Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Does anyone here mix D'addario composite basses with D'addario T2 Titanium trebles? I have these on now and although I was shocked at how bright and loud the guitar sounds, it did not take long to realize that the sound is cold somehow. I wish I could enjoy this tone more, it does sound metallic which is a sound I know some guitarists like. In any case, besides Savarez I have to say this combination is one that has had the most profound effect on the guitar, it has changed the sound completely.
_____________________________
"I'm just a poor crazy man in love with his art." Santos Hernandez
Basically, I choose strings that makes me play well. This means that very thin hard 1st and 2nd strings are out for me. The guitar might sound well, but not when I play it. IMO, trebles like Savarez Alianza are made for torturing people. I need nylon and very often I end up using Luthier 30 1st and 2nd strings.
The Alianza and different titanium trebles are good for selling guitars, but I dont think its fair trade.
And what about the bass set Anders? What do you use? Cause i know that your G String is the D' Addario Composite... When i had your guitar, i had used Luthier 20 and it seems the strings were a little high from the fretboard.
I also dislike carbon trebles, they feel horrible. The Luthier 20 trebles feel a little too floppy, but the Luthier 30 G string is the thickest most awkward G I have ever tried.
You both have given me an idea. I am new to mixing sets and strings, but I happen to have a composite G. Maybe I will try a composite G plus Luthier 30 for the top two strings, and Luthier 30 basses. In any case, the reason I named this tiny thread strings again is that Luthier 20s where my go to strings, but I recently had my nut and saddle changed and the action lowered which has changed everything.
_____________________________
"I'm just a poor crazy man in love with his art." Santos Hernandez
I prefer the medium tension brown daddario G string together with the Luthier 30 1st and 2nd string. This I mix with L30 or a med. tension bass set. (Daddario, Labella, Luthier, Savarez, whatever)
As I wrote, I chose strings that make me funcion with the guitar. On a stiffer guitar I play medium tension trebles and basses. On a softer, I play hard tension strings
What is important is that I play the guitar well. This way the guitar will sound well when its in my hands. It has to do with the "snap" of my fingers together with the pulsation of the guitar and the stiffness of the strings. Its that 3 piece combo that matters.
I'm trying the titanium trebles, but with the standard D'Addario basses. That seems to work fairly well. They have only been on a few days , so maybe better let them settle in
_____________________________
"Let me assure you that I am playing all the right notes...... but not necessarily in the right order." Eric Morecombe
I used to be very interested in strings until I got a decent guitar - then I discovered that the choice of strings didn't make that much difference.
So, for me, high string anxiety = get a better guitar.
Well I do have some minor preferences. Like Anders, I don't like the feel of thin normal tension strings, so for guitars that are happy with normal tension I use D'Addario Pro-Arte - nice and cheap. The Hard tension Corum Alliance work well on other guitars and the trebles on these are just about thick enough although I sometimes wonder why I don't save money and stick D'Addario.
So if your guitar is eating expensive strings and you find that you are always seeking out other exotic choices, put your guitar on a diet of cheap strings and give the money you save to a good luthier!