clear carbon fiber string?

[FrankHS]

Can carbon composite treble strings be clear just like nylon? I received a set of Gallistrings (Italy?) "Carbonio" where the trebles are clear and supposedly carbon composite.

[Dave T]

The ProArte Carbons I just bought are clear. Well, they are slightly tinted but you can still see through them to some extent. Can't speak for other "carbon" strings. Hope that helps answer your question.

Dave

[FrankHS]

Originally Posted by Dave T

The ProArte Carbons I just bought are clear. Well, they are slightly tinted but you can still see through them to some extent. Can't speak for other "carbon" strings. Hope that helps answer your question.

Dave

Thanks, that's interesting, since a recent set of ProArtes I bought have a brown carbon G as well as clear nylon. Maybe color has little to do with carbon content, which is confusing me because I've worked with real , 100%carbon fiber, and it's invariably black(ish.)

[WaddyT]

Oasis carbons are close to clear. Very slight bluish tint.

[DariaS]

All carbons I've tried were clear, if I remember correctly.
Talking about Oasis, I've tried these carbons and they were absolutely great. Very loud and bright (I love them this way ), took them more than 1 week to settle completely though, but the sound was amazing and they lasted almost 2 months (I killed them completely =). Too bad I only had time to record them once, but I will definely use them more in the future. I also have some of Oasis nylons, wonder what these going to be like...

[Archtop Guy]

Just FYI, the way I read the website of Galli strings and others, these are not carbon composite (i.e. carbon fiber), they are fluorocarbon, like Teflon, completely different. It makes sense that they are clear.

Even the D'Addario's that are called "Composites" are not a traditional composite, with short fibers embedded in a polymer base. They are actually a multifilament.

[FrankHS]

Originally Posted by Archtop Guy

Just FYI, the way I read the website of Galli strings and others, these are not carbon composite (i.e. carbon fiber), they are fluorocarbon, like Teflon, completely different. It makes sense that they are clear.

Even the D'Addario's that are called "Composites" are not a traditional composite, with short fibers embedded in a polymer base. They are actually a multifilament.

Ah, I think you hit on the info that was confusing me. People and media and string packages are apparently saying "carbon" as lazy shorthand for "fluorocarbon" which is chemically a different compound, and clear until colored on purpose. "Carbon fiber" is probably even more wrong to say, since that seems to be (or start off being?) black in all cases, just like graphite.
Thanks!

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by WaddyT

Oasis carbons are close to clear. Very slight bluish tint.

I love the Oasis high-tension sets. The tonal difference between the D and G is the best I've experienced.

[Earl49]

In the ukulele world we use fluorocarbon strings, the most popular brand being Worth. They come in both brown and clear. I don't recall which is reported to have the mellower tone, but that is the difference.