String Recommendations for Eastman/Buscarino Cabaret

[Bill Eisele]

Hi All,

For those of you with either the Eastman or Buscarino Cabaret do you have string recommendations for those guitars. I have a used Eastman Cabaret and really enjoyed the tone of it with the strings that came on it but they eventually needed to be changed. I went what I believe are the newer version of the string set that Eastman puts on the guitar which is the D'Addario XT Classical set (composite basses and nylon trebles) with normal tension. I have not been impressed with them as they seem to be lacking in several areas including tone color and projection. The one word that comes to mind is "puny." Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Bill

[Cunamara]

I find the regular Pro Arte strings by D'Addario to be quite good with my nylon string instruments, as good as anything else I've tried.

I have played one Buscarino Cabaret (Gene Bertoncini's), and it was not a huge voiced instrument by any means. It was designed for amplification.

[stringmann]

I find the regular Pro Arte strings by D'Addario to be quite good with my nylon string instruments, as good as anything else I've tried.

I have played one Buscarino Cabaret (Gene Bertoncini's), and it was not a huge voiced instrument by any means. It was designed for amplification.

I have played a grand cabaret (made for gene) for 30 years, always with pro arte's thru an aer 60. I think jn recommended them.

[Woody Sound]

Hi All,

I went what I believe are the newer version of the string set that Eastman puts on the guitar which is the D'Addario XT Classical set (composite basses and nylon trebles) with normal tension. I have not been impressed with them as they seem to be lacking in several areas including tone color and projection. The one word that comes to mind is "puny." Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Bill

Just curious about the scale. (I guess I could look it up.) Try bumping up to high tension. Or if you're brave, very high

[RJVB]

Trebles: Aquila Rubino or Martin Magnifico. No contest there as far as I'm concerned (the former a bit more than the latter), just make certain nut slot and saddle are really smooth because these strings don't like burrs.

Basses: personally I use the D from a GHS2100w set (PB-wound) and the 5th and 6th from a Galli Aurum set (brass-wound). A bit annoying to have to buy 3 sets to string 1 guitar but the wound strings last so long that financially it's probably cheaper than using regular copper-wounds.

(FWIW, I find the GHS2100w 5th lacking in tension, audibly, and I rarely like the sound of a PB-wound 6th; not lively enough when you go beyond the 5th fret.)

[nyc chaz]

When i got my Cabaret,i switched to GHS Muriel Anderson strings which are good for that Earl Klugh type sound.The Cabaret does not have that traditional classical sound and the GHS seemed to suit it.Last month i put on Aranjuez 400 strings which was the string i used on my classical guitar's for 45 years,but were unavailable for some time because the owner sadly passed from covid.Augustine bought Aranjuez and they are back and happily the strings seem to sound and feel the same.The 400 sound really good but with my aging finger's i probably should have went with their medium tension strings.

[KirkP]

I like D'Addario Pro-Arte EJ46C Composite Hard Tension strings. I prefer the tone, intonation and lifetime to the standard Pro-Arte nylon strings.

[Brian859]

I have tried many of the strings mentioned. When I was having issues with a recent classical guitar purchase, nothing seemed to improve the tone. Then I saw this on ebay for 3 sets of galli hard tension for $9. I liked the feel and the tone. They seemed consistent across all strings on output. They last a long time as well. That video is what they sound like.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/37281350234...3ABFBMwOv90qlj

[Bill Eisele]

I find the regular Pro Arte strings by D'Addario to be quite good with my nylon string instruments, as good as anything else I've tried.

I have played one Buscarino Cabaret (Gene Bertoncini's), and it was not a huge voiced instrument by any means. It was designed for amplification.

Thanks, Cunamara! I will check out the Pro Arte strings. I think I have a couple sets in the house.

And, I have come to the conclusion that it is meant to be amplified. It sounds great plugged into my Henriksen Bud Ten with the tweeter turned on.

[Bill Eisele]

Just curious about the scale. (I guess I could look it up.) Try bumping up to high tension. Or if you're brave, very high

I just looked up the scale length and it’s 647 mm. So just 3 mm short of the standard 650 mm scale length for most classical guitars these days. I might bump the string tension up to high tension. But not brave enough for very high!

[Bill Eisele]

Trebles: Aquila Rubino or Martin Magnifico. No contest there as far as I'm concerned (the former a bit more than the latter), just make certain nut slot and saddle are really smooth because these strings don't like burrs.

Basses: personally I use the D from a GHS2100w set (PB-wound) and the 5th and 6th from a Galli Aurum set (brass-wound). A bit annoying to have to buy 3 sets to string 1 guitar but the wound strings last so long that financially it's probably cheaper than using regular copper-wounds.

(FWIW, I find the GHS2100w 5th lacking in tension, audibly, and I rarely like the sound of a PB-wound 6th; not lively enough when you go beyond the 5th fret.)

I have a set of Aquila Rubino’s on hand. And, yes, they are prone to breaking if there are any burrs.

I might see if Strings by Mail here in the States sells those bass strings individually. I’m guessing not though. Thanks for the recommendations!

[Bill Eisele]

When i got my Cabaret,i switched to GHS Muriel Anderson strings which are good for that Earl Klugh type sound.The Cabaret does not have that traditional classical sound and the GHS seemed to suit it.Last month i put on Aranjuez 400 strings which was the string i used on my classical guitar's for 45 years,but were unavailable for some time because the owner sadly passed from covid.Augustine bought Aranjuez and they are back and happily the strings seem to sound and feel the same.The 400 sound really good but with my aging finger's i probably should have went with their medium tension strings.

Hi Charlie, Thanks for the recommendation regarding the GHS Muriel Anderson strings. I have a set in the house and will try them on the Cabaret. I’m beginning to realize that I have so many string sets in the house that I could open a string shop! I had heard of Aranjuez strings but never tried them. Good to know that Augustine bought them after the owner passed away. Might give them a go on my classical guitars. Yes, I have backed off on the tension to normal as well.

[Bill Eisele]

I have tried many of the strings mentioned. When I was having issues with a recent classical guitar purchase, nothing seemed to improve the tone. Then I saw this on ebay for 3 sets of galli hard tension for $9. I liked the feel and the tone. They seemed consistent across all strings on output. They last a long time as well. That video is what they sound like.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/372813502346?hash=item56cd6a978a:g:FwYAAOSwg9RdnTc U&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4A%2BtwXiws7kkkTbAgAeQDdtaI f30g0HiiiiALbfz%2Bew%2BLEoQnm2Xn2UnKCcsVi%2FCTPro2 1ug6AUkabcPaUtoOpANeXJqb4LwVYacUh6vvuqGtUbdHwz%2FP %2Byv6Oj1FPHgUKYD1elwotGoSjJ0aUQOk8sbDgn6KK1wz%2Fl MyilsBwA3tE4fkjUJ21OeELcUXSDwT60wnB58%2FUIU4qbSUw2 QsgR0Hka0Z3wCRR1y9KxQGBk6F%2BImKQ6Sd4tPWC3ekavnd%2 FkhIy7ekYOD3KcfdlOfKd4OV%2FP949t3JY0wt5jTWZbA%7Ctk p

Thanks for the Galli recommendation, Brian. That’s a great price for them. I recall trying the Galli set with the Titanium trebles on another guitar and I really liked them. Not sure why I didn’t continue using them. Yes, the Galli’s sound good in the YT video.

[Brian859]

Yep, nylon string choice is subjective as we all know and its hard to say what would really work best with which guitar. My favorites are Augustine blues, but when the tight wad in me bought the gallis, I was surprise on how I liked the feel. I have had the galli basses on for 8 months now. Recently string by mail had a sale and I bought a couple sets of trebles, the Augustines again and savarez hts. Both were good, with the savarez ahead, but the gallis seemed a little better still. Time will tell. And at $3 a set, I like. They worked for me, but results may vary.

[RJVB]

The Cabaret does not have that traditional classical sound

I've heard that before, and it's true that it doesn't have a Spanish sound like a Ramirez 1a or any other cedar-topped long-scale instrument with rosewood B&S. I haven't yet had the chance to hear mine played by anyone else but I'd say it has some of the aspects of a (maple-backed) Torres, with the deeper (but not fuzzy/boomy) bass and bigger volume of its larger body.
As far as I'm concerned it does exactly what I want for classical music too.

(I should have pressured my teacher harder before she left with her Kohno; that would have been an interesting comparison because hers was a real cannon.)

And, I have come to the conclusion that it is meant to be amplified.

Hard disagree here. The top is so thin even standard indirect office/classroom lighting is strong enough to shine through and it's loud. It might actually be a bit louder even than my resonator (with nylon strings), loud enough that I plug the soundport when practising to protect my hearing.
I took it to a retired local trad. builder last summer and he was so impressed with the sound he decided on the spot to finally do something with the plans of a lattice-braced guitar he had bought years before.

[Bill Eisele]

I've heard that before, and it's true that it doesn't have a Spanish sound like a Ramirez 1a or any other cedar-topped long-scale instrument with rosewood B&S. I haven't yet had the chance to hear mine played by anyone else but I'd say it has some of the aspects of a (maple-backed) Torres, with the deeper (but not fuzzy/boomy) bass and bigger volume of its larger body.
As far as I'm concerned it does exactly what I want for classical music too.

(I should have pressured my teacher harder before she left with her Kohno; that would have been an interesting comparison because hers was a real cannon.)



Hard disagree here. The top is so thin even standard indirect office/classroom lighting is strong enough to shine through and it's loud. It might actually be a bit louder even than my resonator (with nylon strings), loud enough that I plug the soundport when practising to protect my hearing.
I took it to a retired local trad. builder last summer and he was so impressed with the sound he decided on the spot to finally do something with the plans of a lattice-braced guitar he had bought years before.

It might have something to do with the strings on there right now. I will reassess after I have another set installed.