New Member, New To Guild, And New D-20

[bcalvanese]

I have a question on strings.

I know it ships with lights (12-53), but would mediums (13-56) hurt it in any way?

Thanks in advance,

I emailed Guild about this and this is what they replied...


Hi Bob,

Thank you for reaching out!

We do not recommend using a higher gauge string then the 12-53 set that comes on the D-20.

While the guitar may handle the extra tension; our warranty would not cover any damage incurred in using the higher guage strings.

Let me know if I can answer any additional questions for you.

Regards,


So guess I'm staying with the light.

 

[JohnW63]

I would experiment with different brand and " model " strings to see what really wakes the guitar up.

 

[davenumber2]

If you put them on you could just keep an eye on it. If there’s excessive bellying or the action raises up or something then take them off. I know the newer Guilds are fairly lightly built but I can’t imagine them not standing up to mediums. Probably just covering their a** for warranty issues is my guess.

 

[kostask]

You may want to try GHS Americana Light (.012-.053) strings. Their tension is somewhat higher than other light strings from pretty much any other light strings, so they won't have the tension of mediums, but will still have higher tension than most light sets. I am unsure as to why the extra tension is there, whether it be that GHS has messed with the core vs. wrap string ratios (for the wound strings), a material change (slightly different alloys), or it actually is the so called "cryo" treatment (I personally don't believe in the cryogenic treatment stuff), but I do know you can actually feel the increased tension with your fretting hand.

 

[bcalvanese]

You may want to try GHS Americana Light (.012-.053) strings. Their tension is somewhat higher than other light strings from pretty much any other light strings, so they won't have the tension of mediums, but will still have higher tension than most light sets. I am unsure as to why the extra tension is there, whether it be that GHS has messed with the core vs. wrap string ratios (for the wound strings), a material change (slightly different alloys), or it actually is the so called "cryo" treatment (I personally don't believe in the cryogenic treatment stuff), but I do know you can actually feel the increased tension with your fretting hand.

Right now I have the Martin Authentic Acoustic Lifespan (12-54) on it...



That should be ok right?

 

[kostask]

There is nothing wrong with any light strings by any major manufacturer. The 168.5 Lbs. of tension should be fine for a guitar designed for use with light strings. The GHS Americana are probably somewhat stiffer (higher tension), but not as stiff as any manufacturer's mediums. You would probably want to go to GHS's website to see if they show the tension of the Americana strings. Most of the time, stiffer strings drive the top harder, but if they are too high in tension, it has the effect of "choking" the top. I used the GHS Signature Bronze strings for years ( the Americana are the same strings with a different name). The worked wonderfully well until I bought a Lys L-10 (Lys was a guitar brand that pre-dated Simon&Patrick, or Seagull) which had a cedar top/solid mahogany sides and back. Guitar sounded dead using the GHS Signature Bronze strings; sounded like the guitar was stuffed with a heavy blanket. Couldn't understand it. Put it aside for a while, then later tried it out again, same problem. Strings had gotten pretty corroded from just sitting around, so I replaced them with D'Addario EJ-16s (noticeably lower tension than the GHS strings in the fretting hand), because that is all I had on hand. Guitar starts sounding a lot livelier, brighter, and with better bass. Guitar just came to life. I later tried going back to the GHS Signature Bronze strings after I got more sets of GHS Signature Bronze strings, same result. I think that the extra tension of the GHS Signature Bronze strings was actually limiting the cedar top (which is a softer wood than spruce) from vibrating fully. Left the D'Addario EJ-16s on there for the entire time I had the guitar, and never looked back. All of my other guitars (all spruce topped) worked better with the GHS SIgnature Bronze than the D'Addario.

 

[jeffcoop]

I swear, just for laughs, the M20 mavuser is going on the "cover" of the single I'm recording, even though I recorded with my F47R. Worked for Nick Drake...

 

[bcalvanese]

thanks, no worries...things get mixed up pretty fast on the internet. Neil actually does not even own that M-20, he uses it on loan.

Nick Drake is a whole 'nuther story...hopefully this thread doesn't get hijacked on this, but apparently Drake did not play an M-20, he only posed with one for an album cover. and that M-20 did not belong to him, if I recall it was associated with Eric Clapton somehow? anyway that one on the album cover may be a 59. I never even knew who Nick Drake was, until I joined LTG, and acquired an M-20.

I have owned several M-20's, and several 1970-1972 D-25's- which are the same as the current D-20. I have sold all, other than one mahogany D-25 from 1972. That is my favorite dread i've played.

Too late... lol

 

[HeyMikey]

Try some hybrid “bluegrass” sets. Light treble, medium bass.

https://www.stringsandbeyond.com/search-magic.html?query=bluegrass+d’addario

 

[jeffcoop]

Back to the original topic (and my apologies for my role in a veer): it sounds like you got a great D20--congratulations!

 

[HeyMikey]

Veers R Us!

 

[bcalvanese]

I put a set of Martin mediums (13-56) on today. They are 190.9 lbs. of tension (compared to 168.5 with the lights), but Martin scale length is 25.4 compared to 25.625 of the D-20, so may be a hair more tension on the D-20.

The belly bulge didn't feel much (if any) different than with the mediums, and the action looks like it only moved about half of a 64th. The action was 5/64" with the lights, and just a hair over that with the mediums. Also the neck relief barely moved (maybe .001).

It sounded noticeably fuller with the mediums, and didn't really sound like the top was choking or anything.

Should I keep the mediums on and risk the warranty?

Or should I just put the lights back on, and call it a day?

 

[bcalvanese]

I put the lights back on.

 

[davenumber2]

I put the lights back on.

If you like the tone with lights there's really no need to go to mediums. I don't think the mediums would have hurt anything, even long term.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Mediums vs Lights is a good historical discussion over the years on the LTG. It's a periodic friendly debate. I definitely prefer light gauge .12-.53/.54, depending on brand. I have tried mediums now and again on all my Guilds, as my F30R is short scale and likes a bit more tension. Still, after a few months or weeks even, I downgrade back to lights, as the added tension does not really provide enough of an effect. And the older I get, the softer my finger pads get, so lights are just more comfy.

I actually will be downgrading further soon, EJ26 to be exact, the D'A PB .11-.52 for even better playability now that I am pretty much all in on finger picking.

Back to the topic of debate: Choking the top. Some of us think that mediums do choke some of the resonance and tone, sweetness, if you will. Again, opinions all over the map on this. And I have found it depends on the guitar. I had a Santa Cruz that was so absurdly lightly build, anything over light gauge would muffle the top. However, my D25BR, a 1971 flatback all hog, really likes EJ17s (mediums).

 

[Wash]

looks hilariously tiny on his frame. rofl

Absolutely looks small.

 

[The Hawk]

Welcome, Bob! I'm rather new here myself. Congratulations on the nice acquisition and I wish you joy as you work on those calluses.