Tommy Emmanuel on Martin Flexible Core strings
Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitaristpaid endorser · Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Who Tommy Emmanuel is
Tommy Emmanuel is one of the most touring-heavy fingerstyle players alive: hundreds of shows a year, one set of strings per show at the pro level, a deep working relationship with Martin that turned into the MA540FX Flexible Core signature set (.012–.054). His catalog spans acoustic instrumental, country fingerstyle, and a long history of duo work with Chet Atkins that produced the 1997 album The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World. CGP (Certified Guitar Player), one of only five musicians ever awarded that honorific by Atkins, in July 1999.
Why this quote matters
Tommy's framing, parsed
- "Tuning to me is everything"
- Acoustic strings that settle fast after install matter more to a touring fingerstylist than ones that sound brighter for an extra day. Tune-up time is dead time on a touring schedule.
- "The most consistent, most in-tune strings I could find"
- A comparative claim, not just a brand-loyalty line. Emmanuel tested early SP Flexible Core prototypes himself before landing on the set Martin sells today, per Martin's own account of his routine.
- Why tuning stability tracks gauge match
- The neck doesn't care which brand makes the strings; it cares whether the gauge and tension match how the truss rod is set. Wrong-gauge sets don't damage guitars but they make them harder to play and harder to keep in tune.
- Endorsement transparency
- Endorsement copy from Martin's own artist page. Disclosed; we cite it because it's the canonical Martin Flexible Core quote on record from a Tier-1 acoustic player.
The quote sits at the intersection of two working-musician realities: tune-up time is operational cost, and gauge match is what protects the instrument. Most readers aren't touring anywhere near Emmanuel's schedule, but the framing transfers cleanly. If you're a once-a-week-gigging fingerstylist, the same logic applies on a different scale.
What gauge and what set
The Martin MA540FX Flexible Core (.012–.054) is the signature set the quote was built around. Phosphor bronze wrap, SP (Superior Performance) high-tensile steel core, Light gauge, sized for the dreadnought and OM-body acoustics Tommy tours with (his own guitars are Maton signature models; Martin makes the strings, not the guitar). The "Flexible Core" branding refers to the core-wire construction, a thinner core than Martin's standard SP line, which improves bend feel and tune-up speed without sacrificing tension.
The exact signature set is now reviewed directly on CYS: Martin MA540FX Flexible Core. For at-home players who want the standard (non-Flexible-Core) version of the same gauge and alloy: Martin MA540 is the closest off-the-shelf match. Same gauge, same wrap material, slightly different core feel. Pricing tier is comparable.
Related
Related
Tommy Emmanuel, quoted on Martin's own artist page for his Flexible Core signature set (MA540FX, .012–.054). He flagged issues in early SP Flexible Core prototypes on a c. 2009-2010 Canadian tour; Martin reworked the construction and he has played the refined set on every show since.
Tuning to me is everything. And Martin makes the most consistent, most in-tune strings I could find.
Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitarist