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Hello, i just used Aquila's Alabastro Nromal Trebles and they sound amazing. I think that they're the best trebles in market. But i see that normal are too thin for my fingers. They sound amazing but i need a higher tension, i will go to superior tension.
I think that they're much better than Daddario's or La Bellla's 820B. With Alabastro you will get the crispy sound tha flamenco needs. Has anyone tried these trebles or all of these are in my head?
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
I'm siding with gounaro, they're among the best. The inventor recently reformulated them too, but I haven't tried the new versions. That's assuming they're on the market, which I don't know.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
Interesting! I have a set waiting to be tested but it will take a while before i feel ready for them. . not really up for another adventure at this point... I have 820B on now and I don't like the feel of the trebles so I'm longing for regular thickness medium tension clear nylon.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to HemeolaMan)
HemeolaMan, you know that every string fits best in different guitars... Maybe in your guitar are horrible, but in mine are extraordinary. I prefer Aquila and La Bella's Blacks. I dont like D' Addario's because are so dull. I want something crispy and flamenco. Something that D' Addarios dont give me. Luthier are also good but i reapeat it depends on guitars. By the way, what do you use?
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
The most "crisp" treble strings that i have seen so far. And the difference to other strings is not even small, its so big that whenever i put different trebles on, i re-change them to the Aquilas again after very short time, a day or so. Its a big, fat difference. I hope they do NOT change their production, as somebody mentioned in the past.
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
I know there are always differences of opinion about specific strings, but rarely this extreme. Deniz and Gounara say these strings are incredibly superior – by far, and Hemeola man says they are the worst he has ever played - bar none. Intriguing. After reading this I'm going to have to try them out for myself.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to Ramon Amira)
yeah Pc, best is to try yourself! I admit that people from classic field have different opinon on sound. But i think these strings are especially well for flamenco playing. Somebody who is used to having a more full, round, mellow sound (as classics often want) will probably not enjoy theses strings much.
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
Thanks Deniz – But I play far more flamenco than classical, and always have. I will be able to judge them for flamenco. I should have a set by next week, and I'll give you my thoughts. I'm really curious to hear these.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
It should be noted that I wanted to like them. But when i took them off after a week of tryign to convince myself i did like them, i put on a set of daddarios and i knew that the Aquilas had sucked lol.
I just realllly hate them! Im not the only one, i think stephen hates them too. probably some others but i wont speak for them.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to HemeolaMan)
hemeola, you brought me to an idea. In past members have uploaded some recordings of themselves playing different guitars, for others to compare which one they like. Expanding this idea to strings we, or anybody who is interested in strings, could upload 2 videos each comparing just one string against another. This would be the most objective thing to do since everything else is kept the same, except the string. This way we could also prevent different understandings of sound, coz everybody would hear the same thing.
I used to make a list to find the best bass strings for my guitar. As soon as i stringed my guitar i would take the list and write the name of the string and my first impression of sound. When i stringed it off i would write about the durability of the last one. I would also take a note how it sounds when the first freshness of the string is over. Because that "middle" section (before the string is really dead) is the one in which i play most of the time in a string.
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to HemeolaMan)
yes that wouldnt be possible, but really apart from tension i dont see much difference in playability of strings. I mean compared to the factor how good your technique is it is negligible. I had something in mind like a library, where people can choose before buying or trying a string. Plus it would help in discussions. Another more important point is it would be timeless. With that i mean, after some time you forget how a string sounded if you dont use it..
I think Deniz that this is a very good idea, but you know that everybody has his opinion about strings. It's like women . Except from durable and how a string sounds, i believe that the feel is a very serious matter. I know many people who plays with bad strings for the reason that they fell ok with their fingers.
To play with very good and well sounding strings doesnt mean that your fingers will accept them. Not for a long time....
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to gounaro)
Dear All, I am the Aquila owner. Sometime i have a bit of time to visit some musical forums. I would like to spend a few words in matter of the Alabstro trebles. They are made with the new Nylgut since August 2010 that is an improved version of the old white Nylgut. The surface is completely smoothm polished and they gom in tune in a very fast way than before. I would like to offer to some of you some samples just for your tests. I have at disposal, for trial, just 10 set of trebles in a superior tension. you can send me a private message in this forum.
Nylgut.....sounds funny. D'Addario are cool. When you play crisp, they magically sound crisp. They sort of seem to follow the articulation that I produce with my fingers. Its uncanny. Reminds me of my microphone. When I point it at a trumpet, it sounds like a trumpet and when I point it at a guitar it sounds like a guitar. Amazing.
Posts: 42
Joined: Mar. 23 2010
From: Dunstable, England
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to JasonMcGuire)
You lost me there Jason. I was following the first part of what you were saying quite well, but the comment about the mic left me puzzled
I have used Alabastro superior tension strings on my Burguet and I have to admit I liked the sound and feel of the trebles, but it did take a very long time for them to settle in. I recently replaced the Alabastros on the Burguet with D'Addario EJ47 (Bronze wound basses) - an unusual jangly sound, initially very pleasing, but now starting to deafen me (or is that just my playing???). Strangely, on recording them, the sound came back quite dull?
I have just put a set of D'Addario EJ49 with the black trebles (normal tension) on another guitar - pretty good sound, but the trebles feel really hard and painful under my fingers. So, may take mimmo up on his offer of free Alabastro trebles
Anyway, going back to the topic, I liked the Alabastro trebles, but found the bass strings a little disappointing and they (the bass strings) didn't last very long...
RE: Aquila Alabastro Trebles (in reply to JasonMcGuire)
Daddario is a good string, but them Alabastros are the killer strings. HAh one could say... Alabastro is like cante. And daddario is like guitar... unimportant, irrelevant, uninspiring, boring, compared to cante... err i mean Daddario
I bet I would break those strings in the first live set I play. This is the case with all strings I have used except D'Addario. Todd's right I play too hard. I should start taking Prozac and calm the fu*k down. Thats what flamenco needs. It needs to be chill and middle of the road so that when you put killer, fake cat gut strings on your guitar it sounds crisp AND you won't have to worry about them breaking, endangering any more fake cats just because you happen to get all inspired about what you are doing. Meow.
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Dear All, I am the Aquila owner. Sometime i have a bit of time to visit some musical forums. I would like to spend a few words in matter of the Alabstro trebles
It is a pleasure to have a string-maker on the foro. Thank you, Mimmo (piacere di conoscerTi).
Since we have such privilege, and we often indulge in the never-ending discussion and search for the perfect strings, can we press you for your expert opinion? Will you be so patient to contribute your knowledge and experience regarding strings in the context of flamenco guitars and flamenco music.
I had tried your Alchemia and Alabastro in due course, but (with the open-ended disclaimer that this is a most subjective reaction and that I am not by any stretch of imagination a proficient guitarist but purely an amateur) I found that they lacked the lyrical tones D’Daddario and Luthier’s trebles afford. However, I also recognize that switching string is never as simple as it may seem at first.
When I first transitioned from D’Addario to Luthier I also found the latter to leave a lot to be desired, yet I am now addicted to them –economical, perfect intonation, settled in tune rather swiftly and above all translate into the sound I like and seek to obtain from my guitars.
Recently, I decided to try Savarez (Corum Basses –high tension- and Alliance Trebles -normal tension). I allowed a full week before determining that the trebles were unexcitingly dull and unevenly rough (nails kept scratching and splitting on picados and rasgueos) compared to the smoother, more lyrical and crisp Luthier and D’Addario,
So what strings and tension would you generally recommend for Flamenco guitars, Blanca and Negra?
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. Except from durable and how a string sounds, i believe that the feel is a very serious matter. I know many people who plays with bad strings for the reason that they fell ok with their fingers. 
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