# Which Acoustic Strings Do You Use - Phosphor Bronze Or 80/20?



## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Having recently switched to playing guitar with my fingers instead of a pick I decided to try some 80/20 acoustic strings instead of the phosphor bronze that I normally use. I made this decision after reading that 80/20s are allegedly brighter, which I think I need if I am no longer using a pick.

My local L&M had all kinds of PB strings in stock, but only one kind of 80/20 (I've ordered a couple of different kinds of 80/20s so that I can figure out which I like). The lack of 80/20s was surprising which got me to wondering if PBs really were that much more popular, so I decided to start a thread and a poll.

So which acoustic strings do you play, and why?


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I think I am under the impression that phosphor bronze last longer.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Guncho said:


> I think I am under the impression that phosphor bronze last longer.



I read that they stay brighter longer, not that they necessarily last any longer than 80/20s.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

That's what I meant but you said it better.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I keep flipping back and forth, still haven't decided


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

I use Elixir nano-coated 80/20 and I like them but I'm starting to wonder if the nano-coating is akin to condoms.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I use phosphor bronze. I have been meaning to try 80/20's but, like you said, they are a bit harder to find. My Simon and Patrick is not very "top endy" so I like nice new bright strings on them. That being said, the guitars have been hanging on the wall, unplayed, for almost 3 years now. They probably need new strings.


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## zguitz (Aug 18, 2017)

Elixir nanoweb
80/20 on spruce / rosewood
PB elsewhere


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Heuuu... A bit confused now... 80/20 are not P/Br ? Aren't 98-2 replacing 80-20 ?
Anyway, I came to use different brands depending on how they sound on different guitars.
I would use non coated on a guitar I use frequently, while coated would appear on others.
Martin 000-18 : MSP-4100 as recommended by Martin (though D'Addario EJ/EXP-16 would do)
Gibsons Ls, Larrivée L, Guild F-30 and Alvarez AP66 : D'Addario EXP-16, but ernie ball Al/Br on the Larrivée OM-09
Taylors : Elixir nanoweb as recommended by Taylor (polyweb sound a bit less bright), though I am pleased with Martins 0,0125 on dreads.
Boucher OOO : probably D'Addario EJ/EXP-16 (not sure yet)
Godin 5th Avenue : currently pleased with Dragon Skin DSA-12.
NB GHS P/B sounded quite like ernie ball Al/Br, but rusted too fast under my fingers.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Almost exclusively phosphor bronze. I say almost because I sometimes experiment but virtually always return to my usual D'Addario EJ-16 phosphor bronze. My bouzouki sports DRs at the moment but that won't last much longer.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

For the last 100 years I have used Martin MSP 4200s on all my acoustics. They are a medium PB string which cost about $6.50 per set if bought by the dozen. These last maybe 2 weeks if not pushed too hard. 

I have used Martin 80/20s and they last about one week if left alone. Last time I put a set on maybe a year ago I didn’t think they sounded all that bright but maybe that’s just me just burning out.

Anyway, at the spring riff raff jam this year I had a fresh set of 4200s. It wasn’t that humid but I noticed late in the evening I was getting all kinds of string noise and my fingers were getting hung up on runs that I can nail without thinking about.

A few weeks later I was playing an hd28v at Cosmo which had a fresh set of elixir pb nanowebs on it and those things are slick with no string noise.

Tried a set on the guitar that I used at riff raff and they worked well on it.

The elixirs last a long time but I don’t mind changing strings so that isn’t the point. What they did was solve the problems I referred to above.

Moreover, with the MSP 4200s and the 80/20s optimum is maybe a week if you don’t make a living as a session player. The elixirs might not sound as good as the 4200s or 80/20s at their best but nevertheless they maintain their optimum sound for a lot longer and are slick with very little string noise.

I never thought I’d use them and feel stupid paying 20 for a set of strings but there it is.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Swervin55 said:


> I use Elixir nano-coated 80/20 and I like them but I'm starting to wonder if the nano-coating is akin to condoms.



My Yamaha LL6 came with those Elixer strings. When I tried other strings I didn't like them as much so I tried the Elixers again but just cannot get past how slippery the wound strings feel.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

I've tried a few types of PB over the years (incl. coated), but I always come back to EB Earthwoods 80/20 (12 - 54). 

This is my preference whether the guitar has a spruce top with rosewood back & sides (like my old 1970 D-28) or a spruce top with mahogany back & sides (my 1958 Harmony Sovereign).

- One thing maybe worth mentioning is that I always need the strings to settle in and warm up a bit before I really like them. I hate the sound of _any_ set of new strings right after I install them. It doesn't matter whether it's for an acoustic or an electric guitar. 
Maybe I'm just weird!


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm a PB guy. I've tried 80/20's a number of times and just can't stand them. I've dabbled with nickel with the monels and liked them a lot but I always find my way back to PB. Right now my favorite string for my D-18 is the Martin M550 and for my D-28 its the D'addario EJ17.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

fernieite said:


> I've tried a few types of PB over the years (incl. coated), but I always come back to EB Earthwoods 80/20 (12 - 54).



I ordered a set of those and a set of Rotosound Tru Bronze. They have arrived at my local L&M so I just have to find the time to get in there to pick them up. I am also going down a gauge so my friend who is the guitar tech at the store is going to give my guitar a mini setup when I do the switch. He rarely does much real work on a Saturday, and certainly not on the Saturday right before Christmas, but he told me to bring the guitar if I make it into the store tomorrow and said that he would take care of it for me.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

colchar said:


> *I am also going down a gauge* so my friend who is the guitar tech at the store is going to give my guitar a mini setup when I do the switch.


The top 3 things I fear as I get older.

3. Losing my hearing.
2. Losing my eye sight.
1. Having to switch from medium to light gauge on my acoustics.

If I have to I can live with 3 and 2.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

I use Martin Marquis Phosphor bronze on my Larrivee L05


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

guitarman2 said:


> The top 3 things I fear as I get older.
> 
> 3. Losing my hearing.
> 2. Losing my eye sight.
> ...



My main problem is arthritis. My second problem is that I usually can't play acoustics worth a shit. My theory is that going down a gauge will help with both of those issues.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

colchar said:


> My main problem is arthritis. My second problem is that I usually can't play acoustics worth a shit. My theory is that going down a gauge will help with both of those issues.


Yup I hear you. As I said its my #1 fear of getting old. I've already got a hearing aid and my eye glasses are getting stronger by the year. My full initiation in to the golden years would be having to go to light gauge strings. I just hope its a few years away yet.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

colchar said:


> My main problem is arthritis...


Consider a Martin D35. They have lighter bracing so it doesn’t take as much to drive the top and accordingly light strings should be less of a disaster on that guitar. I’ve read posts from people saying that lights worked well on their 35s but the one time I tried them on my D18 I took them off after a couple of hours.

The 35s are also pretty nice sounding guitars and I’ve played a couple of standard 35s that i came close to buying even though I already have an HD35 Custom Shop that will stampede the cattle and rattle the walls.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I'm probably not going to be able to make it into L&M today as I have to take my elderly Mum out shopping. I picked up the strings last night so I will put them on this weekend and will see how the guitar is with the lower gauge. If the truss rod needs a tweak I'll take it in when my friend the tech has come back to work after the holidays.


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

Every once in a while I try a set of Phosphor Bronze.
That always lasts exactly one set and then I immediately return to 80/20 Bronze and breathe a sigh of relief.
It's funny because when I was first learning (age 9 I think) I was taught to buy Phosphor Bronze and I did so until my mid 20s.
I tried 80/20 quite by mistake.
Absent mindedly bought the wrong kind.
Was pleasantly surprised and have been hooked since.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

You can check the relief real easy just fret the low e at f and fret it at the 12th fret and look at the gap at the fifth fret. If it needs anything maybe a quarter turn at most should do it.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

@colchar a shorter scale might help with tension, as well. My J-45 is a heck of a lot easier to play than my LL16 and I tend to play the Gibson about 80% of my acoustic time.

For strings, I mainly use 80/20. I find PBs get a bit too warm and muddy on m J-45, which is already a warm guitar, so the crisp clarity of the 80/20s seem to work well. I’ve tried a dozen different kinds on it and my favourite are the Gibson Masterbuilt 80/20 lights. They just sound “right” on it. That said, I’ve got a set of Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 lights on it right now and they aren’t bad. There’s a bit of an annoying sound once in a while, but they sure are holding up well. The Gibson strings usually last me a month, while these have been on a month and are still sounding pretty good. I have to decide if I want to deal with more frequent changes in exchange for a slight preference for the tone on the Gibsons.

For my LL16, I found the d’Addario PBs I tried to be a bit of a muddy mess in terms of overtones. The Elixirs are doing alright on it, but I am not 100% sold on them for that guitar. I will continue to try others.

Oh, and I have another acoustic coming soon, so that’s another on which I’ll need to find my preferred strings. I fear my Yamaha will end up as the odd man out.


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## Gary787 (Aug 27, 2011)

I recently put D'Addario Nickel Bronze on my Halcyon AJ I am impressed. There seems to be a note clarity when flat picking of finger picking I haven't noticed with the EJ 16's. I will stick with for a while and I am putting them on my Larrivee L03R to see I get the same results.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

PB. Tried PB&J but they were kinda sticky.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I could have clicked them all if the poll allowed multiple choice, so I didn't vote. One that I haven't tried and is not on the list are flat wounds.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Steadfastly said:


> I could have clicked them all if the poll allowed multiple choice, so I didn't vote. One that I haven't tried and is not on the list are flat wounds.


Flatwounds are probably the only strings I haven't tried. Since their character is reported to be dark and mellow that goes against the direction I like in tone so I never bothered. Even the round core strings I've tried have been to mellow for me so I stick with hex core round wound.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> Flatwounds are probably the only strings I haven't tried. Since their character is reported to be dark and mellow that goes against the direction I like in tone so I never bothered. Even the round core strings I've tried have been to mellow for me so I stick with hex core round wound.


That's why I have hesitated too. Plus I have three new packs to go through before I buy any more.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

For those like me who could have been confused :


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## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

Wardo said:


> Consider a Martin D35. They have lighter bracing so it doesn’t take as much to drive the top and accordingly light strings should be less of a disaster on that guitar. I’ve read posts from people saying that lights worked well on their 35s but the one time I tried them on my D18 I took them off after a couple of hours.
> 
> The 35s are also pretty nice sounding guitars and I’ve played a couple of standard 35s that i came close to buying even though I already have an HD35 Custom Shop that will stampede the cattle and rattle the walls.


I've tried mediums on my D18 a few times now and every time they seem to choke the guitar and that's after a proper setup.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Gary787 said:


> I recently put D'Addario Nicole Bronze on my Halcyon AJ I am impressed. There seems to be a note clarity when flat picking of finger picking I haven't noticed with the EJ 16's. I will stick with for a while and I am putting them on my Larrivee L03R to see I get the same results.


I once had a Larrivée L-03R : I finally gave it to my brother as retirement gift... and got an OM-09 to replace it.
I found the 03R a litttle muddy sounding with D'Addario EJ-16 (though Larrivée staff suggested EXP-16 for my 03koa) , but as I discovered ernie ball Aluminum / Bronze, I would have given a try on the 03R... Maybe should you.


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## DerrickT (Feb 20, 2018)

Guess I'm the odd one out. I've used Nanoweb, Polyweb. Cleartones... don't like how they shed into stringy stuff. And it might be my ears but I'm not that crazy about the tone of any of my guitars with phosphor. I keep coming back to Martin SP bronze 80/20's.


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## jimmy c g (Jan 1, 2008)

i deffinetly prefer both


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

Phosphor Bronze EJ26 Custom Light .011-.052 on all three of my acoustics.


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## Whimpers (Feb 10, 2018)

*Phosphor Bronze vs 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Strings - Strings and Beyond*
www.stringsandbeyond.com/phosphor-bronze-vs-80-20-bronze.html


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

John Pearse Phosphor bronze user here


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

knight_yyz said:


> John Pearse Phosphor bronze user here



A _very_ good string.


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## KLOC (Feb 12, 2017)

Hello,

D'Addario Nickel-Bronze or Elixr PB NanoWeb.
Somewhat prefer the NB's, but PB's seem to have a slightly longer life.


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## qantor (Nov 19, 2014)

Hi,

Love the warmth of the PB. I put Elixir PB NanoWeb on my acoustics.


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