Offbeat strings Question

[Jimmy Mack]

I gravitate to this site several times a day. It's so full of knowledge, experience and technical proficiency - coming from all members, and all angles!

I want to record my composition on either a classical guitar or a Taylor Dreadnaught. It's a "new grass" kind of thing and I will be fingerpicking.
The classical guitar is probably too mellow, too soft, and notes in the higher register just don't ring right so I turned to my Taylor 814. A big sounding guitar.
I want to soften the sound of it though, so I'm halfway between the classical guitar and the bronze strung Taylor.

I read about Silk&Steel strings by D'addario and then I wondered about just putting a set of electric guitar strings on the Taylor. A set starting with an .011. But then I might need a wound G string.

So has anyone here done this kind of thing? Anyone use Silk & Steel strings and how might they record?

Thanks

[213Cobra]

I keep one of my flattops strung with silk & steel precisely for this reason -- for when I want a less brassy sound from a jumbo or dreadnought. How it records will be influenced by how you record. Mic (and therefore what mic) or does your Taylor have onboard pickup/electronics?

Phil

[Peter C]

The Silk and Steel strings would be a good choice, I think. They're very low tension, as I remember. You could also check out Thomastik Infeld Plectrums. By the way, there is a D'Addario .011 electric set with a wound G called EXL115W.

[ThatRhythmMan]

I don’t really have any experience in this area, but I was just wondering if tapewound strings would be good for something like that.


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[entresz]

I'm currently using the Galli flatwound 80/20 bronze strings, and they might be suitable. The wounds strings aren't as dull as typical 'electric' flatwounds, but certainly less clangy than regular roundwounds are.

[Bill C]

I’ve recently tried the Galli bronze flat wound and 11 and 12 TI Plectrums on my acoustic archtop. I settled on the Plectrum 11s, because (IIRC) they are a little livelier than the flats. In their favour, the 11 Plectrums have three strings specified as flat wound, whereas the 12’s have one - these don’t feel like traditional flats to me but they reduce a fair amount of squeak.

FWIW I have a little Alvarez parlour guitar which sounds really nice and crisp with Argentine 11’s! - a bit squeaky when the strings were new but that soon faded for me.

[John A.]

How about Monel strings (e.g. Martin Retros)? They’re a bit mellower than phosphor bronze. Or maybe some sort of coated strings? I recently tried a set of D’Addario XSPB. They also took the edge off a bit and had noticeably less bass. I didn’t much like them and went back to regular PB’s but they might suit what the OP is going for.

[GuyBoden]

I've been interested in getting some "Galli Strings" black nylon Electric guitar Strings. Just to hear them.

But, It seems that I would need to order them from Ireland.
https://www.soundshop.ie/shop/galli-...ck-nylon-tape/

[Jimmy Mack]

Well I've been recording the last couple of days with the Taylor 810, and when I mic the guitar, I need to use a pre-amp to get a hotter signal. But doing so increases every other sound- like finger noise. So I tried a set of D'addario half rounds in place of the phosphor bronze acoustic strings. Finger noise gone!