String composition
Mermaid
or level? Or does only the tension?
I am looking for strings that have less vibration or a smaller radius of
vibration than my D'Addario Pro.Arté medium
tension strings without going up in tension. Or is there such a set of
strings?
Any recommendations?
Thanks for your time,
Paulette
Larry Deack
> I am looking for strings that have less vibration or
> a smaller radius of vibration than my D'Addario Pro.Arté
> medium tension strings without going up in tension.
> Or is there such a set of strings?
I don't think there is a way to do what :-(
David Kilpatrick
Mermaid wrote:
It's not easy with basses, because the wrapping weights the core, and
will always give a larger movement than expected (imagine putting
weights on a rope). With trebles, it is possible to do this by using a
material with less elasticity, and the easiest way is to use gut instead
of nylon. Gut strings transfer more of the energy as sound into the
guitar, and less into the air - they have a sharper 'attack', followed
by a long even sustain, while nylon generally has a 'fatter' attack and
fading sustain.
Flamenco strings are made from harder (but not heavier) nylon and do not
require more tension, but feel stiffer. They have some of the gut
quality - they can be played very hard without going crazy and rattling
on everything. But they have a slightly cold sound and may be a little
weak on a regular classical guitar - they belong on a very lightly built
flamenco guitar.
Aquila's 'Nylgut' strings are the closest things you can get to gut
sound and response, though still made from nylon. They feel and sound
entirely different in the trebles, but not as dark as Pro Arte Composite
Gs. I really like the sound. The basses are excellent too, being silver
wound (pure silver not plated), but they wear out very quickly compared
to the trebles.
See: http://www.aquilacorde.com/
and look at the Alchemia Nylgut Normal Tension set in modern instrument
strings section.
They take credit cards, the strings are very expensive but they are a
concert product and capable of transforming a guitar. The difference, on
a low cost but well made instrument, is quite amazing and much greater
than would be made by (say) the difference of plastic nut/saddle versus
bone nut/saddle.
David
Larry Deack
> With trebles, it is possible to do this by using a
> material with less elasticity, and the easiest way
> is to use gut instead of nylon.
I don't understand how reducing the elasticity does not require some other
compensation to produce the same pitch. Isn't there always going to be some
tradeoff if pitch is kept constant?
David Kilpatrick
Larry Deack wrote:
A good example is the Newtone steel string produced by Malc Newton. He
can offer you three ways of making a wrapped bass string:
a) Round core wire, round wrap - thin central core, thick wrap
b) As above but with a heavy central core, and a thinner wrap (these are
sold as the Gordon Giltrap Signature, Bluegrass and Drop Tuning sets)
c) Hexagonal core wire with a round wrap
The most 'lively' and elastic variant is the standard Masterclass thin
core string, which feels most flexible and produces more variety of
dynamics. However, some players break them all the time. The heavier
round core feels a bit stiffer and moves less. The hex core grips on to
the outer wrap like a D'Addario string and stands up or springs out into
a straight line when unwrapped - the round core still springs, but not
as straight. This feels much stiffer still.
The pitch of a string is determined by tension and weight (not diameter)
but the tension is regulated by any stretch - not much there in steel
strings, but LOADS in nylon. Nylon itself reforms under tension to lose
elasticity with time under load, and I'm sure most classical players
have noticed that the dull sound of VERY new trebles brightens up as the
tension stablises. If they did not stretch, strings would come to pitch
instantly and stay they for good. But they are slightly ductile and
slightly elastic - which also helps them vibrate - and while the same
measurable load will always be needed for a certain physical weight of
string to reach pitch, the way the string bears that load (how freely it
can bear MORE load created by the action of playing) depends on its
properties. A good nylon treble will reduce slightly in diameter under
permanent tuned-up tension (you can test this by examining an old treble
against a new unused one under a high-power textile glass), and also
lose its potential to stretch MORE. A really good string will stretch
with perfect even-ness along its length, cheap Indian-made strings (for
example) are notorious for horrible intonation because they develop thin
and thick bits when tuned up!
In the case of basses, the inner core material determines behavious
while the outer wrap adjusts weight. In steel string sets, a 12 gauge
core is often used for all three thickest bass strings, and a 10 gauge
core for the G (which is why they break more often). One of the reasons
the bass E can be troublesome with clattering around is that this core
is bearing a greater wrap weight which, when set in motion, is better
able to exploit the elasticity of the core. String types using hexagonal
wire are least prone to this but 'feel like stair-rods' in exchange.
Personally, I like round wire wraps on all strings. I don't like hex
wire at all. Round wrap wire is very expensive and few makers use it, in
steel/PB etc John Pearse, Thomastik, Newtone, and maybe some high-end
variants (I think Martin SP are a round wire wrap and core). In
classical I am unsure but I would imagine the most expensive strings use
true round wire and not stuff from the usual hex wire die. Hexagonal
wire is not all that hexagonal once drawn, it's a slight effect not a
dead sharp geometric edge, but it still wears your fingers, wears the
frets, makes more string noise, reduces string flexibility.
David
ilf...@yahoo.dk
>
>
>
>
> Aquila's 'Nylgut' strings are the closest things you can get to gut
> sound and response, though still made from nylon. They feel and sound
> entirely different in the trebles, but not as dark as Pro Arte Composite
> Gs. I really like the sound. The basses are excellent too, being silver
> wound (pure silver not plated), but they wear out very quickly compared
> to the trebles.
>
> See: http://www.aquilacorde.com/
>
> and look at the Alchemia Nylgut Normal Tension set in modern instrument
> strings section.
>
> They take credit cards, the strings are very expensive but they are a
> concert product and capable of transforming a guitar. The difference, on
> a low cost but well made instrument, is quite amazing and much greater
> than would be made by (say) the difference of plastic nut/saddle versus
> bone nut/saddle.
>
> David
I like to agree with David and add my experiance with the Aquila
strings.
I played the Aquila normal tension now for 3 to 4 month, and I am very
very satiesfied with the behavior of the trebles.
They have what one could call a full orchestral sound with many
possible timbres, and a great volumepotential .They intonate easy and
the stay very well in tune.The diameter is something like a rectified
normal nylonstring and though they feel a little inflexible from the
start(I like to play low to normal tensioned string), they give full
responce on the attack.
I play generally now with a little shorter nail, and a little more
planting if I need a warmer timbre,but thats an easy offer for the
good possibilities in the string.
Unfortunaly the A string broke twice, But the trebles work very well
with both Savarez corum normal tension, and D,Adaddario J29.
Ilf