Classical guitar string reviews. On this page I’ll be doing mini-reviews of strings so you can find the best classical guitar string for your guitar. I can only review strings I’ve actually tried out so some are missing. Strings are matter of personal preference and are also affected by the guitar, the player, and performance space. Therefore, these are generalizations at best.
What is the best classical guitar string? Every string has good qualities and can be perfect for your unique guitar, nails, and playing style or repertoire. The idea of a string being ‘musical’ or ‘best’ is a confusing concept as it depends on what musical quality you are trying to highlight. One string might be warm and have a smooth sound, whereas another string might be brighter, project well and be nicely balanced. Also, certain guitars respond differently to various strings and the performance or practice space might demand compensation by going brighter or warmer to get the acoustic sound you are after.
I’m always curious to try new strings: If your strings aren’t listed here I’m very interested in trying out new ones. Contact me: bradford@thisisclassicalguitar.com
Don’t know where to begin? I’d recommend you start with a basic, affordable, and traditional sounding string such as D’Addario Pro Arte (hard tension) or for a small step up maybe Augustine Imperial Red. Don’t get bogged down with string choices, just get a standard string and focus on playing and practicing. Then, as you gain experience if you need something brighter or warmer you can start experimenting.
A Very Generalized Guide (Not always true)
Most early level students, on average, should generally go with a nylon string set as they are warm and forgiving. However, all the types of strings can be excellent depending on the variables.
- Nylon Strings – Tend to be warm, round, full bodied, smooth, and forgiving (not brittle). They can sometimes be muddy and lack clarity, balance, and intonation compared to carbon strings.
- Composite Materials (titanium, blends, etc) – Somewhere between nylon and carbon. These often try to correct for the deficiencies of nylon and carbon strings. They can be nicely balanced but sometimes they lack the best qualities of either nylon and carbon so haven’t seemed to catch on as much.
- Carbon Strings – Brighter, clearer, balanced, stiffer, better intonation and projection. These can be amazing but with the wrong nails or guitar they can be harsh. They also sometimes tend to be stiffer and harder on the hands depending on the player.
- Combo Sets – Many companies are now mixing the above strings in sets to gain balance. I really like the 3rd string being a carbon to clean it up.
Bradford Currently Uses These Strings
- If I had to choose only one
- Savarez New Cristal Creation (Nice balance)- The creation combo is a clear nylon B and E string with an Alliance (carbon) G. I play the hard tension set but I use swap in a normal tension carbon G. They are nice and legato and smooth sounding strings but tend to have a tiny bit more clarity and projection than other nylon strings. The carbon 3rd string really cleans up the mid-range of the guitar. The normal tension set is usually recommended for students.
- If I had to recommend only one for most students
- Augustine Strings – Imperial– Really nice all-around string for traditional repertoire. Warm and forgiving in tone but nicely balanced. A great string for the average student.
- Other sets I use off and on
- Augustine Strings – Regal (Great traditional sound) – Really nice all-around string for traditional repertoire. Warm and round but nicely balanced. I wouldn’t call them clear or bright but not dull either. Nicely forgiving as they generally all produce a nice sound. These will certainly be in my regular collection of strings that I use for solo playing. I only wish there was a tension between normal tension and hard tension as both don’t quite do it on my small scale guitar.
- Aqulia Cristallo (Nice round nylon), Hard Tension – A very pleasant medium-bodied mellow nylon string but also fairly balanced. They are maybe a bit more clear than some nylon strings but still quite forgiving to tone.
- Aquila Zaffiro – On rare occasions I’ll use these. A balanced string set with more clarity than nylon strings. Good projection and intonation and sounds somewhere between nylon and carbon strings. They are not super sweet sounding like nylons and not as brilliant as carbons. They are nicely balanced and bring out a bit of woody character of the guitar but have a touch of dullness which at times can be desirable.
- Savarez Corum Alliance – Great for ensemble playing, large halls, or when I need more clarity in the sound. They are brighter, stiffer and have better intonation and projection than nylons. Depending on your guitar, they might be a bit too intense. If your guitar seems dull or overly warm these will clean up the sound. They are vibrant and loud making the guitar come to life and project amazingly (it’s really hard to go back to nylon after). Beware of the stiffness of the string if you have hand problems. Also the high E can be too intense for some.
Albert Augustine Strings
- Augustine Strings – Imperial Red (Hard with Medium Bass) or Blue (medium with hard bass) – Really nice all-around string for traditional repertoire. Warm and round but nicely balanced. I like these better than the Regals below, they seem more balanced and less muddy on the 3rd string. I wouldn’t call them clear or bright but not dull either. Nicely forgiving as they generally all produce a nice sound. These will certainly be in my regular collection of strings that I use for solo playing.
- Augustine Regal Strings (Hard Tension) – A nice sounding string, mellow and warm basses and warm round trebles but not without clarity. Projection is good overall for a clear nylon string. The third string is a bit thuddy but that goes for most companies using clear nylon. If you want a beautiful, warm string these are good. Most similar to Savarez New Cristals. I’d be happy to play on these but would love a hybrid set with a carbon G. I made a full post here.
- Augustine Classic/Red Strings (Regular Trebles / Medium Basses)- I ordered a pack of these specifically to review but the 1st string was defective. That said, fair projection and clarity overall but I couldn’t listen properly as I was annoyed. I wish I could try a non-damaged set to give a more accurate review…maybe in the future.
- Augustine Paragon Carbons – Haven’t tried them, would like to.
Aquila Classical Guitar Strings
- Aquila is such a cool string company both for their historical strings for early music (think Nylgut) but also modern experimentation and the variety of styles and sounds of their strings. Visit Aquila and read about their strings at their website. My favourite set so far are the Zaffiro that sound somewhere between nylon and carbon strings, but all their strings are super high quality with above average projection and intonation. I am seriously considering using the Zaffiro or Alchemia permanently.
- Aquila Zaffiro – The treble strings are Nylonplant 100% derived of plant materials. Aquila’s description: “medium brightness and at the same time rich sound, allowing fair expressiveness.” I agree. They feel a bit stiff like carbon strings but are smoother and more legato like nylon. Quite expressive with good sustain and vibrato capabilities. Brighter and better projection than regular nylon strings but less intense than a carbon string. Sweet bell sounds exist but less so with a bit more of the woody quality of the guitar and a bit of pluck. Nicely balanced. Basses are the traditional silver-plated copper, wound on a multifilament core in supernylgut; good mix of projection, clarity, and mellow richness (and not very squeaky). Quality, intonation, and projection are all good and above average nylon. No tension options which is too bad, but they feel good to me, similar to hard tension trebles and normal basses. Overall an excellent string that sounds and feels somewhere between nylon and carbon strings. I would use these for concerts or recording and like them the most of all the Aquila strings I’ve tried.
- Aquila Alabastro – Nylgut. Aquila’s description: “excellent performance qualities similar to gut strings, with a better brightness than nylon but not as much as fluorocarbon, excellent sound attack.” Again, I agree. I like the unique character and feel but if you’re looking for a smooth silky string this might not be it. Nylgut is a modern synthetic material that imitates (and improves) early music gut strings and this is an update that brings it into a modern guitar string family. Excellent volume, projection, and intonation. Lively, bright, and ultra clean sound. Bright might not be the correct word, more ‘direct’ with intense projection. Not harsh, just plucky. I wouldn’t call them expressive in terms of left hand vibrato etc but the increased balance improves some repertoire dramatically. They really clean up the sound and balance, not mushy at all and cross-string trills never sounded better. They feel somewhat stiff, both the material and the tension (I tried the normal tension, they come in three levels). Very high quality and interesting string that would be great on stage but beginner students should not go here as they will not be forgiving to bad nails or technique. A great string for a specific sound.
- Aquila Rubino – Aquila’s description: “the brightest and sharpest sound ever, superior to Fluorocarbon, sharp and clear promptness on sound attack, good timbre modulation.” Overall true but I wouldn’t use the word ‘bright’ too literally. Maybe a better word would be direct, focused, and intense. The material is very interesting, this is a small diameter string and yet they sound thicker than I though they would. Reminds me a bit of the Savarez rectified strings but smoother, smaller, and better. Not a silky smooth sound, the high E is certainly not lush and was a bit too thin for my guitar but could good for others. I tried the normal tension which felt like a hard tension, so be cautious of the harder tension options. Excellent projection, balance, and intonation. To my ears this has all the qualities of an intense carbon string but with less of a glassy quality. Dark red and chocolate colour. I would recommend this string to professionals and advanced students looking for balance and projection without sacrificing much legato. A great string for concerts and ensemble playing.
- Aquila Alchemia – Polymer blend. Aquila’s description: “bright sound similar to Fluorocarbon but at the same time gives high performance in vibrato, great timbrical variation responding to variations of the right hand, surprising sustain.” Yes, I agree. They are very similar to a bright carbon string such as Savarez Alliance. If you want all the qualities of an intense carbon string but less potential for harsh brittle sounds this is a great string for you. I tried the normal tension which felt like a hard tension so be cautious of the harder options. Again, excellent projection, balance, and intonation. These had the most ‘pop’ of all the Aquila I’ve tried. Brings the guitar to life. Might be too bright and intense for some people, especially the high E string, but I like it and it sounded more smooth than the Rubinos. A great string for concerts and ensemble playing.
- Other Aquila String Sets (that I haven’t tried yet): Perla, Cristallo, and Ambra.
D’Addario Classical Guitar Strings
- D’Addario Half Set with Hybrid Carbon G Hard Tension – I use these for solo playing. Highly recommended. It’s great having the smooth warm nylon on E and B but a tighter sounding G. The carbon G really cleans up the balance and sound. I never like Pro Arte strings much until now. I use the high tension trebles and combine them with normal tension basses. I like the legato sound of nylon even if you loose some projection compared to carbons. These are only the treble strings, you have to buy basses separately. Also see normal tension.
- D’Addario Carbons – I will use these for ensemble playing. These are bright sound and stiff feeling but with better intonation and projection than nylons. Depending on your guitar, they are a bit too intense for solo playing. If you guitar seems dull or overly warm these will clean up the sound a ton making them great for solos as well. However, these are vibrant and loud making the guitar come to life and project amazingly. Excellent string for ensemble playing.
- D’Addario Pro Arte Clear Nylon Strings – I like hard tension. Quality clear nylon string with a fantastic price. These are a standard and the quality is always consistent. The trebles sound can sound a bit muddy/plasticy on some guitars but the basses are full and rich. The trebles do sound much better after a few days. When I judge other strings I compare them to these because these are a standard. A nice legato sound and good overall but have less projection and clarity compared carbon strings (which can be a good thing). However, an excellent student string as they are warm and mellow. They come in Light, Normal, Hard and Extra-Hard tension.
- D’Addario ProArte DynaCore Basses w/ Titanium Trebles– A bit more bright and better projection than the nylon equivalent above but still a decent diameter. These are pretty good and might be great for some people. Not as smooth and legato as clear nylon but definitely better projection and clarity overall. A bit thuddy and plasticy sounding though. In general, a decent string and a good move for the company as this is somewhere between clear nylon and carbon strings. The DynaCore basses are supposed to be a “unique and contemporary tone: rich, round & full with dramatically improved string life, tuning stability and consistency.” I can’t tell a huge difference but it’s likely true.
- D’Addario Recording Set – Polished Basses for less squeak. Pro string but pricy, they feel a bit weird to me but sound pretty good. They do reduce squeak so it works, but maybe not in the way you think. For recording I’d consider using these but for live playing I wouldn’t worry about it…
La Bella Strings
- 2001 Classical Guitar Strings (medium) – A nice nylon string with a warm full sound. It has a little more thickness than D’Addario nylons and is most similar to Savarez New Cristals but maybe a bit fuller with less edge. If you’re looking for a nice nylon string this is good. The basses are also full sounding and balance well with the trebles.
Savarez Classical Guitar Strings
- Savarez New Cristal (various tensions and basses) – All nylon or Creation combo with Alliance (carbon) G. I prefer the normal tension and Cantiga basses. These are very legato and smooth sounding strings. I find that they are a tiny bit more clear and project better than most clear nylon strings. Sometimes, especially for the first few days, the basses overpower the trebles but that evens out after some playing. I prefer the Cantiga basses.
- Savarez New Cristal Creation – As mentioned above. Creation combo with Alliance (carbon) G. Cantiga basses. High quality.
- Savarez Corum Alliance (various tensions and basses) – Amazing brightness, projection, clarity, and balance. The whole guitar will come alive! They project across the universe and you’ll be heard by everyone in the concert hall and beyond. That said, they might be too intense, harsh, and high tension for some players (especially students). With good nails and technique these can sound great but they are not forgiving or for the faint of heart. Trebles are composite trebles monofilament (carbon). These project sound wonderfully and have the greatest clarity of all the strings I’ve tried. I use these when I need to cut through the texture, be heard loud and clear, or just want maximum balance and clarity. These are small diameter strings with a bright sound so they can make beginners sound overly thin and even brittle. Also, some people like the feel of thicker strings so these might seem small. However, in the hands of a profession or advanced player they can really bring the guitar to vibrant life. Legato, in terms of smooth, soft, and warm sound is reduced but the sustain is excellent so high quality legato is very possible. Excellent strings for ensemble playing or when you want volume and clarity. I prefer the sets with Cantiga basses.
Other Strings
- Oasis Carbon Strings: Similar to the Savarez Alliance treble strings but a little bright/harsh (not always a bad thing). They are clear and project just as the Savarez Allience but maybe with a bit more body to the sound. However, beware that hard tension here is intensely hard tension so maybe go with lighter tensions. These won’t give you the warmth of a nylon string but will certainly give you clarity and projection. I didn’t like the bass strings, maybe I received a bad set or something but the basses sounded completely dead on my guitar. You might prefer these over the Savarez Allience if your guitar is already fairly bright. Also, I’ve had a couple break on me…maybe a fluke, but my guess is quality control issues.
- Galli Strings Genius Carbonio – I like these Galli carbon strings but sadly I’ve encountered some quality control issues (some kind of ‘peeling’ or de-threading issue). I’ve ordered strings twice before in packages of 3 sets and each time one out of the three have been defective. Sad because I think they are one of the best strings out there. This was a few years ago so they might have fixed the problem, if they send me some I’ll re-review. A little calmer than the Oasis strings and maybe more musical. Still balanced, bright, and excellent projection. Spectacular strings but the quality control! Maybe they’ve fixed it by now, I haven’t ordered them in 2 years (send me more Galli *hint hint nudge nudge).
More reviews coming soon!
Bradford, thank you for this information and your other writings and videos. I recently changed from Cordoba Fusion cedar (w/truss Rod!) 48mm with Cantiga-Alliance high-tension—to a new/used Yairi CYM75 cedar 51mm (no truss rod/solid mahogany neck) and bc it’s such a big purchase for me, I worry about using high-tension strings and my old carbon set above is very high! Yairi recommends D’Addario EJ-44 Extra Hard Tension (interestingly about the same tension as Alliance-Cantiga HT). I am concerned that extra hard strings will bow my neck long term. Is my concern warranted? Should I use normal tension strings to protect my instrument (it’s a modern instrument). Lastly, I don’t care for Cantiga basses or Corum yet I believe that the somewhat unforgiving strings helped me my technique as an older/retired intermediate student working on Julia Florida. Kindly advise on tension concerns and going way down to EJ45 altho I think I will miss the alliance treble clarity. Perhaps HT Classic basses and Alliance normal tension trebles? Thanks again! Paul
I also love the Savarez Alliance but they are just too hard for me these days. I’ll use them for chamber music if I need to cut through but otherwise they trash my hands. I really like the New Cristal Creations with the carbon 3rd string so it at least cleans up the balance. The Yairi should be fine with hard tension but, of course, it’s at your own risk and I certainly don’t want to be responsible. I think humidly and temperature control is more contributing to neck bow than string tension when it comes to nylon.
Seems I’m not alone in having Savarez Cantiga bass string premature failure, especially the wound D string. I use the high tension. Could you please recommend an alternative bass set perhaps a bit warmer, and reliable? Thanks for this great information!
I’ve never had any issues with Savarez strings at all and I’ve used hundreds of sets. Anyway, D’Addario Pro Arte basses are actually quite nice and are a bit warmer than the Cantigas so you could try those. Augustine strings as well if you want warm.
Same here in having premature Cantiga wound D-string premature wear and failure. I’m changing string ets bc of this problem!
Weird, I’ve used their strings hundreds of times without an issue.
Thank you for this excellent info, Bradford! Is all this info still up to date? I am having intonation issues with D’Addario EJ-45s and I am thinking about trying the Augustine Imperials. Thank you for any insight you may have….
Yes, the Augustine Imperials are really nice. They are very lyrical and well balanced, maybe not the clearest string in terms of brightness but certainly lovely. I play them regularly.
I would like to know others opinion on Savarez Corrum Alliance AJ 500 high tension, and AR 500 normal tension. Also, another option is, the mixed set
ARJ 500, trebles high tension, basses normal tension. My guitar is a handbuilt luthier one, with a cedar top. It is an incredibly light guitar, very responsive, quite dark in the colour of sound. I don’t think this guitar likes too much tension from the strings. I hope these new Savarez strings should improve the sound, and brighten it up. This guitar was built in 1994 to my order, and that was the first cedar guitar by the young luthier at the time. When I collected the guitar from the luthier, it had Savarez Corrum strings. They seemed to me quite thin, especially the first string. Then I started experimenting with a few brands, but never decided which brand was the best for this guitar. Now I’m turning back to Savarez Corrum. Are they now better quality, than Corrum made in 1994.? Which set should I try out?
I would appreciate any comments
Regards
Jack
There are a lot of variable in this equation. That said, there are a ton of carbon strings these days as well as other combo materials that might give you what you want. I’ve heard the Knobloch carbons are a bit more warm in comparison and they have a medium-hard tension which is desireable. But I do consider the Savarez to be one of the best in terms of bright-yet-smooth sounding. My only issue is that the hard tension is just a bit too hard for me and I don’t like the normals as much.
About 5 months ago I purchased a Cordoba C7. It came with Savarez Cristal Corum High Tension 500CJ strings. Sounds great. Plays great. However after just two weeks, I opened the case to find the D string had unraveled near the nut. I replaced the string and no further issues until yesterday. I opened the case and found that the E string unraveled near the nut, in the exact same manner that the D string had months ago. The instrument was just sitting in its case. I had played it in the morning, it was perfectly tuned and sounded great; it was fine when I closed the case, and yet when I opened the case in the evening I found the broken (unraveled) E string. This is the first classical guitar I have ever owned. I never experienced this issue with any other guitar, including steel string acoustics. Is this a normal occurrence that I should just ignore, replace the string, and play on? Is this caused by defective strings? Can there be an issue with the instrument that is causing this to occur? Very frustrating to be in the mood to play, only to open the case and find that a restring project lies in the way! Thank you.
It’s not common if the string is not old. At a very minimum students should replace their strings every 6 months. Many pros change them every two weeks. I’m more like every month unless there is something special that I want to sound nice in. So ya, with a new guitar those strings might have been on the guitar for a very long time.
Thanks. I’ll replace them all so that I know they’re new and all the same age.
Hi, my name is Jack. I’ve got a guitar made by a luthier, in Poland. It was made for me by order in year 1994. It is a cedar top guitar. The main feature of this guitar is, that it’s very, very light, and responsive. It has rather dark colour sound, well balanced between low and high, with rather short sustain in the trebles, like a flamenco guitar. I feel, that the top is thin and delicate. That’s why, I have had trouble getting the right strings for it. Definitely I feel most medium or high tension strings suffocate, and strangle it.
I’m thinking of getting Savarez Corrum Alliance 500 AR Normal tension, or
500 ARJ Mixed tension, trebles high, basses normal.
Do You think it would be a good choice?
I would like to get more brightness, sustain, and more overtones.
Regards Jack
Well, you should certainly try the Alliance if only to find out if you love them or hate them. It will give your guitar more clarity and projection for sure. Sustain and overtones don’t necessarily go along with other qualities. Actually, low tension warm strings can sometimes have more sustain but at the expense of tension and clarity. So many variables though.
I’ve noticed an increasing interest in Knobloch strings, which, although they are now made in Spain, they are sometimes thought of as the “new Hannabach”. It would be great if you were to try one or both of these brands and then to post your impressions.
Yes, I need to try some out to comment on them. I find string reviews tough though because I don’t like trying random ones all the time along with my weekly recording schedule. Maybe I’ll pop them on one of my spare guitars.
Super helpful! Curious if you’ve tried to the Pro-Arte Lightly Polished EJ45 and if so, your impressions.
Thanks!
I don’t particular like the lightly polished strings. But maybe I could get used to it.
Thanks enjoyed reading, very informative actually the most technical info I have read to the point. Kudos
Thanks for the comprehensive review. I tried Aquila Cristallo strings on a Pavan TP30-64 guitar. My first impression was that they were just okay, but nothing special, although this impression was on the first day when the strings had not yet settled. Unfortunately, when I opened the guitar case on the second day, I found that the 6th string had unraveled at the headstock. Perhaps this was just a one-off defective string, but this is the first time I have seen this happen with any guitar strings. My preferences of strings thus far are Savarez New Cristal Alliance Creation with Cantiga Basses Premium NT (510 MRP) for my 650mm scale guitar and D’Addario EJ46 Hard Tension for my Kenny Hill P628C guitar.
I’ve never had an Aquila string unravel and I’ve used them on and off for years. But I’ve had at least one defective string from every company so I wouldn’t be too hard on them. I’ve been using the Cristallo’s because they are ‘pleasant’ for recording. It has more to do with this room I’m recording in, I’ve treated the room as best I can but certain strings (that I like) sound harsh here. This might sound funny but I don’t mind a slightly mellow or dull string sometimes, it can even balance the guitar out. I do like that Savarez set you mention though, that is a great set.
The recordings on your performance and lesson videos do indeed have a very pleasant warm and mellow tone that is a welcome contrast to the videos posted by a number of other classical guitarists that can have a harsh tone. Of course, the tone has to do with the player, the guitar, and many other factors besides the strings! Another master of tone whose video performances and lessons I admire for their flawless technique and musicality is Mathhew McCallister. His program notes sometimes mention which guitar and strings were used for the recording — I wish more artists would provide this information!
Don’t forget the recording gear and room acoustics. I’d say this is almost more important. In a nice hall even my iphone would make me sound nice.
Thanks for the reminder. In fact, recording gear and room acoustics were on my mind when I added “…and many other factors besides the strings” to my previous comment. I should have made this explicit, as I agree that these items are extremely important!
I am currently using the savarez 500cj strings on cordoba c9 parlor guitar. Are there certain strings that can bring out the warmth and projection of the cedar top and Mahogany back and sides better with this wood combination?
New Cristals by Savarez are pretty nice sounding strings with a good combo of warmth vs projection so you might want to stick with those. If you want a similar string with a bit more roundness to it you could try LaBelle strings, the 2001 Medium Hard Tension set are nice. But it totally depends on what you’re looking for, as projection increases, usually the brightness and clarity does as well.
Question: What is the consensus on ball end? I have been trying to buy the Savarez Classical Guitar Strings with Cantiga 510CR Cristal Trebles, Cantiga Basses, Normal Tension, but cannot find with ball end. I do not like the strings I just bought, the base D has a clanky sound, no matter what I do. Thanks.
Most of the major string manufacturers don’t use ball end ties so it’s kind of uncharted territory for me. I’ve used those contact bone ties before and they worked well. I guess it would depend on the string tie and the saddle on your guitar, I would ask your guitar maker or luthier to see if it’s safe. My worry is that it would trash the hole a bit if the string tie was a bit wide around the ball end. I mean, it would be good in terms of installation, especially for students new to the classical guitar.
No one mentions these, though they have become a favorite for most of my guitars:
Optima No. 6
I have the gold plated ones, but suddenly I cannot find these anymore. I haven’t tried their silver wound ones, but I suppose they are also fantastic?
The basses start off a little harsh on some guitars, a little metallic, but they warm/mellow quite soon and always project very well for a long time. The trebles, however, are the best I’ve found! There are two versions, the carbons and the nylons. The carbons are just really solidly good – I use these on my cedar guitars only, as carbon generally tends to be too shrill on spruce guitars – but the nylons are the very best I’ve ever found! They are clear, project very well, even the G, they are very balanced and keep the tuning. And then they just have this melody to them, a very, very nice character. Try these!
Knobloch CX Actives have a ‘fruity’ sound to them. Clear and very nice. They compliment especially one of my (cedar) guitars really well, and that one uses only these. Try these as well sometime. (Yesterday, though, I put on some Dogal Diamante on that particular guitar, and they actually also work quite well, albeit somewhat dark on cedar – but perhaps that is just due to new strings always sounding better?..-)
I often use Savarez’s Alliance/Cantica for a superior projection and sustain, though never on a spruce. Perhaps I should try the New Cristal, as you mention?
I haven’t had any problems with any of my Galli Strings Genius, which I find really good allrounders on both spruce and cedar and guitars of any quality, but perhaps I’ve just been lucky..?
I shall try the Zaffiro, as you are speaking so highly of them, and I had no idea they existed.-)
I hope you can use my experience.
Defiantly, try the Optimas – carbon on cedar, and nylon(!) on spruce!
Have you tried the Aquila Ambra 2000 yet? If you have I’d be interesting in your comparison with the Alabastro.
Thanks,
Ray
Hi Bradford,
I have used several of the string sets you mention here: your reviews are spot on, fair descriptions of their features.
Could it be you never ever tried the so-called 80/20 bronze wound (bass) strings, not even once and out of curiosity? If you did, I’m sure you have a precise opinion on them.
Thank you,
Antonio
I was Interested to read this very good review as I’ve used few types of strings. I have mostly used Daddario pro arte medium tension, but today I bought Savarez Alliance normal tension just to try something different. I see you have written that because these strings are stiffer, to be aware of this if you have ‘hand problems’…What kind of hand problems do you think could be affected by the use of these strings? And surely would that not apply to any higher tension string which would be stiffer? I have arthritis, and playing guitar actually helps it from getting worse.
Yes, you are correct. The higher the tension string the more to beware depending on your level of technique. But I have found that most carbon strings, even normal tension ones, are higher tension than nylon ones.
Great reviews. I have been experimenting with Aquila lately and find them very interesting – rubino my favourite so far, but haven’t tried them all – so many strings. Also I hear that Knobloch are supposed to be very good – they have a Barrueco set. A guitarist could go broke trying all the strings
;-(
Until now I was using D´Addario EJ44 Pro, EJ44C and others from Daddario
I´ve tried Hannabach extra high tension in a Paco Castillo 205 with spruce top guitar I liked very much the results.
I´ve just tried for first time carbon strings, Savarez Corum alliance hard tension, but I find them too much bright.
Find a carbon set with the darkest sound it would be great.
At the moment I think I would use only the third g string in carbon and the rest nylon strings
Ya, I mainly use carbon strings when playing ensemble music where I want to cut through the texture and be clearly heard. But it depends on the string, the player’s tone, the guitar etc etc….
Very useful review! Thank you, Bradford.
Can you please recommend one brand/type of strings that are in your view the most soft, warm, mellow and quiet. I am going to replace Savarez High Tension strings on my new Cordoba C12.
Well, I always start with D’Addario pro-arte as a baseline test for middle ground and go from there. Savarez New Cristals for smoother or some carbon strings for brighter.
I recently tried the Aquila Sugar strings. While they sound great, I couldn’t get past the squeaking on the trebles. Did you notice any squeking on the Alchemia set?
Maybe a bit, I didn’t think it was an issue.
FYI, Aquila seems to have identified that issue and now prominently advertises their new formula as “squeakless” – they even added a silver sticker to the package saying “Squeakless!” to reassure people that they are buying the new, improved formula.
Hi Glenn. I too have started using Hannabach strings recently, on my Raimundo Cedar guitar. I tried the 800HT’s and found them a ‘good’ fit (i assess my string as ‘best fit/good fit/average fit /poor fit), so category 2 was nice. I then bought and tried some 815HT Silver Special strings on the same guitar after 12 days; and found these the ‘best fit’. Hence it’s worth experimenting. In fact, i have recently dared to try LaBella Pro500p strings on my Salvador Cortez spruce guitar and Aquila Ambra 800 on my S/c cedar, and although the jury is out untill they bed in, the signs sound good. I said ‘dared’, as i was almost wedded to Galli Carbonio for the spruce and Savarez Alliance Corum for cedar, as they appeared perfect fits. I can always go back. I have accumulated 6 classical guitars (3 spruce, 3 cedar) so have been able to experiment; the aim is always to keep my ‘stringed girls’ happy. Hope this of interest
For what is worth, after 40 years of playing classical guitar, once I have discovered Hannabach, I have never used anything else.
I do dislike the sharp and metallic sound of Goldin trebles but the basses are superb.The issue disappears with time – one gets used to the tone and stops noticing it. But the silver special, 815 series, is much cheaper and better balanced. Trebles blend almost perfectly with the basses and do not exhibit excessive sharpness as Goldin do. On a well built guitar, 815 is fit for concert performance.
Hannabach provides a variety of strings in individual packaging so one can experiment and mix the strings until one achieves the desired sound. If one does not mind having strings of different colours on their guitar… I don’t. It does look a bit disturbing and probably is not something to do for an important concert, but the result can be spectacular so I personally do not really care what people think about the strings’ colours. Music is about the sound, not the colours of the strings.
Re: Augustine Classic/Red Strings –”Also, the packaging and their website doesn’t mention that these are a monofilament string (carbon).”
Are you sure about that? I don’t believe that’s correct. Really?
What part? The packaging not mentioning it or that they are composite style strings?
I really love the sound of Oasis High Tension strings on my New World Player classical, but like the author, I seen a lot of string breakage. This usually is the D bass and it pops on its own rather than when being played. I’m now trying D’Addario EJ46 and like them so far. A big advantage they have over Oasis is that they can be found in local shops.
It seems clear that your next review should be of Hannabach strings. I perceive that the most popular of their line are the 815’s. I have tried these in their high tension on my Raimundo cedar and in super high tension on my Raimundo spruce. In both cases, they’ve replaced my previous favorite (D’Addario Pro Arte Composites, extra hard tension). I tend to like strings with lots of warmth and complexity, since I play mostly solo. However, I do not like the Hannabach Goldins at all. My Raimundo cedar just sounded dead and the Medium-High tension (the only tension I could find them in) was just too floppy. I’d be curious about your views on Hannabachs. I’m currently auditioning other Hannabachs. Stay tuned. They are more expensive, but I now consider them worth it.
I did leave a long reply but, as i had not logged on, it disappeared.
In short, i have had good results with Royal Classics Serranito, Aquila Alabastro Superior 20c ht, Savarez Alliance Corum and La Bella Professional 500P on my cedar guitars. With my spruce guitars, i have had excellent results with Galli Crystal CR 60, Galli Carbonio GR90 and Galli Titanio CR40. In common with most respondents, i found D’Addario Pro Arte disappointing. Hannabach strings may be wonderful on Luthier/high end guitars, but the above strings i have found to be good and inexpensive.
Andrzej Kwiatkowski
Thanks for the reviews. I too am wondering about Hannabach Silver strings- I may try some but I’d like to know what a more experienced player thinks of them, especially on shorter scale guitars like 630.
Great reviews!
I wonder if you’d review the Hannabach Goldin strings. Also, I’m curious to know whether you dislike Augustine and Aquila strings as much as I do.
Incidentally, I totally agree with your thoughts on the D’Addario strings. They used to make a set with two G-strings; a clear one and a coffee-colored one. I’m going to look after a set of those trebles in HT and the normal tension basses per your recommendation.
Hi. It’s funny how people’s experiences vary of different makes of string. I am sure it as much down to the types/quality of people’s guitars as much as aural preferences.
I have tried D’Addario Pro Arte HT strings on my Kimbara Cedar (which dates from 1983 and may be suffering from deafness!) and my Raimundo Cedar, and the results have been extremely disappointing, to the extent that i don’t rate them at all. I have as yet to try them on my 3 Spruce guitars, which are more responsive. I have actually had good results with Aquila Alabastro and Aquila Ambra 800 on both cedar and spruce guitars, but not Aquila Perla (dull basses). I find vibrant strings work better on spruce guitars, and use Galli Crystal/Carbon/Titanium, with good results. With the cedars, Savarez Corum Alliance and Red label strings (but not Crystal!) seem to work well but the darker tones of Augustine Black, Royal Classics Serranito and Aquila Alabastro Superior suit best. In the end following the guitar manufacturers’ recommendation (if any) seems a safe bet, but experimentation is always revealing!
Hope these observations are of interest.
@A. Walters: D’Addario still sells the coffee-colored composite material G string in two full sets, one trebles set, and also singly:
1) the EJ45C Composite set ($15 at Strings by Mail just for a reference price point from a website with excellent service); I only name the normal tension ones but you can look up other tension options) https://www.stringsbymail.com/daddario-ej45c-pro-arte-composite-nt-guitar-strings-full-set-125.html,
2) the Lightly Polished set (EJ45LP Composite Lightly Polished, NT, $15 at SBM https://www.stringsbymail.com/daddario-ej45lp-composite-lightly-polished-nt-guitar-strings-full-set-151.html),
3) the composite trebles set (EJ45C NT Composite 3rd Guitar Strings CGN-3T, Treble Set $5.09 https://www.stringsbymail.com/daddario-ej45c-nt-composite-3rd-guitar-strings-cgn-3t-treble-set-5829.html),
4) and also singly as J4503C (D’Addario Pro Arte J4503C – 3rd string (g) Composite .036) for a whopping for $3.59 at SBM https://www.stringsbymail.com/daddario-pro-arte-j4503c-3rd-string-g-composite-036-127.html , a bit steep for a treble string compared to all their other singles; it’s a better value as the treble set or the EJ45C full Composite set.
And they sell the Dynacore and Pro Arté bass sets separately if you want to change the pairing. Unfortunately they don’t sell XT Pro Arté basses separately, but you CAN get XT Pro Arté trebles with XT treated Composite basses (D’Addario XT Silver Plated Copper Classical Guitar Strings, Normal, Model: XTC45, $17 https://www.stringsbymail.com/daddario-xt-silver-plated-copper-classical-guitar-strings-normal-22519.html) and then just pick up the spare coffee G (total, $20.58).
I would like to see if you would review the Pepe Romero fluorocarbon strings. I tried them and they seemed pretty incredible, but pretty high tension for my old fingers. Wondering what you would think of them? Should I just get use to them?