classsical guitar strings

[mas music]

  I just put a set of GHS Muriel Anderson signature strings on my classical guitar. The treble strings are made from Titanium. I have tried carbon fiber trebles in the past. They did have more power and sustain then Nylon but they were hard to the touch and the tone was to bright for me. The Titanium trebles are soft to the touch and they sound and feel like nylon but with more volume and sustain. These are the best strings I've ever used on my classical, the G string transition is seemless. Daddario also makes titanium trebles perhaps I'll give them a go but right now these Murial Anderson strings sound terrific. I also have been enjoying  GHS Laurence Juber strings on my Larrivee.   

[lw216316]

thank you for the report.
I'll give them a try. 

- Larry

[cke]

Intriguing!  Thanks. I've been using standard ProArte High tensions. These sound like an exciting alternative. Do they last?

[Strings4Him]

I want to try the Aquila Nyglut strings at some point.

[mas music]

 I can't attest to the longevity of the Murial Anderson GHS strings since I just put them on. It's been my experience that classical guitar strings last a very long time. After reading many rave reviews on Savarez Alliance ( carbon fiber trebles)strings I was anxious to try them. I found them to be hard to the touch and the tone was very bright somewhere between nylon and steel string. The Titanium trebles sound like a proper classical guitar which I much prefere.   

[AZLiberty]

I always use La Bella strings on my classical because they make a ball end classical string.
Yeah, i know, I'm a heretic.   

[Denis]

My first guitar was a classical.  I used to use the Augustine Blue all the time.  It's been years since I actually put new strings on a classical!

[mas music]

I ordered the GHS to try based on this post.
....I'll give a report after I try them.

If the Savarez titanium trebles sound like other 'proper' nylon strings
then why buy them...since they cost more than a lot of other brands that sound 'proper' ?

I say this as a nice / serious  question.....not trying to be nasty about it ....
I'll probably try the Savarez after I try the GHS.

I would actually like to find a nylon string that sounds more like steel than
the traditional nylon sound.

- Larry

The Savarez Alliance strings are a great choice for the classical crossover genre. As for me I like my classical guitar to sound like a classical guitar and my steel string to sound like a steel string. I love the contrast.

[Strings4Him]

no more ball end strings period ...for me...
I could never take the chance of having one fail while I'm playing in public.

Thanks for the feedback.  I had been thinking of trying ball-end nylon strings.  I'll stick to the tie-on kind 

[cke]

Sorry I asked this same Q in the other post. (Thanks, LW)

mas music:
I was about to try these strings: Cautionary tale to be sure. Is the reason to put a ball on the b/c the titanium doesn't tie well? Doesn't bend that far? What?

And what about the Savarez? Do they also use a ball?

[mas music]

GHS Murial Anderson strings are NOT ball end strings they are tie strings. The ball at the end is a unique feature to keep the string from unwrapping it's not meant to handle the full tension of the string. There are detailed instructions inside the packet.This is a good idea as treble strings can be tricky. The Alliance Salvarez strings I tried unwrapped with such fury it took a little chunk out of the sound board. I later learned that this problem is solved by the use of a match to melt the tie end together hence the purpose of the cleaver ball.

[lw216316]

GHS Murial Anderson strings are NOT ball end strings they are tie strings. The ball at the end is a unique feature to keep the string from unwrapping it's not meant to handle the full tension of the string. There are detailed instructions inside the packet.This is a good idea as treble strings can be tricky. The Alliance Salvarez strings I tried unwrapped with such fury it took a little chunk out of the sound board. I later learned that this problem is solved by the use of a match to melt the tie end together hence the purpose of the cleaver ball.

Thank you for this info about the GHS MA strings.
I put a set on last night and really like them....thanks for telling us about them 

Until now, I've always used 'regular' 'normal tension' type strings.

To my ear, these GHS MA strings sound brighter, clearer, have more volume,
more 'bell-like' - a little more like steel strings,   sound 'sweeter' , less muted.
I really enjoy playing my instrumentals on them.

Compared to these my regular nylon strings sound muted, muddy, plastic.

note- I removed my previous post about the knob ends-  to avoid confusing any future readers of this topic
         I was wrong and misunderstood their purpose (incorrectly thinking they were ball ends)


- Larry

[cke]

Thank you for this info about the GHS MA strings.
I put a set on last night and really like them.

Until now, I've always used 'regular' 'normal tension' type strings.

To my ear, these GHS MA strings sound brighter, clearer, have more volume,
more 'bell-like' - a little more like steel strings,   sound 'sweeter' , less muted.
I really enjoy playing my instrumentals on them.

Compared to these my regular nylon strings sound muted, muddy, plastic.


- Larry

Nylon was a leap forward when introduced.  Imagine how gut sounded!

I look forward to trying these and the Savarez Alliance.

[lw216316]

Nylon was a leap forward when introduced.  Imagine how gut sounded!

I look forward to trying these and the Savarez Alliance.

....Like a cat squaling 

Please give us a report after you compare Alliance to Murial A.

- Larry

[mas music]

I just love these  M.A. GHS strings. There are other Titanium strings on the market but they are very expensive, these are not. As for cat gut some Classical players insist on it. Saverez claims that there Alliance strings have the same molecular structure, sound and feel as cat gut. I didn't  much care for them. I 've always been pleased with Daddario Pro Artes but wanted a bit more more power and clarity on the treble strings. These Murial Anderson strings work perfectly for me.   

[cke]

I just put Savarez Alliance  normal tensions on my Goya. (The Goya G-30 was a kind of cross-over nylon when it was developed in the early 50's - OM shape and size, 12 fret 1 7/8' nut thin reinforced neck.) The Savarez sound great!  They strung just like ordinary strings and feel like hard tension nylon to me.

I tried them first as I would have to mail-order the MA's. I may try the Pro Arte titanium's first though. And I want to see if the hard tension Alliance sound much different.

Anyway, I found the Alliance to be a couple of increments better sustain than the Pro-Arte high tension I was using. Maybe better for the 'folkie' stuff I usually play, but maybe too much for the old lute songs I also play. 

Anyway, Mas Music thanks for the nudge on nylon strings. This is fun again. 

[lw216316]

If you want BRIGHT on your classical.......

With these GHS Murial Anderson strings , comes the discovery that I like the brighter, clearer sound on my nylon trebles.

So, yesterday, I test drove a local classical that is for sale -

talk about bright

- he has GHS M.A. strings on it
- it has an engleman spruce top

AND - GET THIS...

It has MAPLE back and sides !.......a David Webber  ( Canadian luthier )

It is one of the most beautiful classical guitars I've ever seen
it is listed on the acoustic guitar forum ===>  http://acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188515

It is currently listed at $1475 shipped -   less than 1/2 the cost of a new one.

The bright trebles on it appealed to me
BUT
the bass was a little too bright for me -   I prefer the darker sound of rosewood.

For someone who likes BRIGHT this might be the ultimate classical.

- Larry

[cke]

If you want BRIGHT on your classical.......

With these GHS Murial Anderson strings , comes the discovery that I like the brighter, clearer sound on my nylon trebles.

So, yesterday, I test drove a local classical that is for sale -

talk about bright

- he has GHS M.A. strings on it
- it has an engleman spruce top

AND - GET THIS...

It has MAPLE back and sides !.......a David Webber  ( Canadian luthier )

It is one of the most beautiful classical guitars I've ever seen
it is listed on the acoustic guitar forum ===>  http://acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188515

It is currently listed at $1475 shipped -   less than 1/2 the cost of a new one.

The bright trebles on it appealed to me
BUT
the bass was a little too bright for me -   I prefer the darker sound of rosewood.

For someone who likes BRIGHT this might be the ultimate classical.

- Larry

Cool!  My Goya (actually a Swedish Levin - renamed by the importer) is Flame Maple with  IS top.  Bright, yes, but balanced by the big bass of the big box.  Day 2 with the Savarez Alliance Red and they sound very clean and 'natural.' Brighter than the ProArte's but not too bright. I ordered GHS MA's to try next. I like their price better 

[lw216316]

Cool!  My Goya (actually a Swedish Levin - renamed by the importer) is Flame Maple with  IS top.  Bright, yes, but balanced by the big bass of the big box.  Day 2 with the Savarez Alliance Red and they sound very clean and 'natural.' Brighter than the ProArte's but not too bright. I ordered GHS MA's to try next. I like their price better 

please provide a comparison report later 

As for now, the GHS Murial Anderson's have become my number 1 classical string
- really like the brighter / clearer tone on the trebles and the sustain.

- Larry

[mas music]

Ghs bill's Murial Anderson strings as high tension but they feel like mixed tension to me. High tension bass strings and normal tension trebles. I love this set up and have used Savarez mixed tension strings in the past. I went through 3 sets of Savarez Classic Crystal strings. The bass strings have a nice percussive bite that I really like however after a couple months the low E string would unwind and fray. The strings are very expensive so I went back to ProArtes which cost much less sound good and last indefinitely. I once read that Titanium trebles have the power and sustain of carbon fiber while retaining the softer sound and feel nylon and that perfectly describes these strings. Anyone tried Nylagut ?