Newtone Heritage Series (.012-.051 - Medium)

[Diane Kauffmds]

Welcome to the new string review forum. When I built my OM, I quickly found that my favorite dread strings were not going to be as compatible on the smaller guitar. Once again, I found myself on that expensive quest for favorite OM strings. So as I share my findings with you I'm hopeful that your quest may not be as difficult and expensive as mine.
On a monthly basis, I will review a different set of strings and post my findings along with a small soundbite for your listening pleasure. Hopefully, this will give you a basis for your string choices. I have a "bucket list" of strings that are in the review queue. Please, feel free to let me know which strings you'd like to see in my reviews.
String Bucket List:
Newtone Heritage (Current Review)
Newtone Master Class
GHS Vintage Bronze and Signature Bronze
Martin SP Lifespan and Monel Tony Rice
John Pearse Phosphor Bronze and Silks
Cleartone Treated
Ernie Ball Coated Slinky and Earthwood
Thomastik-Infeld John Pearse Folk, Spectrum Bronze and Plectrum
and last but not least,
Elixir HD

For the first review, I'm copying a review that I did for the Newtone Heritage Series Strings. I've recorded some basic chords using a CAD U37 microphone.
NEWTONE HERITAGE SERIES (.012-.051, Medium Gauge)


I've been intrigued by these strings and the praise they've garnered. So, I put these strings on the guitar about a week ago and I think I'm in "string love". For those of you who have vintage instruments, or instruments that you would like the sound of heavier strings, yet want minimal stress on the instrument, these may be the ticket.
I have physical challenges involving my hands, so playing a guitar with a lot of string tension and heavy gauge strings, can be difficult. The Newtones are very easy to play; it's like the instrument has been tuned down across all of the strings. I wish I'd known about these strings before I had calluses. I played a couple of pieces with drop D tuning and even with the reduced tension, the strings sound great.
I'm still searching for all the adjectives that describe the sound: rich, complex, ringing but with deep, rich, bass, lovely bell-like mids, bright trebles (but not BRIGHT). In addition these strings have that "vintage" sound Which I suspect many of you are after. They have the appropriate sound for "Cannon" or "Fur Elise", "Blackbird", or the blues such as "Georgia on my Mind" (I'm eclectic). The Newtone's ring out loud and clear; there is nothing muffled about them, so they afford you the well-balanced tone for which the OM is known.
Good:
What can I say?
1. Reduced tension for those with physical challenges or older instruments.
2. Very quick break-in: These puppies held their tuning the next day
3. Minimal daily tuning tweaking: They seem to react predictably with the change of weather, humidity, etc.
4. Minimal finger squeak.
5. Did I mention SOUND!?: I love the combination of richness and complexity, combined with the slight vintage tone.
6. Price. This made both lists. I think they're worth the money. I've spent much more on strings in which I've been disappointed.
Bad:
1. Fingers get dirty, and I really don't like dirty fingers from guitar strings (I wash my hands before picking up my guitar, always). I've minimized this by cleaning the strings before and after. The problem is lessening, as the days go by.
2. Price. Some might think the price is high. I would argue that I've spent more than $13 on sets of strings that I've disliked.

Since there are many upcoming string reviews, I won't say these are my absolute favorite, but they rank #1 right now. I'll monitor how long they last and update this post, because longevity is the last criteria.
Longevity:
So far, I rate the strings high on longevity. They've been on for about 6 weeks now and are played on average 2 hours per day. I've not noticed any undue wear; the tone is as good today as it was when I put them on the guitar. After 6 weeks I no longer get dirty fingers from these strings! This is a huge bonus for me since I deplore guitar string junk on my fingers. The Newtone string set is effected equally, per string, when there is a change in humidity.

NEXT MONTH: GHS VINTAGE BRONZE (I've heard good things about the GHS Vintage Bronze strings.)

[thronson]

This topic of Guitar String Reviews is a good addition. T

[mnmusic]

This is going to be very useful for people that don't have much, if any, experience with playing guitars. I can't play but I want to build so this will be helpful.

Ed

[tippie53]

thanks. looking forward to string education.

[ColestineGuitar]

What is the basis of the reduced tension of the Newtone Heritage strings? The light guage, I assume. And yet they sound like a heavier string?

[Diane Kauffmds]

What is the basis of the reduced tension of the Newtone Heritage strings? The light guage, I assume. And yet they sound like a heavier string?

From what I understand, the strings have a round core rather than the usual hexagonal core; this along with a unique wrapping technique, allows equal tension on each string. So, as you increase the gauge of the string, the less tension there is, compared to "regular" strings.

When I tested the strings, the one thing I noted was that indeed, each string seems to have equal tension, with the trebles being about equal with the bass. The bass strings have considerably less tension, than the usual strings. The strings were developed primarily for vintage instruments, where there is concern about the string tension, however the reduced tension is a boon for beginners, or players that have physical problems, such as arthritis. Since I have arthritis, this enabled me to put heavier strings on the OM (my preference), without sacrificing comfort.

I've read concerns that the strings, with their older-fashioned round cores, may be more prone to reacting to humidity changes; I didn't find that during the test period. The RH for our area of WV ranged from 19 to 95% during the test period and I had to tweak the tuning about the same as I would a hexagonal cored string. The one noticeable trait was that I had to tweak each string, with an equal turn of the tuning machines, which was a first for me.

The one thing I might mention here is that the strings worked very well on my OM, which has a very low action. I've not had a problem with buzzing at all. I've also not had a problem playing fingerstyle; my fingerboard is 1 3/4" at the nut and 2 1/4" at the 12th fret. However, with the reduced tension there is more movement laterally, therefore I don't know how fingering would be in a narrower fingerboard.

Here is the link to the Newtone site, which will give you a technical answer your question. Thank you for your question:

http://www.newtonestrings.com/mechanics.htm

The one thing I might mention here is that the strings worked very well on my OM, which has a very low action. I've not had a problem with buzzing at all.

Did you have fret buzzing problems with some of the strings you tried? Are the Newtone Heritage strings perhaps, the answer for those who wish to take the action dangerously low?

[Diane Kauffmds]

The one thing I might mention here is that the strings worked very well on my OM, which has a very low action. I've not had a problem with buzzing at all.

Did you have fret buzzing problems with some of the strings you tried? Are the Newtone Heritage strings perhaps, the answer for those who wish to take the action dangerously low?

I have a very low action on my OM, as low as I can possibly go without fret buzz, using medium gauge strings on the bass. I've had no problems with buzzing while using these strings. Since there is less tension on the strings, it enhanced the fast action of my OM.

I want to mention here that I regularly play the guitar in drop D tuning; the strings performed as well in drop tuning, as they did with E tuning.

In fact, none of the strings that I've put on the OM has caused fret buzzing. The only time I had buzzing is when I adjusted the truss rod a bit too much during the initial setup, causing the neck to flatten too much. As the guitar builder, this was my error during the initial setup and, not a problem endemic to any brand of strings that I've tried.