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Paco (Pena) what strings?   You are logged in as Guest
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britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

Paco (Pena) what strings? 
Hate to open another 'string' thread; but I heard from a reliable (?) source (an ex-student of his from Amsterdam) that Paco Pena only played on one brand of strings for the past twenty or more years: D'Addario EJ45's!

Sounded a bit weird to me.

Anybody know if this might be true?

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Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 14:02:10
 
aeolus

Posts: 765
Joined: Oct. 30 2009
From: Mier

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
quote:

Hate to open another 'string' thread; but I heard from a reliable (?) source (an ex-student of his from Amsterdam) that Paco Pena only played on one brand of strings for the past twenty or more years: D'Addario EJ45's!

Sounded a bit weird to me.

Anybody know if this might be true?


This may have something to do with it.
http://www.daddario.com/DaddarioArtistDetails.Page?ActiveID=3777&ArtistId=10356
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 14:26:12

C. Vega

 

Posts: 379
Joined: Jan. 16 2004
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
In the 45 or so years I've been involved with the classical and flamenco guitar I've observed that amateur players tend to obsess far more about strings and go through all the mixing and matching of brands and tensions much more than the pro players do.
The real pros don't have time for all that nonsense. They're too busy actually playing their instruments.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 17:23:38
 
aeolus

Posts: 765
Joined: Oct. 30 2009
From: Mier

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to C. Vega) 
AP-L: John, to begin with a prosaic, nonetheless very interesting question for a lot of guitarists, what strings do you currently use on your Smallman?

JW: At the moment, I'm using D'Addario trebles and basses, although the top string is a little heavier than the standard top string they make - I got them to thicken it up a bit. The biggest problem I find is getting the basses right; I often find that with Augustine Reds, for example, the 5th string is a little bit thin, whereas the D'Addario has more body without the brittleness that comes from going up to a higher tension string. Another problem is squeaks - no matter how you rationalize it, they're always there although they can be minimized by both the player and the string manufacturer. I like D'Addario's polished and semi-polished strings, although I haven't tried the ones put out by LaBella. The polished string is a flat wound string, but the secret is in the winding and there seems to be a number of new approaches around to this.

I rather think that the pros are not so casual as you suggest, but then I don't pal around with the top players as you do.

http://www.guitarteacher.com.au/johnwilliams.htm
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 17:55:37
 
Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
I'm willing to bet flamencos are slightly less fussy than classical nerds lol jk, kinda. But even still John doesn't seem THAT obsessive. I find it very likely Paco uses ej's. I started a thread about this before, just play. Stop worrying so much, are you cutting an album???

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\m/
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 18:00:29
 
gerundino63

Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
Long time ago on a forum called falseta, the owner had an intervieuw with paco peña and asked the foro members to drop in some questions.
I asked the same question and the aswer was D'addario E J 46.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 18:01:40
 
Erik van Goch

 

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
As far as i know that's correct ..... being sponsored by D'Addario he even had the luxury to change strings as often as he wanted. On top they sound very good on Gerundino guitars. Don't know if he uses EJ45 or other types of D'addario, but i've played D'addario myself all my life and never felt much need to experience... i tried/rejected a handfull of other tensions and brands but generally stick to D'addario pro arte medium tension. On my conde i actually preferred La bella red trebles but not the black ones that replaced them. Also i loved chorus for not loosing sound over time and for being indestuctible but they went bankrupt and the indestructable part might have been not that kind to my frets on the long run. 1 type of D'addario (46?) was actually designed for flamenco guitars but that was only mentioned on the inner sleeves and not on the package.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 18:11:53
 
Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to gerundino63) 
quote:

I asked the same question and the aswer was D'addario E J 46.


That’s correct, last time I checked (several years ago).

FWIW I once tried a wound 3rd on my guitar. Paco didn’t like it: he said it had “no sublety”.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 18:37:03
 
Erik van Goch

 

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
If i remember well the unmentioned flamenco version of D'addario i used a couple of times years ago was also the 46. At present day i only see that set being labeled hard tension (i always use medium) so either it wasn't the 46 set i used back then or they used nr 46 for various kinds of sets over the years (don't remember the letters in front of it). But as long as it is D'addario medium tension for professional use i don't care what exact set it is.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 18:52:54
 
el carbonero

 

Posts: 295
Joined: Jun. 23 2007
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
the pros in flamenco use the strings that dont pay , they can change every week , fresh bass strings have good sound in all brands.

the pros who dont have free strings prefers savarez to d'addario .
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 19:31:54
 
beno

Posts: 881
Joined: Nov. 3 2006
From: Hungary

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
quote:

the pros who dont have free strings prefers savarez to d'addario


are You a paid endorser for savarez? Who are those pros?
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 20:58:03

C. Vega

 

Posts: 379
Joined: Jan. 16 2004
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to Erik van Goch) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik van Goch

But like C. Vega said, as long as it is D'addario medium tension for professional use i don't care what exact set it is.



Read my post.
I never mentioned D'Addario or any other brand of strings. Where did you get that from?
All I said was that in my experience amateurs generally waste more time and energy fussing about strings than pros do.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 22:03:26
 
Erik van Goch

 

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to C. Vega) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: C. Vega

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik van Goch

But like C. Vega said, as long as it is D'addario medium tension for professional use i don't care what exact set it is.



Read my post.
I never mentioned D'Addario or any other brand of strings. Where did you get that from?
All I said was that in my experience amateurs generally waste more time and energy fussing about strings about strings than pros do.


I was doubting about naming you for this exact reason :-)...... all i mend to second (not even quote) was the fact that as a (semi) pro i did indeed spend little time to find myself the exact set i used last time (which again is a free translation of your words). But you're right, i edit it... sorry for the inconvenience.

Funny enough i often play on very old strings that most people would replace immediately. In like to tell myself old strings are just fine as long as i feed them with the right kind of energy/spirit and on top i'm simply to lazy to buy/put on new ones.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 23:42:56
 
Erik van Goch

 

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to beno) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: beno

quote:

the pros who dont have free strings prefers savarez to d'addario


are You a paid endorser for savarez? Who are those pros?


My father often uses Savarez instead of D'addario and so do i :-).
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 2 2014 23:52:15
 
Aretium

Posts: 277
Joined: Oct. 23 2012
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to Erik van Goch) 
Ive just put in the la bella 820Bs after a few years of different D'addario. These are amazing, really great dry bright flamenco sound especially the trebles.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 0:11:03
 
aeolus

Posts: 765
Joined: Oct. 30 2009
From: Mier

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to Erik van Goch) 
quote:

Funny enough i often play on very old strings that most people would replace immediately. In like to tell myself old strings are just fine as long as i feed them with the right kind of energy/spirit


whoooe...where can I get some of that pixy dust?
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 10:39:03
 
el carbonero

 

Posts: 295
Joined: Jun. 23 2007
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
quote:

are You a paid endorser for savarez?


I would love to be ...

There best strings excepet duration.

The oasis gpx trebles carbon are good but the E broke and broke...
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 12:12:57
 
keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
britguy, curious as to why you thought paco pena playing d'addarios was weird?
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 12:52:00
 
britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to keith) 
quote:

urious as to why you thought paco pena playing d'addarios was weird?


Maybe 'weird' was a poor choice of words; but I did ( and still do) think it was rather strange that a virtuoso of PP's level would use only one brand/type of string for so many years, and on (presumably) several different guitars. . .

But - as someone else suggested earlier in the thread - maybe he prefers to spend more time playing the guitar, rather than playing around with different strings?

Anyway, it seems my young friend ( one of PP's ex-students from Rotterdam Conservatory, and a hell of a player) was not just guessing. . .

Just for the record; I like D'Addario's (EJ46's) a lot, extremely consistent and reliable; but somehow do not seem to have quite the 'sparkle' that I get with Savarez. . . (???)

But - like many of us in here- I'm still playing around with various strings/guitar,combos. . .

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 13:58:24
 
tri7/5

 

Posts: 570
Joined: May 5 2012
 

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: britguy

quote:

urious as to why you thought paco pena playing d'addarios was weird?


Maybe 'weird' was a poor choice of words; but I did ( and still do) think it was rather strange that a virtuoso of PP's level would use only one brand/type of string for so many years, and on (presumably) several different guitars. . .



If I was a touring professional player I wouldn't use anything but EJ45's so I can see it. They have superior consistency and you can even find them pretty much anywhere if you are traveling. The last thing I would want is for my new "insert brand here" to not intonate properly and be out of tune during a performance.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 16:08:35
 
beno

Posts: 881
Joined: Nov. 3 2006
From: Hungary

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
quote:

The real pros don't have time for all that nonsense. They're too busy actually playing their instruments.


that's funny, why would one exclude the other? One can experiment with strings and still play his butt off...
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 16:19:03
 
gerundino63

Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
I order my D' addario strings in bulck package at the guitarbuilder in Amsterdam Otto Vowinkel.
You can only buy it in "bulck" 5 sets at a time. 6,50 euro per set. Not packed in carton, only in plastic.
I know Eric Vaarzon morel does the same and it could be possible other "known" guitarists does the same too.
That way you have pretty cheap strings of good quality.......
Otto Vowinkel knows Paco Peña and other Rotterdam concervatory teachers.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 16:25:40
 
aeolus

Posts: 765
Joined: Oct. 30 2009
From: Mier

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to beno) 
quote:


quote:

The real pros don't have time for all that nonsense. They're too busy actually playing their instruments.


that's funny, why would one exclude the other? One can experiment with strings and still play his butt off...


In other words, a non sequitur. Pointless.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 16:26:06
 
Erik van Goch

 

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to gerundino63) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: gerundino63

I order my D' addario strings in bulck package at the guitarbuilder in Amsterdam Otto Vowinkel.



Does he also sell "bass sets only" ? I use to leave my trebles on for years.

I should contact him anyway one of these days to see if he can alter the bridge holes of my Conde.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 19:09:51
 
gerundino63

Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Paco (Pena) what strings? (in reply to britguy) 
No, no bass sets only.....:-)

If it is possible, Otto can do the job. Maybe ask him if it is better to make a 12 hole from it?
In my " not so technical developed mind" a 12 hole gives less stress on the future holes?

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Feb. 3 2014 19:29:39
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