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Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
A different spin to a "strings&...
As we landed at JFK, I rushed to take my guitar out of the overhead bin. The shiny red case always attracts attentions and comments.
The considerate gentleman who helped me negotiate the case through the eager heads of passengers crowding in the aisle asked “What kind of guitar do you have in this nice case?” “A flamenco guitar” I replied, which remarks most often lingers uncomfortably, as the ring of an open 6th string, faced by a helpless stare. But before I could add a few gracious notes to conciliate the awkward silence, he added “and what strings do you use”. “Nylon or steel, is that what you ask, sir?” No, what brand” he confidently clarified.
“D’Addario” I replied raising my hand to sententiously proclaim my loyalty “religiously and steadily, D’addario” sir.
“I am glad” he smiled and extending his hand to introduce himself, he added “I am D’Addario, Jim D'Addario, CEO of the company”
I raised my voice enough to assure a wider audience “you are a superstar and a genius Mr. D’Addario. I do not know what the world of classical and flamenco guitar would do without your Pro Arte and your Composite strings.”
We exchanged views on strings and business cards, and left it that he reward my loyalty by sending me some samples of “new” strings he is developing.
I thought I’d share this little incident with the Foro…
Posts: 33
Joined: Oct. 24 2008
From: New England, USia
RE: A different spin to a "stri... (in reply to gj Michelob)
I was going mad playing a set of pro artes that appeared in a box of packed belongings from last autumn's move. The la bellas I usually get were out of stock at the shop, but I was given a deal on royal classics flamenco pros for $10. The black trebles certainly look different, and I like the sound and sensation so far! A completely random purchase, but lord save me from pro artes!!!
RE: A different spin to a "stri... (in reply to gj Michelob)
Hm i didnt even know that these names on those string packages exist. I thought they were company names, like Coca-Cola?? Do you really have a red case? Never seen something like that. COuld you make a photo? Sounds like an appropriate case for a flamenco guitar
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
RE: A different spin to a "stri... (in reply to XXX)
quote:
Hm i didnt even know that these names on those string packages exist. I thought they were company names, like Coca-Cola?? Do you really have a red case? Never seen something like that. COuld you make a photo? Sounds like an appropriate case for a flamenco guitar
And he didnt know what a flamenco guitar is?
Here is the red case… it will turn heads, stir excited comments and questions, and make people want to accommodate some room in the overhead bin for what they perceive as rather special. And each one of us feels exactly that way about our flamenquitas, don’t we? http://www.lafalseta.com/Cases.html
I was not in Boston, At Leo, I was flying from Los Angeles back to New York (JFK).
I must have phrased it poorly: Jim D’Addario knew what a flamenco guitar is. However, most people I mention this alien noun to, gleefully exclaim (that hideous) “flamingo” !! and have no idea what I am referring to.
We spoke about a few other brands and which musicians endorse them. I told Jim that one of my favorite musicians on this Foro (Richard Marlow) is an infidel and uses “LaBella”. A true gentleman, Jim spoke highly of that company and its product; he also explained that the D’Addario and Labella ancestors both came to the US from the same town in the Abruzzi region, Italy.
RE: A different spin to a "stri... (in reply to gj Michelob)
Now they have a new edition of these cases, with leather. Looks twice as cool. But I already own one without leather.
Well,.. they are very safe for your guitar and they are small and dont break. But they are very heavy... That is 3:1.. and the reason why I bought one.
(EDIT: Oh now I read the nice story of gj. Nice. The strings are pretty famous. I also play D´addario extra hard tension. I like them, but the basses loose their tone very fastly. Luthiers live longer I think. Please tell us when you got these prototype strings!)