciative if anyone who’s navigated these waters can share what they’ve learned. Went form phosphor bronze 12’s to 11’s. In general, nylon strings are reserved for the high strings on class… In the meantime: Here is a great Guitar Player article by my pal Barry Cleveland. They also do NB1256 – light high, medium low. The number of artists that trust D’Addario with their sound is staggering. As mentioned above, 80/20 strings produce a crisp, bright, and projecting tone that many vintage guitar enthusiasts love. I have to say, I love the new ones right out of the box. Based on the added elements such as nickel or phosphorus, the coloration and tone differ slightly. Both the nickel and monel strings sound better on my mandolin than the phosphor bronze. The most common metal to be used in the alloying of bronze is tin. 1. Below, in Figure 1, is a qualitative chart depicting the composition of phosphor bronze: The focus is on electric guitar strings, but it’s a fascinating story about the rise and fall of nickel strings. Both the nickel and monel strings sound better on my mandolin than the phosphor bronze. Being an old-timer who is very much set in his ways, I use Regular Slinkys on my electrics, because they still sound good to me. 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