What Brand of Strings to Use?

By Christopher Davis

[poll id=”2″]

What Tension? What do you like about them? Leave it in the comments!

Posted on in Ask the Readers

Comments

  • William
    William

    I’ve got Savarez yellow card on one guitar and red card on the other. I’ll probably use yellow on both in the future. I tried them earlier in my guitar career and hated them, and now they sound great to me.

    I used D’Addarios for a long time but got 3 bad sets in a row. The strings looked like they’d been mangled with pliers. I gave up.

  • BrianW
    BrianW

    About 3 months ago, I tried my first set of LaBella 413P Professional recording strings and I was hooked. The 3 bass strings in this set are specially ground and polished to minimize finger noise and basically there is no finger squeak on the bass strings when doing glissandos or changing position like there is with conventional strings (especially when new). Sure there might be a very slight, barely audible and unobtrusive “swishing” like sound when you do a glissando, for example, but as far as I am concerned they are miles ahead of the regular strings where finger noise is concerned.

    I know there are supposed to be techniques to minimize finger squeak, but as an amateur musician I have never been able to eliminate the finger squeaks to my satisfaction and it did use to bug me that they were always there to some extent, especially when playing on new strings. Now it’s one less thing to worry about and to have to spend practice time trying to minimize or work around.

    I had heard that these ground strings would sound “deader” or not as bright as regular wound strings, but to be honest I haven’t found that at all on my two Classical guitars, one a 25 year old Takamine C-128 and the other a relatively new Yamaha GCX-31C. Naturally these strings are somewhat more expensive than the standard wound strings, but to me the ability to play squeakless is well worth it.

  • Mickey
    Mickey

    I bought a set of Galli GR65 strings last week. I found the trebles are mellower than Daddario EJ45 I used before,but the basses are much hollower.

    In total, I love such kind of tone.

  • Chris L
    Chris L

    I have reverted back to Augustine Blue strings. I tried reds and then used D’Addario for a year or two. The D’Addario trebles just seemed so “thin” sounding – no matter what guage. I decided to try a few but I was struggling to get Savarez and others delivered so re-ordered some of the Augustines and they sounded good on my guitar. Have just stuck with them.

    My current classical guitar is an Alhambra 6P. I “lost” a nice guitar and it was best I could find for the money. It has been a good instrument – and I shall keep using it. I am waiting on a guitar made a Swedish luthier – picking it up soon. May change strings completely again to suit that instrument. It has a longer scale – so I shall wait and see.

  • Bobber
    Bobber

    I think the D’Addario Pro Arte represent the best bang for the buck. Not only the initial cost but they seem to have good longevity.

  • andy
    andy

    There is another breed of D’Addario strings called the EXPs. They are twice the normal cost. They are in my opinion superior to any other strings I have ever bought.

    Firstly, like all good D’Addarios come vacume packed. They retain their brightness for a hell of a long time, although the initial period of playing the string in takes much longer (more buzzy-metallic sounding) they are in fact extremely hard wearing.

    For example, I’ve used a set for over 6 months without any wear stopping their use. The 4th string has never broken. None of the other strings appear to wear at the usual places either. You really have to try them out to belive this but I certainly think they are worth the cost.

    cheers
    Andy

    andy’s last blog post..GridFox – Handy designer’s tool!

  • L.J.
    L.J.

    I’ve currently have had a set of La Bella Argento pure silver strings on for the past 3 weeks. These pure silver strings still sound great. I tried using the rectified trebles (La Bella offers 2 sets of trebles in this set) They projected very nicely, but gave me a woodier, warmer tone than I’m used to with the clear. Much nicer than the savarez rectified i’ve tried in the past.

  • Francis
    Francis

    My Classical Guitar is an Expensive Yamaha GCX-31C I use Saverz strings but it is popular in Korea I am going to try other strings too

  • steve menkes
    steve menkes

    Hi;

    Anyone! Where can I get silver/nylon trebles (e,b,g) ?

    I heard Romero playing them!

    I am seeking a purer tone , playing Ignacio Roza concert guitar

    Steve

  • JAMES STROUD
    JAMES STROUD

    the labella argeto pure silver basses are the best bass strings i have ever heard or played on. very expensive but worth it for the sound. I own two top notch expensive guitars byers and gropius and they made both instruments sound better, louder yet more sonorus and beautiful. still searching for the best trebles and know that each guitar is different.

  • steve menkes
    steve menkes

    CD;

    Naturally , most basses are silver, BUT I heard silver trebles and they sounded great from a distance, such projection and warmth. (they looked cool too)

    Steve

  • steve menkes
    steve menkes

    No CD I am aware of the Floro-carbon trebles, BUT they are too thin and have a brash sound, (they are just plain plastic)

    Steve

  • Christopher Davis
    Christopher Davis

    Well, I’m not sure then, Steve. I use Carbons, and they are anything but brash. Depends on your guitar–some guitar like them, some guitars don’t.

  • steve menkes
    steve menkes

    Thanks Chris;

    The Fluro-Carbon’s are too harsh for my Cedar topped instrument. The silvered/nylon filaments are not widely available yet as they are very new. I will have to wait till there is a supplier.

    Cheers,
    Steve

  • Manny
    Manny

    I recommend Hannabach 725 Goldins ; best tone projection and longevity with the coolest gold carbon trebles that last forever. I’ve had them on my Takamine Hirade cedar top a couple yearsnow and i’ve gone through a few sets of basses, mostly D addario, but those Goldins sound as good as the day I tied them on.

  • steve menkes
    steve menkes

    Hi Manny;

    Thanks, I tested “fluro-carbon type” strings and they are too thin diameter for me. Also, they are too brash or metalic sounding for my Cedar topped instrument.

    (Habach are not sold in store in Canada)

    Steve

  • Martin Shellabarger
    Martin Shellabarger

    Although I have not played in many decades (1982) I always liked Savarez yellow card. The nylon wrapped G and B strings not only sound wonderful, but the snap off of them is smoother than an unwrapped string, probably because the winding is parallel rather than perpendicular to the direction of the finger. Also the thicker treble strings just feel nicer, and I like the higher tension, they seem to respond more quickly to rapid passages, especially arpeggios.

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