During last week’s World of Bluegrass convention, the Martin guitar company introduced a new and improved line of guitar strings which they have branded as Authentic Acoustic.Martin had a major presence in the trade show exhibit hall, the first booth you see when coming down the escalator, and opened a second booth out on the street during the weekend festival environment. I love to talk about them because I don't think they get the attention they deserve. The proprietary wrap on the MTR13s is corrosion-resistant and impressively strong for long life and uncompromised tone. To learn more about our cookie policy, please check our Privacy Policy. The company produced this video to explain a little more about what has gone into these new strings. After experimenting with several other brands and alloys, I found that this is what I prefer on both my D-18 Authentic and H&D TDM. I've been using the 4250's exclusively about 7 years and I really like them. Using medium/lights lets me get the whomp on the bass strings and still play without undue pain. Authentic has been a big word for Martin this last few years, especially within the bluegrass market. They have ultra-pure steel SP core wire and are available in 80/20 and phosphor bronze sets, while 12-string and acoustic baritone players are also catered for. - They're in-between our EJ16 (.012 - .053) and the EJ17 (.013-.056) mentioned above. He seems to do pretty well with them. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. Martin also makes a bluegrass medium gauge in 80/20 which are very good strings. They are available to offer you personalized product advice any time you need it. Just go to the Martin website, or look on the back of a box of strings, to get a comparison of the string gauges. I don't care for the so called Bluegrass strings from any maker that I have tried so far, plain ole mediums preferably Ej17's, although I put a set of Addario's Ej16's on my D28 and like them that ole D28 of mine has too much bass, 16's seem to have helped. Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand. .013-.056 Bluegrass Gauge, Nickel Alloy Acoustic Guitar Strings, Martin Retro Acoustic Guitar Strings - .013-.056 Tony Rice Bluegrass, Retro Acoustic Guitar Strings - .013-.056 Tony Rice Bluegrass, Vintage-inspired acoustic strings deliver superior acoustic tone, Monel nickel/copper alloy wrap wire is super strong and generates a cool vintage sonic vibe, Strings produce a crisp sound that mellows quickly to a warm, woody tone. As you can see, Martin SP4250 are standard medium gauge phosphor bronze, except with very slightly heavier D and A string. Martin offers a wide range of acoustic guitar strings, and these Lifespans are its treated option of the SP 'Superior Performance' line. Sweetwater Sales Engineers help you buy music gear with confidence. Hey, I can play the bass along with most of the other bluegrass instruments, but most importantly, I tell jokes, have 2 ... Not sure why Scott Vestal's face was never shown. Phone Hours | There was also a good bit of beta testing with guitarists during this development stage. Other makers refer to something else when they attach the name "bluegrass" to their strings. Don from D'Addario here - we also make a Bluegrass gauged set - i've always felt that this nomenclature wasn't quite right but that's what they're called. However, IMHO, the tone is far superior to other strings I've tried (about everything on the market!) From beginners to rock stars, millions of music makers rely on our Sales Engineers' expertise to help achieve their musical goals. Both the core and wrap wire are treated prior to winding, offering the longest-lasting string Martin has ever made. I've always assumed that the moniker "Bluegrass" for some kind of light top/medium bottom set derived from the idea that bluegrass guitar playing emphasizes that classic Martin boomy sound, with strong bass notes and bass runs along with strumming of the chord notes above. Hand selected from all across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear.