Martin000-28EC

Martin MEC13 Clapton's Choice 13-56 on the Martin 000-28 is Eric Clapton's own signature pairing — the strings he co-developed with Martin specifically for the 000-28EC reissue of his MTV Unplugged guitar. As Clapton's official endorsement on the Martin string packaging puts it: "They deliver the sound that I demand." The MEC13 spec is .013/.017/.026/.035/.045/.056 in 92/8 phosphor bronze — medium-heavy gauge that complements the 000-size body precisely. Conventional wisdom: every 000-28EC owner upgrades to Elixir Phosphor Bronze 12-53 Light or Martin SP 12-54 — the universal long-life or workhorse acoustic anchors. Mismatch logic: the 13-56 medium on a 000-size body delivers the precise pre-war fundamental authority Clapton chased on Unplugged — light-gauge 12-53 sets feel underpowered against the 000's smaller-than-dread body that needs string mass to drive its top. Best for serious 000-28EC players chasing Clapton's exact Unplugged 'Tears In Heaven' / 'Layla acoustic' tone; skip if you fingerpick lightly or want lighter tension for long sets.