Brightness

[BeGUILeD]

Just purchased my first Guild…OM-150CE.
I like it very much but it’s a bit bright for my ear. At minimum I’m looking at replacing the plastic bridge pins and switching strings to get a more mellow sound. Thinking of the TUSQ pins and D’Addario steel and silk. Thoughts very welcome. (Not sure what the factory strings are that it came with.)

 

[davismanLV]

Congrats, and welcome. It's new, it will need to break in. But Silk & Steel will definitely mellow the tone a bit. Or Silk & Bronze are good as well. Less string tension, too. The bone or Tusq pins and saddle will help as well. Let us know how it works.

 

[kitniyatran]

I use & love GHS Silk & Bronze on my D25 & JF30. The silk & steel should mellow the sound quite a bit.

 

[Nuuska]

Welcome to LTG

I'm in the camp who thinks strings are at least 90% - pins etc together are less than 10% of the sound - or the sound that can be achieved after woodworks are done.

Then I'm aware that some folks have different experience - and I will not deny that.


So - I would start w different strings before pins etc.

 

[GAD]

Moved to Acoustics forum

 

[Norrissey]

Thinking of the TUSQ pins and D’Addario steel and silk.

I have always found replacing plastic bridge pins with tusq improves the resonance and clarity of my acoustics. I'm a big fan of tusq. I would recommend having a luthier install the new bridge pins for you to you get an optimal fit.
Strings obviously also impact the tone/sound of a guitar but you can experiment with those endlessly and it's very subjective. Bottom line I think you're on the right track!

 

[BeGUILeD]

Just purchased my first Guild…OM-150CE.
I like it very much but it’s a bit bright for my ear. At minimum I’m looking at replacing the plastic bridge pins and switching strings to get a more mellow sound. Thinking of the TUSQ pins and D’Addario steel and silk. Thoughts very welcome. (Not sure what the factory strings are that it came with.)

I use & love GHS Silk & Bronze on my D25 & JF30. The silk & steel should mellow the sound quite a bit

 

[BeGUILeD]

Thanks to all. I think I’ll go with Martin steel & silk first.

 

[chazmo]

Silk and steel are going to be a wild difference on that guitar. But, by all means give it a go! If you ever get a chance, try a set of the Thomastik Spectrum strings. Expensive but worth it if you like 'em.

Good luck with the hunt!

 

[Stagefright]

I think all new strings are too bright. Give the new guitar a month or two to mellow on its own. If that doesn't work, you haven't lost anything.

 

[BeGUILeD]

I think all new strings are too bright. Give the new guitar a month or two to mellow on its own. If that doesn't work, you haven't lost anything.

Thanks. I had a medical procedure done on my left hand a couple of weeks ago and it’s still healing so will take your advice and hold off till I’m able to play for longer periods.

 

[Brucebubs]

The ultimate soft feel, warm tone strings are the expensive Plectrums by Thomastik-Infeld.

I found the next best by far were La Bella Silk & Steels.

 

[valleyguy]

Strings suggested here will make a difference, and play them a few days to kill the brightness. Also, if you use a pick, try a thicker pick, it will sound mellower. Also try a beveled pick, say a 1.2 Primetone. Also note that an OM will sound brighter than a dreadnaught. OMs are made for fingerpicking, that’s why I sold my GAD30 (an OM) several years ago.
That’s my 2 cents……

 

[Wellington]

I put a bone saddle and wood bridge pins in my Yamaha that is a bright guitar and it helped.

 

[BeGUILeD]

Strings suggested here will make a difference, and play them a few days to kill the brightness. Also, if you use a pick, try a thicker pick, it will sound mellower. Also try a beveled pick, say a 1.2 Primetone. Also note that an OM will sound brighter than a dreadnaught. OMs are made for fingerpicking, that’s why I sold my GAD30 (an OM) several years ago.
That’s my 2 cents……

I do some fingerpicking and I’m not a heavy strummer so the OM is fine for me. Good tip re picks. Thanks.

 

[West R Lee]

Silk and steel are going to be a wild difference on that guitar. But, by all means give it a go! If you ever get a chance, try a set of the Thomastik Spectrum strings. Expensive but worth it if you like 'em.

Good luck with the hunt!

I never could find a set of strings that sounded really good on my D30, until I bit the bullet and spent about $24 for a set of Plectrums. It changed the guitar completely. I tried Thomastik on my rosewood guitars and they sounded horrible, but there was something about Plectrums and maple.

West

 

[Walter Broes]

That brightness (more of an upper-mid thing than real trebles to my ear) is a thing that hits me about almost every asian-made Guild acoustic I've played, and one of the reasons I'm not crazy about them..

 

[West R Lee]

That brightness (more of an upper-mid thing than real trebles to my ear) is a thing that hits me about almost every asian-made Guild acoustic I've played, and one of the reasons I'm not crazy about them..

I agree. To my ear, in they have sort of a tinny, almost metallic sound.

West

 

[BeGUILeD]

Update…changed strings to Martin Silk & Phosphor and it made a big difference, to my ear anyway and especially while strumming.

 

[adorshki]

Update…changed strings to Martin Silk & Phosphor and it made a big difference, to my ear anyway and especially while strumming.

The Martin & GHS S&S sets have silver-plated trebles (unwounds). Makes for a sweeter tone.

Also noted the Thomastiks say they're tin coated ()...maybe it works for gypsy jazz?

Those LaBellas caught my eye because they're the perfect gauge mix for me. I had to sub in a GHS single to the Martin set to get a good mix when I tried 'em on the F65ce. Still using 'em. Love 'em to death.

I was able to get singles from Strings By Mail if you (or anybody)'re looking to make a custom mix. Went to S&B on the D25 after seeing what the S&S did for the F65ce. Still running good old EJ-16's on the D40, though, with an .025G to match Guild's gauge mix up until around '02.