D'Addario EJ45 Classical Guitar Strings - Review & Sound Test

[@BradConroy_guitar]

I've been using these since the 90's! In my opinion they are the warmest and most evenly balanced strings.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Brad! Yes, these are very evenly balanced, a good benchmark of quality. For that reason they also make excellent replacement strings for other sets, because they'll compliment nearly any sound. I've tried others which I like better, but I always keep a set of D'Addario on hand and keep coming back to them from time to time.

[@randallsavage4135]

10 seconds in, and I'm liking for the hair alone! Nothing speaks to me as an artist like an artists hair style, kinda like Einstein! Or Doc Brown. Brilliance is often hidden behind the guise of wildman! I've edited this enough to have watched the video part way in the background, solid stuff! Thank you for your efforts sir

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Randall! I suppose out of all the folks I've been compared to over the years, this is up there with Freddy Mercury (when I had the mustache). Makes me wish I had worn my Einstein T-shirt for this one, ha ha. Glad you gave it a listen. Are you considering trying out this set, or already using them? It's interesting how I get a mix of both on these string reviews.

[@MatthewMartinGuitar]

Cool video! I always like hearing other opinions on gear. These have been my go to strings for years for price and consistency. It doesn't hurt that Russell also plays them!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Matthew! I totally agree about the price and consistency. They're usually $11 here in the US, which makes them more affordable versus European options. I saw David Russell live in Boston a few weeks ago and anyone listening would have said his tone was sublime. So despite playing a Dammann guitar worth thousands of dollars, he still uses $11 strings for the exact reasons you mentioned; incredible stuff.

[@grishamax7595]

This guy knows his stuff.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Grisha! I appreciate it!

[@GarySheehanMusic]

Excellent review Josh! Very high quality content as always. I've bought these strings before and was not disappointed. Your sound quality when you start testing out songs is incredible. Keep these coming!!!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Gary! That's great feedback! Glad to hear that the review was similar to your own experiences.

[@Toddlane43]

Great info you sound like you are becoming a strings knowledge master and the demo playing shows you’ve come a long way

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Todd! It'd true, I've tried so many sets now that I'm starting to see similarities and differences between each one. It's interesting that there are so many differences, though, and not every set sounds the same on every guitar. It's my hope that I can eventually have tried enough sets that I'll be able to know which ones will sound better on spruce top, on cedar, etc., to make recommendations.

[@Toddlane43]

@@Josh.Vanjani get a job selling strings for a big company

[@karlosdergal]

Great video and review amigo Josh! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Karlos! I appreciate it!

[@JustinHatt1]

Nice review Joshua!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Justin! Hope you're enjoying playing the Zalapa-Luna guitar.

[@Tom-yh8xc]

Thank you for the video, Josh. It was very informative. Lovely playing, too. Best wishes.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Tom! Glad you found the video useful and happy to hear you enjoyed the playing too.

[@MiguelFerreyraGuitar]

Great video! It’s interesting the different range of opinions on string brands and materials. David Russell loves the thickness of the nylon in D’Addario EJ45 Pro-Arté normal tension strings. And Ricardo Gallén told me that he doesn’t like the thickness of nylon strings and doesn’t like they feel underneath the nails. He prefers carbon strings by Knobloch. I personally love the dark sonic character of D’Addario EJ45 Pro-Arté strings and their thickness! Cheers, ~Miguel

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Miguel! Last week I saw David Russell live in Boston and was struck by his exquisite tone, something that is hard to grasp over a recording but really shines in reality. Even though he plays an expensive guitar, his strings of choice are accessible to everyday people. I actually prefer the tone of the Knobloch carbon like Mr. Gallen, but I didn't like the feel, it was too dense. Glad to have your input!

[@maximus1474]

well done keep it up

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Maximus! More string reviews to come soon.

[@itsdasein]

Thanks for the review Josh! This helped me a lot.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks for watching! I do these reviews to help people make informed decisions about which strings to use, so that's great to hear!

[@itsdasein]

Please keep doing these videos, very helpful and fun to watch. Have a nice day!@@Josh.Vanjani

[@stevebeeney9022]

Yes, all good. Thank you. Questions: How old/played are the strings? What about your guitar? On my screen, it looks cedar, which is bright sounding. Or a stained spruce? Fine-grained spruce or middling? Lastly, how old is it?

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Steve! So I usually do my string reviews no later than 1 - 2 weeks after restringing, which allows for enough time to form a judgement on them but still demonstrate how they sound when they're fresh. In this case it was about a week after, if I remember correctly. I assume the top of this guitar is cedar. As for it's age, I think it was at least 50 years old, but likely not a pre-WWII guitar. I bought it secondhand, and I couldn't find any extra info on it. I made a few posts about it, and even contacted the Zalapa Luna family (no response) and didn't get an answer. It's on a long term loan to my buddy Justin Hatt currently.

[@underrateddude368]

These are on my bucket list, Josh! I still use D'Addario EN27N strings. they're okay..nothing else:). Wild haircut you have...looks fine.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Heino! Good to see you in the comments again. I may review the EJ27 soon, I need to restring one of my classicals.

[@tomasericsson8720]

Thanks for the review Josh! They sound good. 👍 As you say D'Addario are thicker than Knobloch for instance. Personally I like that feel. However the carbon sets by Knobloch are not as hard on the fingers as D'Addario's, maybe because they are thinner. They feel almost like nylon ones. I'm not very concerned about this myself but I remember you mentioning something about it. Maybe you could try one of the Knobloch carbon sets if you haven't already done so, to see if they suit you better. 😎

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Tomas! I remember that this line was one of your favorites. Interestingly, I found the Knobloch carbon set quite uncomfortable. I tried them last year with the Sterling Silver set. A few minutes of playing didn't do much, but after an hour or so my hands felt like I'd been playing steel string. I really liked the sound of that set too, but just couldn't take the feel.

[@avitroladorudolfo]

I believe that D'Addario is the best known string brand here in Brazil. Synonym of quality and fair price 😃

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Rudolfo! Great to heat it! If I ever visit Brazil, I'll know I can get great strings, ha ha!

[@avitroladorudolfo]

@@Josh.Vanjani for sure 👍🏻😄

[@frankboyd.]

Enjoyed your playing and this video content. Thanks 🇨🇦

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Frank! Glad you enjoyed!

[@chandervanjani977]

Very Informative..!! Thanks.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks again, Dad! I appreciate it!

[@JohnGSoloGuitar]

Fantastic guitar string review and playing Very Nice tones Josh Thank you for sharing 🎸

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, John! I appreciate it!

[@eagertoeatasmr]

Here for the review and sound test. L 82 👍 Have a great day Josh.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Mette! I appreciate the consistent support.

[@eagertoeatasmr]

It was a great sound test, worth watching again!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Mette! I appreciate that, since I need to catch up on your videos. I'm going to try and film a string review tomorrow for Monday's upload too.

[@eagertoeatasmr]

This is another great performing videos of yours! 👏🏻@@Josh.Vanjani

[@shadowmoon7679]

Wow !!! You made my day today❤

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks! Glad to hear it!

[@Nylon_and_Gut-MatteoLaurenzi]

Amazing review Josh! Great work!!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Matteo! I appreciate it!

[@bobvanjani9784]

Very nice review! Sounds great 👏

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Dad! Glad you enjoyed!

[@edgardodomingo5029]

Greetings from Phuket. Thanks Joshua

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Greetings from the USA, sir! Glad you enjoyed.

[@martinpridal5761]

Hi Josh! Great review! These are quite plastic feeling, but amazing in intonation. I've heard they outsource the nylon manufacturing for the pro arte and make their own for the cheaper student sets. But I might be wrong, better if you confirm this directly with D'addario

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Martin! Interesting info, I should send them a message to confirm and can let them know I did a review. Glad you enjoyed!

[@atomic432]

Good review.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

[@ЮлияФедяк]

Awesome 😃🔥

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

[@ericphillips7057]

Great review, Josh! I used to experiment with different strings, even mixing and matching sets. But a few years ago, I decided to use nothing but these D'Addario EJ45's. They are inexpensive, easily obtainable, consistent, and long-lasting. Frankly, I'd rather spend my time playing music than fussing around with strings. I also hate changing strings, generally doing so only about 2-3 times per year. I actually prefer the sound of somewhat "dead" strings.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Eric! I remember you mentioning that you played this set and was hoping you'd check out the review. I like your description of "inexpensive, easily obtainable, consistent and long-lasting." That pretty much sums it up. Interesting that you prefer the sound of older strings. Any reason for the preference? I suppose I've always preferred the sound of newer ones and change them out as soon as I hear the "dead" sound. I actually don't mind changing strings, it's almost like an artform. I've gone doing everything manually to using a string winder, etc., and can tie the knots quite well now.

[@ericphillips7057]

@@Josh.Vanjani I wish I lived closer to you, as I would happily allow you to change strings for me, since you actually enjoy it! I guess I like somewhat dead strings because to me, the sound is more intimate, perhaps closer to what I imagine the guitar sounded like a century ago or more (although I admit I might be completely wrong about that). Brand new strings just sound too bright to me, and also very squeaky.

[@postph]

I have recently mounted this set to a relatively cheap C. Giant guitar which really made it sound and feel like a much more expensive instrument. Like it very much. Even for learning what I do I would rather go for good strings. It is just way more fun and the money is well spent and still quite affordable.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

I haven't heard of C. Giant before, I'll have to check it out. I definitely agree that a good set of strings can elevate the sound of a cheaper guitar. Thanks for watching!

[@postph]

@@Josh.Vanjani I think that C Giant is a fantasy name. It was sold approx 12 years ago for around 60 USD in German grocery stores. The body is of laminated three layer linden wood with brass frets. The precision of the fret and string height is not amazing but I have corrected them. Good is that the woodworking of the body and the painting is well made. The body reflects the sound very well with no unwanted distortion. So with a bit of effort it becomes a nice instrument. I got my instrument from a scrap heap so it was for free and not much to loose😊

[@vegangreen1269]

Very pleasant video sir

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks for watching!

[@mariyamerry3695]

wow brilliant

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[@RByrne]

Great info! Im new to nylon, having just scored a classical guitar and a Nylon Hybrid electric at a shop's closing sale. Im fine with the classical nylon, as i play classical type songs(or try to, anyway) on it, but for a hybrid guitar what would be a good set to use? Something a bit tighter, with a little less roll. If you have any suggestions. Otherwise, great video and Im subscribed!

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks, Ryan! I'd argue that this D'Addario set is about the most versatile one out there, so it should sound and play fine on a hybrid guitar too. If you're looking for a "tighter" set, you can try something with higher tension in this same line like the EJ46 (Hard Tension) or EJ44 (Extra Hard Tension). If you'd like to try a European set, the Aquila Alabastro offer higher tension and a louder sound, which might be good on a hybrid guitar. Lastly, the Martin M150 is a high tension set with ball-ends. My friend Justin has used those to play gigs on his Godin Multiac for years. Many of those hybrid guitars are setup with a lower action than a traditional nylon, so the higher tension strings will afford you a closer playability to a standard classical. Regarding "roll", I assume you mean sustain? In that case, you could also consider a carbon set, which has both less sustain and higher tension. If you listen to my review on Knobloch Sterling Silver, that'll give you a good idea of how carbon strings sound. Hope this helps.

[@violaoquetoca]

Excelente video👏

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Muito obrigado, Aposentado!

[@Bug_Man_Semo]

So what's your go-to "best" set??

[@Josh.Vanjani]

That's a great question, and one I do consider from time to time. Ultimately, my favorite set is the Pyramid Gut & Silk, because I prefer an authentic period sound; yet, that is an esoteric set and I would not recommend to everyone. Perhaps a better answer is to say that my favorite nylon set is the Knobloch Leo Brouwer: the basses are triple silver, so they are very bright and resonant, and they're paired with a bright pair of nylon trebles. It's a comfortable set under the hands and has excellent longevity (my current set has been on my Alhambra for over 1 year). However, I frequently pair a piece to a specific set of strings that can best bring out the composition's inherent quality; sometimes it's the Brouwer set, but not always. Occasionally, the Brouwer is too bright and it necessitates a warmer set like the D'Addario or Augustine. Since the Brouwer set is hard to find, this D'Addario EJ45 set is my 2nd best nylon option. At least here in the USA, it is available everywhere, even in small shops. The best thing about the Pro Arte is that they will sound good on nearly every guitar. I've had this set on all the guitars I own, at some point, and it's a good indicator to determine how to further proceed with choosing future string sets for a given guitar. Hope this helps.

[@Bug_Man_Semo]

@Josh.Vanjani I wish I could subscribe again after that comment. Thank you very much, sir. I've got some more strings to order and test out. Very much appreciated!

[@siamaksamuel]

thank you.

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Anytime! Thanks for watching!

[@helldevil1000]

Fine!!

[@eriksatie8038]

There is another type that called ej45c, whats the difference between them? The ej45c is more expensive

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Great question! The difference is in the basses. So the EJ45 set has basses with a nylon core, whereas the "C" set has a composite core of "silverplated Copper Wound on Zyex(R) Multi-Filament Stranded Core Basses that deliver a "gut-like" tone." The Zyex material is also commonly used on tennis racquets. D'Addario also make a "Dynacore" bass set with a more contemporary sound. I recently had the pleasure of asking 2022 GFA winner Lovro Peretic which set of strings he uses, an he said he mixes D'Addario Composite Core basses with D'Addario high tension trebles. Hope this helps.

[@renecuevas4128]

Got these same Strings for my Yamaha NTX 700 funny but sound great specifically when new I just to replace the strings every 3 to 6 months but this Time I went over a yr I apologize to my excellent Guitar ....but yeah great Strings the other ones are very expensive in America cause they come from Europe I guess Euro to Dollar conversion make them twice the price of D addario This is my honest review on Them

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks for watching and letting me know your thoughts, Rene! Wow, 1 year is great! Well, if they sounded good, that's all that matters. With D'Addario I'll generally get 4 good months of regular use, so that sounds about right. Happy playing!

[@edokaric4727]

Sir, which is better EJ45, EJ45C composite or EXP45 (normal tension is with all three types of strings , they are all DAddario)?

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Well, "better" is a relative term. The EXP set is coated and lasts longer, but you lose some tonal qualities. The EXP set is ideal for an instrument you play occasionally, or one that gets heavy use playing gigs. The EJ45C set has a composite core, as opposed to a nylon one, and offers a brighter bass response, similar to Savarez Cristal, etc. So it ultimately depends if you're looking for either warmth, brilliance or longevity.

[@sonjar1942]

would these be useful for a student guitar of my niece it has 3 steel and 3 nylon do these pack contain?

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Sure, Sonja, these strings can be used on a student guitar so long that it is a classical guitar and not an acoustic steel string guitar. This set will offer a better tone and playability on a student guitar than student strings, like the D'Addario EJ27N set (which is still a good starting point for students, it just depends on your budget).

[@sonjar1942]

thankyou so much @@Josh.Vanjani