Even MORE fun with fluorocarbons

[Ethan Schwartz]

I took the plunge and bought a bunch of Savarez Alliance fluorocarbons in different gauges to try out. I've had a fluorocarbon 4th (.0303) on my main banjo for a while, and I've been wondering what a full set would be like. Well, I no longer have to wonder. I am really liking these strings so far...with the caveat that the 4th sounds terrible on my other banjo. So for now, I am keeping a LaBella wound .024 on there (feels surprisingly balanced as is, but I might bump it up to a .025 or .026 in the future)

1st/5th: .0169

2nd: .0185

3rd: .0224

So basically the same diameters at "true" LaBella 17s but with noticeably higher tension. They are a bit darker sounding, more guitar-like (no surprise there). But they are still light enough that you can really dig in and get a more nasal sound when desired. 

[Trapdoor2]

I tried them a few yrs back. Good strings, I don't remember the sizes. I think the set on my CB are a Savarez Alliance guitar set with an extra E for the 5th.

[Jody Stecher]

I replied a few hours ago and then my reply vanished.  I'll try again.

I've used Saverez Alliance strings for the treble strings on several different Arabic and Turkish ouds.  So far so good. They feel different but sound good.

Why do you think makes them darker sounding? Why are you not surprised?  On oud they sound to me a bit brighter than nylon or nylgut.

[Ethan Schwartz]

Jody -- I only have La Bella 17s to compare them to. There are two main differences: 1. La Bellas are rectified (textured) and Alliances are smooth, which means less finger noise on attack, and 2. At the same diameter and tuning, Alliances are higher tension, which means the string doesn't oscillate quite  as freely = more suppression of upper partials. That's my reasoning, at least. #1 is probably more significant than #2. 

On oud, the desired tension is quite low, no? Are the Alliances you use the same or smaller diameter as a comparable set of nylons/nylguts? There's also the fact that you're playing with a pick, so finger noise isn't a factor.

[Joel Hooks]

I get exposed to enough PFAS, I'll pass on getting it from my strings. 

[Jody Stecher]

Yes, lower tension on oud. The Alliance strings I'm using are of considerably less diameter than the nylons but *feel* as if they are exerting a bit more tension.  Also oud scale length, as with banjo, varies quite a bit. So a string at 58.5 cm is going to be lower tension than the same string at 61.5 cm. 

Ethan Schwartz said:

Jody -- I only have La Bella 17s to compare them to. There are two main differences: 1. La Bellas are rectified (textured) and Alliances are smooth, which means less finger noise on attack, and 2. At the same diameter and tuning, Alliances are higher tension, which means the string doesn't oscillate quite  as freely = more suppression of upper partials. That's my reasoning, at least. #1 is probably more significant than #2. 

On oud, the desired tension is quite low, no? Are the Alliances you use the same or smaller diameter as a comparable set of nylons/nylguts? There's also the fact that you're playing with a pick, so finger noise isn't a factor.