Review by Timothy Simons
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Martin M130 is currently on sale on Amazon US / Amazon UK
When learning to play the guitar there are very few teachers who are going to tell you the benefits of having the right strings to go with it, which is a pity as the Martin m130 may just make the difference that you – and your neighbors – have been waiting to hear.
Have you ever picked up your guitar and wondered why the sound coming out of it bared little to no resemblance to the Jimi Hendrix riff that you’re trying to play? Some people may say that it’s down to a lack of practice, a lack of skill, or even a lack of any sort of musical ability, but that’s not always the case; sometimes you just need the right equipment to get the right sounds coming out, and that’s where switching to silk and steel strings has helped many people out.
Refusing to believe that I wasn’t going to be the next Chuck Berry – and clearly giving my age away – I would practice for ages on my old four string guitar, but nothing really helped. It wasn’t until some years later that I discover that it should actually have six strings, and that the strings I did have weren’t all that good for a beginner – that and the previously mentioned lack of any musical talent. I started to look around for a full set of strings that would be easier to play, wouldn’t have a dull sound to them, wouldn’t sound as twangy, and would make me sound like a rock-star; well, the first three things would do, for a start.
I soon discovered that many people were recommending switching to the Martin guitar strings, and the Martin m130 silk and steel strings in particular. I thought ‘what the hell’, they were cheap enough, and the neighbors couldn’t be any more upset with me than they already were, so I decided to get a set.
Now, the Martin m130 silk and steel strings seem to work on most guitars, but it may still pay to check that they work with your guitar, and they wouldn’t instantly make you sound like the next Carlos Santana, but they were pretty much the only ‘drawbacks’ that I could see when I was doing my research in to them; but hey, you could say the same thing about any strings that you settle on getting, not just the Martin guitar strings.
As far as it making a difference to my actual playing, well, I always thought I was good, so you’d really have to ask the neighbors. The Martin m130 strings did seem to have a better feel to them, were easier to use with just my fingers, and produced the type of sound that I was aiming for, a more sort of melodic sound; having a full complement of strings also made a bit of a difference, but I was still just using the same three chords anyway.
So, will Martin m130 silk and steel strings make you in to the next Eric Clapton? Well, that all sort of depends on the commitment you put in to your practice, the talent that you have to start with, and getting the correct number of string for your guitar; but switching from what you already have, to the Martin guitar strings, and especially the Martin m130 silk and steel strings, is going to make a difference no matter what your current level and ability is – take it from me, the new Slash. Read more reviews.
Brand | Martin |
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Model | M130 |
Type | Acoustic Strings |
Wrap Wire | Silk & Steel |
Gauge | Light, .0115; .014; .023; .028; .038; .047 |
Consumer Rating |  |
Price Range |
A clip from YouTube on Martin M130 Silk and Steel Strings.
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