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Posts: 10
Joined: Oct. 11 2019
From: Los Angeles, California USA
hard, medium, or regular
Greetings All
Have very recently started playing again I wanted to see what tension strings you all use in regards to string tension. In my younger days I would swear by hard tensions, now a days I find that my hands and fingers are not as limber as they used to be attributed to working for many years in my youth with ice. anyway just wanted to see where you all stand.
Posts: 15723
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
Depends on the guitar setup. Some guitars need high tension to sound good, they usually feel fine with high tension too. Low tension is too buzzy and weak volume.
Other guitars will feel stiff and difficult with hard tension strings, probably not bright and snappy enough sound wise either.
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
I like high tension; it allows for a more comfortable and faster lower action without any or much buzzing. My set up is usually about 2.4-2.6 on bass at 12th fret and 2.0/2.3 mm or close on the treble at 12th fret. The tension ratings on different brands of strings do vary.
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
One of my guitars is really sensitive to humidity. In winter (now) the action is low and in summer it gets higher. Rather then changing the saddle height I simply use high tension strings when dry and switch to normal when high humidity settles.
Posts: 100
Joined: Aug. 1 2013
From: Abita Springs, Louisiana
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
What complicates the matter even further is the fact that there's no uniformity among the manufacturers regarding the specific tension assigned to "hard", "medium/normal" etc. Like most of us, I have one guitar that responds well to a "lighter" tension (Savarez Tomatito medium) and one to harder tension (D'Addario EJ45C) - both of these sets are designated medium/normal, but there's a noticeable difference in overall tension.
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
I worry about using hard tension strings because I'm afraid they may damage my guitar. I often think about using light tension because of that awesome player (the guy who lives in France but is I think Spanish - can't remember his name, LOL, but I think he uses light tension strings) who makes the strings sound so great.
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
I think you mean Pepe Fernandez; he plays with a light touch, plenty of hammer-on and pull off in the style of Diego del Morao, isn’t it? The guitars he plays on the tube for Solera and Mundo flamenco are almost always mounting luthier 30 strings. Anyway I don’t think hard tension strings can make any harm to any average guitar.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
Depending on the guitar, I have used high tension and medium tension. I've never used low tension.
Bill
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RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to rombsix)
Samuelito maybe? (but he's French, not Spanish)
edit: lol, too late AND I'm wrong
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RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
Johannes Inhoffen of Mundo Flamenco says "I always sent extra low tension strings to Moraito in Jerez in the 90s, because he could not get them there and wanted to play on stage with the most low tension strings that existed. Other pros prefer hard tension."
RE: hard, medium, or regular (in reply to AngelsFlight13)
Hi, in the specs of the Guitar they also say the strings used for the video and mostly are luthier 30 with nylon trebles. Luthier 30 should be medium-hard. As per feeling under the fingers, they are in between D’addario Ej45 and EJ46.
Luthier 30 should be medium-hard. As per feeling under the fingers, they are in between D’addario Ej45 and EJ46.
I can not find string diameter measurements for Luthiers anywhere. But Luthier 20’s have always felt medium hard to me. I measured .030 inches for the high e string versus .028 for EJ45 and Labella 427 medium tension strings. So Luthier 20’s are slightly thicker but maybe not noticeable to some people
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I often think about using light tension because of that awesome player (the guy who lives in France but is I think Spanish - can't remember his name, LOL, but I think he uses light tension strings) who makes the strings sound so great. 
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