Anyone tried Martin Retro Acoustic Guitar Strings ?

spantini

spantini

COO of me, inc.
My Taylor Big Baby still has the original light set on it, which sound fine and record well enough, but these Martins are described as offering ". . . a reduced pick attack which allows the guitar's tone woods to be heard, not overshadowed. It offers uniquely mellow, yet crisp, sound". The light set on my Taylor, along with it's smaller body, create a brighter sound and I'm curious to hear how these Martins might improve it - maybe offering a slightly fuller sound.
 
Phosphor Bronze strings tend to be more mellow than 80/20 strings. I don't know quite understand the "retro" part. 80/20 strings have been around for a hundred years. Phosphor bronze is newer. Maybe it's just marketing. In any case, it will only effect the wound strings. The B and E will still be the same steel strings. How old is your Big Baby? I've got a Baby Taylor and it's got the same strings as when I got it 2 1/2 years ago. I just use it for playing while sitting in the recliner. I've never recorded it.
 
Could just be marketing, I'm not up on the latest with strings. My Big Baby is 5 1/2 years old with maybe 3-4 hours of playing time. It records ok with my AT2020. I don't finger pick, so it's just rhythm. These original strings still have plenty of life in them and sound ok as long as I place the mic at the neck joint or a little further down so it's less bright with less pick noise.
 
I gotta tell you, after listening to several YouTube comparisons of these Retro strings with other Martin strings (all on Martin guitars), I couldn't really tell the difference as far as sound goes. Phosphor Bronze vs Nickel . . . I was expecting much more tonal difference, but no. Nothing was obvious to my ears.
 
Lots of hype in today’s economic climate.
Good old fashioned Guild phosphor bronze have served me well for decades.
 
TBH, not sure if they’re still available. Years ago I bought in bulk. You know, not in the packages, but in tubes. Still got some, but my supply is running low.

Not sure of manufacturer, there was a time when 3 or 4 companies were doing all the strings and just branding them for the company. I don’t know if Guild had their own factory for strings.

Edit: Just checked, yeah they’re still made...... now who the actual manufacturer is I don’t know.
 
spantini said:
After some further digging, I came across this : https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index...f re-building the brand image in New Hartford.

This is particularly interesting to me in that I always use D'Addario Phosphor Bronze on my acoustics when I don't replace with OEMs.
Click to expand...


Probably true. D’Addario was one of the companies that made strings for others.

Speaking of.....D’Addario have overall been some of my favorite strings. They set up fast, long wearing, keep intonation for a long time.
 
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I was turned on to D'Addario's in the 70's 'cause a buddy had this Nagoya 6-string he would string with D'Addario or Dean Markley, and that guitar sounded great. He's still got it. He got it from, I think, Veneman's in Falls Church, Va. (GC bought them out) I bought my gear from Rolls Music and, later, Veneman's.

washingtoncitypaper.com

Nagoya Guitars: A Piece of D.C. Music History

Fifty years later, the Nagoya guitars sold by D.C.-area retailer Veneman Music are still prized, sought after, and played.
washingtoncitypaper.com washingtoncitypaper.com
 
My standard strings are Martin Lifespan 80/20. I tried the Retros on my Taylor 310ce and didn't like them, thought they were too 'metallic'.
 
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