80/20's that are NOT coated but last?

[Mayo5]

I have tried alot of strings and John Pearse and Wyres make the best quality, that also last an incredible amount of time.

I would give these two a try.

[Bluedano1]

^^ 80/20's or PB's? (or both?) thanks!

[Mayo5]

Originally Posted by Bluedano1

^^ 80/20's or PB's? (or both?) thanks!

Sorry, forgot about that.

80/20 for Pearse.

I believe Wyres are only PB. (These are exceptional for drop/open tunnings.)

[Bluedano1]

Originally Posted by Mayo5

Sorry, forgot about that.

80/20 for Pearse.

I believe Wyres are only PB. (These are exceptional for drop/open tunnings.)

Thanks- I gotta try the Pearse 80/20's asap!

[dazco]

Originally Posted by Bluedano1

Thanks- I gotta try the Pearse 80/20's asap!

I used thier PB for years and they are indeed the best by far as PB goes, at least compared to all other i have tried. (tho never tried or even heard of Wyres) Only thing is, they CAN be picky as to what you put them on. I used em on a J45 for years and nothing else was close. Then i got a larrivee and they sounded like **** on it. Amazing the difference ! Daddarios sounded much better on it. Could be that suggests the wood and design aspects they work on or don't. J45: mahogany, rosewood board, short scale. Larrivee OM: rosewood, ebony board, longer scale. I think the scale is the likely culprit.

I may have tried thier 80/20's but if i did it was long ago and i don't recall if i was just too into PB's and so didn't care for them or what. But now on my current guitar i absolutely love 80/20's so i gotta try pearse on it. Just wish i could find a set locally to try, but not one place in the los angeles area has them in EX lite. Not even mcabes !

[Bluedano1]

I just put on the D'Angelico 80/20 lights on my Martin- very nice!

Truthfully, these sound more like PB's than I was expecting- It has been my experience (many years ago) that 80/20's always sounded so "metallic/bright" that they overshadowed the tone of the guitar, when new, and then they would die quickly. So I have always used PB's... But the D'Angelico's initally sound and play great-got a gig today, and time will tell (literally!) as to their longevity! Now wanna try out the Pearse 80/20s!

[dazco]

Originally Posted by Bluedano1

I just put on the D'Angelico 80/20 lights on my Martin- very nice!

It has been my experience (many years ago) that 80/20's always sounded so "metallic/bright" that they overshadowed the tone of the guitar, when new, and then they would die quickly.

Yes, but as you found out it's not true with all 80/20's. I had Daddario 80/20's on it and that was exactly my experience. Then i put a set of earthwoods and the initial tone wasn't at all bright and metallic. It was perfect and still is after a number of hours. I do expect they will die soon tho and the i'll be trying the pearse 80/20's. I'm really digging 80/20's in general. I used PB for decades for the sole reason they last and 80/20 would die so quick. But recently i came to realize i was missing something in the sound i really love about acoustics that PB just doesn't have. One thing is mids. PB just doesn't have the same mids. Not sure if it's the AMOUNT or the particular range, but the mids are much more pleasing to me.

[Bluedano1]

Originally Posted by dazco

Yes, but as you found out it's not true with all 80/20's. I had Daddario 80/20's on it and that was exactly my experience. Then i put a set of earthwoods and the initial tone wasn't at all bright and metallic. It was perfect and still is after a number of hours. I do expect they will die soon tho and the i'll be trying the pearse 80/20's. I'm really digging 80/20's in general. I used PB for decades for the sole reason they last and 80/20 would die so quick. But recently i came to realize i was missing something in the sound i really love about acoustics that PB just doesn't have. One thing is mids. PB just doesn't have the same mids. Not sure if it's the AMOUNT or the particular range, but the mids are much more pleasing to me.

'Listening' to you feels like talking to myself- both into serious tone analysis (which is so subjective), and the striving to process what one hears, and attempt to communicate. You must have good ears, too! (I seem to think I have really good ears...)

Bottom line, I just did a local street fair (small) gig today, playing old country/bluegrass/rocakbilly with another acoustic guitar (rhythm) player, and upright bass- totally acoustic (no amps/mics/PA) and playing my guitar for the first time ever (in 18 years) with light gauge, 80/20 strings( D'angelicos), and I was knocked out by how comfy I was playing( the extra 'give' as a lead player, from the lights, w/little buzz) and a great well balanced warm/bright tone. We will see how long they last- but I gotta admit, after this experience I really wanna try the Pearse 80/20 strings as I love their PB's....

[dazco]

Try EX lites ! I was using 12's, which are considered light but i feel those are plenty heavy. Playing lead on them is not easy and even if your hands are strong you still cannot inject your feel and the fine details of your technique into them. When i tried the 80/20 ext lites (10's) at first they feel too light, but after a short time they sound and feel great. And now i can play lead on it like i never used to because it was much too hard, AND because the mids, which as are such an important part of single note playing. Even hybrid 11's were too much. I really love the combination of 80/20's and a 10 set, at least on my 000-18 style box. I haven't been about to put it down since last week, and i haven't touched my electrics since then !

[nodepression]

I use Darco strings for acoustic. Not sure if they are the least expensive, but they have to be close.

I just take a fast fret applicator and hold it in the "thumbs up" position and grabbing the strings by the ball end, lay them on the applicator and bring my thumb down to hold the string while I pull the string along the entire length with a twisting back and forth motion. This coats the entire string, not just half of it after the strings are installed. Makes them last a few days longer.

But any brand of string won't last long if I don't wipe them down after playing. And I wash my hands before playing if possible.

[Bluedano1]

So far so good with the D'Angelico 80/20 lights- They sound great and are holding a bright/warm mix, tonally.

I Think I'm (pleasantly) adjusting to going back to light gauge strings (regardless of the alloy) after many years of playing mediums.

I play a lot of bluegrass style, even though it may not be pure bluegrass per se , more folk/country blues, with a 'nod to Doc Watson, David Bromberg, so I've played mediums for that increase in punch etc., But my hands have really been hurting the last few years and this switch to lights seems to be giving both me and my guitar a break!- I can't keep my hands off of it and there does not seem to be any big compromise on volume- there is a little buzzing (with capo) so a little neck adjustment may be in order, but not yet. I also want to try Pearse 80/20 lights asap

[dazco]

Actually i'm surprised at the earthwoods so far. I always felt they were 2 day strings. Put em on one day, toss em 2 days later. Thats what i remember at least. But it was a week ago saturday i put them on and i've been playing a lot more than usual because i'm digging this so much. Yet they are still perfectly fine ! I hope however to try pearse 80/20 this weekend, as the tiny ma and pa store i got the earthwoods at said he has them in my gauge in his warehouse and would bring some in next time he;s there. Hopefully he has em now and i'll be trying them this weekend. If they are as good as i hope i'll buy a box of em online.

I never have played out with acoustic, so for me the extra power of heavier strings isn't important. And my almost 60 year old hands, especially the left, are really bad now. So ex lites are great and allow me to play things i could not play at all one even lights. And playing only solo you don't notice any real tonal difference after the first hour of play. They sound different initially, but your ear gets used to it and they sound not different really !

[Bluedano1]

Quick "80/20 shootout" (lights) update: Just put Dunlop's on my guitar, and these strings (initial result, will play them in for hours....) sound like what I don't like about 80/20's: very zingy/trebly and metallic sounding, and not quite as easy 'players' as the D-Angelico's (truthfully the D'Angelicos sounded like PB's), but I will give these a chance to break-in...

[bobwl]

Originally Posted by dazco

I used PB for decades for the sole reason they last and 80/20 would die so quick.

I've found the opposite to be true for me. PBs go dead quicker for me than 80/20 bronze strings.

It's been interesting reading this thread as I've been kinda going through my own shootout with my two guitars.

[Bluedano1]

Originally Posted by bobwl

I've found the opposite to be true for me. PBs go dead quicker for me than 80/20 bronze strings.

It's been interesting reading this thread as I've been kinda going through my own shootout with my two guitars.

I'm enjoying my 'string quest' !

It's not that I'm unhappy with anything, so much as I just want to see what else is out there. I'm basically someone that has played medium gauges PB's for almost 20 years, tired of hurting hands and numb fingers, so I've gone back to lights, and it seemed like a fun thing to check out some 80/20's as well.