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Those of you who have tried 'Extra Hard Tension' strings which make do you prefer for projection and tone?
Your advice welcome. Many thanks
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Extra-hard tension strings don't work well on most guitars, they "choke" the sound. Each guitar has its own best tension for sustain and playability.
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It's been a while, I've used D'Addario and GHS, both were good but D'Addario bass strings tend to last longer. Now I use normal and light tensions
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If you mean nylon strings i use D addario extra hard tension, but not so much for the tone, more because it is easier for me to switch from playing steel strings on acoustic and electrics. Of course I also like their sound, specially their pricier line.
Also, as mentioned above, check on the maker of your guitars. Some models are made for specific string tension ranges.
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For flamenco, where you want a bright sound with strong attack and lots of volume, I always leaned toward these strings. Love em:
Savarez 540J Alliance/HT Classic HT Classical Guitar Strings, Full Set
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always hard tension for me, extra hard is too much. I've only owned one classical though, so I just say try everything. I kept a little journal where I cut a piece from the package and wrote my thoughts
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I use extra hard tension Savarez strings on my Thames classical. But it is a short scale guitar and I keep the action medium low.
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On my flamenco guitar I used Savarez 500CJ for years. Just switched to the LaBella 820 and absolutely love them. The Savarez strings had a slightly mellower, more bell-like tone (very beautiful), but the LaBella trebles last longer and sound great as well, and the whole set has lasted a full year after putting them on. The guitar sounds snappier with the LaBellas and longer string life made the switch worth it.
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Many thanks your replies. Much appreciated.
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I used to string my classical guitar with high tension actual gut strings. I don't think that you can even get them anymore. Now days I use the synthetic nylogut type although I should take that guitar out of the closet and play it more often. Not enough space in our place or I would have all my guitars out for availability all the time.
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When I recently renewed my subscription to Classical Guitar Magazine, they sent me a free set of Martin Magnifico Hard Tension strings with the "nylgut" trebles. I put them on my old Asturias, and it totally brought it back to life! Check them out in the video below, let me know what you think.
In college I always used extra hard tension D'Addarios on this guitar since I played concert halls without amplification. That, combined with high action, meant that a full recital took a lot of strength. It got to the point where I really did not enjoy playing it.
After college I switched to normal tension for comfort. But these Martins have been something of a revelation. They are easily the highest tension set I've ever had on any guitar, offering great volume and clarity -- and also speed, which is very apparent with tremolo.
There are trade-offs in nuances of attack and vibrato, but since I lowered the bridge (not playing unamplified recitals any more) strength and endurance really aren't issues. Definitely not for every player or every guitar, but worth a try.
Getting hung up on rhythms when transcribing
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