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Classical Strings vs Flamenco Strings
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Ramon Amira
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
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 RE: Classical Strings vs Flamenco St... (in reply to Djreisat)
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There is no such thing as "classical or flamenco strings." While it's true that some strings may feel or be better for flamenco, such designations are meaningless. A string is comprised of certain material and composition, a certain diameter, and a certain tension. All these obviously remain the same whether you put them on a classical guitar or a flamenco guitar. Manufacturers like to say "Flamenco Strings" because it sounds good, and these strings might in fact be better for flamenco, but if they are, it's only because the above mentioned composition, diameter, and tension is better for flamenco. That doesn't make it a "flamenco string." The same string could be used perfectly well on a classical guitar for any individual guitarist who prefers that. By the same logic then, that would make it a "classical string." Though there are plenty of exceptions, most flamenco guitarists agree that a lighter tension string works better for flamenco. But that doesn't make it a "flamenco string," since plenty of classical guitarists also prefer a lighter tension string. It is simply a string that is being used for flamenco.
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Date Nov. 9 2009 6:39:44
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hhmusic
Posts: 164
Joined: May 13 2006
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RE: Classical Strings vs Flamenco St... (in reply to Djreisat)
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For what it's worth, my current favorite 'flamenco' strings are the old Savarez 540 red card 'high/normal' tension, with the unrectified, slightly rough feeling trebles. Which are supposed to be for 'classical' guitars. I've seen a lot of Spanish flamenco pros using these. They seem to impart some color and complexity to a bright instrument. They're also reasonable in price.
Of the specifically 'flamenco' strings, I still prefer the original Hannabach flamenco, with the yellow/gold colored trebles, in medium tension. Some have commented that the medium tension in these feels like hard tension in others, and for the basses, I'd have to agree. They're stiffer. The trebles have normal 'give'. They are louder than most strings.
The tried and true D'addario J45 is still great. Very neutral and reliable. Doesn't add anything to the sound; they allow you to hear the guitar.
At the moment, I'm using only these three types depending on the guitar, and the sound I'm looking for. Savarez 540 for color. Hannabach 820 for power. J45 for neutral.
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Date Jul. 24 2017 6:49:08
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mark indigo
Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
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RE: Classical Strings vs Flamenco St... (in reply to kitarist)
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quote:
BTW D'Addario EJ25B "flamenco" strings set consists of black-dyed high-tension EJ46 trebles and normal-tension EJ45 basses. That's it.
says on the packet they are composites, so the basses will be EJ45C or whatever the serial number for composites is, but different from standard EJ45 anyway.
EDIT: I just checked D'Addario website. The flamenco sets are composite basses. But they don't seem to quite match up exactly to the other strings in the composites "family" according to the "family tension chart".
If you go here:
http://daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=247
you see the EJ25B set, and under the tension chart click on "Family Tension Chart"
I checked both "Pro-Arte Nylon Core" and "Pro-Arte Composites" chart and can't find any 1st string with the same diameter and tension as the Flamenco/EJ25 1st string. The clear flamenco (EJ25C) trebles are the same diameter and tension as the black (EJ25B) flamenco trebles, both are different to everything else.
The 2nd and 3rd strings are the same diameter and tension as EJ46 and EJ46C.
If I've read the chart correctly the 4th string in the EJ25B set is the same diameter and a lower tension than the regular EJ43 Pro-Arte low tension set. It's the same tension and a lower diameter than the 4th string in the Pro-Arte Composite EJ45C set.
The EJ25 5th string is the same tension but a higher diameter compared to the EJ45C. It's also the same diameter as the EJ45, but the tension is lower, between EJ43 and EJ45 (ie. between low and normal).
Flamenco 6th string is same tension but thicker than the normal tension composite (EJ45C) set, and same diameter and a shade higher tension than the normal tension pro-arte (EJ46).
So they do seem to be a unique set. I still don't like them. And I tried them twice, with a bunch of other sets in between, different brands and lines, just to make sure. They were still soft and mushy and muddy sounding. But that's a personal opinion relating to my guitars and hands etc.
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Date Jul. 25 2017 13:26:52
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kitarist
Posts: 1715
Joined: Dec. 4 2012
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RE: Classical Strings vs Flamenco St... (in reply to mark indigo)
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I think there are mistakes in that chart. Also some random rounding - but the tensions are exactly the same (and yes, the basses in both sets are the same but forgot to say "composites").
For example, string 1: same tension but diameter listed as 0.285 and 0.29 - I bet it is the same diameter in both cases but in the second case someone just rounded it up to two significant digits in one case and did not round it in the other. Or, even more likely, they used to report to two significant digits after the decimal point, so 0.29, but the flamenco set is newer so someone measured it again, perhaps, and they now report to three s.digits. Then someone copied the older measurements from a chart for the EJ46/C and wrote it as 0.290 to conform to the new apparent format.
For the bass strings, there are some transcription errors/typos I think - for example according to that family chart the EJ45C D string is the thickest of the bass strings and all three bass strings are thinner than the g-string. Really? Also the tension increases from D to A to E and is identical to that of the D-A-E strings of the "flamenco" set, but the diameter goes 38-28-35 which makes no sense physically unless they are all of different density materials (really?) yet calibrated to match exactly the tension of the flamenco basses (whose diameter makes physical sense with tension increase) to three significant digits after the decimal point. Really? :-)
Another example - look at this regarding the total tension listed:
I created an excel sheet some time ago to track and compare strings (and calculate implied density based on tension and diameter (and pitch), also calculate implied tension at different scale lengths). It was meant to become a comprehensive "database" eventually, but it is so hard to come by data for a lot of string manufacturers - including reference scale length.
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Konstantin
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Date Jul. 25 2017 15:46:40
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