What are the Best Strings for a Martin LX1RE? Trying Out 3 Different Strings!

The strings you use change the tone of your acoustic guitar. My Martin LX1RE is a mini acoustic guitar, so I have been told that higher tension strings are better than on a full size guitar. I had the opportunity to change strings this time, so I tried three different types of strings to see what would work best for me.

First string: Martin's Lifespan 2.0 medium gauge

MARTIN / MA550T LIFESPAN 2.0 92/8 PHOSPHOR BRONZE Medium

I purchased a brand new Martin LX1RE and initially strung it with the Martin Lifespan 2.0 Phosphor Bronze medium gauge. Mini acoustic guitars are short scale and need the highest tension gauge possible to produce the most sound pressure. These strings are coated strings, so they are rust-resistant and have strong string tension that’s ideal.

The strings are actually pretty heavy, but the low string height makes them surprisingly easy to hold, and the sound is loud and powerful, which is hard to believe for a mini-guitar. The sound is not too sparkly, although it is Phosphor Bronze. They are rust-resistant Lifespan strings, but the coating feels thin, and some people may feel they are uncoated strings if they weren’t told beforehand.

They are long lasting strings, but after about a month of use, the sound felt muffled, so I replaced the strings.

The second kind of string : ELIXIR NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze Light

ELIXIR / NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze Light #16052

I have been using these strings for years on my other full size acoustic guitar. They are coated strings, so they are very rust resistant and I often don't change them for about 6 months. The first strings were Phosphor Bronze, but they were not very sparkly, so I replaced them with these strings for a more sparkly sound.

The tension was set to light, so it was much easier to hold than the first strings. I was afraid that the sound would become quieter, but it is surprisingly loud. I felt that the sound was the same as a full-size acoustic guitar in terms of loudness. However, since it is a mini guitar, the bass is weaker. I also felt that the breadth of the sound was weak compared to a full-size guitar.

The tone is the same as the Elixir strung on a full-size acoustic guitar, except the bass is weaker. I was surprised because I expected it to sound different with the same strings because it is a miniature acoustic. The Phosphor Bronze on the Elixir sounds brighter than the Phosphor Bronze on the first Martin. Or rather, it sounds too bright and less like Little Martin. I felt that the same Phosphor Bronze string has a totally different tone.

The Elixir coated strings hardly rust, so I didn't need to replace them, but I felt that the brightness of the sound was too bright for a Little Martin (for me personally), so I decided to change to the third set of strings after about a month of stringing.

Third type of string: Martin's AUTHENTIC ACOUSTIC SP 80/20 Bronze Light

MARTIN / MA140 AUTHENTIC ACOUSTIC SP 80/20 BRONZE Light

I have chosen this string as my most standard Martin string. I thought these strings were the best from the feeling of the two types of strings I have used so far, so I replaced them with these strings. There are 5 points for choosing this string.

● Five points for choosing these strings
1. Martin strings for martin guitars
2. I want a sound that’s not too bright
3. Light tension is enough
4. No need for coating as they rust evenly over their lifespan
5. Low price

1. I think Martin guitars sound better with Martin strings, although this may be an assumption. I have a meek feeling that Martin is the only brand I have.

2. As for 2., I chose bronze because I felt that the sparkle of the Elixir strings did not match Little Martin's. As I thought, the bronze's solidity was just as I expected. As I thought, I preferred the solid sound of bronze.

3. I thought the light tension of the strings was enough. Of course, I felt more sound pressure with medium strings, but to be honest, it was hard on my fingers after playing for an hour, so I decided to go with the strings that are easier on my fingers rather than sound.

4. Martin's Lifespan has a very thin coating, and although it feels good to play and makes finger noises like uncoated ones, I think it rusts easily. If they are going to rust anyway, I am OK with no coating, so I decided to use these strings. During regular use, this bronze non coating rusts after a week (I guess it depends on how you use them...). Lifespan is much less rusty and I still wondered if the coating is effective.

5. I thought these strings would probably rust easily, so I thought I would replace them as soon as they rusted. Since these are low-priced strings, it saves the cost of replacing them. However, it is also the most expensive since I have to replace them in about a week when they rust, so I thought that coated strings might be a good choice.

I tried three different kinds, but I couldn't decide which I liked for sure...

For my conclusion of trying three different strings on Little Martin, the first Medium Gauge Martin Lifespan 2.0 Phosphor Bronze is the best in terms of sound, Light Gauge Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze is the best in terms of rust resistance, and Light Gauge Martin AUTHENTIC ACOUSTIC SP 80/20 Bronze was the best.

Currently, I am using the light gauge Martin AUTHENTIC ACOUSTIC SP 80/20 Bronze again. I still feel it rusts easily, so I plan to change the strings again next time. My target is Elixir 80/20 Bronze NanoWeb Light Gauge. This string has the rust resistance of Elixir coated strings, the solid sound of bronze, and the ease of playing light with low tension. I have already purchased these strings, but they are not wallet-friendly and it’s a shock knowing how expensive these are even though they don't even sound right on my Little Martin! I will change them when I get the courage to replace them!

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.