During a recent order to Strings by Mail for my usual basses, I decided to get one set of these strings. I normally use the D'Addario J45 basses and LaBella 820 black trebles. This combination has lasted the longest and sounded the best on all the flamenco guitars I have used them on. These EJ25 basses are supposed to be an improvement and the black trebles similar to the LaBella. I will find out in a few hours. Anyone else tried these? It is not mentioned what the tension is. If they work out better they will be nice for special occasions as they are a bit more pricey than my usual combination and also separate bass sets are not available yet. I go through 3 bass sets for every treble change.

I have mostly used D'Addario EJ45Cs in recent years and haven't tried EJ25B's, but will be interested in knowing how you like them, because only have a set or two of J45C's left and am about to reorder a ten-pack.

Even though I have mostly used EJ45C's, my Tsiorba blanca came with Luthier Concert Gold Set 40 Medium-High Tension basses and LaBella 2001 Classical Hard Tension trebles. I was surprised how much I liked that combination, but haven't tried it on any of my other guitars. Peter sent me a different mixed-set of high-tension strings several months later that I also liked, but I don't recall now what they were and I only tried them on my Tsiorba.

I find string comparisons difficult for several reasons. Any brand of new strings sound better than old, worn-out strings and it is difficult to remember what a previous set sounded like when they were new. Strings also sound different on different guitars which makes comparing new sets of different strings on different guitars problematic. They also feel different on different guitars due to guitar-top stiffness, fret-height, and string-height differences.

Another big issue, at least for those of us who don't play professionally, is string life. We all have better things to do than change strings, but string-life comparisons also can be misleading. Some sets of EJ45C's, for example, last a very long time, but others don't. I have had the same sets on my Contreras and Ramirez flamenco guitars for months. They are badly worn at the frets, but none of the strings have broken and they still sound surprisingly good on both guitars. In contrast, the last two sets on my Tsiorba deteriorated rapidly. That alone could suggest that something is wrong with the Tsiorba, such as a sharp edge somewhere. However, the reverse also has been true where other sets of EJ45C's have lasted very long times on the Tsiorba, but have rapidly deteriorated on the other guitars. Differences like that can make single-trial-results misleading.

-Bob

Interesting that you mention the Luthier strings. I was at Jeff Sigurdson's workshop a few weeks ago and he suggested I try the Luthiers since he'd had some good comparative results.

byron

Bob, I have had similar results with the J45 basses. Some so wear quicker, but all outlast other brands and hold tone longer than any other brand I have used. I tried the Luthier and didn't like them at all for flamenco and they wore about as fast as the LaBella basses. I think there is inconsistency in the J45 basses, but all in all outlast others and have a tone I like when broke in and feel nice to the fingers. Finally the A string broke today on the old set, the ones that were on the Tsiorba and worn out when you were here. Over 3 months with daily playing out of that set.

Byron, I have the EJ25B's now holding tune fairly well and I really like the way they feel and can be manipulated which leads me to believe they are probably low tension. They are also very tinny in the new, more so than the J45's. The trebles seem much brighter than new LaBella 820B's and while they play like low tension have the tone of medium to high tension. So far I am impressed if the basses mellow some and they wear reasonable. Hold off ordering your J45's for a week or so and I will report again. The $8.95 a set isn't bad, but more than I am use to paying. At this point I like them because they can be manipulated easier and make it easier on my old stiff painful hands.

I am using currently EJ25C and really like them. - Roland

Sounds promising, Sam. I've been using GPX (Oasis) Carbons for a while and I like them. They're stable and bright. I got them on a free trial originally, but they're a bit on the higher price end.

Byron

I put in 3 hours on the new strings and they are holding tune nicely and playing very easy, but the basses are still way to tinny for me on the Tsiorba maple and spruce. Factors could be I have the action way low and also I have hyperacusis bad in my right ear to high frequencies since that is all I can hear in that ear, and also hyperacusis in the left ear that has a better frequency range but still some loss. This tinnier sound might not be as loud or disturbing to normal ears. The J45's usually start out a bit tinny, but mellow in a couple hours about the time they start holding tune. I think to appreciate these strings, I would need to raise the action and possibly use a less bright guitar such as cedar or cypress. Also as I mentioned before I suspect they are low tension which tends to buzz more with my low action. I will give a report in a week and see if they have mellowed some.

Thanks for the feedback Sam. Also thanks Roland for your comment about liking the EJ25C's you are using.

With different hearing characteristic, guitar characteristics, playing styles, room acoustics, and expectations about ideal sound it isn't surprising that string preferences vary. My own sound-quality judgments even vary from one time to another. I am not sure why, but sometimes a particular guitar with a particular set of strings sounds better to me one day than the next. Maybe the mood I happen to be in colors my judgment. Maybe I am playing more or less aggressively. Maybe my hearing changes. All I am sure of about that is that my impressions of sound quality vary somewhat from time to time.

I think I will try some EJ25C's. If they are too bright for my Tsiorba blanca I will put them on my Contreras negra which could benefit from some additional brightness.

Incidentally Sam, we will be heading up your way again the last week of this month or the first week of October en route once again to the Oregon Coast. We will be in Oregon longer this time, but as with other recent trips, travel to and from will have to be quick to keep commitments on both ends, so there may not be time to stop.

-Bob

The D'addario flamenco strings are just plain dreadful. Don't waste your time or money.

Ramon

Prominent Critic wrote:The D'addario flamenco strings are just plain dreadful. Don't waste your time or money.

Ramon

Surprised you feel that way. I have used them for years and like them.

Castillo