I’ve had my Yamaha guitar for years and recently got a Blueridge TripleO, which had been sitting unused for about ten years. It still had the protective film on the pickguard when I took it out of the case!
The guitar had old rusty strings on it, but it still sounded incredible—clear and punchy. I thought, ‘What if I put on a new set of strings? It’ll sound amazing then!’
So, I changed the strings to a set of Martin Silk-Wound lights. To my surprise, the sound got worse. The guitar was quieter, less bright, and didn’t have the same punch or overtones as before.
I’ve used silk-wound strings before on cheaper guitars, but I never noticed such a difference. I think the solid wood of the Blueridge with its Adirondack spruce top really shows how different the sound can be. Has anyone else had this experience with silk-wound strings? Do they really trade off tonal quality for longer life, or could it be just these particular strings?
Are you talking about ‘silk and steel’ strings? These aren’t the same as nylon/classical guitar strings (which won’t work on a steel-string guitar). From my experience, silk and steel strings are always a bit more muted. Steel strings are usually clearer and punchier. The gauge of the string also matters. Lighter gauge strings don’t have as much punch and volume as heavier ones. Most acoustic players prefer a 12 gauge (or thicker) steel string, which is probably what the original strings on your guitar were.
@Ezra
Old strings lose a lot of brightness but aren’t necessarily bad. Nick Drake, for example, is known for using dead strings (I think nickel). I actually enjoy that sound. I didn’t really like silk and steel when I tried them. They’re usually a lighter gauge and marketed as easier on the fingers. They’re less tense, which can be helpful for older guitars with warped tops or poor action, but they don’t have much projection or timbre. A guitar like your Blueridge will definitely suffer from them.
@Zen
It’s all about personal taste and the specifics of your guitar. For me, new strings can sound too bright and harsh, making chords chaotic and individual notes less distinct. Once my strings get some dirt on them, they warm up and sound better. It’s a personal thing, but I usually need a month for my strings to break in. Some people like to change strings every week for that bright sound.
If you like that bright sound, go for new strings. Many gigging musicians prefer that sound because it cuts through and balances well. With high-end guitars, the right overtones make them sing beautifully. That said, the bright sound can be too harsh for smaller venues. In the video above, the sound is amazing, but he’s in an auditorium.
I tend to use an electric nylon guitar or hollow body jazz guitar with flatwound strings, so I focus more on midtones. I keep an acoustic around for a few songs, but I don’t change the strings often.
You can’t just swap strings between guitar types. You won’t get good sound out of a steel-string guitar if you put nylon/silk/gut strings on it, because the guitar is built for steel strings. It’s too stiff. You need a classical guitar if you want to use those types of strings.
Also, don’t put steel strings on a classical guitar. You’ll end up damaging it because those guitars are made for nylon/silk/gut strings, and they can’t handle the tension from steel strings.