Can't beat the price, quality and service... tbig thanks as always !
Great sound, using them on a 2005 Martin OM42 Koa. I'm more of a finger picker than a strummer. They seem to enhance the bright jangly sound that Koa guitars produce. Expensive but probably worth it provided they live up to life expectancy promises. Studio1 are easy to deal with and very quick to ship. I recommend both them as a supplier and the strings as a product.
Great service and very happy
A fantastic tool once I finally got it working. Instructions were not clear or detailed enough I didn’t realise you had to select the appropriate website to use. Instructions just said you could navigate to the list. Anyway it’s now working and doing what I wanted.
Sometimes you just don't realise what you need until it lands in your hands. My origins are back in the days of Blowing in the wind and all of my early playing involved cheap acoustic guitars. That morphed into electrics thanks to the Shadows and in more recent years my acoustic playing fell away.
You see, electrics are so much easier to play with curved fretboards that create buzz free barre chords and slim bodies that hug close to the body and infinitely flexible tones thanks to modern electronics.
However, I've always had an acoustic about the place, either with built in electrics or simple pickups I've installed, mostly spruce and rosewood. Then I read an article about an all mahogany folk size guitar with the legendary 12th fret to the body join and I thought about it.
This guitar arrived in all its simplicity and required the usual new guitar adjustments to suit my playing style. Now it's settled down and sits on a handy stand. I've got a folder with most of the folk style songs I enjoy close to my music stand and at any time of the day I can sit and sing. And I want to do that in part because I have an acoustic guitar that sings sweetly and is reasonably easy to play.
Reasonably easy to play? you ask. Well, there is enough room on the fretboard for the old thumb over playing style and old fingers not going quite where the text books say they should. While the fretboard is acoustic style flat it isn't outrageously wide and that means that, if I take my time, I can get those pesky barre chords sounding good. In sum it's improved my left hand work.
It took 3 months to learn to play This old Guitar using Travis picking. That was a few years ago. This guitar would have made the process easier because of the comfortable bridge spacing and now makes the song sound really good.
The sound is a major element. Mahogany is recognised as producing a mellow tone with rich mids. The 12th fret placement pushes the bridge deeper into the body for better resonance. The thing is that these are only words. It's not until you get a guitar like this into your hands that you get the message. It sounds lovely and mellow and the people who hear it are universally complimentary.
So it's a very simple guitar that happens to be the guitar I have been looking for for decades. And it doesn't need electrics - none I've come across could reproduce that sound.
I am using these on my Martin HD28, as I was finding the standard 12's a bit stiff and wearying to play. Notes weren't sustaining as they should to my ears. These sound great, but have a noticeably lower tension, which I love. I'm able to get some more left hand nuance, as the strings have more give and single note lines /spread voicings are possible in a way that they weren't before. Great for fingerpicking too.
I tried these instead of my usual DAddario set and loved the balanced slinky feel and bright but silky smooth sound. I think I'm sold.
Hi Guy’s,
I really love these strings and I was unable to purchase them in Australia so Studio 1 sent me four sets, I ordered them on a Wednesday and they arrived in Sydney on Thursday morning….. great service indeed. I even got an unexpected discount which was great. You’re always a pleasure to deal with, great customer support and service.
Paul
Sydney.
I've owned a few guitars in my time but the one I always pick up to play is a 0001x. Which of course is my knock around my more expensive guitars just don't get played simply because they don't fit. I'm a slow learner the light bulb finally went on and I bought a quality 000 15M WOW. A reasonably priced guitar with no bling just perfect for me. Full sound, great sustain everything I need in a guitar.
Thanks Studio One
First time buyer of these strings, and they are exactly as described. Love the balanced feel etc.
Shop service also great.
Guitar's great and Studio ! service tops.
Great Guitar with a heap of volume. Neck size is great, awesome looking. An easy pick up and play.
I replaced some wooden pins in a Parlour guitar that I found had a boxy muted sound. The difference was night and day, a lot brighter and more open sounding!
I have tried a lot of different strings on my Martin 000-18 and never been sold 100% until i put these on, beautiful tone that really let the guitar sound natural and not muddied with overtones like a PB string can cause. Will be sticking with these from now on, the string experimenting is complete.
Great tuner, simple and easy to use, accurate and and intuitive.
Love this strap, lovely design and is well made. The leather is nice and high-quality and love that it's made in NZ.
I'm the lucky beggar that has purchased this awesome guitar. David Benavides is making amazing instruments. I have never felt a guitar so much before in my life. The whole guitar comes alive. I can feel it vibrating in my chest, hands , arms and legs. Even the neck is vibrating under my left hand. This wont be my last Benavides! Do yourself a favor and get your hands on one and give a blast, it will surprise you.
Thanks Ed, you were wonderful to deal with and what an awesome shop. Really good vibe
Thanks Bruce.
Got them for my son. Great strings for accoustic guitar. Will buy again. A+++
Bought this beautiful strap for a friend's birthday. He was delighted with the look and the craftsmanship. Service from Studio 1 was excellent, shipping the belt to the UK very quickly to make sure I had it for the big day. Great job guys - thank you!
This is the second set of Martin strings that I have ordered and like them very much. They give my guitar a great sound and last for a reasonable length of time.
I am very pleased with them.
Due to recent shortages in Plectrum strings I have had to look for a similar Low Tension string for a Vintage guitar with no truss rod. A modified '63 Yamaha No.10 all wood.
I have found the Optima's to be a great replacement as they have a soft feel and good mid to high range tones. As the guitar has a lot of bass, it was good to get a little more brightness down low with the thinner E, A strings. My only thought is the Optima's are slightly noisy on the wound strings.
The guitar has settled into them nicely, and they are showing little to no signs of being played are several weeks of daily playing as I have experienced a lot of finger marks on the Plectrum bass strings.
All said and done, I am happy to stay with the Optima VintageFlex Acoustic strings.
I'm very impressed by these strings. I don't think I'll buy anything else going forward as they're so good, and so balanced.
Great service from Studio1 Vintage too--thanks team