• Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Topic: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

Thanks to all who replied on my other strings topic.  Now I'm going to ask for experiences specifically with silk and ______ strings.  (fill in the blank with either steel or bronze)

Anyone have an experience they care to share? 

I'm a casual player looking to warm up the tone of a low-cost acoustic guitar.  I've got no pickup worries and no worries about gigs. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: derbyshire
  • Registered: 2007-05-17
  • Posts: 2,843

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

on my old acoustic i used to have light gage rock n roll steel ,on my encore ive got bronze out of the two i'd pick steel...

love is life ,life is for love,keep a true heart and live life to the full....stay cool

daddycool's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

Hello Zurf,

I'll often recommend Martin Silk an Steel strings to my beginning guitar students who are having difficulty dealing with finger pain. The strings actually sound quite nice and warm, durability is sub par though. The E,A, and D strings are metal coated nylon strings, the G,B, and high E are "regular" steel strings. I think the durability issue would be a non-factor for a finesse player but for a strong strummer they'll break a little more often than "regular" strings.

Give everything but up.
  • biged
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-06-19
  • Posts: 1

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

I play Accoustic for myself and friends, usually a few hours a week and I had similar concerns. Tried a lot of different strings until I recently found Elixir / Phosphorous Bronze / Nanowebs.
I started with custom lights (11's) and moved up to lights (12's). These are easy on the fingers, great resonance and sound great about 5 times as long as anything I've tried before. Another benefit that I don't understand is that they stay in tune for days, sometimes weeks!? Cost a little bit more than some, but make my Japanese Martin D-35 knockoff sound great. Keep playing and have fun.

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

Thanks for your replies.

I think what I'm going to do at this point is fork out a few bucks and buy three or four different sets of strings.  I'll try them each for a week or two and see which I like best to my ear on this guitar. 

What I'm learning is that everyone has different preferences.   That's good, because it means that there's no wrong answer and that I can't really 'screw up' the decision as to which strings to use.  If it suits me, I guess then it's the right decision until I decide to try something else. 

Thanks again.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 8

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

SouthPaw41L wrote:

Hello Zurf,

I'll often recommend Martin Silk an Steel strings to my beginning guitar students who are having difficulty dealing with finger pain. The strings actually sound quite nice and warm, durability is sub par though. The E,A, and D strings are metal coated nylon strings, the G,B, and high E are "regular" steel strings. I think the durability issue would be a non-factor for a finesse player but for a strong strummer they'll break a little more often than "regular" strings.

I have a set of the Martin S & S's on my guitar.  I can't say much about sound, since I'm such a beginner, but they seem okay when someone else plays it.  Minor point, but the E, A, D, & G are all metal wrapped.  Only the B & high E are regular steel.

-- Etan

  • mrjay
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-04-19
  • Posts: 174

Re: Silk and steel or silk and bronze strings

Hey Zurf,

If you're going to be experimenting with different kinds of strings, try picking up a set of Dean Markley's Phosphor Bronze. I personally use the .12s (medium-lights), and find them to be a great compromise between good sound, durability, and cost.

Good luck