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Aquila most durable set?
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AndresK
Posts: 347
Joined: Jan. 4 2019
From: Patras, Greece
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 Aquila most durable set?
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Hello to all. I have been using luthier popular supreme 20 on my blanca for some time because I like them and they are, as everyone knows, very good strings. They have that perfect balance of body and brilliance and ease of left hand fretting that I am looking for in my guitar.
But no one knows if luthier company will still be around making strings for sure so I thought it would be a good idea to check some other brands other than the ones I have already played in my guitar life (La Bella 820, D'Addario EJ45, Savarez New cristal).
I recently tried Aquila because I was intrigued by the whole company profile and innovations. I skipped the flamenco oriented strings they have (Granato and Sugar extra high tension, as they do not have such good reviews) and bought the Sugar normal tension strings.
They sounded very different than nylon as expected. Very clear and vibrant and lively strings. Perfect intonation, note separation and balance though all the strings. Tremolo never sounded more clear. No squeaking for me at all! Really. Maybe it was the stretching or the never dry hands I have (sweating most of the time).
Downs: Buzzing on the second string that I have never experienced with any other brand set on this guitar. The first string broke overnight (after a week) while the guitar was sitting quietly in its case. Never had a string break for 20 years using D'addario, savarez, La bella and Luthier brands. (Well once I used stag strings because I could not find anything else and broke in 2 hours)
Does anyone know which set of Aquila has the less breakage issues? I really like the profile of Aquila company with all the innovations and the differentiation on the sound, but I really need a workhorse string that lasts. I couldn't stand a broken string after I open my guitar case before a concert, that would be unacceptable and I would never play with those strings again.
Any suggestions on an Aquila set that is more durable?
Maybe Alchemia, Alabastros or something anyone here tried?
P.S. Please include tension (normal, superior etc.)
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this post. It is very much appreciated.
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Date Jan. 11 2020 22:29:18
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AndresK
Posts: 347
Joined: Jan. 4 2019
From: Patras, Greece
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RE: Aquila most durable set? (in reply to JasonM)
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The red basses are fine, I will show you a pic of the set before I put it on last week. The first string broke within a week though. Squeaking occurs because there is friction, during the first week at least, in the trebles, on the right hand.
If you rub the sugar trebles there is friction that produces the sound that you usually get when you put a cleaning liquid on the basses and rub them afterwards with some cloth to wipe the excessive liquid. Just like fast fret, if you ever used something like that. That is the sound and it comes from the right hand for most of the players, that is why Aquila suggests you should use some kind of hand lotion on you right hand for the first week before you start playing. I personally never experienced that kind of squeaking but I generally do not have dry hands. Quite the contrary, they sweat most of the times. Maybe that helped.
The red basses are cool but it is true what beno said that they are a bit weak on low end frequencies. They match the trebles well though creating a good balance overall. I wouldn't suggest the normal sugar set personally, because I had the breakage and buzzing on the second string. Another thing is that when you put a capo, let's say on the third fret, the normal sugar trebles start to cause pain on the left hand fingers, on the touching point, almost like metal strings.
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Date Jan. 14 2020 6:48:00
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AndresK
Posts: 347
Joined: Jan. 4 2019
From: Patras, Greece
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RE: Aquila most durable set? (in reply to AndresK)
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Dear all,
Just for a follow up on Aquila strings and for future reference for people searching info on Aquila strings based in players opinions.
I am using Alabastro normal tension for some days now (more than 10). They feel a lot more durable than the Sugars. They are very easy to fret on the left hand with very clear and precise sound. More sound "body" than the sugars.Very sweet sounding but at the same time very crisp if you want them to. Tension wise they feel easier that the Luthier 20 and a bit faster. I have noticed that D' Addario Ej25 and Ej45 are also fast but with less body (in sound) from the guitar. Savarez corum new cristal, hard and normal sets always get me a bit slower (on the feel and on the actual speed on the metronome). Harmonics (natural, like on 12th, 7th and 5th fret, and artificial, only produced with the right hand while the left is fretting) also sound louder that D' Addario and Luthier 20's. This harmonics thing is the one thing that I really liked about Savarez New Cristal, but the Aquila Alabastro has it too, even though the Alabastro is lighter in tension.
I am very impressed with the Aquila Alabastro but I will keep on searching in Aquila for a bit, maybe to find something more suitable to my taste of sound.
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Date Feb. 23 2020 7:42:24
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AndresK
Posts: 347
Joined: Jan. 4 2019
From: Patras, Greece
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RE: Aquila most durable set? (in reply to AndresK)
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And another update for anyone who wants to have a better view on Aquila strings.
I also used Cristallo superior tension for some time. They have the same tension feel as the luthier 20's (a bit easier in my opinion at some point), not as full sounding though. The Cristallos sounded clearer though, giving a very nice tone that is much better than many nylons I have played before.
I also put on the sugars normal tension that broke some time ago (when I first started the post). At that time the first sugar string broke at the saddle one week after installation and then broke again at the same point when I tried to restring it (I never cut the string excess over the tuners, but make a loop on themselves in case I use them on a different guitar another time, so I had enough string left despite the breakages).
This time, before stringing the sugars back on, I used the 3M 500 grit sandpaper on the saddle to smoothen it of any possible friction points. There were some slightly rough spots there that vanished with the sandpaper. And the Sugars are not breaking now, even if they are not new, and broke at that time, are just fine now.
So please check the friction points before using some Aquila strings, it would be a same to miss the chance to try them properly.
I will try harder tension Sugars after that because I feel Aquila are very easy to play strings and very fast too, like D'Addario but with more interesting sound (for my taste). That is because I get more buzzing than I normally get from my guitar with the sugars that are more elastic and not enough body. I will let you know here for more on Aquila.
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Date Mar. 18 2020 0:10:49
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