D’Addario Silk & Steel Acoustic Guitar Strings EJ40

I am still undecided yet but let me explain. I have been useing Martin light silk and steel on all my guitars for yrs. I have a Martin 6 string that had a mellow bassy tone and I couldn’t change that even with a amp and its controlls. I wanted it to sound like the martins I hear the pro’s Play. Put the ? out on amazon and a get guy said only, try D’Addario XTAPB1152 Phosphor Bronze. Put on stretched 2 days than put the pick up on and plugged in and BINGO. That was it. I orderd another set of light silk and steel for my Fender acc and elect and they sounded great. It looked like I was about to change from my martins. So I orderd a set of silk and steel light for my 12 Ventura. They also sounded good but not much different than martins but a bit better. I felt like they were harder to play than the martins. I just put a new set of Marytin silk and steel on my martin12 still streching. We’ll see, but not sure thats fair cause the Ventura is a relik and U have to man handle it anyway and the martin is a breeze. All in all the D’Addario gave me the sound I looked for for yrs on the martin and fender. The D’Addario and Martin strings I think are the best U can get and they don’t cost that much and last a long time. I didn’t say this, but I think the D’Addario my have a little bit better sound. I have been a total Martin guy for yrs. LOL I’m still out on the D’Addario’s but now I only have 1 guitar with martin strings on. Have other 6 strings to try them on. Only put them on the 1’s I play. Yes I will buy D’Addario’s again and probably martin. But I am very happy with D’Addario’s. Will let U know if I become a total convert. well this is some time later but I had a Martin new string go bad on my Martin 12 string so I got another set O D’Addarios put them on last night , tuned than tuned again this morn. Sound great accuestic haven’t tride plugging into amp yet but sure that will be even better. Point is that was the last of the Martin strings and am a all D’Addario now and I have alot of guitars. I am 70 yrs old, been playing since 2nd grade and have been a Martin guy a long time. To switch is saying alot.

I’m not an advanced guitar player by any means, very much a hobbyist who likes to dabble on her Little Martin every now and then. However, I’m not completely unmusical either, as I had lessons growing up, and these sound sublime to my ears. SO much better than regular guitar strings. I even tried the Martin Silk and Steel and they didn’t sound as good as these, nor last as long. Silk and Steel in general do not last as long as regular steel/ bronze strings, but these will last you a month or two easy even if you play every single day. They’re also MUCH easier on your fingers.

So for the sound quality: I have heard silk and steel sound better on short- scale, smaller guitars which mine is, at a scale length of just 23.5′. So this would work well for those of you with a Little Martin or Baby Taylor/ Taylor GS Mini. It’s not as metallic and strident as the regular strings, but more mellow, closer to the sound of a nylon- stringed classical guitar. Brilliant for folk music, which is my favourite sound and vibe. These are also the only strings I can play barre chords on with ease, so if you’re really having trouble with that as a beginner it might be worthwhile to check these out.

In conclusion: I love these strings, and I love the D’ Addario Silk and Steel ones more than the other brands I’ve tried. They feel wonderful to play, and sound amazing to the ear, especially if you play more finger style without a pick and have a smaller bodied, short scale acoustic, and tend to favour a folk vibe. All of which applies to me, which is why I won’t be experimenting with any other type or brand. This is the one.

Strängade om min Fender Hell cat med dessa och blev positivt överraskad.

These strings aren’t what you’ll want on every acoustic. I got them for a parlor acoustic I have and the sounds of the strings are more muted than your usual phosphor bronze, steel strings. They tend to be dull and sad. It’s a sound I like but not a sound I would always use. So just know when you get these that you will be getting a deeper, duller sound out of these.

They can be used on any acoustic (except for nylon string classical guitars).

They’re easier to play and bend very easily. They have a more rubber band-y feel to them.

I get them every so often to record songs with a different kind of feel. Like when I purposely want something sullen or muddy, or kinda sad.

Many years ago, I had played a Yamaha acoustic daily. My poor left hand fingers were completely numb on the tips, and blistered each time I played on the strings I was using. Typing was very painful in class. I later was in a music store & spotted strings, and so looked them over. Saw (martin) Folk Silk & Steel strings. Reading, says were ‘easy on fingers’, mellow sounding. The first part is what got my attention. I bought them and strung them up. Oh wow. Yes! Easy on fingers! My fingers healed up and got feeling back over the coming days, even while still playing 2-4 hours per day.

Got married and stopped playing except very occasionally over the next 39 years. Fast forward to this last July, I bought a new guitar and much better guitar. Oh no. The strings! Meat grinders again. But. I knew what was needed, and I played on them for a few minutes daily, building may left hand back up. Strength wise and callouses. Except these strings also left bruising and did cut my fingers.

Looking on Amazon, I knew I wanted Silk & Steel strings again. Or at least I thought. Oh my gosh….. cannot believe how many brands of strings now! 1970’s, there weren’t many brands or kinds NOR gauges. Crud. What to get? Spent more than 2 weeks looking and reading… Finally decided on these D’addario Silk & Steel. The 1st strings, high E, is 11, whereas Martin is 11.5. D’addarion would be slightly easier on that high string on my pinkie finger. It’s the one that is bruised the most. The other strings are the same as the Martin’s.

Love these strings! Mellow and soft and the notes just flowwww….. strings & guitar just resonate… the sound lasting… not falling off as quick as the original strings. Yes! Got my wonderful sound back and love listening while playing again. I do finger picking… kind of banjo style. Notes on these strings ring true without brassy sounds….. bass is solid & rings, and not thunking as the strong (hard) strings were producing. (the guitar came with 13’s! Not good on fingers that the last time playing at all had been 15 years earlier, and on Silk & Steel at that. Did NOT like the sound of 13’s either. Very HARD notes, no flowing & then tapering off sound.)

Am very happy with these D’addarios Silk & Steel. I do not miss the extra .5 on the Martin high E string. I sat and played for 4 hours on these strings. My back gave out sitting with my dreadnought. My left hand fingers were still okay and could have played a lot longer. But, my back said no, put the guitar away and play again tomorrow.

Love these strings. ^_^