Yesterday I was at a jam and just tweaking the tuning on my instrument when the A string snapped - it was not overtuned and the actual rotation I was turning was very slight. He has them on all his Taylor & custom built acoustics. I never had a problem before on my Martin 000C-GTE. They have a ton of clarity in the upper mid-range and high end that Elixir and every other coated string I have played have lacked. I put these on a really bright Taylor guitar with the idea of toning it down a bit. Quick Look : Fender Tone Master Amplifiers. In fact when I started playing guitar I absolutely loved Silk & Steel strings. The only drawback is the price. Many years ago, I was in the retail music business. A Sweetwater Sales Engineer will get back to you shortly. The Monel strings reduce the impact of pick attack (I only fingerpick or use thick V-Picks) and are very neutral sounding. I use the Martin technique from their website to string my instruments. It"s much louder than other strings I have used. I get all my instruments and gear from sweetwater. Parenthetically, I did not notice any great difference in the tone or other characteristics of these very expensive strings - have switched back to my Martin LifeSpan or Elixirs. Learn More. While I have been playing Elixir Nanoweb strings exclusively for nearly a decade now, I am sold. I was reluctant to shell out forty bucks for strings. However, my wife just purchased a set of Martin Luxe Liquidmetal bridge pins for me (Yes, from Sweetwater) and I couldn't wait to try them out. Martin Authentic Acoustic Lifespan® 2.0 strings offer next generation treatment for long life, great playability and feel, and superior reliability with authentic tone.MartinGuitar.com, Your email address will not be published. For me this is absolutely a must have. I was also a beta user and Wow is all I can say I put these on my Martin D-16E and they are absolutely amazing well worth the money they stay in tune so well and sound awesome will be getting some for my D35 and D18. I am sold. I was told about these strings by a friend who uses them on all of his acoustics, and he plays a lot. To learn more about our cookie policy, please check our Privacy Policy. When playing softly, the squeak made by sliding is very distracting. When Nanoweb strings came along I tried a pack and while the tone wasn’t as good as the Martin SP’s the coating helped me get a few extra weeks out of them, which for a starving worship leader, less string changes was a huge win. So, after three weeks of playing I am left with three of original set. Kristi explained that their new Lifespan 2.0 strings have a new patented technology that was developed to help protect both core and wrap wires from corrosion. Sweetwater's Sales Engineers are regarded as the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the music industry, with extensive music backgrounds and intense training on the latest products and technologies. But with in a month the D string snapped well I was playing a soft song. It's back to Lifespans for me. 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 They felt like those Martin SP strings that I absolutely loved but parted ways with because of longevity. It now sounds dull and lifeless. They do have a nice feel to the touch but I don't understand what the thinking was with these strings. Overall these strings do exactly what Martin says they do. So, although they didn't work out for me, they could very easily be the best strings ever, for someone else (if you have soft hands or think you'd like that mushy feel). They had a, dare I say it, Authentic feel. The guitar is not as loud as with the strings that were on it, but there is more clarity in the quieter tones. I asked for another G string. Plus they sound " dull". Copyright © 2018 Worship Guitar Magazine. These Titanium Core get the lowest rating possible as far as I'm concerned. I have been playing acoustic consistently at home about 4-6 hours a week for the past 5-6 weeks with these Martin Lifespan 2.0 strings on and I am not noticing much degradation in the tone. The G and D wound strings snapped when approaching pitch, even with pre-stretching. The L4C has a Kent Armstrong pickup mounted to the end of the neck that I installed some years ago and once restrung, I will try that out through my acoustic amp rig. I had been using mediums prior to this sampling often switching between John Pearse or Martin Retro strings. Up until this point I was still playing Elixir Nanoweb strings. She also stated the thing that every string manufacturer says, this corrosion resistant technology does not compromise the tone of the strings. They didn’t feel like they were soaked in wax like Elixir Polywebs. I am told that Monel strings handle amplification well. Here is what I noticed. So, here I am with an amazing Martin 000-28 (purchased from Sweetwater) a new set of Martin Luxe Liquidmetal bridge pins (also purchased from Sweetwater) and a set of broken Martin Titanium Core strings. The wound strings are very noisy when sliding between notes. Sweetwater Sound But on a good guitar, I guess they are worth the investment. These strings have a great sound and the titanium core gives them staying power. Get Directions | Since I am rather picky, I asked to do that myself, since I knew I wanted to check the neck, and do a basic setup as well as polish the frets as well as clean and oil the fingerboard. Immediately, I enjoyed the flexibility of lighter strings, but it did not compromise the volume or warmth of the heavier strings. I ordered a set of these strings when they first became available thinking that the reviews sounded very good. I've never felt a string feel as good as these. They seem to hold their usefulness...broke in after about an hour of play and then have remained constant. No response. However, after using these strings, I have decided that they are not for me. The initial attack of the top end might be a bit less than when they were brand new but I am willing to go on the record here and say that I have never played a “good sounding” guitar string that has been more consistent through the life of the string than these Lifespan 2.0s. I must say, at this point I was intrigued but also a bit skeptical. After I got a bit better I wanted a bit more bite and volume to my tone so I switched to Martin SP 12-54 Phosphor Bronze strings. As a consequence, I hear a wider tonal palette, with more delicacy than I have in more traditional string choices. From the famed house of Martin Guitars, these are undoubtedly one of the best acoustic guitar strings that money could buy. The ridges on the wound strings are very rough and create a lot of friction when sliding up and down the neck. I've always used Martin Lifespan string on all of my acoustic guitars and been happy with the sound of them. Better with a pick then fingers. Not to me, but the strings on it, D’Addario somethings had reached the level of dead. It has been in the acoustic room for some time and as consequence, suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous test players. Very nice strings, long lasting, hold tune forever. Store Hours, If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 222-4700. All Rights Reserved. I didn't bother with A and E at that point. I came back to the reviews here… and discovered there were many who have had these string snap on them. Sadly, the low E and low A strings broke at the tuning peg simply from releasing the tension on the strings enough to change out the pins. They sound great and make it easier to play but the titanium core breaks easily. It's possible that the chemical makeup of the sweat from my fingers is not compatible with these, but after only about 5 hours total playing time, the 3 low strings lost their responsiveness and the nice warm sound was dead. And then, during one of our 3 Sunday morning services at the church I work at, the A string broke. While they are a favorite among professional musicians, they also prove a great choice for beginners. The D35 has no built in pickup, although if I buy it, I will install one at some point. Sound nice. Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand. To be completely honest, sub-consciously I was thinking, okay we get it, you make strings but let’s see the guitars. The high E and B are plain steel, but the rest are Monel wound strings. Elixir has been doing this for years, and I don’t care what anyone says, coated strings sound different than non-coated strings. After all, they’ve been interacting with musicians for almost 200 years. I put them on my HD-35. Well all cheesy cliche statements aside, these strings sound Authentic. The strings while consistent through the life of the string, were always dead sounding. The plain strings tuned up just fine. You may have recognized on our social media channels and on our website that we are huge fans of Martin Guitars. Slowly wound to pitch and G string snapped. You might consider trying a set yourself. Thank you for your request. Phone Hours | Martin strings are designed to give you excellent tone, clarity, and response. Looking back on my career as a guitarist in Church I have used only a few brands of strings, Martin being one of them. I paid $... for these strings..I emailed Martin customer support and told them what happened. However I found that these bring out a tone and clarity from my guitar that I never experienced before. Out of these three, Cleartone has had the least longevity. I'm going to keep them on for a while because they cost... Who knows, I might later realize what the extra quid went for. I am also not so disciplined as to put all my guitar dollars away until Black Friday sales events. Been playing them for 25 years. They are a bit pricey, but worth every penny. Sound good playing staight acoustic, a bit stiff.