RAISING THE TONE Taking The Tone Test
Editor Jamie contrasts the timbre between three very different sets of acoustic strings
“I picked out three sets that looked likely to provide strong tonal contrasts when compared”
One of the problems with evaluating guitar strings is that most players are loathe to change a new set of strings for another one until they’ve had at least a gig’s use or a few weeks of home playing out of them. The reluctance to waste strings is understandable, but it means by the time you come round to fit a new set, you’ve probably forgotten what the last ones sounded like. That’s not a problem if you’ve settled on a favourite set and use it time after time. But if you’re trying to decide whether a completely new set of strings would suit you better than the ones you’ve used in the past, that time-lag can make meaningful comparison difficult.
So, in the interests of science, I got in touch with Takamine and Ernie Ball to see if they’d help me find a better way to instantly compare the difference in tone that new strings can bring. To enable an instant A/B comparison, I wanted to try fitting contrasting sets of strings to two acoustic guitars that were as identical as possible. Now, obviously every guitar sounds a little different to the next one, even if they’re both the same model, but it seemed worth a try. Ever obliging, the helpful folk at Takamine sent along two gorgeous EF7M-LS acoustics.This elegant OM-style model has solid Indian Rosewood back and sides and a Lutz spruce top (a hybrid of Sitka and White spruce). They’re high-spec Japanese-built guitars that retail for a little north of £2,000, so I can expect to really hear and feel the subtle differences when I fit contrasting sets of strings to them.
Now for the actual strings themselves. Ernie Ball is one of the best-known makers in the world, with a very wide range of acoustic sets in its inventory. I told them what I was up to and they kindly sent over an assortment of acoustic strings for me to audition. From these, I picked out three sets that looked likely to provide some strong tonal contrasts when compared back to back.The details of the string sets I picked can be read in the ‘Three To Get Ready’box on the opposite page – all strings tested were in 13-gauge sets for commonality.
Strings chosen, it was time to take a closer look at the two Takamine acoustics to see if their base tone was similar enough to allow me to use them for the purpose of instant A/B string comparison. However, a few minutes’ playing revealed that while overall they were very similar in voice – being of the same design and factory fitted with the same D’Addario strings – they were probably still too different to act as ‘identical’ test-beds. The first EF7M-LS to leave its case sounds quite taut and punchy, with warm mids, while the second is sweeter, breathier and a little
more sustaining. The difference was pretty subtle, but I didn’t want it to skew the test. So I reluctantly abandoned my idea of a twoguitar test and chose the second of the two Takamines as my benchmark guitar.That decision made, it was testing time.
First up is the Aluminium Bronze set. From the first strum it’s clear they are quite a different beast to the factory-fitted D’Addarios. Chords leap eagerly from the guitar, with a bright voice that’s just this side of brash.There’s also a hike in volume and a sense of the whole guitar thrumming with life. Chords ring out and single notes enunciate crisply and with a kind of ‘bluegrass’ twang. These are strings for players who want to be noticed! I’m not sure I’d want to play them all the time, any more than I’d want to drink ice-cold grapefruit juice all the time. But if you want to add refreshing zest and punch in your sound, these strings will certainly provide it. They’d be a brilliant match with a guitar that’s normally a bit too dull or soft-sounding. I’ve certainly owned cedar-topped dreadnoughts in the past that would have benefited from a set of these.
A Right Softie
After about 30 minutes of playing it’s time to switch sets. It feels sacrilegious, but it’s the only way to get a quickish comparison. The Silk & Steel 80/20s have a reputation for being a very mellow, softly spoken set and, once fitted, they do indeed prove quite a bit quieter in perceived volume than the aluminiums, though not as muted and woolly as I feared they might be. They’ve still got some useful bite, which balances very pleasantly with the rounded bass and mids. They remind me of old-time country acoustic guitar tones – in other words, they sound great: warm but lively and articulate.
Finally, it’s time for the flagship set of Phosphor Bronze Paradigms.After the usual fiddling about with string winders and cutters, they’re ready for their first strum and… hello! They’re really loud and clear – with as much top-end and volume as the aluminiums but rounder bottom-end and fuller mids. There’s basically just more of everything. It’s like switching from normal video to HD.That said, brand-new on the guitar, they’re not exactly subtle and I think they’d suit a rock guitarist strumming a dreadnought more than, say, a nuanced fingerstyle performance.You can hear where the money went in their development, though. They’re definitely the ‘more equals more’choice here.
So, what lessons did I learn from this test? Well, I recorded the sound of each set as I went along so I had some kind of A/B comparison to refer to as well as written notes.You might want to try that as well if you want to experiment with different strings. It’s certainly better than memory alone. Secondly, if you’re buying a new acoustic guitar, make an effort to try several examples of the model you’ve set your heart on. Every guitar is a little different and some just have a certain special, extra ‘something’.
Finally, I’d urge anyone thinking of selling their acoustic because they don’t like its tone to first invest a few quid trying out new strings. Guitar too dull-sounding? Try some Aluminium Bronze strings.Too bright and brash? Try some Silk & Steels.You get the idea. It might just save you the hassle and depreciation of selling – and you never know what doors of playing-inspiration a new set of strings might open… ernieball.co.uk / takamine.com