What is the Story on Carbon Strings? – Strings By Mail
What is the Story on Carbon Strings?
Carbon guitar strings and carbon strings for other instruments are favored by many players for their loud bright sound. They are made of harder and generally more durable materials than those used in the formulations for traditional nylon guitar strings. Using a material such as Kevlar, which is also utilized for uses such as body armor, does make a marked difference in both the sound and playability of a guitar string, ukulele string, or strings for any other instrument.
The generally narrower diameter and stiffer consistency of a carbon guitar string makes it harder to attain vibrato and results in less sustain when compared to nylon guitar strings. As a result, they are not considered to be as “expressive” as nylon guitar strings. However, the more forceful attack they provide gives them the reputation of being louder and considered more “powerful”.
As with any category of guitar strings, carbon guitar strings vary in characteristics – but as a category, provide a brighter tone color than the category of nylon guitars strings. And as with any guitar string, the only way to know what is best for you and your guitar is to experience them on your own instrument.
While most instrument strings manufacturers offer carbon strings, here are a few popular options:
Carbon Strings for Guitar/Lute/Early Period Instruments:
Dogal Diamante – (These Dogal Diamante strings are a specialized mix of carbon and nylon: The addition of carbon fibers to the traditional nylon in the monocore trebles and the addition of kevlar and carbon fibers to the traditional nylon in the multi-strand core of the basses.)
Hannabach Carbon Trebles and Hannabach Goldin Super Carbon Trebles
Hense 150 Series Carbon and Hense 550 Series Carbon
Knobloch Actives Carbon and Knobloch Actives Sterling Silver
Luthier Super Carbon 101 Trebles in Hard Tension, Medium Tension and Medium/Hard Tension
Pyramid Double Silver Carbon and Pyramid Sterling Silver Carbon
Royal Classics CB30 Carbon Trebles and Royal Classics DC10 JG Dynamic Carbon – Full Set
Carbon Strings for Ukuleles:
Martin Fluorocarbon Ukulele Strings
For those of us exploring mandocello with nylon strings (I recently finished building one and being a classical guitarist/cellist, I really dislike the “steel string” sound and feel – do some research, it seems there are others who feel the same way and use a nylon/wound combo.
In that case, would the carbons be a good compromise? and then, should I choose the high tension? and then, I am looking at roughly gages of:
22 for A
34 for D
48 for G
64 for C
or something close to that…?
then I would likely need two sets? or would you break them up? or sell me individual strings (two each then?)
I would very much appreciate your expertise and advise.
thank you SO very much!
Karen Pinoci
Hi Karen.
I forwarded your questions on to our customer service representative, and he has emailed you directly with a few specific string/tension questions for you (perhaps check your spam folder, if you have not received the email yet). If you could respond back to him at [email protected], we can talk about some of the available options for you.
Thanks,
Strings By Mail
Hi !
I have a much greater sound on my guitar (Paulino Bernabe Especial) using a set carbon trebles (Paulino Bernabe Especial strings) that the luthier recommends for his instruments.
These strings are named as medium-high tension.
My question is, could you recommend me a alternative set of pretty much the same characteristics ? Just a note, I already find those “medium-high” trebles a little “hard” especially down the fretboard, so I would like the tension to be around there, but closely to the “medium” than the “hard” range.
Thank you in advance
Hello George. Sorry for the delay in response.
I’ll forward your question to our Customer Service Representative (and our on site string guru). We’ll get back to you ASAP!
Thanks for reading!
Strings By Mail
Hello George,
I would try:
These are my favorite sounding trebles. Sorry we do not currently have these single strings grouped as a treble set.
Knobloch Actives CX 1st E Medium Tension, single string
https://www.stringsbymail.com/knobloch-actives-cx-1st-e-medium-tension-single-string-6348.html?zenid=p4v13ikvbq1e8gggcj9t24aa70
Knobloch Actives CX 2nd B Medium Tension, single string
https://www.stringsbymail.com/knobloch-actives-cx-2nd-b-medium-tension-single-string-6350.html?zenid=p4v13ikvbq1e8gggcj9t24aa70
Knobloch Actives CX 3rd G Medium Tension, single string
https://www.stringsbymail.com/knobloch-actives-cx-3rd-g-medium-tension-single-string-6351.html?zenid=p4v13ikvbq1e8gggcj9t24aa70
Hi George Ev,
on my sprucetop Bernabé Especial Savarez Cantiga (a mixed up set with a carbon D9 do a very good job! They sound more vivid than the Ramirez strings and by the way the PB strings too. The Standard – Solutions (DÁddario ec.) didn´t convince me on the Especial 1981. Cantiga Strings are rather cheap an last pretty long. One disadvantage is, the need some days on the guitar to get the sound-comeout.
Greetings,
Andreas
As a Flamenco guitarist, the combination of carbon trebles and standard basses are winner. They are powerful and bright on a Flamenco guitar.
After testing numerous brands, Savarez have it right. They make combination sets of carbon trebles and std basses in a package. Plus, they have selected slightly lower tensions so that when you play Flamenco, it allows for fast playing and punchy rasgeados without sounding like a tin can. The full spectrum of sound is maintained.
Two particular sets are the best for Flamenco:
Savarez 510AR Alliance /Cantiga NT Classical Guitar Strings
https://www.stringsbymail.com/savarez-510ar-alliance-cantiga-nt-classical-guitar-strings-full-set-5798.html
and
Savarez Tomatito T50R NT Flamenco Guitar Strings
https://www.stringsbymail.com/savarez-tomatito-t50r-nt-flamenco-guitar-strings-full-set-7135.html
Personally, the Tomatito set are the best. They are the same as the 510AR Alliance but the Tomatito set has that unique G string that doesn’t dull out and stays bright.
I used carbons for 26 years.
Your observations on CF strings and mine generally correspond but I believe you omit an important drawback of CF.
The hardness of carbon means they chew through frets at a much faster rate than nylon.
After 20 years and several full fret replacement jobs on my main instrument I finally “wised up” and now specify stainless frets in all my instruments. Nevertheless i still went back to nylon with a CF third, best of both worlds.