My 814 feels "hard" on the strings

[Igniten]

I just got my Taylor 814 back from my Luthier. I have had some problem with the B-string. Problem is solved. It was the saddle. They put on new saddle, and the guitar sounds great.

Before they sent it back i had them put on Elixir PB, instead of 80/20, wich i usually prefer. Suddenly my guitar feels hard to play. My finger hurts after an our of playing. The actoin is great. Anybody got any thoughts on this?

If i change back to 80/20, wil the trust rod need adjustment?

[jjrpilot-admin]

Hi!  I don't think you'll need an adjustment at all. 

[michaelw]

hi Igniten,
i was just wondering where on the fretboard the strings feel more difficult to fret -
is is more toward the first 3 fret or closer to the around 7th to 10 frets or do all
of the strings feel like they are more difficult to fret over the entire neck

i hope that the action at the nut & the neck relief were checked, & adjusted if needed -
any chance that medium strings could have been installed, rather than lights

switching back to 80/20s most likely should not  require a truss rod adjustment,
provided the strings are of same gauge & the neck relief was correctly set -
if, for some reason, medium gauge PBs were installed & the neck relief set
afterwards, it may  need a minor truss rod 'tweak' when going back to lights

[Igniten]

Hi. Thanks for replys.

The guitar generally feels stiffer to play all over.  The neck, as i understand from my Luthier, was given full neck -reset when new saddle were installed.

Could be that they put on medium instead of lights. Funny thing is, i have tryed PB many times before, but i cant remember them beeing so stiff. I`ll try puttng on some 80/20 lights  and see what happens.

AK

[Steely Glen]

Because of the denser wrap, Phospher Bronze strings are intrinsically stiffer than 80/20s, even of the same gauge.  I've heard it said that PBs will exert 1 lb more tension than 80/20s of the same gauge, which is not much, but enough to be noticeable.  It's possible that that's the culprit.   I'd just change the strings.

[leeasam]

it is the Phos/bronze strings they ARE stiffer than the 80/20s. At least in the Elixir brand.  I had a CA GX performer with LIGHT Phos/bronze  factory strings)and it played stiffere than my 816CE does with medium 80/20s. My fingers were hurting bad after a good period of time in worship. Like razor blades cutting in where as my Taylor with the 80/20 mediums does NOT.   My boy has a Walden D550 and we treid phos/bronze on it to warm it up and he did not like the feel, said it felt stiffer so we went to the 80/20s.

[Satsuki]

I am going to switch to 80/20's. I have been using the Exlir PB's.