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Old 04-14-2017, 12:59 PM
sirwhale sirwhale is offline
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Location: Spain
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Default In search of a better carbon E string - with solution

(Skip to the bottom to see possible solution)

I have been trying lots of strings and found that carbon strings are the best for me.

I currently have high tension Savarez Alliance for the B and G strings, which is fine, but even the normal tension E string of all brands have crazy tension of over 10kg, which is up there with a 0.012" steel string. This is just isn't balanced and the picking technique needs to change drastically to and from this string.

The carbon E string (normal tension) of all the brands I can find the information for is between 0.61mm and 0.62mm. Notice below how the normal tension E string is still out of balance with the high tension g and b strings.

I think, from what I have read on the delcamp forum is that this gauge was chosen for two reasons:

1. Classical guitarists don't like (not used to) the feel of really thin strings
2. The thinner the high E string, especially carbon, the brighter and "more metallic" (their words) it sounds.

Neither of these are problems for people who play steel string guitars and/or play music that is conventionally played on steel strings (like me).

Solution:

I contacted Ken Middleton who makes carbon ukulele strings under the brand name "living water strings" (UK company), and he sold me 4metres of a 0.57mm string for a price that is competitive with buying a single E string from a shop 5 times, if I get 5 strings worth out of the 4m (which I should).

The feel is much more balanced than the 0.62mm and the projection is only slightly less and is still balanced with the power of the b and g strings. Bending is much easier, especially around the 1st and 2nd frets. It sounds slightly brighter but not much. I am very happy with this solution.

According to Arto's string tension calculator:

E string:
(normal tension Savarez Alliance)
0.62mm - 10.121 kg (not balanced)

Living Water
0.57mm - 8.555 kg


B string (high tension carbon Savarez Alliance)
0.71mm - 7.449 kg

G string (high tension carbon Savarez Alliance)
0.86mm - 6.885 kg


Another possibility, is to look for the Savarez Alliance "early instrument" strings, which are the same carbon strings they sell for guitars. For Americans, they are sold by Strings by Mail. They sell in 2m lengths, you can experiment with a 0.57mm or even a 0.60mm (with a tension of 9.479 kg) - the code for these strings being KF57A & KF60A (easy google search). I have ordered the KF60A to try aswell.
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Guitar: Camps Primera Negra A (a flamenco guitar)
Strings: Aquila SugarAquila Rubino, Knobloch CX, Aquila Alchemia
I play: Acoustic blues & folk
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/sirwhale28/videos

Last edited by sirwhale; 04-15-2017 at 04:24 AM.
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  #2  
Old 04-14-2017, 03:33 PM
dkstott dkstott is offline
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Default

Interesting. I've been a fan of the Savarez Cantiga 510AR strings for a while. They have the alliance treble, but the Cantiga basses seem to balance any issues.

Good solution.
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