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in Acoustic Guitar Strings
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Product information

Item Weight

1.6 ounces

Product Dimensions

1 x 1 x 1 inches

ASIN

B0002E1TB8

Item model number

SAG-MB12

Customer Reviews

1,037

4.6 out of 5 stars

Best Sellers Rank

#28,022 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
#240 in Acoustic Guitar Strings

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer

No

Date First Available

July 16, 2004

Color Name

Bronze

String Gauge

.012

String Material

Phosphor Bronze

Number of Strings

6

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Product Description

Top-quality acoustic guitar strings designed specifically for Gibson Montana's flat top guitars. Masterbuilt strings help you pull the natural, expressive tone from your acoustic guitar. Each set is vacuum sealed for freshness and extended life.

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	This Item Gibson Masterbuilt Premium Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, Light 12-53	Recommendations D'Addario Guitar Strings - XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings - XSAPB1253 - Maximum Life with Smooth Feel & Exceptional Tone - For 6 String Guitars - 12-53 Light	dummy HAVENDI® quality steel Strings brilliant sound for acoustic guitar coated with phosphor bronze (6 string set) incl. 3 picks	dummy Martin M170 80/20 Bronze Extra Light 3-Pack Acoustic Guitar Strings	dummy D'Addario Guitar Strings - Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - EJ17-3D - Rich, Full Tonal Spectrum - For 6 String Guitars - 13-56 Medium, 3-Pack	dummy D'Addario Guitar Strings - Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - EJ16-3D - Rich, Full Tonal Spectrum - For 6 String Guitars - 12-53 Light, 3-Pack
	Buying options	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart
Price	—	$19.99	$14.90	$32.95	-22% $17.99 List: $22.99	-22% $17.99 List: $22.99
Delivery	—	Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24	Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24	Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25	Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24	Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24
Customer Ratings	4.61,037	4.73,635	4.51,838	5.06	4.763,301	4.763,301
Brightness	4.4	4.5	4.3	—	4.5	4.5
Longevity	4.1	4.4	3.7	—	4.3	4.3
Value for money	4.5	4.1	—	—	4.6	4.6
For beginners	—	4.7	4.3	—	4.4	4.4
Sound quality	—	4.6	—	—	4.3	4.3
Sold By	—	Amazon.com	Havendi	A. Z. Flagship	Amazon.com	Amazon.com
instrument	Acoustic Guitar	Acoustic Guitar	Acoustic Guitar	Acoustic Guitar	Acoustic Guitar	Acoustic Guitar
string material	Phosphor Bronze	Phosphor Bronze	Phosphor Bronze	Bronze	Phosphor Bronze	Phosphor Bronze
string gauge	0.01	Light	—	0.01	Medium	Light

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

1,037 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers like the quality, sound quality, value, performance, appearance and ease of installation of the musical instrument strings. For example, they mention that they work well, are beautiful and that they sound really nice.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

55 customers mention44 positive11 negative

Customers like the quality of the musical instrument strings. They say that the materials and hardware are of good quality. They also appreciate the rich, solid tone and durability. Some customers also mention that the strings are very calm and balanced, with lovely harmonics.

"...It now rings like a piano, with lovely harmonics. There is minimal finger squeak, and the strings are well-balanced for the voicing of the guitar...." Read more

"...Not only that, but the strings were equally out, slightly flat all the way across. I'm a livingroom player only, so my strings last a long time...." Read more

"...They don't have an overwhelming brightness to them, these are very calm balanced strings with a very wonderful tone... I just wish these lasted as..." Read more

"...The harmonics really sing. The strings suit my style of play even better than I thought they would...." Read more

46 customers mention42 positive4 negative

Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the musical instrument strings. They mention that they sound really nice, wonderful, and loud. Some say that the strings ring out tunes and have a bright tone. Overall, most are happy with the quality and sound of these strings.

"...It now rings like a piano, with lovely harmonics. There is minimal finger squeak, and the strings are well-balanced for the voicing of the guitar...." Read more

"...so if something is not right you're going to hear it, and they sounded really good. They are lighter than what I used on my old guitar...." Read more

"...brightness to them, these are very calm balanced strings with a very wonderful tone... I just wish these lasted as long as the elixirs and Lifespans..." Read more

"These strings are even brighter than I thought they'd be. The harmonics really sing...." Read more

10 customers mention10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the value of the musical instrument string. They mention that it has a great price and quality.

"...Amazon had quick delivery of these items, and were competitively priced with all other suppliers." Read more

"...I cannot find them anywhere else for a reasonable price. It looks as though Gibson is not making these anymore, or they are making very few of them...." Read more

"...The price is nice as well." Read more

"Nice strings, price is right, nice sound. This was my first experience with light strings next change will be extra light just for fun...." Read more

9 customers mention9 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the performance of the musical instrument strings. They mention that they work well, and are what they put on at the factory. Some say that the strings work great on any guitar.

"...I'm a livingroom player only, so my strings last a long time. These performed well. They stayed in tune and sounded great...." Read more

"...Martin strings work great on any guitar, right? I mean, they always have on all my other guitars...." Read more

"These strings work well and are what they put on at the factory. I tried the bronze and not the 80/20 ...." Read more

"...Works great!" Read more

7 customers mention7 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the musical instrument strings. They say that they are nice, beautiful, and have a sweet lovely tone. Some customers also appreciate the rich bases and brightness while staying nice and warm on the low end.

"Nice tuning, sweet lovely tone." Read more

"...They have a good amount of brightness while staying nice and warm on the low end. Highly recommend them." Read more

"...Nice and fresh out of the pack and are long lasting." Read more

"Always liked skulls this time was for the Ms they came in working order, nice and loud, will by again. The strings are good too" Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers find the musical instrument strings easy to install. They say they sound great, don't take long to settle in, and stay in tune. Some mention that the strings are easy on the fingers.

"...They don't take long to settle in and stay in tune; I find nice bass and treble sound from these. The price is nice as well." Read more

"Well manufactured strings and were easy to install. Can't go wrong with Gibson." Read more

"These are really easy on the fingers." Read more

"Easy to put on guitar." Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the tuning of the musical instrument strings. They mention that they stay in tune great, are nearly in tune out of the box, and hold tune very well.

"My SJ150 came with this string. It was nearly in tune out of the box, and that's shipped to my home not a shop!..." Read more

"...They hold tune very well, and last a real long time on my guitars...." Read more

"Nice tuning, sweet lovely tone." Read more

"...They also stay in tune great, so I'm happy and will buy again." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

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Nephilim

Perfect for Epiphone DR-500MCE

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2017

Verified Purchase

I have gone through a number of different types of strings trying to find the ideal string for my Epiphone DR-500MCE Acoustic/Electric (Dreadnought), Vintage Sunburst guitar. The strings that it came with were a mystery, sounded pretty good, but I wanted to try some others.

The factory strings had colored balls, making me think they were made by D'Addario, but the color scheme was not consistent with how that company does their strings. The factory specs say it ships with 80/20 bronze. It had a Cleartone hang tag on it, but they really don't look like coated strings to me, as they were slightly tarnished from storage when I received the guitar.

For me at least, 80/20 bronze strings don't seem to work well on this guitar. I've gone through sets of Dean Markley Helix X, Martin Marquis, D'Addarrio EJ11, and Elixirs in the past two weeks. They all lacked "sparkle" and/or had excessive finger noise.

Strolling through the string listings yet once again, hoping to find "The One", I saw these Gibson strings, with the "Masterbilt" moniker. As Epiphone is a division of Gibson, I figured "Why not... Since these are 1/3 the cost of the Elixirs they will replace, whats to lose?"

Well, I've found THE strings for this guitar. It now rings like a piano, with lovely harmonics. There is minimal finger squeak, and the strings are well-balanced for the voicing of the guitar. It really has made this guitar come alive!

Strings are, of course, a very subjective item. Most string reviews seem to be either "THESE ARE THE GREATEST EVER!!!" or "THESE TOTALLY SUCK!!", but for my particular guitar I believe I have found the perfect intersection of tone, playability and (thankfully) cost.

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Carson Gregory

Gibson Masterbuilt Strings

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2010

Verified Purchase

My SJ150 came with this string. It was nearly in tune out of the box, and that's shipped to my home not a shop! Not only that, but the strings were equally out, slightly flat all the way across. I'm a livingroom player only, so my strings last a long time. These performed well. They stayed in tune and sounded great. The Gibson Jumbo is a big, loud guitar, so if something is not right you're going to hear it, and they sounded really good. They are lighter than what I used on my old guitar. On it, I needed mediums to get decent tone. These sound great on this guitar, but are obviously easier to play, since they're lighter. For these reasons, I put the same strings back. Say what you will, but I say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I'll stick with these strings for my Gibson.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

A. Lrs

These strings are very balanced..

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

I have 7 guitars, including 5 acoustics.
My main guitar is a Martin 000-1R (I know, super rare..)
I tried something new by purchasing these strings and I was NOT disappointed at all.

These have an absolutely gorgeous sound.
I use Elixir PB nano web strings on all my acoustics except my martin (I think martin strings sound better on martins)
And for my Martin, my goto strings are the SPs, preferably the Martin SP lifespans Medium gauge.
But now with these strings, I feel like these could work their way into being my first alternative to the martin strings I prefer.
These Gibson strings have a fat deep tone; When and if you play finger style, you'll understand what I'm saying. These strings make your guitar resonate against your body more and it's a great feeling.
They don't have an overwhelming brightness to them, these are very calm balanced strings with a very wonderful tone... I just wish these lasted as long as the elixirs and Lifespans or I wouldn't deviate from these bad boys!
Great purchase.
I will definitely keep a set of these always on deck.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Wear shades when you play these strings.

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017

Verified Purchase

These strings are even brighter than I thought they'd be. The harmonics really sing. The strings suit my style of play even better than I thought they would. The strings sit in the saddle just right with zero buzz, just pure sound. I have a habit of leaving strings on for years just to see how warm they'll get but when I put these on I was astonished at the difference and was taken back to the feeling of being a first time player all over again. Oh the brightness! My expectations of these strings have been exceeded.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Mark

Masterbuilt strings 13-56

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

These strings sound great even after months playing, ringing out tunes. Give them a few days to come alive, although they sound great right away.

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2019

Verified Purchase

I have been using Gibson Masterbuilt strings for 30 + years, and they sound great on all of my Gibson acoustic guitars. They hold tune very well, and last a real long time on my guitars. Amazon had quick delivery of these items, and were competitively priced with all other suppliers.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

R. Highsmith

Better than I expected

Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

I was skeptical, but these strings did greatly improve the sound of my newly acquired 41’ J 55 Gibson.

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

My husband loves these strings. I cannot find them anywhere else for a reasonable price. It looks as though Gibson is not making these anymore, or they are making very few of them. We are going to purchase more!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

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Maynard

Gibson Acoustic Strings (12-53)

Reviewed in Canada on February 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

I recently overhauled my old Epiphone J-200 acoustic guitar as it had a dull muffled sound. I removed the old strings and installed a new 3" saddle on the bridge. I also replaced the plastic pins with solid brass ones. The last step was to install these new Gibson strings (12-53). Wow! What a difference. It was a very pure clean sound. It sounded like an electric guitar. It should be noted my guitar has no electronics on it. It's simply a good old fashioned acoustic guitar. These are the first Gibson strings I have ever used. From now on it's Gibson all the way.

Amazon Customer

Super Quality !!!

Reviewed in India on October 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

You see the difference the instant you put them on.
Great smooth sound.

Ricardo AB

MAgnífica relación calidad precio

Reviewed in Spain on March 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

De lo mejor que he probado últimamente, contando con que son cuerdas de aprendizaje. Realmente noto la diferencia con respecto a otras marcas que he comprado con anterioridad.
Volveré a confiar en GIBSON para el próximo cambio de cuerdas.

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Amazon カスタマー

ギブソンアコギにはこれが一番

Reviewed in Japan on April 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

取り敢えずギブソンギターにはこれ使っとけば何の問題もないしこれ一択。

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Abdul

fantastic product. The strings sounds so much better than ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

Found no reviews on these but WOW, fantastic product. The strings sounds so much better than what was originally on my guitar. They have a beautiful tone even if you lightly pluck it. The sound generated by these strings resonates with your heart and anyone listening to it, enhancing your guitar to another level. Just WOW cannot rate them enough. String and easy to install, one end has a loop knot stopper, so it does not need additional knotting. The simplicity of install and quality for the price is a must buy.

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Gibson Masterbuilt Premium Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, Light 12-53

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