• From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Topic: When Fishing Meets Guitar

I've sometimes wondered why classical guitar strings are always made of nylon, and why nobody had tried flourocarbon for these reasons:

1) For fishing, flourocarbon has much less stretch than nylon, which should equate to tuning stability.
2) It's also a bit harder, which should transfer to a brighter tone.
3) It also has greater tensile strength, which would reduce string breakage problems.
4) Flourocarbon has almost the same refractive index as water, so it's almost completely invisible to fish. I have no idea what benefit this would be for guitar strings. lol

Lo and behold, leave it to La Bella to come up with flourocarbon classical guitar strings. I know CG is a big fan of La Bella's, so I'm hoping either he or another Chordian can provide some intel / opinion about them.

https://www.lacartemusique.fr/694-large_default/vivace-fluoro-carbone.jpg 

  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2016-02-07
  • Posts: 923

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

I use LaBella 2001Medium Tension and they the first string that I can change and play within an hour after changing. I have ordered a years worth. They are by far the best string I have ever used. Even my wife can tell a difference in the sound.  Plus the 2001 strings are 6 to 8" longer than the Pro Arte string s. Two days they no longer stretch.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

Thanks, CG ...

Unfortunately, I can't find anyone in Canada who sells the 2001's in store or online. And with the huge difference in our currency these days, ordering them from a USA site makes them very expensive here. I think I'll try the Vivace's, and see how they work out. Knowing La Bella's high quality standards, they should definitely be worth trying.     

  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2016-02-07
  • Posts: 923

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

I talked with LaBella this morning and I will have a set of Vivace in the mail by Thursday.  By the way 2001 series is just a number and does not indicate a year. They also have a 820 series tooo.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.
  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
  • Posts: 794

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

I tried to play a friends nylon string guitar many years ago, the strings seemed to roll under my fingers and I've never had the opportunity to play one since.  I've used flourocarbon fishing line for years and never thought of using it for guitar strings. As guitar strings are they sold by gauge or by pound test?  Now I'm thinikng about buying a classical guitar just so I can give them a try.  Sometimes curiosity costs me a lot of money, so I gotta get the wife involved with the idea of another guitar or maybe I'll sell the deering banjo so I don't have to dust it anymore.     

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

bluejeep wrote:

I tried to play a friends nylon string guitar many years ago, the strings seemed to roll under my fingers and I've never had the opportunity to play one since.  I've used flourocarbon fishing line for years and never thought of using it for guitar strings. As guitar strings are they sold by gauge or by pound test?  Now I'm thinikng about buying a classical guitar just so I can give them a try.  Sometimes curiosity costs me a lot of money, so I gotta get the wife involved with the idea of another guitar or maybe I'll sell the deering banjo so I don't have to dust it anymore.

I'm in the market for a banjo so if you decide to do that, please let me know. smile     

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

bluejeep wrote:

I've used flourocarbon fishing line for years and never thought of using it for guitar strings. As guitar strings are they sold by gauge or by pound test?

Hahaha ... got a good chuckle out of this, BlueJeep. Having one on board the boat will mean I'll always have spare leaders in a pinch. lol     

8 Reply by Classical Guitar (edited by Classical Guitar 2018-11-29 22:27:04)

  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2016-02-07
  • Posts: 923

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

I received a set of La Bella Vivace Fluorocarbon Classical Guitar Strings - Medium Tension and installed them one of my daily practice guitars. The basses sound okay and the trebles sounded very tinny, and they are much smaller in diameter than the 2001 Medium Tension strings. In short I honestly do not like them. I called La Bella and talked to expert in classical strings. They said the   Vivace Fluorocarbon is a series that most do not like and said the 2001 series is their best string. So later tonight I will change them again with my normal strings.  Sorry I wanted to like them but just don't.   Also they are not really new they have been out for a couple of years.

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

Thanks so much for the prompt report, CG ... very much appreciated. If the flourocarbon's are producing a thin / tinny sound, that would not be desirable at all. I really appreciate you testing them out, and am sorry for your wasted expense.

The last time I tried a significantly "different" string was a set of Ernie Ball Cobalts on my Les Paul. The claim was that cobalt strings had a greater magnetic attraction to the pickups than other types. Unfortunately, that meant less sustain, and I just couldn't get them growl like the D'Addario NYXL's do. It sucks to throw away $$$, but sometimes it's the only way to find something out, i.e., try it for ourselves.

Again, thanks for the report!     

  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2016-02-07
  • Posts: 923

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

Tenement Funster to be honest La Bella sent them to me to try them  so I did not have to buy a set.  Just the time to change to them and then to change them again to the 2001 medium tension strings.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.
  • Registered: 2019-02-17
  • Posts: 2

Re: When Fishing Meets Guitar

@classical guitar, same here, except that i had to buy them myself haha     

Music Is Love, Music Is Life, Music is everything.