peterreynoldsuk - Posted - 08/01/2025:  06:12:18

I'm setting up a George Matthew banjo. I've just purchased a calfskin vellum and Morley bridge from Clifford Essex in the UK.
La Bella 17 nylon strings have been recommended to me on the Hangout. They are: .019; .022; .028; .025(W); .019. in the UK the best price I can find is £13 (inc. p&p).
Clifford Essex offer an ultra-light set as follows: .020; .024; .028; .024(W); .020. these go at £9.
Interestingly, the La Bella are for the Classic Era, whilst Clifford Essex use the term Classical. A difference occasioned by the Atlantic no doubt.
Can anyone comment on the relative quality of both brands? I'm happy to go with the La Bella set if they are the superior brand.
I bought a Gold Tone cello banjo a couple of years back, and fitted some very pricey nylon strings. The silver wound one was shredded in no time - without the use of picks or plectrum. I don't know that I played it that much, but I was disappointed in the standard of the wound string. But it was a very heavy string so maybe that was the issue. I say this in case this is a feature of these kinds of strings.
Cheers,
Peter

A Drum On A Stick - Posted - 08/01/2025:  07:14:17

its normal for wound strings to wear out a fair bit faster than the other strings. I buy singles to replace them once they get dirty or start to fray. IMO it's worth the effort for their sound.

I've never used The Clifford Essex strings, so I cant weigh in there other than to say I quite like the La Bellas.

pinenut - Posted - 08/01/2025:  09:50:09

quote:

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Originally posted by A Drum On A Stick

its normal for wound strings to wear out a fair bit faster than the other strings. I buy singles to replace them once they get dirty or start to fray. IMO it's worth the effort for their sound.



I've never used The Clifford Essex strings, so I cant weigh in there other than to say I quite like the La Bellas.

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This has been my overall experience too. 

The silk wound sound better and wear faster, nylon floss wound lasts longer; they both wear out much faster than steel.

note:  I don't like the soft, twangy 5th in the Labella17 set and use old Nylgut scraps instead.

Edited by - pinenut on 08/01/2025 09:50:47

spoonfed - Posted - 08/01/2025:  12:58:37

I have used both brands on my banjos, I have found it depends on the instrument entirely, despite often being told to go ultra light actual 17 gauge ! they feel way too thin and wispy to me, I like and use C Essex 20 gauge for a full responsive feeling and sounding instrument, OTOH I have a late 19th Century Fairbanks banjo which absolutely suits La Bella 17s so, in summary try both (it is not expensive really) but LaBella's are very much an acquired taste, they never worked on my 1920 ish Vega Whyte Laydie.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 08/01/2025:  14:04:04

I've tested both. The quality is essentially the same in a 1:1 comparison of diameters. My preference for the past 10yrs has been the CE mediums...(and the medium gut).

I ordered a set of singles from LaBella in the same dia. as the CE mediums. I can't really tell any difference.

I use Savarez red card guitar strings on my Cello-Banjo, but it has a 29" scale...and "normal" length nylon guitar strings are too short for the G and B strings (slotted headstock). La Bella strings are plenty long, so that's what are on it now.

I usually change the 4th a couple of times before the rest. The silver winding just doesn't last as long as the solids.

CE 4ths are my favorites. I always keep a stock of them.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 08/01/2025:  18:53:25

La Bella gets their nylon monofilament from DuPont. The sets I sell are rectified, I am not sure if that is something La Bella does in house.

Re:”classical”… best I can tell, this was a 1960/70s thing and was used briefly by some elder ABF members attempting to piggyback on classical guitar when “banjo playing” was no longer enough and now they had to come up with something. Sheet music/nylon strings/bare fingers… it is an easy association when trying to explain it. Most people would have known what “classical guitar” was by then.

Rewinding a bit, Vahdah Olcott-Bickford, shortly after Nick Lucas hit, started calling fingerstyle Spanish guitar “classic guitar”. She did this until she died. And, many other people used this. It was not until after the war, and the reemergence of Segovia that the Spanish “Classic” guitar really hit big. When universities started to add guitar departments the “classical” name won out.

Neither the Spanish guitar, nor the banjo, are “classical” instruments. And while “classic” and “classical”are both linguistic anachronisms, the era of fingerstyle, gut strung banjo (more or less 1870-1930ish) has to be called something. And there was some historical use of “classic”. So for now this is the best we have.

csacwp - Posted - 08/02/2025:  10:39:34

The Clifford Essex ultra light sets are laughably heavy - far heavier than the strings used back in the day. They appeal to guitarists and players used to wire strings, I suppose.



LaBella's current 17s are alright, though the .025w fourth is too heavy in my opinion and may damage some necks. Joel Hooks sells a true 17 set of LaBellas in the old ABF/Van Eps gauges that I prefer. Alternatively, one can order single strings in just about any gauge from most manufacturers, including Pyramid in Europe.

Edited by - csacwp on 08/02/2025 10:41:35