New Aquila 'Sugar' Granato strings (with comparison videos)

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by Bax Burgess

I've rubbed mine down with a 1,500 grit pad, but the squeek continues. I'll try some 600 grit paper next. A shame, especially that they're good sounding strings. When was cursing banned on this site?

Tried 600 grit and skin lotion, no appreciable difference. C'est la vie.

I'm sure Mimmo won't stop here, he'll find a solution eventually. Probably shouldn't have put them on the market until he had a solution though.

[Aspiring]

I ordered a set from strings by mail but they are a 9/18 date. How different are they from the new ones ?

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

I ordered a set from strings by mail but they are a 9/18 date. How different are they from the new ones ?

They are different, but I still like them. These older Granato strings are made from nylgut polymer instead of sugar. This is the same as the Rubino strings. But I loved these strings before so I'm sure you will like them. Let them settle in for a few days before judging.

When you can find them, order the new Granato strings and you'll be able to compare.

[Aspiring]

This guitar is brand new to me and my first nylon string. I have some setup work I need to do first and then I have this set and about 4-5 others that I've ordered semi randomly to try in comparison.

Currently it has the optima gold 6ht on there and I quite like the feel of that set and the tone.

With the Ukulele I found I much preferred all fluorocarbon strings vs nylon / wound combos.

[tkoehler1]

Did I buy the right strings? It doesn't say "sugar" on the package anywhere.

20190324_103922 by Tristan Koehler, on Flickr

[sirwhale]

Those are the strings, but beware, there should be a little sticker on the back with a date.

March 2019 = Granato with sugar polymer

Any date before this = Granato with nylgut

Both are good strings, so if you haven't got the sugar polymer, try them while the dealers stock up with the new Granato strings. I have emailed dealers personally and they have said that they will let me know when March 2019 Granato strings are in stock.

[tkoehler1]

Thanks Sirwhale - 7/2018 drat. Oh well I'll try them anyway.

TK

[sirwhale]

So, I have installed my new saddle, which has kept the 6th string action at 3.50mm, but raised the 1st string action from 2.75mm to 3.00mm.

Disclaimer: I am a heavy handed player folk / blues player.

I now have no sporadic buzz on the 1st string in standard tuning, and the majority has gone when tuned down to D. I still have some slight buzz when tuned to D around the 7th-10th frets when played hard.

Personally I am happy to raise the action to what it is now, but I wonder, as these are marketed as flamenco strings, and flamenco guitarists may venture lower than 2.75mm on the 1st string, and may not have the best frets, whether they will find buzzing on the 1st string.

Of course, Mimmo is going for the 'equal feel' of tension, which is exactly what I want from treble strings. The G and B strings are absolutely fine, fantastic in fact (I have found some uneven frets that have unevenness only under the 1st string). But, I do wonder whether Mimmo may have to increase the diameter of that 1st string just slightly, depending on the flamenco guitar players' feedback.

[Aspiring]

I setup the old Granato on my Emerald X7 Carbon nylon. Sirwhales advice of waiting a couple days was spot on. My initial take was the treble strings felt kind of sticky and plasticky but after a bit of playing that feel went away and I started to like them I have noticed compared to the optima gold hct 6 that I had on previously I can play the treble a little cleaner and more easily and compared to my previous recording on the same setup with the optima I like the tone a bit better.

Overall I like them.

[RJVB]

I'm comparing too many different strings these days so colour me confused ... weren't the Granato trebles supposed to be identical to the Rubino trebles? The tension/gauge charts suggest they are...

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by RJVB

I'm comparing too many different strings these days so colour me confused ... weren't the Granato trebles supposed to be identical to the Rubino trebles? The tension/gauge charts suggest they are...

March 2019 = Granato with sugar polymer

Any date before this = Granato with nylgut (identical to Rubino)

[love the guitar]

Enjoyed your string comparisons. Thank You!