OK... what did you have on there before? What gauge? What compound (IE 80:20, phosphor bronze)?

Where the elixirs you put on the same gauge and roughly the same colour as the original strings?

What gauge elixirs did you fit?

I doubt your Tak is ALL spruce ? More likely the top is spruce. Back and sides will be something else.

Haha, well spotted Bob. The top is solid bear claw spruce with solid mahogany back and sides. (Full specs here.)

The big problem here is that I have no idea what it was strung with before: I bought the guitar secondhand. I do know that they were 12s though, but when I had it setup after purchase I went with 13s.

I'm considering giving polywebs a try but apparently they're a little too dull sounding?

You went, it seems, from lights (in acoustic terms, not electric) to mediums. That should give you MORE bottom end. One potential problem, really one of perception more than an actual shortcoming, is that the old strings were really old and dirty and had lost their top end. Now you've put on a new set and there's suddenly a whole lot of top end catching you're ear.

So one approach might be to just play it for a few days and see if the top end diminishes a little, or if your ears adjust.

Saddle material can effect tone. Was the saddle changed during the set up?

Did you discuss the way things sound with the guy who did the set up?

Polywebs are the original Elixir strings. They have a much thicker coating on them than the nanowebs do. I'd expect them to sound a little less bright (but only a little). Some folks don't like the feel. Some folks complain about that thick coating flaking off, though I haven't had that happen.

If you want to experiment...

1) Try a light/medium set. These have the 1st to 3rd strings from a light set, and 4th to 6th from a medium set. So the balance is different, a little more emphasis on the bottom end.

2) What colour are the strings you had fitted? If they're yellow-ish then they're probably 80:20. If they're a coppery or bronzey colour then they're most likely phosphor bronze (we're talking the wound strings here, not the plain strings). Whatever you've got, try the other one. Note that there will be a small difference in tension and the action may shift a little. Phosphor bronze strings have more mass and thus more tension than 80:20s of the same gauge. (NB! If you still have the packet then look on the packet ?)

3) Go back to 12s. The last few months I've gone from 13s back to 12s. I find the tone less emphatic, but also airier - if that makes sense.

If you're going to go to PB 13s then check with the local distributor, Takamine themselves or the tech who did the setup.

I believe the Takamine guitars come out standard with D'Addario EXP16 Phosphor Bronze strings (12 gauge). Chances are you didn't get the guitar with its original strings either so there's no telling what was on there but this might be a good start. Personally I'd prefer the 13's though, for warmer tone.

How long have you had your new strings on? You know of course that they will sound much brighter at first and attain more of a mellow tone with time?

Wow, epic post Bob. Thank you, sir!

Point by point:

1. I've had the nano's for over almost two months now and still find them too bright, so it's definitely time to experiment with other options.

2. AFAIK the saddle wasn't changed during the setup, still looks like the original double bridge bone one to me.

3. Chatted to Mando at Music Connection when I did the initial setup, all I asked was that the guitar be setup for 13s rather than 12s. I haven't had a tech look at the instrument since deciding I'm unhappy with the tone.

4. Previous strings seemed yellowish if memory serves. Definitely uncoated. They were rather worn though which might account for the lack of brightness I enjoyed.

5. I reckon I'm going to go back to 12s regardless, the 13s are playing hell with my fingers after not playing guitar for years before January! I thinking explaining my issue with the tech before changing back might be a good idea.

@deefstes: Thanks for that. I'm guessing the guy I bought the Tak from was using something similar, so PBs in 13s might be a good option to try before having the whole guitar re-setup again. As for my current Elixir nanos, I've had them for two months so they're definitely broken in by now.

Muchos gracias for the help, guys ?

RustPuppet wrote: Wow, epic post Bob. Thank you, sir!

Point by point:

1. I've had the nano's for over almost two months now and still find them too bright, so it's definitely time to experiment with other options.

OK... The Elixirs will drop off a little for a couple of days after fitting. Thereafter the drop off is much slower than with other strings.

2. AFAIK the saddle wasn't changed during the setup, still looks like the original double bridge bone one to me.

3. Chatted to Mando at Music Connection when I did the initial setup, all I asked was that the guitar be setup for 13s rather than 12s. I haven't had a tech look at the instrument since deciding I'm unhappy with the tone.

Mando knows his onions. You might mention your problems to him and see what he suggests.

4. Previous strings seemed yellowish if memory serves. Definitely uncoated. They were rather worn though which might account for the lack of brightness I enjoyed.

Well... old strings can tarnish and also the windings can fill up with gunk. So they will lose tone and especially tops. Which is the point of Elixirs - they don't do that (well... they will eventually, but it takes a lot longer). I know one or two other players who like the sound of really old strings, so you're not alone.

While we are on the subject of strings, anything that can help lessen or eliminate 'fretnoise'? Not sure if it's the right termination, the noise you callousses make on the wound strings, when changing chords... :-[

Nitebob wrote: While we are on the subject of strings, anything that can help lessen or eliminate 'fretnoise'? Not sure if it's the right termination, the noise you callousses make on the wound strings, when changing chords... :-[

Practice. ? (Sorry... I'm in a good mood after Telkom called today to say the tech is coming round tomorrow to do my ADSL and line transfer. ?)

Elixirs or most other coated strings are usually better for avoiding string squeak. For electrics, flat or halfwounds and for classical, sets with polished basses.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:

Nitebob wrote: While we are on the subject of strings, anything that can help lessen or eliminate 'fretnoise'? Not sure if it's the right termination, the noise you callousses make on the wound strings, when changing chords... :-

Practice. ? (Sorry... I'm in a good mood after Telkom called today to say the tech is coming round tomorrow to do my ADSL and line transfer. ?)

Elixirs or most other coated strings are usually better for avoiding string squeak. For electrics, flat or halfwounds and for classical, sets with polished basses.

Thanx Alan ? I find this more of a problem on the acoustic than on the electric, I'll get some coated strings....

Nitebob wrote:

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:

Nitebob wrote: While we are on the subject of strings, anything that can help lessen or eliminate 'fretnoise'? Not sure if it's the right termination, the noise you callousses make on the wound strings, when changing chords... :-[

Practice. ? (Sorry... I'm in a good mood after Telkom called today to say the tech is coming round tomorrow to do my ADSL and line transfer. ?)

Elixirs or most other coated strings are usually better for avoiding string squeak. For electrics, flat or halfwounds and for classical, sets with polished basses.

Thanx Alan ? I find this more of a problem on the acoustic than on the electric, I'll get some coated strings....

Sorry to revive this thread...

Who is the local guys for GHS strings? They have a range called brite-flats, apparently brite with the feel of flatwounds...

You can get Dean Markley Alchemy in South Africa, it's just painful to try and get right. They're amazing strings though, really warm and airy sounding, definitely my favourites ?

I'm not sure who the local guys are (TOMS/MIDI maybe?). You'd have to contact GHS from the GHS web site and ask.

Are the Brite-Flats half round strings, like the D'Addario HR's?

Nitebob wrote: Who is the local guys for GHS strings? They have a range called brite-flats, apparently brite with the feel of flatwounds...

Try musicmate (http://www.musicmate.co.za/) - although they don't always have what I'm looking for.

V8 wrote:

Nitebob wrote: Who is the local guys for GHS strings? They have a range called brite-flats, apparently brite with the feel of flatwounds...

Try musicmate (http://www.musicmate.co.za/) - although they don't always have what I'm looking for.

Thanks man, dropped them a mail, will phone them at lunch... ?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: I'm not sure who the local guys are (TOMS/MIDI maybe?). You'd have to contact GHS from the GHS web site and ask.

Are the Brite-Flats half round strings, like the D'Addario HR's?

Think it might be the same type of thing, although they market them as bright, which is the big draw for me. But even the D'Addario HR's are hard to come by in Pretoria... :'(