What Strings are you using?
What strings are you using, and where do you purchase them?
I use a unique mix consisting of:
- D'Addario Composite basses
- 3rd and strings are Savarez Alliance Carbon Strings (blue, hard tension)
- Augustine Regal 1st string (purple)
I am generally super happy with my strings, especially with the basses. The Augustine 1st string is BEAUTIFUL but wears down super fast!
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I just use D'Addario EJ45, normal tension. I get them in the three-pack from Amazon for $30 and that lasts me about a year. They're cheap, durable, easy to find, and reliable. I experimented a bit with a few more expensive strings and did not like them as much (nor did my wallet). What can I say? I'm a simple man!
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I always used Savarez Silver hard tension until 2004 then stopped playing, since 2019 I use D'Addario EJ45LP lightly polished normal tension, D'AddarioXT normal tension but it felt as swimming with shoes using normal tension and now since 5months D'Addario EJ46TT Dynacore hard tension because the g-string is not so dump, I am happy with that. Before, I had to mix with a g-string savarez silver....Only my Hanika guitar still needs Savarez Silver because if I use other strings, there is a buzzing sound on my b-string....so...not every guitar works with every string
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Did quite a bit of experimentation and here's where I landed:
D'Addarrio J45 (normal tension) for 1st and second string. For sustain and purity of sound they're still the best.
Savarez Alliance composite (normal tension) for the third string. Much stronger and clearer than regular nylon.
Savarez Cantiga (high tension) for the basses.
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After trying a lot of different strings, especially from D'Addario, Savarez, Augustine and swveral other brands, I now love Aquila Rubino (https://aquilacorde.com/en/shop/modern-instrument-string-sets/6-strings-classical-guitar/rubino/). Great strings, quite different from most. I highly recommend trying them out.
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My main all purpose set is still the Savarez Alliance Cantiga normal tension, the red ones. That's the only one out of everything I've tried so far that gives me the largest spectrum of colors and dynamics I'm looking for when I play. For a darker and smoother sound using nylon trebles my second choice goes to the Hannabach 815 Silver Special normal tension, the black ones. Lately I tried most of Aquila sets and like Matteo Pesle I did really enjoy the Rubino, they are different from anything I've tried before. I just restrigned my guitar a few hours ago with the Hannabach 950 Titanyl medium tension and so far they are great, probably the best titanium trebles I've tried, and they seems to be a good balance between carbon and nylon. Eric Phillips Wow 30$ of strings per year... I think it cost me that per month!
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still figuring out what I like best. So far i've tried:
1. Luthier concert silver
2. Saverez Cantiga New cristal HT
3. Hannabach Silver Special
4. Augustine Imperial Red MT
5. Aquila Ambra 2000
6. Savarez - HT red and NT yellow
I have a pack of D"Addario EJ45 that I've yet to tried.
One that I like quite a lot is the Hannabach but too expensive for me. But amongst those I kept finding myself going back to Savarez Cantiga New Cristal and Augustine Imperial Red MT.
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Decades ago I started with Augustine Blue and also Savarez Red, Hard Tension, recommended by my teacher. I played an Alhambra 11C (Cedar). Later, I switched to D'Addario Pro Arte EJ46 (Hard Tension) and also tried EJ45 (Normal Tension). I like the Hard Tension a bit more, maybe influenced by the habit of playing hard tension strings right from the beginning. Meanwhile, since 2019, I play mostly on my new Hopf Gran Concierto Centurio-Nuevo (Spruce) and I am very happy to use here either Savarez Cantiga Alliance 510AR (Normal Tension) or also 510ARJ (Mixed Tension: Trebles normal, Basses high).