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Although im not very experienced in flamenco i really like the Savarez 500Cj's, High tension. I have not experimented alot but i found the D'Addario EJ45 black, normal tension to have bright trebles and weak bass. Moreover, i hate the feel of the polished trebles, they are slippery. Furthermore, i find they tend to stick under your nails with arpeggios and tremolos. I really enjoy the speed and unpolished trebles of high tension 500cj's once you get used to the tension, the only downside is they seem to wear out quickly. My bass strings for example has worn right through since Christmas, i suspect around an hour a day. They do sound alot more balanced i find, unless thats just me.
Sounds like you are happy with your trebles - the 'New Cristal' nylon, which are PA 12 nylon. The other main type of nylon used for guitar strings is PA 6-12, like the trebles in the D'Addario EJ45 set.
I personally use Savarez 510AJ string set, which is a high tension set with 'Alliance' trebles (i.e. PVDF i.e. fluorocarbon i.e. 'carbon' trebles) and regular Cantiga basses. These trebles are very sing-songy on my guitar, beautiful brilliant sound, and because they are 'carbon', they are thinner - no 'tubby' G string. After getting used to that sound and feel, it is hard to go back to nylon, for me.
Posts: 3446
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to kitarist)
I started using Savarez 520R "red cards" on the Ramirez when it was new. The Arcangel Fernandez has a very thin top. The fan braces "printed" with the 520Rs. The printing stabilized, but I tried the lower tension Savarez 520B "white cards" a few years ago. The printing disappeared, the left hand is a little easier, and there is hardly any difference in the sound.
The negra is a Tom Blackshear "Reyes" model. Tom told me the guitar was built and adjusted with D'Addario high tension EJ-46s in mind. The action is low enough that it requires less left hand force than the Savarez red cards on the Ramirez, and there's no excessive buzzing.
I bought an expensive classical more than 21 years ago, and tried most major brands and varieties of strings pretty systematically. Fluorocarbon trebles were too bright. I settled upon D'Addario EJ-45s and have stuck with them. I eventually put the D'Addarios on two of the other classicals, made by reputable luthiers.
The fourth classical is a Blackshear "Rodriguez" model. I have kept on with Tom's recommended high tension D'Addario EJ-46s. It has a low action too, and is easier on the left hand than the other classicals with lower tension strngs.
The expensive one has the widest range of tone quality, if you figure out how to get it.
Posts: 1759
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
I have used for 30 years D’Addario Ej46 hard tension, or EJ45 medium tension. I used them, so I get the “Normal”sound of the guitar, the strings are quite basic.
Last week a Professional Flamenco guitarist came over to try my Lazarides, and a Jose Bellido, and he adviced me to put on zavares 500AR medium tension on them. I orded them yesterday, curious how they will feel and sound!
Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
La Bella 820….either black or red trebles. I have used the red ones for many years now. I have two guitars that prefer Luthier 20s….which I also use on any guitar on occasion. But those two guitars don’t like the La Bella’s for some reason. Maybe it is not a coincidence that the back and side material on those two are similar (maple and Lawson cypress/port Orford).
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
I would say that if you are noticing sound differences between string brands, than try as many as you can. For myself (and my Deutsch blanca) I keep coming back to Royal Classics flamenco basses (gives an extra D string, too), and I prefer carbon trebles for the brightness, but have not settled on a brand although I like the Knobloch CX trebles and the Oasis carbons. For myself, I have found D'Addario's to be good, solid and reliable, but kinda boring. See my review of the Knobloch Sterling Silvers in the review section, good luck!
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to ric)
I've been stocking up on high tension savarez 500Cj's. I've really fallen in love with the strings, especially the trebles. My index nail tends to grow curled in so it really grabs the strings and can even get caught and slow me down. When doing fast arpeggios the 500Cj's seem to work alot better for my nails. Yes you can get the bass strings for a few bucks cheaper from strings by mail but i recently found an alliexpress source that is selling the whole pack for $8.74 CDN. They are in bulk though, i believe they are what guitar manufactures and builders would buy to string all their guitars with.
I bought two sets just to see if its legite or not:
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
alliexpress source that is selling the whole pack for $8.74 CDN. They are in bulk though,
IMHO there is no way these are Savarez strings, especially the basses (basses are not made by a plastics manufacturer; just the core material for them). The trebles may be OK, just PA12 material.
Posts: 1809
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
My index nail tends to grow curled in so it really grabs the strings and can even get caught and slow me down.
The solution to this is easy, but almost nobody seems to know it. I owe my knowledge to an article by the late Peter Sensier, in the old B.M.G. magazine. My nails are very hooked indeed, but, using this method I have had no problem for 50+ years. Unfortunately, it is easier to demonstrate than describe.
Hold your hand horizontally, palm down. Then the usual way to hold the file is vertically. But instead, hold the file horizontally, so that it's parallel to your hand. The basic idea is to file your nails this way, from underneath; then the resulting cross-section must be flat, because the nail-file is flat.
There are a few wrinkles:
1) You will need to tilt the file towards you a bit, i.e. about 15º towards the conventional position.
2) You will also need (if you play off the left side of your nails, as most people do, Presti/Lagoya excepted) to tilt your hand to the left a bit, so that nails are shorter on the left side than the right.
3) When finished, round off the nails with the file in the conventional position to remove the resulting knife-edge.
4) Be careful not to cut the quick of your nails with the file — and especially, don't use an emery-board!
Posts: 1759
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
Hi Paul,
Do I understand correctly, that; if the file and hand is in the position like you say, and instead of using the file to move, I use my hand to move, I “scratch” the file in the length? If so, I understand perfectly what you wrote.
Posts: 1809
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to gerundino63)
quote:
Do I understand correctly, that; if the file and hand is in the position like you say, and instead of using the file to move, I use my hand to move, I “scratch” the file in the length?
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
I suppose it makes a big difference if your playing happens mostly in your room or in front of a mic or you play in noisy set ups and you need some extra power. I’d go for medium tension in the first case and high tension in the latter. I have been told Savarez blue HT are the most used strings for people playing live in Spain. Re: Medium tension I like LaBella 520 red and Luthier the most (never tried Solera strings but read about happy people). High tension is what I use the most. The Savarez set already suggested by Konstantin is my favourite and it is on the soft side for being HT. Alternatively I’d go for D’addario Aj46 (The fluorocarbon version is even better and lasts more).
Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
My index nail tends to grow curled in so it really grabs the strings and can even get caught and slow me down. When doing fast arpeggios the 500Cj's seem to work alot better for my nails.
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to Ricardo)
Tried this and its definitely an improvement with the sticking to the strings. I also find because of the shape of my index finger, the nail must be much shorter than the others in order to extend no more than 1-2MM past the flesh. It seems like aside from the thumb, you really dont need very long nails for flamenco.
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to kitarist)
quote:
IMHO there is no way these are Savarez strings, especially the basses (basses are not made by a plastics manufacturer; just the core material for them). The trebles may be OK, just PA12 material.
We wont know until someone (me) takes one for the team to see if they are real. I dont see why they wouldn't be, alot of guitars are made in China, alot of guitars are strung with savarez strings when they are being built in china. My Cordoba F7 was hand made in china, strung with savarez strings also most likely in china. I highly doubt cordoba ships the guitars from china to spain, or worse, to the US to get some strings. They likely have a distribution warehouse somewhere in the US with a bunch of guitars ready to go.
There is also this misconception that Chinese made goods are no good, ill admit quality control is the biggest reason but there are also some fine products that come from china at much lower prices than elsewhere.
Posts: 3467
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
My Cordoba F7 was hand made in china
How do you know it was hand made in China rather than a factory-made instrument?
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to BarkellWH)
Because their documentation says it was, than i can only assume it goes through quality control in the US. In fact, their whole Iberia line which is marketed at beginner to intermediate is hand made in China.
quote:
How do you know it was hand made in China rather than a factory-made instrument?
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to devilhand)
.
quote:
LOL!
Yeah it does sound funny, but the truth is the Chinese are capable of producing some quality products, it’s mostly a marketing gimmick anyways to be made in other countries. Aside from keeping everything in the local economy rather than outsourcing everything to China (which is a whole other can on worms), I’ve bought poor quality stuff made in Italy, the US etc. It really just depends on the QAQC process. I was pretty impressed with cordobas quality so far, even with the stuff made in China. The truth is all products are subject to being made on mondays and fridays.
Posts: 3467
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
Because their documentation says it was, than i can only assume it goes through quality control in the US. In fact, their whole Iberia line which is marketed at beginner to intermediate is hand made in China.
It takes a huge leap of faith to believe these guitars are "hand made in China" (as opposed to factory made) because "their documentation says it was." As for quality control, the primary point of quality control would be at the place where they are manufactured in China, not in the U.S. That they are labeled "hand made" is more than likely a marketing ploy to appeal to buyers who can flaunt their guitars as being "hand made," which adds an "artisanal" touch to their instrument.
I'm not criticizing the guitar for not being hand made (if it indeed is not). It may very well be--probably is--a very nice guitar. I would be very careful, however, in pushing the idea that it is hand made because the Chinese documentation says it is.
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to BarkellWH)
Well i paid $900 for the guitar, that does not prove it was hand made, but i would certainly hope its hand made so i have to trust that cordoba is telling me the truth. To be clear, this is not chinese documentation, Cordoba is an American company that outsources guitars to both spain and china. Their entire Iberia line is supposedly hand made in China, the more expensive lines are hand made in spain.
I also get the feeling that the guitar is hand made, just looking at the inlays and the details. Curious though, what would make you think that the manufacturer is lying?
This really shouldn't come as as surprise that it is hand made, i've read most guitars are, except for the Yamaha C40 type guitars. I dont think there is enough demand for flamenco guitars to warrant creating an entire assembly line, this could be likely why entry level flamenco guitars cost alot more than classical guitars.
Posts: 3467
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
Well i paid $900 for the guitar, that does not prove it was hand made, but i would certainly hope its hand made so i have to trust that cordoba is telling me the truth. To be clear, this is not chinese documentation, Cordoba is an American company that outsources guitars to both spain and china. Their entire Iberia line is supposedly hand made in China, the more expensive lines are hand made in spain.
I also get the feeling that the guitar is hand made, just looking at the inlays and the details. Curious though, what would make you think that the manufacturer is lying?
I am well aware that Cordoba is an American company, but its claim that its guitars are "hand made" is based on the Chinese manufacturer's claim, which no doubt follows Cordoba's specifications. The term "hand made" is used because it evokes an artisan-luthier's approach to luthiery rather than what is more likely, i.e., a modified assembly line production mode.
Do not be misled by thinking that I am stating hands haven't touched it in its manufacture. Clearly they have, and that is why Cordoba, in the strictest sense, is not lying. But that is not the meaning of "hand made" in its truest sense.
That you enjoy the guitar, however, is what counts.
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
Daddario EJ something. The hard tension ones. I've tried out plenty of different sets and brands but in the end I guess I'm too much of a philistine to care, so I just go with the cheap and reliable. In my case it basically boils down to whether I want to sound like sh1t with money in my bank account or sound like sh1t without money in my bank account.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to BarkellWH)
quote:
I am well aware that Cordoba is an American company, but its claim that its guitars are "hand made" is based on the Chinese manufacturer's claim, which no doubt follows Cordoba's specifications. The term "hand made" is used because it evokes an artisan-luthier's approach to luthiery rather than what is more likely, i.e., a modified assembly line production mode. Do not be misled by thinking that I am stating hands haven't touched it in its manufacture. Clearly they have, and that is why Cordoba, in the strictest sense, is not lying. But that is not the meaning of "hand made" in its truest sense.
Right so you are saying they could be using some marketing trickery. Well what can you do, $900 Cad for a guitar seems like a decent chunk of change. The Iberia lineup in general seems to cost more than your average guitar for what it is. How much does one have to spend to ensure their guitar is truly hand made?
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to Piwin)
I really like strings by mail, Daddario cost the same as Savarez for the most part. Im not sure why but i find the cost of strings can vary across retailers, many times by a large amount.
RE: What is your string of choice an... (in reply to trivium91)
quote:
I really like strings by mail
Seems to be the go-to site of quite a few of the American members of the foro, so I'm sure it's good. Shipping costs make it a pretty expensive option for those of us in Europe though, so I've never tried it.
Yeah, I just meant that I'm not spending money on the more expensive sets because I sound like crap no matter what I'm playing on lol. I suppose if I had a single strain of nationalistic pride in me I'd use Savarez over Daddario, but I had a bad set of Savarez once and I've never had a bad set of Daddario, so that's that. My reasoning is really that simplistic
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
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