Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
Medium Light .012-.054
A light set with a heavier bottom end, for a guitar that needs driving
Under $15
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The short version
Medium Light is Ernie Ball's answer to a real complaint about light-gauge sets: the plain strings are comfortable, but the wound strings can feel loose and sound weak under a hard strum. This set keeps the familiar .012 and .016 on top and moves the bottom two up to .044 and .054, so the bass strings pull harder and drive the top more without making the chords any harder to fret. Phosphor bronze over a hexagonal steel core, uncoated.
How we rate it
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
- Brightness
- 7.0
- Sustain
- 7.0
- Durability
- 6.0
- Feel
- 7.0
- Tuning stability
- 8.0
- Value
- 9.0
Specifications
| Brand | Ernie Ball |
|---|---|
| Model | Earthwood Phosphor Bronze AcousticMedium Light .012-.054 |
| Category | Strings |
| What it is | |
| Strings in the set | 6 |
| Materials | |
| Alloy | Phosphor bronze |
| Winding | Roundwound |
| Core | Hexagonal high-carbon steel |
| Coating | Uncoated |
| Measurements | |
| Gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .044, .054 |
| In the box | |
| Sets included | 1 |
10 verified fields, taken from the manufacturer first and the Amazon listing second. Fields the manufacturer does not publish are omitted rather than estimated.
What it gets right
- Heavier bottom two strings drive the top harder than a straight light set
- Top strings stay at light gauge, so chords are no harder to fret
- Well suited to open tunings that slacken the bass strings
- Cheap enough to change monthly without thinking about it
Where it gives ground
- Uncoated, with the short tone life that implies
- The extra bass tension may need a small truss-rod adjustment
- Less widely stocked than a straight light set
Who it is for
What owners report
Patterns drawn from published owner reviews. Summarised, never quoted.
What comes up most
- Strummers repeatedly report a fuller low end than a standard light set
- The price is cited constantly as the reason for repurchase
Frequent complaints
- Tone life is the usual complaint for an uncoated string
- A few owners report inconsistency between packets
Recognised strengths
- A long-standing set with a clear and unusual purpose
Recognised weaknesses
- Quality control is reported as slightly less consistent than D'Addario
The verdict
The set to try if your dreadnought sounds polite when you dig in, or if you play in open tunings that slacken the bottom strings. The extra tension on the two lowest strings is real, so a guitar set up for a straight light gauge may need a small truss-rod adjustment after a few days. Uncoated, so the usual caveat applies: bright for a fortnight, then progressively duller. At this price that is a reasonable trade rather than a failing.
We do not publish prices, because Amazon prices change constantly and a stale figure helps nobody. Follow the link for the current price and availability.
Sources
Compared with
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs Belfort Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs D'Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs D'Addario Pro-Arte Nylon Classical
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs D'Addario EJ27N Student Nylon Classical
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic vs D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic
Other strings
Belfort · Strings
Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
Light
Cheap phosphor bronze from a brand with no published specification
D'Addario · Strings
EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic
Light, .012-.053
The bright, brash acoustic string the whole category was built on
D'Addario · Strings
EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
Light .012-.053, three sets
The default acoustic string, and the one to buy if you are not sure
D'Addario · Strings
EXL110 XL Nickel Wound Electric
Regular Light .010-.046, three sets
The electric string most guitars leave the factory wearing
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