ISO Guidance Re: Strings

[Highway_61]

I have a used guitar on its way to me, and it's my first foray into the world of nylon-stringed guitars. (I hope Ive done the right thing by having bought it.)

I want to buy a set of strings so I can restring the guitar when it gets here. I've played electric guitar all my life, so all of this seems worlds away from what has become second nature, and I feel a bit helpless.

What sets do you know of that are comprised of 42 40 36 32 39 28, the gauges recommended in the guitar manufacturer's FAQ?

Thank you.

[Highway_61]

Okay, no help. But I kind of understand why: The nylon string guitar player's perspective is, in innumerable ways, different from the electric player's perspective. It seems that, much more than gauges, the real important numbers are measurements of tension.
Anyway, I purchased a couple different sets of strings, and I hope one of them works out. More likely, though, I probably have a long journey ahead of me as I search for the strings that I will like best.

[riffmeister]

D'Addario Pro Arte EJ45 would be a good starting point.

Good intonation, neutral voice, medium tension, low price.

[Highway_61]

Originally Posted by riffmeister

D'Addario Pro Arte EJ45 would be a good starting point.

Good intonation, neutral voice, medium tension, low price.

Thank you very much.
I had those in the cart, but I switched at the last minute to EJ51s. Would you recommend that I order a set of EJ45s?

[GGSanders]

Having played a steel, 6 string for over 35 years, I purchased a nylon stringed crossover last April. I am still bouncing between brands/tensions, trying to find the best combination for tone and playability. Even more so than for steel stringed acoustics (and electrics, perhaps), the variety the different brands offer boggles the mind.

As mentioned earlier, d'Addario Pro Arte nylon, medium tension is a good place to begin. They offer traditional design and materials, and are a popular tension choice from a well established and respected manufacturer.

As you experiment you will find a tension feel that suits you and hopefully the brand/selection that produces the sound that pleases you the most. With any luck it might only take you, let's say, a couple years?

[riffmeister]

Originally Posted by Highway_61

Thank you very much.
I had those in the cart, but I switched at the last minute to EJ51s. Would you recommend that I order a set of EJ45s?

The EJ51 set is the next step up in tension (i.e., hard tension as opposed to medium tension) and they also have polished basses for less string noise. Not a bad choice at all.

[Outhouse]

la bella folksinger black nylon trebles are nice.

Good enough for willy and I have enjoyed them for cheap


http://www.juststrings.com/lab-830.html

[dosland]

I think you're on the right track with anything D'Addario, as a middle-of-the-road option until you've developed a bit clearer sense of what you want. You can use the pro arté EJ-45s or 51s as a sort of benchmark for decent sound and feel, they're very consistent, if a bit unremarkable for one reason or other. I'm not a very good string snob, though, I usually tolerate ok strings and then work harder to drag something good out of them rather than switch a set every other week the way some people do. My uber-classical friends will argue for hours about the "best" strings you can get, switching out this g string for that one or adding the trebles from so-and-so to the basses from the other company. I don't have the energy or the ear to go into all of that, but I do think you'll do fine with what you've already collected, and I'll be interested to see whether you move on from there quickly (and to what). Hope you enjoy the new old guitar!

[Highway_61]

All, please know that I appreciate very much the sagaciousness of your responses.

[naccoachbob]

I bought my first classical guitar a couple months ago. It's a 1981 Yamaha G-255SII which is pretty much an entry level classical if I understand right, but is absolutely a really nice one.
I'm trying out different string sets in the same quest as you are on.
So far I've had Pro Arte's, which were ok, and Oasis GPX Carbon, the same.
But the Savarez 510AR set was very nice sounding. Unfortunately, the treble E string broke the 3rd night I had it on - I was on the computer, with the guitar sitting on it's stand when it just popped. I found a burr on the 6th fret where it broke, and folks tell me that breaking strings is unusual, so hopefully that's true because I really liked the sound.
I'm going to put on some Galli Genius Titanio strings right now. The last set I'm trying is Aranjuez Suave Silver 800 which I'll try in a week or two.
I'll post after trying these last two sets and give my opinion.
So far the Savarez strings have been the best of 3 sets for me. I like the sound of the 3 treble strings. They seem much brighter than the other sets. The bass strings sound nice too. And all of them including the ones I'm trying later are supposed to be medium tension strings. The Aranjuez set say "low gauge", so I'm guessing low tension.
Evidently in the classical guitar world, one mfg's medium tension string is another mfg's high tension string, and on and on. It's very confusing.
My guitar is 34 years old, with a solid cedar top and laminate sides and back, so it is not going to sound like a spruce guitar with solid sides. It is a very good guitar compared to guitars of the same price today. I tried 2 yesterday at Guitar Center in Beaumont. A Cordoba, and a Manuel Rodriguez - both priced $300, which is what I paid for this one. Neither had the volume, sustain, or quality of tone that the Yamaha has. Coulda been strings, I dunno.

[Highway_61]

Excellent post, naccoachbob. I look forward to when you update your string quest results.
I will say that, though the guitar I purchased is still on its way, I've already received quite an education.

[naccoachbob]

I put on the Genius strings, and so far am not impressed with them.
Being new to nylon instruments, I found one thing that I don't like, and that's the average G string's sound. Many folks use the word "tubby" to describe them. I can't explain the sound better, so I'll use it. The Genius G string is exactly that to me. The Savarez G was the best sounding of the bunch.
I'll give them several days to acclimate, but will probably take them off in favor of the Aranjuez set.
While stringing it up, the D string came apart. The winding seemed to unravel. I didn't treat it any differently than the other sets, so I don't know why it did it.
By the way, when you get a set, the 3 wound strings: bass E, A, and D strings are different at one end of the string as opposed to the other. One end is very flimsy, and I'm told that that end goes up to the tuners. So be aware of that when you put them on. Some mfg's tape a piece of paper on the end of their strings telling you which one is which. They also even use solfege (do re mi, etc.) labeling the strings. So an E string is "mi". How quaint.
There are some good videos of stringing up a classical guitar, and one that I saw had a neat trick to make the ends of the strings at the saddle/bridge look better. What you do is start with the 1st string, and after wrapping it around itself, you leave enough of the remainder of the string so that you can later slide that end inside the loop of the B string. Just use enough tension to keep things taut. Then, after wrapping the B string, slip the E string inside the loop at the back of the bridge and tighten it up. You can now go back to the E string and bring it to pitch. I've had a number of times where the E string would tighten, then slip a bit, tighten more, slip more, until it finally came loose at that end.
Next, wrap the G string, and slide the residue of the B string inside the loop.
I then install the bass E string, the same way as the treble one, slip it under the A string at the appropriate time, and then the A inside the D string.
Now I loosen the G string and slip the D string inside as well as the G string going inside the D string's loop, and tighten both. You clip off the excess string(s) with some cutters, and all of them are additionally secured. It presents a neat appearance. Also, I wonder if the excess string done any other way could damage the soundboard. Probably not, but who knows. And, sometimes if you don't cut the excess, the string can twist to where it's pointed up. Resting your right hand on the bridge, and you get poked by them.
Good luck,
Bob

[runamuck]

If you're like me, you'll find that the relatively loose tension of classical strings take some getting used to. I discovered early on that I am most comfortable with high tension strings and have found Savarez Red Label to be my favorite.

[Highway_61]

Originally Posted by naccoachbob

I put on the Genius strings, and so far am not impressed with them...
Good luck,
Bob

Thank you for reporting back.
I can see me becoming very aggravated when restringing, but I'm going to remain optimistic about that for now.
And I'm going to hope that, like that saying about how "even a blind pig finds an acorn from time to time," I will have somehow stumbled blindly on a set of strings that will sound good and play well. If they don't, my next string purchase will be based on the recommendations I find here.
Thanks again.

[riffmeister]

Originally Posted by Highway_61

And I'm going to hope that, like that saying about how "even a blind pig finds an acorn from time to time," I will have somehow stumbled blindly on a set of strings that will sound good and play well.

You have three basic string type choices for the trebles (the three unwound strings):

1. nylon
2. carbon
3. titanium

And each comes in different tensions (tension is directly related to string thickness, thicker = higher tension). So, for example, the strings in the D'Addario Pro Arte high tension EJ46 set are the identical materials as used in the medium tension EJ45 set, but all the strings are a little bit thicker. (a side note, you cannot neccessarily equate tension descriptors between brands, in other words, if you were to measure the absolute force of the D'Addario Pro Arte high tension EJ46 set it would be about the same as the force as the Hannabach medium tension 815 set)

If you are not happy with the D'Addario EJ51 set, or if you just want to experiment, try a set of carbon strings next. While there are minor differences in sound between brands of nylon strings, there is a much greater difference in sound when you switch string types, e.g., nylon to carbon. Carbon strings are thinner than nylon for a given tension, so they will feel different. Carbon strings are generally brighter sounding and have longer sustain than nylon. Titanium strings are more like nylon in their thickness for a given tension, and their sound is approximately in between that of nylon and carbon. Actually, they sound a lot like nylon to me but just have a little extra "ping" on the top end in the initial attack.

No need to get all OCD on strings if you are just starting out. Better to put your energies into learning how to play the crazy instrument!