Page 1 of 1

Crafter D8 L/N Acoustic

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 4:22 pm
by Roger
Well I picked up said guitar from Bournemouth yesterday - I paid £80 for it and a Ritter bag. Both are about 6 months old and have hardly been used, so thanks eBay! The guitar has a spruce top, mahogany back, sides and neck, while the fretboard is rosewood. It seems pretty well-made to me. The only downside is that it's not set up terribly well so the action is pretty high and needs looking at. Mind you, I often find this to be the case with "lefties".

As I haven't owned a steel strung acoustic since the 70s (an old Eko Ranger!) I'd appreciate any thoughts on the better makes of strings available. Thanks in advance!

Best to all,

Roger

new strings

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:15 am
by scottj1
Hi Roger
There are many brands of quality strings these days.Most players i think probably use phosphor bronze.These are not quite as bright as normal bronze wound ones and keep their tone a bit longer.Martin and D'addario are both really good and theres also the British makes such as Rotosound and Newtone.

Regards Scott

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:36 pm
by TimH
Ah, strings - real anorak territory! Gordon tells a good anecdote about bumping into Hank Marvin (as you do) and when Hilary asked him what they talked about he said "er...string guages actually!". Anyway, my contribution here would be to say that there are as many views on string composition and manufacturer as their are guitarists! Personally I find that Phosphor Bronze sound better than 80/20 Bronze but don't keep that initial freshness or "zingy-ness" (is that a word?) for as long. Coated strings link the Martin SP+ or Elixir nanoweb keep that initial feel for ages but just sound generally duller from the get go. It will boil down to your own personal usage needs as you might expect: if you play regularly then you will probably be changing the strings fairly frequently anyway so Phosphor Bronze may be best. If you want strings you can leave on a guitar that bit longer without going "dull" sounding through natural oxidisation then maybe 80/20 Bronze would be better. I tried out Newtone strings as that's what Gordon used at the time (and still does I think, alongside Martin SP's now also I think) and I have to say I have stuck with them. Malcolm Newtone still does a Giltrap Masterclass Series based on a design Gordon initiated and I use these live at gigs and love them to bits. Cost wise they are comparable to any other good make. Hope that helps. Stand by for the flood of alternative opinions from all the other enthusiastic anoraks like me!

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:35 pm
by Russ Gannicott
I'm with Tim on this one....Newtones all the way, and it helps keep a British institution in business!

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:41 am
by scottj1
I'm using the Martin FX flexible core strings at the moment,they are the same tension as normal gauge strings but do feel easier on the fingers.The sound is superb, really vibrant and rich.Iv'e not had much look getting Newtones in the past either the dealer didn't have any left(not a bad thing)or to get them direct you need to order a minimum of six sets which is too much for my needs but they are a really good string.

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:58 pm
by Roger
Thanks guys! In the end I opted for a set of Rotosound Jumbo King, which are Phosphor Bronze, and went for their light gauge(11-52). I bought them from Harmony Music in Dorchester, mainly because I've been in that shop so many times and never bought a thing! If we're heading towards Dorset, which we were for a holiday in Bridport, I always try and stop off as unlike a lot of places there are always a few "lefties" for sale. Also, there are usually a few interesting guitars around, such as one of Gordon's this time!

Anyway, our holiday is the reason I haven't replied before (sorry!) and also why I haven't spent much time with the Crafter. What I do know is that it needs setting up properly, particularly the saddle height, so if anyone knows of a reputable guy in the Portsmouth/Hampshire area please let me know.

Best to all,

Roger