Acoustic String Gage Advice; tuner replacement question

[aamefford]

So, I have a (non-PRS, starts with Y, tuning forks...) acoustic, concert size guitar. Rosewood sides and back, Sitka spruce top, just in case any of that matters. It is currently strung with D'Addario Phosphor Bronze light .012 - .053 set. I am a beginner, and mostly playing electric, but I want to leave my acoustic where I can just grab and play. The 12's are a pretty drastic difference from the 9's or 9.5's on my electrics. My fingers aren't doing well with them; I'd like to have easier fingering action for now. What recommendations would any of you make? I'm not really concerned with volume or really any particular tone as long as they sound "nice." D'Addario (not locked into this brand, I just checked their website) have .009 - .045 sets and .010 - .047 sets. They have .011 - .052 as well, but they seem too close to the .012's. I'm leaning towards trying the .009's over the .010's. Thoughts? I know I can try them, just want to get close the first time...

Also, one of the little nylon sleeves in one of the tuners kinda disintegrated. What to I need to look at to be sure I get the correct tuners, and don't have to drill or ream holes? Thank you all!!!

 

[veinbuster]

I put 10s on one for a young friend who was challenged by 12s. They worked fine, but intonation was a bit off and that isn’t an easy adjustment on most acoustics. Not a serious problem if you aren’t using the whole neck.

Definitely worth the cost of a set of strings to see if it works for you.

 

[Greywolf]

stick with the 12-53s or get a truss rod adjustment /setup . Acoustics are made for heavier strings for a reason , the skinny ones don't drive the top , which is where the sound comes from ... If you want skinny strings stay with electric

 

[deathworlder]

Try some 80/20 bronze...
They can have noticeably less tension.

Big Y fan here... Which model?

 

[aamefford]

Try some 80/20 bronze...
They can have noticeably less tension.

Big Y fan here... Which model?

A3C-R. Thanks for the tip!

 

[László]

If you don't mind a reduced-volume string, try silk & steel strings. They're quite a bit softer to play than the usual suspects. D'Addario and Martin both make them; I don't know who else does.

The strings feel in-between nylon and steel strings ( in terms of bend-ability and soft feel), and are ridiculously easy to play in any gauge, with a lot of gentle 'give'. Lots of players use them, but I feel they're an especially great beginner string.

I don't know if it was for the feel or not, but if memory serves they were very popular in the folk music scene a long time ago. Kumbaya!

 

[aamefford]

If you don't mind a reduced-volume string, try silk & steel strings. They're quite a bit softer to play than the usual suspects. D'Addario and Martin both make them; I don't know who else does.

The strings feel in-between nylon and steel strings ( in terms of bend-ability and soft feel), and are ridiculously easy to play in any gauge, with a lot of gentle 'give'. Lots of players use them, but I feel they're an especially great beginner string.

I don't know if it was for the feel or not, but if memory serves they were very popular in the folk music scene a long time ago. Kumbaya!

Thanks Les, are these Ok on a steel string guitar? It seems like they might have lower tension, so likely a truss rod adjustment. Anything else? Intonation issues or anything? Thanks!

 

[Fill]

I use 12's and occasionally 11's. I get around the strings tension issue by tuning the 12's down a full step, and the 11's down a half step, and sometimes a full step. I also work hard at the guitars set up, getting the string action low. If I need A440 tuning, a capo does the job. I rarely if ever play acoustic with pre-recorded music where I'd really need the capo, so I like the increased depth of tone with the guitars detuned, and they are easier on the fingers. In particular, my Larrivee J10 (jumbo) sounds like a hand held piano with 12's tuned down a step.

As a side note, after "string rolling" for a couple of months, I found my "forever" strings, Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze strings. They're not "traditional" strings, but to me, they have the best aspects of Phosphor Bronze and 80/20 strings. They're deep, bright, have lots of definition from top to bottom without any harshness, and have more volume and more sensitivity to picking than other strings I've tried. I've read some criticism of those strings, but I haven't found anything negative about them. One thing I saw mentioned is that they appear worn out of the package, cause they're not all bright and shiny. Thats true, but doesn't matter to me. Its what they sound like, and (imo) they sound awesome... they're just a deeper bronze color.
My .02 cents.

 

[Elias Prieels]

Try the D’Addario XS-strings. Those are great coated strings. They feel much smoother and sound much better than the regular D’Addario’s imo. You can try 11-52, with the right setup, that should be light enough.

 

[László]

Thanks Les, are these Ok on a steel string guitar? It seems like they might have lower tension, so likely a truss rod adjustment. Anything else? Intonation issues or anything? Thanks!

They are specifically made for steel string, acoustic guitars.

11-47 Light Gauge 6-Strings, Silk & Steel Acoustic Guitar Strings | EJ40 | D'Addario

Silk & Steel were uniquely designed to be our warmest, mellowest acoustic guitar string, & are well suited for mellow acoustic vibes & fingerstyle playing. This 11-47 Light set is easy to play & provides a warm tone. Learn more.

www.daddario.com

If you buy the same gauge or go down one gauge I don't think you'll have intonation issues. You might not have to adjust the truss rod, either.

 

[László]

Try the D’Addario XS-strings. Those are great coated strings. They feel much smoother and sound much better than the regular D’Addario’s imo. You can try 11-52, with the right setup, that should be light enough.

I switched to them recently, the 80/20 bronze Bluegrass set. I love 'em.

 

[veinbuster]

Thanks Les, are these Ok on a steel string guitar? It seems like they might have lower tension, so likely a truss rod adjustment. Anything else? Intonation issues or anything? Thanks!

As Les mention, the silk and steel are made as steel guitar strings. I’ve had them on my oldest acoustic for about 40 years. They are easier to play, but are getting harder to find. I use Martin.

 

[László]

As Les mention, the silk and steel are made as steel guitar strings. I’ve had them on my oldest acoustic for about 40 years. They are easier to play, but are getting harder to find. I use Martin.

I think you can buy them directly from D'Addario; not sure whether Martin has an online accessory store.

 

[aamefford]

So, a bunch of good advice here. For instance, down tuning - hadn’t crossed my mind. Silk & Steel, didn’t know about them. 80/20 for lighter tension. So, here’s what I’ve done, and what I’m gonna try:

1) Complained about 12’s
2) Started this thread
3) Tuned the 12’s down to D standard as a quick, free experiment
4) Used D’Addario’s string tension calculator and put this little chart together. D’Addario strings, total tension

Phosphor Bronze 12’s Tuned to E - 160.5#
Phosphor Bronze 12’s Tuned to D - 127.4#
Phosphor Bronze 10’s Tuned to E - 133.2#
80/20 Bronze 10’s Tuned to E - 130.1#
Silk & Steel 11’s Tuned to E - 112.4#

The 12’s tuned to D standard are much easier for me. Outstanding idea @Fill . The 80/20 Bronze 10’s look really close, and the Silk & Steel 11’s look to be even easier, just based on tension. I’m going to try both the 80/20 Bronze 10’s and the Silk & Steel 11’s and see which works best for ease of play, and doesn’t require a new bridge to fix intonation. Hoping on that last, though I’d happily have a new bridge cut. From there, maybe look at lowering the action a bit if needed and there is room to do so without string buzz.

 

[aamefford]

TUNER QUESTION!
Does one put locking tuners on an acoustic guitar? I finally sat down with a tuner removed from my "Y" acoustic, a set of vernier calipers and the drawings from grover and Gotoh tuners. The Grover 102's and the Gotoh SG301's both are nearly identical, with the Gotoh more closely matching the OEM tuner. None of the discrepancies are critical dimensions, so both will drop in. I'm going to get the Gotoh SG301-STD's as the best fit. They also come in a locking version. I like locking tuners on my electrics. I don't recall seeing or hearing of locking tuners on an acoustic. They are twice the price, but $40 to $80 is not a lot of absolute $$. So, are lockers on an acoustic a good idea or stupid idea? Anyone here use them on acoustic guitars? Thank You as ever...

 

[veinbuster]

I don’t have locking tuners on any of my acoustics.

 

[Fill]

TUNER QUESTION!
Does one put locking tuners on an acoustic guitar? I finally sat down with a tuner removed from my "Y" acoustic, a set of vernier calipers and the drawings from grover and Gotoh tuners. The Grover 102's and the Gotoh SG301's both are nearly identical, with the Gotoh more closely matching the OEM tuner. None of the discrepancies are critical dimensions, so both will drop in. I'm going to get the Gotoh SG301-STD's as the best fit. They also come in a locking version. I like locking tuners on my electrics. I don't recall seeing or hearing of locking tuners on an acoustic. They are twice the price, but $40 to $80 is not a lot of absolute $$. So, are lockers on an acoustic a good idea or stupid idea? Anyone here use them on acoustic guitars? Thank You as ever...

Imo, locking tuners are a convenience, since they make string changes notably faster. Probably more important when out playing live. I do think they contribute to the guitar staying in tune better due to not having any string windings on the tuning peg to potentially stretch.

As a side note, I don't stretch my acoustic strings after installation. I have no way to prove it, but my "Spidey sense" tells me that stretching them could change the tone of a new acoustic string. Of course, electric guitar strings get the living sheet stretched out of them after installation.
That being said, I have a few acoustic guitars, and not one of 'em has locking tuners. Some of my electrics do, some don't.

 

[deathworlder]

Only downside is possibly weight... MG locking shouldn't be bad; MGT locking could be.

Personally, I'd go with non-locking Gotoh SGV510Z.

 

[5Springer]

I recently purchased a Martin sc-13 and it came with the custom light 11-52 strings .. IMO they feel amazing, almost like playing a electric.. I’ve been switching over my other acoustics from 12’s to these.

 

[aamefford]

Follow up - I went with Gotoh SG301-STD. These should be a fit base in the drawings and an hour or two with vernier calipers. I’ll report back. They arrive on Friday.