Acoustic Guitar String Gauge Showdown! Elixir Phosphor Bronze String Gauge Comparison
My Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/48AkKkfB2mzMkR1NV0dYdV
This video details the six different gauges of elixir strings (phosphor bronze) through professionally recorded audio demonstrations. I will play through 4 different examples but have all six sets played back to back so you can hear the tonal difference between sets.
0:00 Intro
0:20 Gauge Breakdown
2:24 Strumming
4:53 Finger Picking
6:55 Arpeggio
8:57 Final Thoughts
Elixir Phosphor Bronze “Extra Light”: https://amzn.to/3lIe2Ys
Elixir Phosphor Bronze “Lights”: https://amzn.to/3AkDOpL
Elixir Phosphor Bronze “Custom Lights”: https://amzn.to/3CqyBPg
Elixir Phosphor Bronze “HD Light”: https://amzn.to/3rYEmyS
Elixir Phosphor Bronze “Medium”: https://amzn.to/2VEUcCI
#Elixirstrings
#Jtravlos
#Acoustic #Guitar #String #Gauge #Showdown #Elixir #Phosphor #Bronze #String #Gauge #Comparison
Originally posted by UC4zM0uz-OKtFxz-fn2nUFvA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPv84gMicEw
Totally ???? appreciate your taking the time and effort to share this with us! Just ordered Lights!????
Here’s another thing about these comparison videos.. are you readjusting the setup/action when you change the strings? Probably not, and I don’t blame you. The lighter strings will naturally have lower action and may buzz more, etc, because of that. My point is there are just too many variables and because of that I go with the lighter strings because the fact that those are easier to play is NOT open to a million other variables!! ????
For me I prefer the Light ones… it's not too bright yet also not too dark… and I don't know if it's your tuning or the string gauge, but I can feel how the bass just sounds RIGHT from the Light set (compared to lighter ones)…
Or maybe it's just me who's looking for bass strings in guitar-string size.
ELIXIR PHOSPHOR BRONZE WITH NANOWEB COATING HAS BETTER SOUND JUST LIKE ERNIE BALL ALUMINIUM BRONZE STRINGS!
I will throw Custom Light Nanowebs (elevens) to my Yamaha LL6 ARE in place of factory twelves.
Why do Custom light’s sound like they “shimmer” more and have more sustain than the rest?
I’ve tried Medium’s, light’s, and extra light’s on a Little Martin. From what I remember, the guitar came in 13’s stock. And I love how it sounded. A much fuller and well rounded sound. But apparently 13’s (medium’s) were too thick for a neck like that. So when I finally busted a string, I switched down to 12’s. After about a 10 year layoff (and developed arthritis in thr hands), I’ve restrung my guitars to 11’s to try and acclimate back up to the higher gauges. But I’m loving the sound of the custom light’s. I’m intrigued! They’re currently strung with D’addario’s..
But they sounded dull on arrival.
Always love your comparisons. I don't see it on your page, but I would love to see you do the same with Elixir 80/20's
Great job on this video. I was really able to see the how they just differ even the Rick Beato video I feel minimized the differences did emphasize the benefits of the lights, but I think didn’t show off the benefits of the mediums as yours does.
Watching this video allowed me to make a great decision to choose HD Light strings about 3 – 4 years ago. They sound really great. Used them on my Washburn and now on my PRS. One thing I have been battling though, is that the great sound comes at a price of finger fatigue.
I am thinking to experiment with the light and custom light gauges to see if it can suit my needs, and compensate for the midrange I would need with EQ from the sounds person.
My thinking behind it is that as these strings are coated, the high E string won't sound too "twangy" as does uncoated strings of that gauge (11's).
Anyone has had a similar experience and can shed some light before I dish out on Amazon for these for my trial?
Ive been using extra light and custom lights forever…no more. Too jangly. Using lights or HD lights from now on
Thanks. Your strumming comparison confirmed something I was hearing on my extra lights while strumming. I’ll be switching back to lights.
One major criteria you overlooked is the physical durability of the high strings, as you go lighter. I use D'Addario 11-52 "custom light" on my 1980s vintage Yamaha, and this is really the sweet spot. They should really be called medium.
Then I tried the "super light" 9-45, and while the playability is great, very easy to do bends, there was a drastic loss in volume and sustain. Worse, the 1st string (which is thin as a strand of hair practically) soon broke. Put on a new set, and I broke the 1st string again, this time just tuning up.
Yes, I tuned it perhaps an octave higher before realizing I overshot, but boom! It broke right away before I could go back down. I'm going to try he Elixir 1–47, as I heard the quality is very good. Can you say anything about their durability, for their extra light?
hey thank you, God bless you bro, happy holidays!
The custom lights are really doing it for me right now!!
Custom lights won out overall for my ears ????. The extra and custom lights allowed you you to hear every single string being played whereas with the thicker versions it started getting lost. I even think strumming sounded best with either of the lightest guage sets.
I bought custom light 11g . A bit hard to play but great sounding. ❤
Brilliant, thank you
Thank you so much for this video! It's so helpful! I was torn between choosing string size, because previously I didnt pay attention to the size of strings, but recently touched a guitar with super thin strings and noticed that extra light sounds so amazing and even magical, not like metalic grinding like medium size with more clear but boring sound….
The heavier gauge strings sound so full, but like everything in life there’s a balance. Here, it’d been playability tone. The Light/Mediums sound the best (to me), but I’d be happy with the Custom Lights if they’re easier on the fingers. ???? Great video!
Medium!
Extra and custom has buzz in it buzzing.
Thanks a lot, this Video was very helpful.
????????????
As much as I appreciate this video and feel most people should be playing a lighter gauge string, the arpeggio section shows he wasn't consistent with where he was picking the strings. Watch his pick placement over the soundhole on the 10's vs the 13's. Of course the 13's sounded warmer because he was picking much nearer the fretboard. That makes a huge difference in the tone. That said, I do appreciate the video!
Hey!
Right off the bat (1:45), except for the extra-lights, starting with the custom lights, I'm hearing all kinds of nasty overtones drifting sharp after a couple seconds of sustain, coming from the wound strings. And it only gets worse with gauge. The extra-lights are stable – and they are the only set I can stand to hear without muting the wound strings! I thought this was a factor of dirt and corrosion. If you hear it – what do you think is causing it? Especially since you aren't even playing 5 and 6, and I'm just lost what to do now? Regardless, for whatever reason, the only set that sounds "in-tune" are the ones that sound "magical" to me – no surprise there. I would get sick if I can't have that perfect sound. It's one guitar, and virtually identical strings. I don't know – it's just too complicated. But UNACCEPATABLE (head shaking.)
I came up with a partial theory. The amplitude of a string decreases on sustain, reducing string tension. If anything, the tone should go down. I am hearing overtones (multiples of the tone) going up. The sound of the guilty strings are clearly drifting sharper and sharper. I can't figure out how, but something resonant is INCREASING FREQUENCY – ON ITS OWN – and it shouldn't be doing that. Bending up by I think a semitone over 2-5 seconds. (Another clue is that) This only occurs in wound strings. – OKAY I GOT IT. It's the string construction variance between the core and the winding. There's a good theory to follow..
Bummer.
Yes, I'm manic to solve theory problems. I'll get to the bottom of this – these are solid clues.
I don't know about you guys, but the warmth of that .12s light is the sweetest for me. 🙂
Elixir strings are simply the best strings hands down. I personally only use medium gage phosphor bronze strings on all my guitars. I don't play with a pick, so want strings that I can get loud enough with just my fingers.
Thank you very much man.
This video made me realise that I did the right choice bying the 10/47 Extra Light Phosphor Bronze ones.
Looking forward to try them tomorrow!
Cheers from Bulgaria!
I obviously prefer the 0.013 warm tone… I kinda hate the bright tones tbh, I feel like those strings are meant for just beginners not for those who know how to play properly, but again… personal preference wins
Funny, reading all the comments on this thread. So many different opinions— for me it was clear cut extra lights all the way of course that I'm sure has a lot to do with your beautiful Guitar's wood and tone. Sorry, I arrived so late to the party!
Wow. As an electric player I prefer 9s after playing 10s for years and even thicker when I was in my SRV phase, and I began to wonder about acoustic, figuring I'd go custom lights over regular lights. But hearing this with good headphones on through my audio interface the lights sound way better than the thinner custom lights, even though I'm sure the custom lights would feel better to my fingers. Thanks for this, it saved me some future recording disappointment
Nice video, which one is better for resonant sound quality strings???? For acoustic guitar
Hi máster, thanks for a great video!
ADVICE-
beginner player no callouses
soft not bright
Warm
Mellow
Almost nylon sound
1970 Epiphone Dreadnaught large body acoustic
Suggestions?
I have been using 011.
Superb comparison, showing side by side, examples of guitar, playing technique, using these different elixir strings. Very very valuable, thanks.
For finger picking : Light
For strumming : Extra light
.09 – .45 is the best gauge
At first it was hard to hear the differences. But the difference between extra light and custom light were huge, everytime. Just as you said, they're in a class of their own.
However, as I started watching the video, I found I liked the lighter more for the lower strings, the medium just felt too thick to me in the bass. But in the treble, the lighter strings seemed too shrill. For my personal taste, I'm gonna go with the HD Lights, but I think based on preference, the Light/Medium and the HD Lights are probably the best tone wise.
I've been playing with extra lights though for a while and I will say I agree. They definitely give much better control over the instrument. So if you're just starting with guitar, or if you love the feel more than tone, go for it. And if you love the tone, even better.
Thank-you. Your like the only video after long search with no talking…I even search for no talking. Thanku!!
Lite strings always put fret buzes in my guitars I have tried lites on all of my guitars the a string is murder to get in tune when I bring the low e string into tune I'll have to back the a string off tell it's practically loose lite strange are not worth my time plus they lower the volume of the guitar
Thank you for this vid. I have my 3/4 Yamaha APXT2 all dressed-up pretty with Elixir 10 47 phosphorus bronze nanoweb. My fingers and ears are quite happy.