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Your cart is empty.3.8 out of 5 stars
- #15,170 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
- #44 in Banjo Accessories
Aquila red series banjo strings provide the player at any level a unique, comfortable feel and a strong sound that brings out the best in any instrument. Other manufacturers take the more traditional route by increasing a string's gauge to reach lower frequencies. That just makes the string less bright, less responsive and more muffled. The thicker is the string, the duller is the sound. Aquila revolutionary new approach actually changes the specific weight of the material that makes up each string progressively leaving the gauge unchanged. The results are amazing! any instrument will immediately sound brighter; and will be more powerful and responsive throughout the entire range of the fretboard. The strings also maintain their intonation better because thicker strings need to be fretted harder, pulling them farther out of tune. Red series sets provide superior performance for musicians who love clear, sharp sounds and powerful voicing across the full scale of the instrument.
Jules
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
I’m a beginner clawhammer player, and I’ve restrung my banjo twice before with nickel plated and stainless steel strings. It’s been a bit finnicky, but I can do it. These strings though, I kid you not, these took up three hours of my time to try and string on, and every single one broke either while tuning or while playing. It was the most frustrating experience, especially because I know how GOOD these strings can sound when done right. I followed the instructions listed in the QR code link on the package, but it didn’t help. Overall, it was wildly frustrating and put me in a grumpy mood. So if you’re a beginner, don’t expect an easy stringing process with these guys. Maybe ask your cool banjo mentor to teach you. I for one, don’t have a cool banjo mentor, so I am complaining in an Amazon review instead. Cheers!
Guy Smith
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
They break if you look at them wrong. I put a new set on and broke two just tuning it! Not some weird tuning either. Just regular ass tuning. Oh a third string broke within the the nest two days. Don't buy.... ever. I really want my money back on this one.
Roybo
Reviewed in Canada on May 12, 2023
Tried to take three days to slowly tighten these strings because they are a little brittle and wanted to ease into it. Sadly, the first string broke one note below finished tuning. The rest sound great, but....
A. Howes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2023
Really good quality.
Francoyank
Reviewed in France on October 3, 2023
Je modifie mon commentaire, car peu après avoir monté ces cordes, sans jouer (son de casserole, impossibilité de garder le banjo accordé) et même accordé un ton et démi en dessous l'accordage standard, j'ai retrouvé le banjo avec une corde (5eme) qui s'est pété tout seul.Donc mon avis final: trop cher pour un produit bien trop fragile.Commentaire d'origine:Niveau son, ça fait un peu... jouet. J'ai vu d'autres commentaires qui les Nylgut ne sonnent pas trop avec les tonerings Whyte Ladye, comme sur mon banjo, et ce n'est pas faux. Avec un torchon à l'intérieur, c'est mieux. Mais comme ça on a le même son qu'avec les cordes standards.Autre chose: j'étais obligé à changer le cordier (pour un No-Knot de Golden Gate) car les cordes sont bien plus grosses que les cordes en acier.Pour ceux qui se plaignent que les cordes sont trop court: les cordes s'étirent d'une manière impressionnante. Il faut de la patience, par contre, car c'est impossible de garder le banjo accordé. Comptez de ré-accorder tous les 3 minutes.
kieran
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2023
I used them on a 22 1/2" scale banjo and had absolutely no problems. I didn't even follow the advice and stretch them. Just tune up incrementally.
Chelsie Ray
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2023
I immediately fell in love with these strings. I've struggled in my attempt to move from steel strings to nylon on my circa 1910 open-back, but these did the trick.I like to tune low, and I was able to get these down to open E with only a very slight buzz on the 4th string when playing it open a bit too aggressively. Barely an inconvenience!They feel and sound great, like the perfect middle ground between steel and nylon. Just an absolute blast to play.Sadly, I wasn't taking good care of my clawhammer nail, and the jagged edge caused the 1st string to begin fraying after about nine days of playing every day. It broke on day 14, and that was that!I'm definitely purchasing again, as I believe better nail care will allow these strings to last a lot longer. Most banjo players aren't filing their nails to a smooth polish, so I think these break for a lot of people which is why that's such a common complaint.
Jason Cox
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2022
After reading several articles about the dangerous nuances of switching to nylon strings, and the necessary filing of nuts and bridges and specific tailpieces to accommodate them without guaranteed failure, I impetuously disregarded all warnings and bought them. I’m stoked that I did. After a month, they’re still holding strong, and I changed literally nothing about my gold tone banjo for their sake. You will have to learn to tie a knot to attach them at the tail, and you probably should exercise patience in tuning them up, (I got up to standard G over the span of about 24 hours) but the feel and sound of nylon over steel is a game changer.
Caleb Posey
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2022
First off, these strings are certainly not as sturdy as steel and you need remember that when stringing it up and playing it. As long as you're careful and slow, they shouldn't break on you when stringing it up and tensioning. I bought 2 packs in case of a popped string but had no issues while string it up. No breaks! Just need to have a little patience while stringing it up, be sure to gently stretch the strings while tensioning. These strings are not looped at the end so you are going to need to be a little creative depending on the tailpiece on your banjo. They make my 12" Ome Tupelo banjo sound amazing. I'm amazed at the quality and tone and wonder why I haven't bought these sooner. Although they may not look long enough initially, the strings will stretch significantly while tensioning. If you're a clawhammer player, you really can't go wrong with these!
Paul LaChance
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2021
I use these on a goatskin head mountain banjo and they give a great old-time sound with a surprising amount of volume and hold pitch very well. They have a good playing life though I change strings once a month whether they need it or not so I can't say how long they really last. I have read other reviews that say they break easily but I made sure that there weren't any rough edges on my tailpiece, bridge or nut and haven't had any problems. They will stretch a good bit when first installed but if you bring them gently to pitch, let them sit overnight and then repeat the process the next day you should be good. I recommend them.
Robin
Reviewed in Canada on January 1, 2021
With out a doubt the best strings available for banjo. Fell great sound great.
K. Bennett
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2020
My partner, the old time clawhammer banjo player, just bought a new open backed, handmade banjo from a very small company, and it came with these strings. She's used to steel banjo strings, never tried any sort of nylon or nylgut.The bad: when the banjo maker handed her the banjo for the very first time, she broke the first string while tuning.The good: She's been playing on it for a month or so, tuning between standard tuning, and also double-D and A tuning (AEAC#e) with no capo. No more strings have broken. The strings did stretch a *lot* when she first got the banjo. They would be down more than a half step every day.The great: these strings sound terrific. Very plunky and woody, on an all wood short scale banjo. Lots of complex overtones. But when played next to a fiddle, the individual notes are clear and just pop out.I was originally thinking this review would be "they sound great but break all the time" but so far we've not had any breakage. Much of that is probably due to the very short scale of the banjo, there's plenty of stretching room. On a standard or long scale banjo, we might have more problems.
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