I use Phosphor Bronze on my Martin guitar for many years. Today I tried Aluminum Bronze on it, I think it is too warm on my guitar as I mostly play finger style. Probably Phosphor Bronze is the best for my guitar in tone balancing for me
Yeah, but only the first week or so, then they die. I buy only PBs now, as changing strings constantly, buying them, spending much money and cleanign them as the uncoated get really dirty after a couple of hours and they corode too. Elixir PB nanoweb - try them, you wont regret, especially on a cedar top.
Phosphor bronze last longer and they can help a cheaper guitar sound like a slightly higher end guitar. I have a cheap $60 Walmart and the phosphor bronze make it sound more like a $200 Squire acoustic. Neither come close to my Epi Hummingbird
@@ancientslav4863 A week if you're lucky. I don't kill strings. I have dry hands. And even the best 80/20s ever made, John Pearse imo, die on me in 3 days
Hard to tell anything about the Aluminium Bronze because they were tested on a different guitar. The Gibson/Martin flavours shone through more than the strings.
Everyone needs to keep in mind these are different guitars and your guitar may not be close to the same. I just started and aluminum bronze strings sound metallic and harsh on my guitar. Super bright, but too much. Going with some PB or 80/20 next.
Different guitars of course, but I was still surprised. I've exclusively used light 80/20 Earthwoods for about seven years, but I work in a music store and one of our guitar teachers keeps recommending the aluminum bronze strings to his students. Now I see why, and I'm sad about the fact that I just recently changed the strings on my Seagull S6 Acoustic/Electric with a Canadian spruce top with cherry back and sides to the 80/20s. Even if they sound completely different on my guitar, what and who is it hurting to try them? The grumps in the comments do have a bit of a point, but they're guitar strings. The Aluminum Bronze strings are, at most in my store, $9.99 USD. The other two are about $6.99 USD. You can just change them out. "Comparison" isn't totally accurate, but to me, they still highlight the differences in the strings well.
I’d say, although it’s only my opinion from experience, that the element that most influences the tone of your acoustic guitar is the string material, closely followed by tone wood and pick material. I bought a solid wood (cedar top and maple back/sides) guitar last year and it was fitted with Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze strings and it sounded amazing. I then switched to Phos Bronze and it was nowhere near as good. I’m not slating Phos Bronze but if you haven’t tried the Aluminium Bronze I’d highly recommend them. If that doesn’t convince you look up what Mike Dawes had to say about them.
@@sigmundjester thanks for getting back to me. I think the Aluminum and Nickel Bronze typically sound better on smaller than dreadnought sized guitars and the PBs usually sound best on dreadnoughts but it still comes down to whatever sound anyone prefers on a particular guitar. I have Nickel Bronze on a dreadnought Takamine and I think they sound great.
Ernie Ball has a brilliant marketing team when you pay $30 for this three pack basically instead of paying 1199 for the aluminum high-end set you’re now paying $22 extra beyond ridiculous
I'm interested in the aluminum bronze bc it leaves room for vocals in the mid range. Just put phosphors on and they are slightly brighter than factory. Thanks for the comparison, very helpful.
Unfortunately, the Mic position on the Aluminum strings was closer to the bridge compared with the other two string materials. So I couldn't make any tone judgement, other than to say the Mic position makes a big difference.
Nailed it.... all strings will settle in after a couple of days and hold their tone for 2/3 weeks.... after 4/5 hours of playing the earthwoods' they're dead/flat sounding especially the low E and A strings. Good thing they're cheap because they need changed after every session unless that's the sound a person wants.
@@kurtmackenzie7349 EB 9/42 on electrics. Been using EB aluminum bronze 11 and 12's on acoustics the last 5 years. Better string to string definition and increased volume.... brightens up dark sounding guitars.
Sounds comfy 😂 but that is why those can play so well on some of the very bass heavy acoustics. I still use aluminum bronzes on the custom J45 and it sits really nicely in a band mix.
Not just that, but square shoulders vs round shoulders makes the comparison worse. J-45 is known for a mid range boost that sounds like nothing else. Not great comparison...
The aluminium bronze strings have a sharp metallic sound. IMHO they are not build to be used with any of the high end guitars you show here. I use them on my 40 year old mid-priced K.Yairi dreadnaught (mahogany/spruce). They are a big improvement. They add some sparkle to my otherwise boring sounding guitar, and they bring it a little bit towards the sound of a Martin D28.
Phosphor bronze all the way baby. The Aluminium bronze sounded too dull, the 80/20's sound good, I use them on my smaller OM size acoustic for a brighter sound. On a dread tho, Phosphor bronze is the way to go, sounds richer and fuller and the big bodied dread just projects a sound that is music to your ears.
@@bsideguitar I never have that problem with elixirs but they are so damn expensive but they last twice as long as ernie ball and d'addario. I just bought the new xl from d'addario...not much of a fan so far. Not so bright as they claim.
On the average quality guitar used it's hard to hear much different even through headphones. Though the Aluminum's definitely had the edge. Of course, my judgement may be impaired as I use them on the best (IMO) acoustic guitar currently available in the world - my amazing Maton ER90c.
I chose a pack of Ernie Ball Phospor Bronze alloy extra light I will fit later to my Martin OM28V to try out. Because my model is a bit brighter than the D28 Martin I'm hoping that's my best choice. Presently I've been using the extra light green packet set, so I'm hoping for some good, possibly better sound from my new Phosphor Bronze pack.
Great question, would love to have seen some responses. I think the Aluminum and also the Nickel Bronze strings sound better on guitar sizes smaller than dreadnought. Just my opinion.
I'm sorry but the aluminum bronze sound terrible. I tried them awhile back and they were thin and metallic and just an unnecessary formula with all the great strings out there
5Box Music do you know if I would need ball end strings? I’m thinking of getting D'Addario Pro-Arte Nylon Classical Guitar Strings, considering it is my first time getting new guitar strings because the guitar was a gift. I’m just now learning how to play it.
Either would work, but I would recommend these Pro Artes because they are normal tension and with that guitar the high tension may be too much. amzn.to/2WJT67h
@@sergioecheverria9118 I can’t quite remember but the high E string snapped while I was tensioning it. I’d just look strings up online or watch videos on them.
You are right in general, if you where comparing Phosphor Bronze from different makers, but the tones of these strings are so vastly different the one different model was still able to showcase the tonal flavor of the strings so I went with it...
80/20 really dies sooner. Its good for rhythm and strumming kind of thing, It sounds nice when it's new, but after few weeks the crispyness gone and it's dead. While Phosphor bronze does change dramatically over long period .
Aluminum bronze is a great match for darker wood guitars like this Gibson. Those strings pull the best tones with great separation. Well balanced. Worth the price imho. Earthwoods are decent but I would dedicate them mostly for guitars made out of bright sounding wood.
I'm sure other's have commented on this but this comparison isn't really valid because you're using different guitars which will, obviously, have their own sounds. In fact, this is really a comparison of guitars, not strings. The only valid test would be if you used the same guitar for all tests, which is what almost all people who do string comparisons do. As in any comparison test, you have to eliminate all variables except what you're comparing. Thanks for taking the time to do this but it really isn't very helpful.
Thank you for doing this, but you haven't addressed about 75 percent of your audience. Many of us are pickers, and string tone is very critical to fingerstyle playing, bluegrass, and solo performers.
PB is best.. Also the choice to put the aluminium ones on the gibson is wierd..These strings seems to allready have less mids in them and the gibson acoustics are allready less mid focus compare to Martins.. That Gibson sounds good but it would sound even better with the PB's on.
I know its hard to make the video and try to do what ima say but its hard to compare when you're strumming harder on different strings. If you maintained the same strum then itd be easier to compare. But great video honestly.
I’ve always used Elixir for my Maton 808 but have just ordered Santa Cruz lowTension. Parabolic strings. Watched a few videos of them being played compared to Elixir and can’t believe the difference.
good stuff man. People doing these shootouts dont seem to get that u need to put the likes with likes back to back. no talking between, same playing styles with same playing styles.
You get no answers here. pretty gibson though. want easier playing deeper sound? tune down half a step e flat.if your are playing alone it won't matter and your guitar will thank you for less tension and sound better,play better.Hendrix knew this a long time ago.always played tuned down 1/2 step.
The test is wrong. Every guitar sounds diferent, so is not the real sound of every set of strings. Basic, basic... You had to do it in the same guitar every set. The test is useless.
Right? That must sound so tinny. I use the Earthwood medium light 12-54 and they sound great. They are my favorite strings. I'm thinking about trying out a set of 13's.
@@AchillesWrath1Good idea but just a word of caution since the 13’s will add some tension so you may need to adjust the truss rod depending on the size of your guitar. They will sound more robust especially on the bass strings if that’s what you’re looking for.
These strings sound so different, close guitars did the trick. If I was comparing the same string types just different brands I would be in your boat. Thanks for the comment.
Normally use the aluminium but thought for a change Id try the phosphor . Big mistake !!! Just about average at the bottom of the neck ,but further up they sound completely dead. Playing with these terrible strings is an utterly joyless experience . Honestly can’t see how anyone could stay using them . Without a doubt the worst strings I’ve ever had. Avoid at all costs.
Different guitars means no comparison at all
Can't do a comparison on different guitar's ...Geesh!!!
Yeh its not a fair test
first thing that came to mind, just waste of time.
Yeahhhh
This could be a nice video if you just used only one guitar. Otherwise it doesn't make sense to me.
Was going to grab a set of the phoso bronze. Glad I saw this. The 80/20s are superior and what I have been using for a couple years.
I use Phosphor Bronze on my Martin guitar for many years. Today I tried Aluminum Bronze on it, I think it is too warm on my guitar as I mostly play finger style. Probably Phosphor Bronze is the best for my guitar in tone balancing for me
I think the 80/20s have the best tone and clarity.
Yeah, but only the first week or so, then they die. I buy only PBs now, as changing strings constantly, buying them, spending much money and cleanign them as the uncoated get really dirty after a couple of hours and they corode too. Elixir PB nanoweb - try them, you wont regret, especially on a cedar top.
And out these, after watching couple of videos, I think the Aluminum bronze sound at least the most interesing
Phosphor bronze last longer and they can help a cheaper guitar sound like a slightly higher end guitar. I have a cheap $60 Walmart and the phosphor bronze make it sound more like a $200 Squire acoustic. Neither come close to my Epi Hummingbird
@@ancientslav4863 A week if you're lucky. I don't kill strings. I have dry hands. And even the best 80/20s ever made, John Pearse imo, die on me in 3 days
Hard to tell anything about the Aluminium Bronze because they were tested on a different guitar. The Gibson/Martin flavours shone through more than the strings.
really appreciate the video! helps me decide what to get!
Definitely picked up on the clarity and string separation with the Aluminum Bronze.
They are still my favs after this little test. The clarity keeps me coming back for more!
@@bsideguitar How long have you been using them?
Different guitars doesn’t make sense for a string comparison video.
how about feel, and on the same guitar
Nice video. Are the G-strings on these 3 sets a WOUND g-string as they don't have the W designation for wound? Thanks.
Phil
Everyone needs to keep in mind these are different guitars and your guitar may not be close to the same. I just started and aluminum bronze strings sound metallic and harsh on my guitar. Super bright, but too much. Going with some PB or 80/20 next.
Different guitars of course, but I was still surprised. I've exclusively used light 80/20 Earthwoods for about seven years, but I work in a music store and one of our guitar teachers keeps recommending the aluminum bronze strings to his students. Now I see why, and I'm sad about the fact that I just recently changed the strings on my Seagull S6 Acoustic/Electric with a Canadian spruce top with cherry back and sides to the 80/20s. Even if they sound completely different on my guitar, what and who is it hurting to try them? The grumps in the comments do have a bit of a point, but they're guitar strings. The Aluminum Bronze strings are, at most in my store, $9.99 USD. The other two are about $6.99 USD. You can just change them out. "Comparison" isn't totally accurate, but to me, they still highlight the differences in the strings well.
I don't know why you're surprised. This comparison is really almost totally a comparison of guitars, not strings. In short, it's invalid.
I’d say, although it’s only my opinion from experience, that the element that most influences the tone of your acoustic guitar is the string material, closely followed by tone wood and pick material.
I bought a solid wood (cedar top and maple back/sides) guitar last year and it was fitted with Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze strings and it sounded amazing. I then switched to Phos Bronze and it was nowhere near as good. I’m not slating Phos Bronze but if you haven’t tried the Aluminium Bronze I’d highly recommend them. If that doesn’t convince you look up what Mike Dawes had to say about them.
Great comment, just curious as to what size guitar do you like the Aluminum Bronze on? Thanks
@@Doowopsid - grand auditorium - thanks.
@@sigmundjester thanks for getting back to me. I think the Aluminum and Nickel Bronze typically sound better on smaller than dreadnought sized guitars and the PBs usually sound best on dreadnoughts but it still comes down to whatever sound anyone prefers on a particular guitar. I have Nickel Bronze on a dreadnought Takamine and I think they sound great.
Ernie Ball has a brilliant marketing team when you pay $30 for this three pack basically instead of paying 1199 for the aluminum high-end set you’re now paying $22 extra beyond ridiculous
Bronze alloy Ernie Ball Earth Wood String are my favorite
I'm interested in the aluminum bronze bc it leaves room for vocals in the mid range. Just put phosphors on and they are slightly brighter than factory. Thanks for the comparison, very helpful.
Unfortunately, the Mic position on the Aluminum strings was closer to the bridge compared with the other two string materials. So I couldn't make any tone judgement, other than to say the Mic position makes a big difference.
You compared strings using two different guitars? That's actually called a guitar test
But, does it can play wonderwall?
Ha! Which is the ultimate question!!!
I uas the earth wound and love them but they get flat quickly.
Nailed it.... all strings will settle in after a couple of days and hold their tone for 2/3 weeks.... after 4/5 hours of playing the earthwoods' they're dead/flat sounding especially the low E and A strings.
Good thing they're cheap because they need changed after every session unless that's the sound a person wants.
@@BryanClark-gk6ie What strings do you prefer?
@@kurtmackenzie7349
EB 9/42 on electrics.
Been using EB aluminum bronze 11 and 12's on acoustics the last 5 years.
Better string to string definition and increased volume.... brightens up dark sounding guitars.
The aluminum and phosphor sound like a blanket smothered the mids and highs.
Sounds comfy 😂 but that is why those can play so well on some of the very bass heavy acoustics. I still use aluminum bronzes on the custom J45 and it sits really nicely in a band mix.
Thank you for doing this
I have the aluminum bronze and my string broke mid song after a couple of weeks. My stock strings lasted for over a year.
OK, the aluminium bronze are on a gibson and the others on Martins? How can this be compared?
Not just that, but square shoulders vs round shoulders makes the comparison worse. J-45 is known for a mid range boost that sounds like nothing else. Not great comparison...
Aluminum brighter, richer, dynamic, incredible❤
The aluminium bronze strings have a sharp metallic sound. IMHO they are not build to be used with any of the high end guitars you show here. I use them on my 40 year old mid-priced K.Yairi dreadnaught (mahogany/spruce). They are a big improvement. They add some sparkle to my otherwise boring sounding guitar, and they bring it a little bit towards the sound of a Martin D28.
I will have to say they aged really well. They found a sweet spot on the J-45 after an hour or so of playing.
Agreed
Fresh, thanks man
You bet! 🎸🎸
Heyo from Belgium!
For Celtic flatpicking tunes what you reckon are the best?
Cheers 🙂
I'm currently using 80 20 earthwood
Phosphor bronze all the way baby. The Aluminium bronze sounded too dull, the 80/20's sound good, I use them on my smaller OM size acoustic for a brighter sound. On a dread tho, Phosphor bronze is the way to go, sounds richer and fuller and the big bodied dread just projects a sound that is music to your ears.
Agree 100%
I definitely prefer the Phosphor Bronze -- a bit more mellow. The 80/20 and Aluminum sets sound too bright to me.
*****The Aluminum Bronze On Every Session Sounder All Around Marginally Better!!!! *******
Have to get me a set of thise
Ernie Ball Earthwood's are the best but you you need the medium lights 12-54.
Different guitars. Hmmm. Duh
That 3pac is a good deal how much did you pay on average Ernie Ball strings are the best
I use phosphor bronze but damn those 80/20 sounded brighter
80/20 are pretty much always going to be brighter but they die off faster 🤷♂️
@@bsideguitar I never have that problem with elixirs but they are so damn expensive but they last twice as long as ernie ball and d'addario. I just bought the new xl from d'addario...not much of a fan so far. Not so bright as they claim.
80/20 are always brighter,,,not after a week or so tho, cause they die fast.
Aluminum bronze
On the average quality guitar used it's hard to hear much different even through headphones. Though the Aluminum's definitely had the edge. Of course, my judgement may be impaired as I use them on the best (IMO) acoustic guitar currently available in the world - my amazing Maton ER90c.
Light bronze Alloy is good..
Is the G string wounded?
I chose a pack of Ernie Ball Phospor Bronze alloy extra light I will fit later to my Martin OM28V to try out. Because my model is a bit brighter than the D28 Martin I'm hoping that's my best choice. Presently I've been using the extra light green packet set, so I'm hoping for some good, possibly better sound from my new Phosphor Bronze pack.
Have you tried them yet?
I just wanted to add, Dean Markley makes some damn good string too.
Does the type of strings matter also based on how big the guitar is? (especially a 41in guitar)
Great question, would love to have seen some responses. I think the Aluminum and also the Nickel Bronze strings sound better on guitar sizes smaller than dreadnought. Just my opinion.
dam that d28 with the bronze strings realy sound how it should be , 11 is to low gauge for that guitar ... it need 13 medium string bronze
I'm sorry but the aluminum bronze sound terrible. I tried them awhile back and they were thin and metallic and just an unnecessary formula with all the great strings out there
Just curious which strings are your favorite and on what size guitar?
0:10 random background screaming 😂
that just the girl in his basement
I’ve got a handmade Goya G-13 and I was wondering if these strings are good for it?
I believe the Goya is a classical guitar so you would want nylon strings on it. It would not do well with the tension of steel strings.
5Box Music do you know if I would need ball end strings? I’m thinking of getting D'Addario Pro-Arte Nylon Classical Guitar Strings, considering it is my first time getting new guitar strings because the guitar was a gift. I’m just now learning how to play it.
Either would work, but I would recommend these Pro Artes because they are normal tension and with that guitar the high tension may be too much. amzn.to/2WJT67h
@@zyroskillz5146 what strings did you end up getting ? I need new strings and have no clue what’s good and what’s not.
@@sergioecheverria9118 I can’t quite remember but the high E string snapped while I was tensioning it. I’d just look strings up online or watch videos on them.
Whitch song is he playing 3:37?
"You shook me all night long" by AC/DC (1:02 approximately)
why compare strings on different guitars? How does it make sense?
You are right in general, if you where comparing Phosphor Bronze from different makers, but the tones of these strings are so vastly different the one different model was still able to showcase the tonal flavor of the strings so I went with it...
80/20 really dies sooner. Its good for rhythm and strumming kind of thing, It sounds nice when it's new, but after few weeks the crispyness gone and it's dead. While Phosphor bronze does change dramatically over long period .
Aluminum bronze is a great match for darker wood guitars like this Gibson. Those strings pull the best tones with great separation. Well balanced. Worth the price imho. Earthwoods are decent but I would dedicate them mostly for guitars made out of bright sounding wood.
I enjoyed the sound of the 80/20 lights much more then the other 2.
Agreed
I'm sure other's have commented on this but this comparison isn't really valid because you're using different guitars which will, obviously, have their own sounds. In fact, this is really a comparison of guitars, not strings. The only valid test would be if you used the same guitar for all tests, which is what almost all people who do string comparisons do. As in any comparison test, you have to eliminate all variables except what you're comparing. Thanks for taking the time to do this but it really isn't very helpful.
I like the 80/20 better but I use the same ones but med light 12's
The 80/20s are hard on the fingers and they do not last long.
I've tried them all, 8020
They all sound great for 11’s 😎
Has anyone here mixed any of the strings to get a desired effect?
Different guitars is a big difference
i like the phosphor one. it'll be more accurate if you using the same model of guitar in comparison. u help my decision thank you.
Durability and staying in tune are huge fsctors for me as well as pkayabikity
Am I the only one taking issue with putting 11-52s on a D28??? We doing Buffett cover songs??
Luv the Gibson... Sounds amazing...
Thank you for doing this, but you haven't addressed about 75 percent of your audience. Many of us are pickers, and string tone is very critical to fingerstyle playing, bluegrass, and solo performers.
I prefer the medium light PB on my Takamine Grand Auditorium.
DON'T EVERY BODY TALK AT ONCE...Lol I Think The First TWO ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING THE SAME..Number 3 Sounds..Muted/FLAT..??
The sound is not a big deal for me bro, it's the feeling i am after.
PB is best..
Also the choice to put the aluminium ones on the gibson is wierd..These strings seems to allready have less mids in them and the gibson acoustics are allready less mid focus compare to Martins..
That Gibson sounds good but it would sound even better with the PB's on.
I know its hard to make the video and try to do what ima say but its hard to compare when you're strumming harder on different strings. If you maintained the same strum then itd be easier to compare. But great video honestly.
Aluminum bronze wins...
I’ve always used Elixir for my Maton 808 but have just ordered Santa Cruz lowTension. Parabolic strings. Watched a few videos of them being played compared to Elixir and can’t believe the difference.
Thanks!
I'd like to try the Aluminum Bronze... thanks for the very good comparison/review 👍👍
Still loving those aluminum bronze strings! I just ordered more for my next string change. Hope you like them as much as I do!
The Gibson with Aluminium Bronze sounds great. 🤘
Still my favorite!
Phosphor bronze tone is good.
80/20 : Hey
Phosphorus : SSUP
Aluminium : hi...
My Normal Earthwood got stained on 4 hours playing Since i put them... Holy Cr4p.
You can't please everyone, so you have to please yourself! lol Good video!
For sure ;) still playing those acoustic bronze ones, but just discovered Martin Retros.... and other video may be necessary.
You should have used one guitar only
good stuff man. People doing these shootouts dont seem to get that u need to put the likes with likes back to back. no talking between, same playing styles with same playing styles.
You get no answers here. pretty gibson though. want easier playing deeper sound? tune down half a step e flat.if your are playing alone it won't matter and your guitar will thank you for less tension and sound better,play better.Hendrix knew this a long time ago.always played tuned down 1/2 step.
80/20 all the way the best
Aluminum-Bronze higher..
Those are actually the ones I have stuck with since this video!
Pretty useless if you are using 3 different guitars.
Com esse violao gibson, até encordoamento canário soa bem
Still a stone phosphor/bronze fan. Tried the Aluminums a while back and they sounded like crap.
Great vid~ I was watching some farting prank videos & came across this. The aluminum bronze sound great.
80/20 bronze sound like radiohead
😎
80/20 sound too bright aluminium sounds too mellow phosphor bronze has the most balanced tone
Phosophor Bronze sound better
The test is wrong. Every guitar sounds diferent, so is not the real sound of every set of strings. Basic, basic... You had to do it in the same guitar every set. The test is useless.
I can’t trust a man that plays 11’s on acoustic guitar.
Right? That must sound so tinny. I use the Earthwood medium light 12-54 and they sound great. They are my favorite strings. I'm thinking about trying out a set of 13's.
@@AchillesWrath1Good idea but just a word of caution since the 13’s will add some tension so you may need to adjust the truss rod depending on the size of your guitar. They will sound more robust especially on the bass strings if that’s what you’re looking for.
How can you compare guitar strings with different guitars?! Different guitars has different tones! 🤦♂️
Oh come on at least use the same guitar
These strings sound so different, close guitars did the trick. If I was comparing the same string types just different brands I would be in your boat. Thanks for the comment.
a waste of time... buy what is cheapest for you
Normally use the aluminium but thought for a change Id try the phosphor .
Big mistake !!!
Just about average at the bottom of the neck ,but further up they sound completely dead.
Playing with these terrible strings is an utterly joyless experience .
Honestly can’t see how anyone could stay using them .
Without a doubt the worst strings I’ve ever had.
Avoid at all costs.
For christ.. Use one guitar at least.
Pointless
DIFFERENT GUITARS.. STUPID TEST
all sound the same