Bob wrote:I just received a set of D'Addario EJ25's ordered last week. I will put them on my Tsiorba this evening and attempt to elucidate an unbiased (but probably biased anyway) opinion after using them a few days.

-Bob

A day or two after posting that back in September I unexpectedly left on a trip to Oregon, which was followed by more trips back and forth, and an eventual move here, which is why I didn't followup with comments about the strings a few days later. I did put them on my Tsiorba that night, but didn't take the guitar on the trips and it was quite a while before I played it. It wasn't long before the D-String broke when I did have time to play it. I didn't have time to find or order a new one, so I switched back to a set of EJ45C's that I already had.

During that short trial period I wasn't favorably impressed. The strings might sound better on a different guitar with a stiffer top, but the trebles sounded overly crisp and thin on my Tsiorba (too much harmonic amplitude compared to relatively weak fundamentals). I have no interest in trying them again.

-Bob

Sam, I am ordering strings today and decided to try the LaBella 820 Black Treble / D'Addario EJ45 Normal Tension Bass combination that you like. However, I usually order 10-lots to save a little and it doesn't appear that split-sets are sold in ten-lots. It also is considerably more expensive to buy trebles and basses separately than in full sets.

Single LaBella 820 Black Treble sets from Strings by Mail are $3.00. Single D'Addario EJ45 Normal Tension Bass sets are $6.15. The full mixed-brand price for a single set is therefore $9.15. Is that what you pay?

In comparison, La Bella 820B Elite Flamenco with Black Trebles Medium Tension full sets are only $5.66 in ten-lots and D'Addario EJ45C Pro Arte Composite Normal Tension full sets are $8.50 in ten-lots.

-Bob

Bob, The D' Addarrio J45 medium bass set is $4.99 and the 820B treble set is $3.00. I get usually 6 treble sets and 12 bass sets. They haven't given me a discount for quantity, but I never asked either. Might be worth inquiring. I see no advantage in changing the trebles every time, so this saves some. That would figure to $7.49 a set which is not bad for good quality and such long lasting strings.

Bass set http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/dadd ... et-74.html

Treble set http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/la-b ... -3778.html

I am tempted to try the gold classical trebles sometime. http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/la-b ... -3793.html

I didn't realize you are using J45's. The price I quoted above is for EJ45's, which is what I have been using.

I still haven't ordered, because I was waiting to be sure of the combination you like and then went to the Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibition soon after you answered.

-Bob

Bob, I am using the EJ45 basses and they are $4.99. I just cut it short using J. I don't think D' Addarrio makes any called just J. Maybe you were pricing the complete set for $6.15.

No, the difference is that the price I quoted is for composites and the price you quoted is not.

Regardless of quantity, D'Addario EJ45 Pro Arte Normal Tension, Bass Set are $4.99 each. In ten-lots, D'Addario EJ45 Pro Arte Normal Tension, Full Set are $5.41 each. Therefore, in ten-lots there is only 42 cents difference between full-set and bass-set prices. Regardless of quantity, LaBella 820B treble sets are $3.00. Therefore, in ten-lots the difference between mixed D'Addario/LaBella sets and full D'Addario sets is $20.80:

D'Addario/LaBella Sets: $74.90
Full D'Addario Sets: $54.10

100 * (20.80 / 54.10) = 38.4 percent

So, I am wondering whether mixed sets are actually worth the 38% higher price.

-Bob

Very helpful discussion. I've just ordered some EJ45 bass and 820B trebles, will try them on my guitars.

Bob, It depends if you like the EJ 45 trebles. I didn't like them at all. Also tried the black D' Addarrio trebles and they were not as bright as the 820B La Bellas. Also the La Bella 2001 black trebles were not as good as the 820B. Of course this is all personal taste and if no real preference, one might as well save the extra cost. If your frets are smooth, then you might get 3 bass changes for each treble change. This would save even more.

I ordered five EJ45 bass and 820B treble sets to give them a try. I also ordered a unusual assortment of other strings. The Strings by Mail folks probably are wondering why anyone would order such an incongruous combination.

Since the 1960's, and maybe even before, I have collected various new guitar strings in a drawer. Sometimes when a string broke before I wanted to play somewhere I took one from a complete set and didn't bother to replace it. Other times I experimentally mixed strings from various sets trying to find a combination I liked. Sometimes local music shops didn't have complete sets and I bought individual strings. For these and possibly other reasons over the years I accumulated a drawer full of new, but mismatched, partial sets and individual strings. Each time I have ordered new string sets in recent years I have thought I should instead take inventory of what I have and order the strings needed to complete existing sets. I finally did that, except that some old brands no longer seem to be available.

So, if I wasn't confused enough already about which strings are best, I will be able to confuse myself even more by trying low, medium and high tension strings ranging from inexpensive to expensive solid-silver and gold-plated bass sets purchased when I was much younger and had more money than good sense.

-Bob

I changed strings yesterday and spent the last hour playing my Cordoba F70 flamenco guitar with EJ45 bass and 820B trebles. I really like the trebles... noticeably brighter and livelier than whatever was on previously (not a flamenco treble). The bass strings have a full rich sound. I'm really pleased, the guitar is more fun to play.