So I've been playing acoustic guitar since I was 11 or 12 but stopped playing so much a year or so ago to give my drum skills a bit more attention. Now I am getting back into acoustic and wanting to learn more about strings. Here is what I know:

I have always played Elixir Phosphor Bronze (nanoweb) at a light-medium size. I love that "fluidity" of them and how quick they feel.

I've never really tried any other strings than Elixir's though. My first Alvarez I bought when I was 12 had them so I've just always used them.

Should I be trying other strings? Should I stick with what I know? I know that I like these but I can't help but think there might be something else out there that will be my roman goddess string that brings the sweet songs of the heavens to my fingertips.

A little insight please?

I know Martin & D'Addario acoustic strings were bestsellers whenI worked in music stores. Didn't sell that many sets of Elixirs in either acosutic or electric. I just demoed a n acoustic bass that had D'Addario bronzewounds and I liked then a ot. I'm sure MattG will have some insights for you.

Well I just went and grabbed some Elixir Phosphor Bronze Nanonwebs and they are sounding incredible right now. Perfect mixture of warmth and brightness and I'm just happy.

But - I still wonder if it's that whole "what I've always used" mentality.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess. But if you always eat chikcen, you'll never know what steak tastes like. Or something like that.

Hahaha - wise words from a wise man!

He is indeed! Try riding in a car with him for 10 hours straight and not learning some life lessons. I dare you!

If nothing else, some great stories will be told.

I have tried countless sets of strings and I just keep coming back to Elixir Phosphor Bronze. They do last longer and they hold their tone longer. I used to play Martin SP's because they sound great right out of the package but they are dull two weeks later. D'addario sent me a set of their extended play strings and I wound up taking them off and putting the used Elixirs back on. They are fabulous strings for high end acoustics. I don't like their electric strings, they are too bright. It all comes down to how much cash you want to spend.

Yes! So I feel a bit more comfortable sticking with my Phosphor Bronze addiction.

Thanks!

Jared has been using Elixir 80/20 and he has broken a string at every gig. He strums ridiculously hard but it is interesting how often he is breaking strings. I have been breaking a few as well, but I have been playing the acoustic more often. I am going to talk Jared into trying some different strings to see if he breaks more or less often. I can't get passed how good the Elixirs sound.

It's all a matter of preference: which string gives you the sound you want. I personally prefer D'Addario EXP-16s because that is what my Breedlove was strung with at the factory and I want to maintain that sound because that was part of what I fell in love with when I first played it.