Bronze strings

[Fusioninspace]

I put some bronze strings on my Seagull acoustic last week and it really brought out some clarity and bite that I hadn't noticed before. I really love the sound - but they seem to be harder on my finger tips. But it's really worth it!

They actually came in by mistake - I thought I had ordered phosphor bronze. Oh well! That's the kind of mistake I like.

That's all.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Fusioninspace

I put some bronze strings on my Seagull acoustic last week and it really brought out some clarity and bite that I hadn't noticed before. I really love the sound - but they seem to be harder on my finger tips. But it's really worth it!

They actually came in by mistake - I thought I had ordered phosphor bronze. Oh well! That's the kind of mistake I like.

That's all.

What's the diff? I thought that bronze and phosphor bronze were the same.

[Unsprung]

You likely ended up with a set of 80/20 (bright bronze) strings, which as you've already noticed are...well...brighter in tone than phospher bronze strings. I don't know about the exact differences in how the strings are made, but you've probably also noticed that bright bronze strings have a bit more sustain to 'em than phospher bronze. Between the two types, of course everybody has their own preferences, and I tend to prefer bright bronze strings.

Matt

[Fusioninspace]

That's interesting, I went to the Dean Markley site. The only "bronze" string they claim as "bronze" is their Vintage Bronze. I have the Alchemy GoldBronze. So I'm guessing it's the 80/20 like Unsprung said.

They look pretty cool too - sort of a gold/bronze color.

Now, I wonder what a true bronze string sounds like????? I've only used the phos/bronze on this guitar at first and then went with the DM Alchemy GoldPhos for the last few sets. I really like the GoldPhos over the plane-o jane-o phos/bronze. These new guys are like another step up from that.

So any thoughts on plan bronze?

[Light]

Originally Posted by Fusioninspace

That's interesting, I went to the Dean Markley site. The only "bronze" string they claim as "bronze" is their Vintage Bronze. I have the Alchemy GoldBronze. So I'm guessing it's the 80/20 like Unsprung said.

They look pretty cool too - sort of a gold/bronze color.

Now, I wonder what a true bronze string sounds like????? I've only used the phos/bronze on this guitar at first and then went with the DM Alchemy GoldPhos for the last few sets. I really like the GoldPhos over the plane-o jane-o phos/bronze. These new guys are like another step up from that.

So any thoughts on plan bronze?

They are all "true" bronze strings. The only difference is the ratio of copper to tin. 80/20 bronze is 80% copper and 20% tin. I believe (though I could easily be mistaken as I'm not even kind of a metallurgist) that phosphor bronze is 90% copper and 10% tin.

All the various brands are basically the same, though. While there is certainly a difference between materials (80/20's are brighter than phosphor bronze), from brand to brand they are extremely similar.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[Gear_Junky]

1. Love thy Google

wikipedia: Phosphor bronze is an alloy of copper with 3.5 to 10% of tin and a significant phosphorus content of up to 1%.

(80/20 bronze defined correctly above).

2. some guitars "prefer" 80/20, while others "like" Phosphor Bronze - sounds like you just found yours

I also like Martin SP strings, because the steel cores and the unwound trebles are plated with a bronze finish. I like them visually, but also think they sound richer. It could all be in my head, though.

I currently have a set of GoldPhos waiting to go on - got them a LONG while back to try, but never got around to it.

[Unsprung]

Originally Posted by Gear_Junky

2. some guitars "prefer" 80/20, while others "like" Phosphor Bronze - sounds like you just found yours

I forgot about that part. I once owned an Epiphone PR100 that, after trying several brands and gauges of phosphor bronze strings and not being satisfied with the overall tone, it was suggested that I should try a set of bright bronze strings. It was a set of medium gauge 80/20 strings, and it was "like magic" once I had 'em tuned up and started playing. I now own another Epiphone PR100 (first one was stolen), and the first thing I did was put a set of 80/20 strings on it. The guy I'd bought this one from lives in Pennsylvania, so before shipping it he'd stuck just any old set of strings on it, to keep some tension on the body and neck for shipping, so it needed new strings anyway, once I got it.

Otherwise, it's somewhat a matter of what the guitarist prefers, but you are right about "what the guitar prefers." It's not so much of a big deal with solid body electrics, but with acoustics the choice can make all the difference in the world, when searching for just the right tones from an acoustic.

Matt