String Selection for Guild Dreadnoughts

sitka.bc

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What have you guys tried with good success? I usually use Martin Acoustic SP and Retros on my J45, but since the D40 is voiced differently I'm thinking something like the Retros might sound better on it. The guitar is well balanced across the strings and has a pretty even bass, mid, and treble with clarity. I figure a traditional PB string will detract from the woody nature clarity, so I'm thinking of a nickel/monel string akin to what was available back in the 60s and 70s for that classic dreadnought tone. Anybody try John Pearse or other brands?
 

GardMan

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I preferred and played John Pearse PBs... in light, "bluegrass," or "new medium" gauges, on most of my Guild dreads. The only one that didn't really "like" the PBs was my '74 D-25M. PBs made it sound muddy, so I played I JP 80/20 lights on it for years. I tried JP PB & silk on my '72 D-35 for a while, but eventually went back to PB bluegrass.
 

adorshki

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I figure a traditional PB string will detract from the woody nature clarity, so I'm thinking of a nickel/monel string akin to what was available back in the 60s and 70s for that classic dreadnought tone.
Actually, Guild was the first maker to offer D'Addario's new PB strings as "original equipment" ca. '74 when D'A brought 'em to market.
I'd say there was a very high probability a '78 D40 was shipped with D'A PB lights or mediums, Guild's L350 or M450.
Have seen both listed as the installed strings on the owner's pamphlet supplied with early '80's dreads, the M450's were on a D46 (ash body) so suspect they varied the gauge by model.
Mid-'70's were a period of relatively "heavy" builds or Guild so wouldn't surprise me if a D40 came with mediums at the time.
Everything I know about original strings prior to about '96 is based on discrete sightings like the above or credible reports here, there's very little documentation except for what they actually offered in price lists.
By '97 there was a formal note in the first Guild Gallery that it was L350's on all dreadnoughts and jumbos, except 12-strings, period.
Anyway, it's just an "FYI"; I'd give a set of EJ-16's (uncoated pb lights) a fair chance if you don't want to risk medium tension on a 40 year old instrument.
 

walrus

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D'Addario EJ26, Custom Light Phosphor Bronze.

walrus
 

Westerly Wood

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I was really impressed recently with a set of Dunlop PB lights. You can get them on sweetwater and i am sure others too. Did not go dead at all, more like coated strings but totally uncoated. Great PB zing if you are into that sort of thing, and mellow quickly after a couple days. I like D'Addario too, John Pearse PBs are great, and Martin SPs. But the Dunlops won for me. I like their picks a lot so goes to figure they would make a decent string. Made in California too. Their light gauge is .12-.54. G string is a .24 if I remember correctly.
 

Stuball48

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EJ 14s or EJ19s two hybrids if you will. A mix of mediums (GDAE) and lights (EB).
 
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Every guitar is a bit different, and same-numbered Guild models from different periods can be markedly different. (Personally, I don't much care for any Guild built between 1970 and the Corona period, but that's just me, innit.) Then there's the matter of the player's ear. I can't abide bright strings, so I stick with phosphor bronze on most of my guitars. Others love zing and go for brighter alloy/winding formulas. Everybody's mileage varies.

Bottom line: Your own ears and fingers are going to decide what works for a given guitar. There's no substitute for experimentation. (I've been experimenting the whole 51 years I've owned my D-40. We agree that almost any brand of phosphor bronze is acceptable, including GHS/Pearse/Martin silk & bronze.)
 

sitka.bc

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Interesting about Guild being first to use D'addario PB's. Got any links on this? I'll probably try my go to Martin SPs first as I like the tone and feel from previous guitars and try from there. Nickel/Monel is also worth a shot. I recently tried Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and they felt and sounded pretty good too, esp for the $.
 

Westerly Wood

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Interesting about Guild being first to use D'addario PB's. Got any links on this? I'll probably try my go to Martin SPs first as I like the tone and feel from previous guitars and try from there. Nickel/Monel is also worth a shot. I recently tried Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and they felt and sounded pretty good too, esp for the $.

always worth a shot to try. SAS is cheap. i think if you really like Martin SP PBs, you will not really like D'A pb lights. but what do i know...:) it might be some kind of epiphany for ya.
 

adorshki

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Interesting about Guild being first to use D'addario PB's. Got any links on this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D'Addario :
"During the late 1940s and early 1950s (especially after the birth of rock and roll) nylon-stringed "classical" guitars were being eclipsed in popularity by the steel-string guitar. Some of the younger members of the family wanted to expand into steel strings, but Charles was reluctant to risk the family business on what he considered an uncertain market. In 1956 a new company (the Archaic Musical String Mfg Co.) began to make steel strings, run by Charles' son, John D'Addario Sr. The company made strings for several of the major guitar makers of the time, including Gretsch, D'Angelico, Martin, and Guild. In 1962 the two companies were merged under the name Darco.....
In the late 1960s, Darco was approached by Martin Guitars regarding a merger in order to pool resources and development efforts. While the partnership was beneficial for both companies, by 1974 the D'Addario family decided it was time to market strings under their own name, and the J. D'Addario & Company corporation was formed "

http://www.daddario.com/DaddarioSplash.Page?ActiveID=1740 :(D'Addario's home page)
"Phosphor Bronze Wound
Phosphor Bronze was introduced to string making by D'Addario in 1974 and has become synonymous with warm, bright, and well balanced acoustic tone. D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings are precision wound with corrosion resistant phosphor bronze onto a carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core. The result is long lasting, bright sounding tone with excellent intonation. MORE"

http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/files/pricelists/72-7.pdf (Guild '72 price list courtesy of Westerlyguildguitars.com)
See "Special Bronze Alloy High Copper content" on that page

Yes that's a '72 list and I'm not positive that was actually the same pb that D'Addario decided to go public with in '74, but I don't have a '74 or '75 price list to compare.
What I think is that D'A was actually making it and providing it to Guild even before they decided to "go independant", but so far I've only got this "circumstantial evidence".
The L350 and M450 sets did become pb by definition, and Guild and D'Addario were so tight that Guild was already in line to offer it as soon as it became available.
D'A was at least one of Guild's OEMs at the time (strings are very poorly documented, you just got the benefit of literally years of catching these tidbits as they came up and putting 2 and 2 together) and all the way until about '03 in Corona, and then starting again in '12 at New Hartford.
The only reason I say "At least one of" the suppliers for the '70's is that so many sets were offered that I finally realized that it was possible that other suppliers might have provided stuff D'Addario didn't make, like possibly bass strings or those "Electric Spanish guitar" strings.
Another maker associated with Guild is DR, founded by Guild founder Al Dronge's son Mark Dronge.
I've seen credible assertions from at last one member that DR was a provider too, but can't recall ever seeing any corroboration from other members such as JTE and Drumbob (Guild dealer and employee, respectively) have given about D'Addario.
Anyway, that's the "evidence", that's all, I'm not out to convert you.
I'll probably try my go to Martin SPs first as I like the tone and feel from previous guitars and try from there. Nickel/Monel is also worth a shot. I recently tried Ernie Ball Earthwood strings and they felt and sounded pretty good too, esp for the $.
I just always figured if it was good enough for Guild it was good enough for me..
But as I've mellowed with age I've realized we've all got different ears and demands on our strings.
Even I've been looking for something to "tame down the jangle" and maybe be a little more finger-friendly in the last couple of years.
To which end I've been considering silk and steels.
:friendly_wink:
 
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Bill Ashton

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Both my current D55 and my previous F47R disliked monel style strings very much. Best I have found so far for the D55 is the "new" DR Veritas PB. DR Rare PB are good in a pinch.

Of course my guitars are rosewood, right away your mahogany will probably sound brighter. GHS Bright Bronze may not be a good fit...
 

Westerly Wood

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I like to think Guild was product testing D'As new ground breaking acoustic guitar string alloy (Phosphor Bronze) back in '72, well before product launch.
 

Antney

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I’ve always loved elixir pb nano lights on my guitars, specially the dread.

Btw, shouldn’t this thread be moved under the Strings sub category?
 

gjmalcyon

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Both my current D55 and my previous F47R disliked monel style strings very much.

Yeah - I put Martin Tony Rice monel strings on my F-47R and they were so bad that I took them off within an hour of putting them on. On the wife's D-4 and my D-35 they're fine. Weird how they may not get along with rosewood.
 

davismanLV

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I definitely recommend strings on all guitars. No seriously...... they need them. So put me down for YES on strings!!! :encouragement:
 
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