I heartily agree. I’ve always played 13-56 on my guitars, irrespective of body size; occasionally custom 14-56 sets. About seven years ago I commissioned a very lightly built 000-28 style 12-fret from a local builder. I was intending to use my usual strings, but he suggested that the guitar would respond better to 12-53 gauge. ‘Ok’, I thought, ‘nothing lost by trying the idea’. I haven’t played 13-56 strings on anything ever since. The guitar really sings with the lighter strings, and that goes for a couple of Martin dreads and a 2002 Taylor 810. I’m really a mandolin player, so high string tension doesn’t bother me, but the gain in playability is enormous from the change. There is a change in tone, but no real drop in volume. I’d describe the tone change on the Martins as ‘de-muddying the bass’. Tone difference is less pronounced on the Taylor, as the bass was already pretty well defined on that one. I’ve gone a step further on my custom built guitar, and now use 11-52 sets; the guitar is naturally very loud for a small body, and the lighter strings play so easily.
