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-   -   School me on Nylon Strings. (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328925)

Dru Edwards 02-10-2014 03:10 PM

School me on Nylon Strings.
 
Hey Everyone. I'm not familiar with the different type of nylon strings out there. For example:
  • How do hard tension strings differ from the non-hard tension strings, tonewise?
  • Different alloys are used for acoustic strings, mostly 80/20 and Phosphor Bronze ... do nylon strings have multiple popular "materials"?

Share your knowledge. Thanks.

Paikon 02-10-2014 03:35 PM

Probably hard tension are a little brighter than normal. Carbon trebles are brighter than nylon. Polished /flat wound basses are darker.


A lot of people mix trebles and basses from different brands to achieve the TONE.

Dru Edwards 02-10-2014 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paikon (Post 3815402)
Probably hard tension are a little brighter than normal. Carbon trebles are brighter than nylon. Polished /flat wound basses are darker.


A lot of people mix trebles and basses from different brands to achieve the TONE.

Hi Paikon, I was hoping you would respond. So there are Carbon treble strings?

scottishrogue 02-10-2014 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paikon (Post 3815402)
Probably hard tension are a little brighter than normal. Carbon trebles are brighter than nylon. Polished /flat wound basses are darker. A lot of people mix trebles and basses from different brands to achieve the TONE.

I agree that a higher tension string will sound brighter, and I also mix different strings, mostly because bass strings go bad before nylon strings. If you're constantly having to retune your bass strings, while the trebles continue to hold pitch, I see no reason to scrap the nylons.

Glen

Paikon 02-10-2014 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards (Post 3815439)
Hi Paikon, I was hoping you would respond. So there are Carbon treble strings?

There are carbon,titanium and others from Aquila and Dogal for instance.

check http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/c...tar-strings-1/

They have a description for every brand and not only...very informative!!!

Paultergeist 02-10-2014 04:25 PM

I was trying to figure out if there was actually some minute trace of titanium in the D'Addario "Titanium" strings...? My guess is *no,* but there may be more to it than I am seeing. Anyone know for certain?

harpon 02-10-2014 10:06 PM

I was wondering about the titanium strings too- if they were really metal? and someone here wonders if they are ANY PART metal? Does someone have experience with these?

I'm also annoyed that the string scene seems such a jungle, and when manufaturers can't put universal stats up in their ads.
the guages are most important to me, but I was just looking at the Aquilas on the site above and the specs list only the string tension- which to me tells me little- especialy when most people use some sort of guage description, whether it be inches or mm.

There's obviously a wide variety of choice, but it almost seems like they hope to keep it "buy it and see". I want specs!

Wendell123 02-10-2014 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paikon (Post 3815453)
There are carbon,titanium and others from Aquila and Dogal for instance.

check http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/c...tar-strings-1/

They have a description for every brand and not only...very informative!!!

www.stringsbymail.com also has a tutorial on different classical strings

And Titanium strings are not metal, and carbon is not either

W

Paikon 02-10-2014 11:29 PM

I have tried titanium Dadario and Galli strings. They are like stiff nylon .

Rudy4 02-11-2014 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harpon (Post 3815897)
I was wondering about the titanium strings too- if they were really metal? and someone here wonders if they are ANY PART metal? Does someone have experience with these?

I'm also annoyed that the string scene seems such a jungle, and when manufaturers can't put universal stats up in their ads.
the guages are most important to me, but I was just looking at the Aquilas on the site above and the specs list only the string tension- which to me tells me little- especialy when most people use some sort of guage description, whether it be inches or mm.

There's obviously a wide variety of choice, but it almost seems like they hope to keep it "buy it and see". I want specs!

The guages might be the most important stat for you, but unfortunately guage might only be peripherally related to tuning vs. tension. Mimmo at Aquila uses different formulations for his strings, for instance his RED series uses copper powder mixed in to influence string mass as it relates to guage, hence the reason for no universal stats. I'm new to nylon strung guitar but have experience with other instruments. There are a lot of variables for synthetic guitar strings, so I totally understand the recommendations to be patient and try out a bunch, as it's not a one-size-fits-all type of thing.

Some of the other string topics like "Strings for crossovers" have useful information, too.

Dru Edwards 02-15-2014 08:54 AM

Thanks everyone, lots of great info. Generally speaker (as there are always exceptions) do classical players prefer different strings than the hybrid players? Also, do classical players prefer different strings than flamenco players?

softballbryan 02-17-2014 07:22 AM

School me on Nylon Strings.
 
I know flamenco players and classical players usually use different strings. Not sure on hybrid players.

Dave T 02-17-2014 09:24 AM

Bryan,

Can you please cite a few examples (Flamenco vs Classical)? Or, are you just saying some strings are marketed as being "Flamenco" vs classical nylon?

Dave

WaddyT 02-17-2014 11:12 AM

Flamenco strings, generally, have a nylon wound 3rd string.

dyingsea 02-17-2014 01:07 PM

The whole classical and flamenco string thing is all just marketing. There's nothing that makes a string inherently flamenco or classical. You can play flamenco on EJ45's just as you can classical, in fact many players do. Don't worry about the label, just use your ears as to what you prefer.


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