Nylon string recommendations.

[johnny196775]

I was wondering if any of you kind people had any recommendations for nylon strings ? Which type or types might be good to try.

Thank you all very much.

[Paikon]

Dadario pro arte, Hannabach, Dogal diamante , Savarez , Galli genius, Oasis carbon

[fitness1]

I've tried a dozen brands over the years and keep going back to Pro-arte composites.


I'm VERY picky about my sound and don't tolerate strings that have "gone south". For reference, I normally change my steel stringed instruments about every 20 hours of play or so (that's playing at home, not gigging - then it's every night)

I've had the same set of PA composites on my guitar since March I believe and maybe experienced 10% tonal loss playing it nearly daily.

Hard to believe.

[dweezil]

Whilst it not might work for you, on my 'crossover' nylon I swear by D'Addario Pro Arte lightly polished hard tension basses and Savarez HT Aliiance hard tension trebles.

The perfect balance.

[Garthman]

I use La Bella 850B-HT and La Bella 900.

Both of these sets have bronze-wound basses rather than the traditional silver-plated copper. The 850B-HT sets have carbon black trebles and bronze round wound basses and are extra hard tension; the 900 sets are hard tension with gold trebles and smooth polished bronze-wound basses.

Great strings.

[CCFingerstyle]

Im my opinion, it's a hard question to answer. It has been my experience that strings that perform great on one particular instrument, do not perform so well on others. For example, different scales (long versus short) might call for different strings. It might help if you specified the brand and model of instrument you plan to use. Maybe someone with a similar instrument has already done some experimenting with different strings and can give you some valuable insight on which strings seem to work best.

[GolfSteve]

Try them all and see which you like best...

I built a guitar recently and am slowly progressing through different strings. So far these are my observations:

Aquila Alchemia (nygut) are my favourite. Best trebles, best G string :-)

D'Addario EJ45TT (titanium trebles) are just as good as the Alchemia, but I prefer the Alchemia G string. Excellent B and high E strings, maybe better than the Alchemia. The EJ45TT G string is a bit dead, but much better than the EJ45 or EJ45C.

D'Addario EJ45. Bass strings are good, but trebles are plastic sounding and the G string was dull and dead.

D'Addario EJ45C. G string a bit better than EJ45, but still blah.

Next up I'm going to try some Hannabach, then I'll try a set of low tension strings, then I need to go back and try the Aquila strings again and see if I still prefer them and then I've got some Savarez strings kicking around....

I'm searching for very bright trebles including the G, and I want to get a darker sound out of the bass strings. So far I have not observed much variation in the sound of the bass strings between brands but the trebles are markedly different.

I agree with people who say you have to match the strings to your guitar and to your playing style. On my steel string guitar I've gone through a similar string search trying to find the right combination of sound and playability and have settled on the D'Addario EJ40 Silk and Steel except for the low E string which is very underwhelming. For the low E string I use an Elixer nanoweb. I prefer light gauge strings and I play mostly fingerstyle with a light touch.

[johnny196775]

Originally Posted by CCFingerstyle

Im my opinion, it's a hard question to answer. It has been my experience that strings that perform great on one particular instrument, do not perform so well on others. For example, different scales (long versus short) might call for different strings. It might help if you specified the brand and model of instrument you plan to use. Maybe someone with a similar instrument has already done some experimenting with different strings and can give you some valuable insight on which strings seem to work best.

Thank you very much. This sounds like good advice.

It is a low end model. It is an "amigo by lotus am 15". A small scale guitar.

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by fitness1

I've tried a dozen brands over the years and keep going back to Pro-arte composites.


I'm VERY picky about my sound and don't tolerate strings that have "gone south". For reference, I normally change my steel stringed instruments about every 20 hours of play or so (that's playing at home, not gigging - then it's every night)

I've had the same set of PA composites on my guitar since March I believe and maybe experienced 10% tonal loss playing it nearly daily.

Hard to believe.

Agreed. I've tried a lot of nylon strings over the years, and the Pro Arte Composites are the ones I have settled-on as my favorites. I actually like them better than the Titaniums. They last a long time and retain their liveliness. EJ44Cs are my preferred tension.

[jimbobway]

Originally Posted by GolfSteve

Try them all and see which you like best..

This is such a personal thing and strings are so important yet so relatively inexpensive, you should play a few of the ones mentioned here - all very good quality - and choose what works for your fingers & ears.

For me, the D'Addario's and Augustines are durable, hold their tune & tone well, and play easily. And they are reasonably priced. But I try other brands now & then, and will look into the ones mentioned in this thread that I have missed.

[johnny196775]

Can nylon strings be put on a steel string acoustic? Or is that just not done?

[scottishrogue]

Originally Posted by johnny196775

Can nylon strings be put on a steel string acoustic? Or is that just not done?

Yes, it can be done...that is precisely why many nylon sets are available with ball-ends. Nylons are fatter than steel, so you will have to widen several of your nut slots, so the nylon strings seat properly. I heard that some players that switch back & forth, have an alternate nut they use with the nylon strings.

As far as what nylon strings I would recommend, I have several classical guitars and use different brands. My first choice is Thomastik-Infeld CF 127 Superlona flat wound silk & nylon strings. They stay in tune once they settle, if they are properly stretched.

Glen

[rickyc]

Why do all of the nylon string guitars use that funny wrap instead of ball end strings? It sure looks easier. I just inherited a Kirk Sands and have never restrung a nylon but don't think I could make it look as pretty as the wrapped one.
I see they sell ball end nylon sets, so why not?

[rickyc]

I have a Chet Atkins CE, a Larrivee OM-9, and a Kirk Sand nylon that I inherited when my son passed away last year. I know nothing about acoustic or nylon instruments.

I plugged the Sand into my Fender Deluxe Reverb. It has RMC electronics. I didn't change anything from my PRS settings as the volume seemed right.

However, I didn't get the acoustic sound I expected from one of these acoustic/electric models, and the sliders for the RMC didn't see to change much of anything. Keep in mind this is a first impression.

I thought they would sound like Wllie's and other nylon acoustics with a pick-up.

Am I wrong? Do the piezo pickups prevent the acoustic sound from coming through?

It sounds more like my PRS without the ability to change tone and pickup.

[Garthman]

Originally Posted by rickyc

Why do all of the nylon string guitars use that funny wrap instead of ball end strings? It sure looks easier. I just inherited a Kirk Sands and have never restrung a nylon but don't think I could make it look as pretty as the wrapped one.
I see they sell ball end nylon sets, so why not?

You can use ball-end strings if you want to do so but there are only a couple of makers who do ball-end nylon strings which does limit the choice. However you can make your own by attaching a small craftwork ball to loop-end strings.

Ball-end strings come into their own on older guitars where the top may have bellied out - they increase the break angle of the strings at the saddle.