Nylon Strings Recomendations

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 09:46 AM

So I will probably soon be the owner of a classical guitar... I had two steel acoustics and was only using one and I have the chance to trade the one I don't use for a classical with pickup and a cutaway which will be great for the bossa gigs (and some Metheny Haden stuff).

I am completely new to this world... I know I want hard tension (can't stand light strings) and maximum price around 10€. Heard good things about Savarez... any ideas?

Thanks in advance

**kris** · 01-11-2014, 10:03 AM

D'Addario Pro-Arte EJ46-Hard Tension-for my style of playing and instrument the best...:-)

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 10:09 AM

Thanks Kris, that was my other option... keep the opinions coming

**newsense** · 01-11-2014, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by kris

D'Addario Pro-Arte EJ46-Hard Tension-for my style of playing and instrument the best...:-)

+1
My choice also on my Yamaha NTX700.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 11:31 AM

I am leaning towards the EJ46 more and more... thanks newsense.

**Jabberwocky** · 01-11-2014, 11:53 AM

Augustine Blue.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 11:56 AM

Did you ever compared them to the ej46?

**Jabberwocky** · 01-11-2014, 12:09 PM

Not the 46 but the 45. The D'Addario are "neutral" sounding strings. Rather characterless. The Augustine Blue strings have sweet trebles and warm basses in comparison. They have been around a long time, largely unchanged. I used the Augustine Blue when I had an old Kohno Professional-J. It was the standard string recommended by Masaru Kono and his nephew Masaki Sakurai for the Kohno guitars and so I stayed with the Augustines although I no longer have the Kohno Pro-J.

Try a set. You may find that you like them.

Dogal strings from Italy have been talked up quite a bit on the classical guitar fora. Haven't tried them yet.

**Sean65** · 01-11-2014, 12:30 PM

D'Addario Pro Art are pretty consistent strings. I always seem to end up with the Extra Hard Tension which feel most comfortable to me.

Saverez 500AJ Corum sound really great but for the price they don't last well.

Check out the John Scofield album Quiet for a bit of inspiration.

**D.G.** · 01-11-2014, 01:03 PM

D'Addario Classical Guitar Pro Arte Classical Composites Extra Hard

I like the alternate G string, but you also get a trad G in the pack if you don't like it. I always prefer the hardest tension I can get with classical strings.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 05:09 PM

My tech recommended me Savarez as the best of the best... any ideas?

**feet** · 01-11-2014, 07:48 PM

back in my day, i used the savarez. they didn't feel all that tense (as in, i wanted a little more), but they did sound good. wasn't unhappy with them.

**krusty** · 01-11-2014, 08:30 PM

Go here for a lengthy read. Have fun. There are no definitive answers.

http://www.classicalguitardelcamp.co...d1d61a811cada8

**jorgemg1984** · 01-11-2014, 10:28 PM

Thanks a lot guys. I do know there are not absolute truths here (learned that early on my gear process) and I trust my luthier's advice a lot. But I am so new to the nylon world I want all the input I can gather

**Alder Statesman** · 01-12-2014, 12:21 AM

Hannabach's in the purple packaging are the ony way to go. Better soundiing more durable than D'Addario's. Hannabach's are comparable in quality to Thomastik-Infeld.

**kris** · 01-12-2014, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by Archtop Bill

Hannabach's in the purple packaging are the ony way to go. Better soundiing more durable than D'Addario's. Hannabach's are comparable in quality to Thomastik-Infeld.

I've tried a lot of nylons strings from TI and prefer D'Addario on my guitar.
strings are different,guitars are different and players are different...;-)

**jorgemg1984** · 01-12-2014, 08:42 AM

Archtop Bill thanks for your input but "only way to go" is not something I can agree with. In gear or life.

**feet** · 01-12-2014, 09:14 AM

disagreeing with that philosophy is the only way to go

**PTChristopher2** · 01-12-2014, 09:19 AM

So Feet, you mean that the only way to go is to never say it's the only way to go.

That is certainly the only way to go.

Hey Arch-Bill, just poking fun at your perfectly understandable conversational wording - with no malice intended.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-12-2014, 09:25 AM

Feet and Chris: it seems like we have reached a Catch 22...

Yeah Bill just joking

**PTChristopher2** · 01-12-2014, 10:49 AM

>>> it seems like we have reached a Catch 22...

I think it is more on the edge of a deep existential crisis of naive set theroy. I have the terrible feeling that we are a post or two from a nylon string analog to the Grelling-Nelson paradox.

This could be worse than a tone-cap thread with handgun enthusiasts,...

Well nothing could be worse than that, so maybe it is not such a crisis after all.

Does anyone have general experience and comments on Nylon vs. Fluorocarbon (I think just called 'Carbon) for the treble strings?

Chris

**krusty** · 01-12-2014, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by PTChristopher2

Does anyone have general experience and comments on Nylon vs. Fluorocarbon (I think just called 'Carbon) for the treble strings?

Chris

I have tried various different strings on my Alhambra 10P, as well as my Godin ACS SA. It all comes down to the sound on theparticular guitar you are stringing. Some find the sound of carbon trebles to be 'brittle'. Others don't. My Alhambra is a cedar top, which makes a big difference compared to spruce right off the bat. I find more clarity and sustain with carbon trebles, but part of the sustain can be attributed to finding the correct tension for my guitar more than anything.

I have tried most every brand of strings, and at the moment, my preferred strings are the D'Addario lightly polished bass strings, combined with Seaguar Premium fluorocarbon fishing line as the trebles. I buy the line in 25m spools. The intonation is spot-on all the way up the neck. Intonation can change for better or worse, quite dramatically, with different brands and tensions of strings on a given guitar.

This is why there are no definitives in the world of nylon string guitars. You need to find strings that intonate on your guitar, bring out the pleasing overtones, and have the correct tension to properly allow the top on that specific guitar to resonate freely. What works for one guitar may be a disaster on another. All a tech, or a classical player MIGHT be able to advise you of is what brands they may have found that are consistent from one package and batch to another. Their choice of string may be absolutely wrong for your guitar. It's great that strings are so cheap, and experimentation is easy.

Now, on my Godin, because it is electric, it doesn't care at all what strings are on it. My preference is Thomastik Classic S wire rope core strings. They tune up quickly without the week of constant stretching that occurs on regular nylon strings, and have a great feel, yet retain the correct tension for that guitar. However, if you read reviews of that string on Delcamp, it is almost universally hated. I love them on that guitar.

**Dave70** · 01-12-2014, 11:57 AM

I use D'Addario, they last a heck of a lot longer than Augustine.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-12-2014, 12:40 PM

I think we'll be just fine Chris.

On the Savarez any opinios on 540j vs 500aj vs 510aj?

**thrush40** · 01-12-2014, 01:54 PM

I'll put in another vote for Hannabach. I particularly like the nylon/silver medium tension ("Silver-Special" 815-MT). It has become my default choice. I find these last a long time and give me a depth and balance of tone that matches my guitar very well. I was really unhappy with my first few choices. I am sorry that I don't remember what they were. I don't believe they were Savarez.

Hannabach. Only a way to go.

out of many.