A Review of Oasis Guitar Strings

I have pretty much used Savarez Alliance high tension strings since my college guitar professor told me that it was the path towards getting more projection out of the guitar that I had at the time. It was a Hanika guitar that I bought at the NAMM show, a big event that I enjoyed as a result of being an employee of Gallagher Guitar Co. in 2001. The Hanika guitar was a good guitar, albeit rather hard to play, and having never used high tension carbon strings, it was like getting a new guitar.

High tension carbon strings generally bring more volume and quickness to the touch out of every classical, but many players choose nylon strings or low tension strings, such as D'addario, because they are a bit easier to play or because they often hear more of the notes’ overtones which gives the perception of a more full bodied tone.

I was walking through the vendor fair at the GFA in Charleston a couple of years ago and a man asked, “Hey, would you like some free strings.” Of course we accept things for free with very little ambivalence, however, there is, as there was in this case, the assumption that there will be an inherent lack of value in something that is given away. When I returned to my shop and finally finished guitar no. 2 a month later I realized that I was out of Savarez strings. I was about jump online and order a new set when I thought, what the heck, I will try out those strings that guy at GFA was giving away.

As it turns out I ended making Oasis High Tension Carbon Strings with Sustenuto basses the standard for every guitar that leaves my shop. However, a few months ago I was stringing up another guitar for the first time and realized that the only set I had was Savarez. I hadn’t actually used my old favorite set of strings in a year when I finally placed them on the completed guitar.

I slowly realized after the strings had been on the guitar for a couple days that, although it was sounding great, I really missed those Oasis Strings with the Sostenuto Basses. The Oasis bass strings are very cavernous -  very deep sounding. Also - if you find that the Savarez G string is a bit tight on your guitar, try Oasis. I find that the G string is a bit thinner and harder, or at least much more clear on my guitars than the Savarez.

I later learned that the guy handing out those free strings was the owner of Oasis, David Hepple because I found myself in a booth next to him at the 2013 GFA in Louisville, KY.

Thanks David, and hope to see you in LA this summer!

Update 10/5/2018

In the past few years I have collaborated with David to help him improve his Oasis GPX set by introducing a nylon treble 1st string into his otherwise carbon set. This set is called Claro. In addition, I know they are working hard to update the sustenuto bass set with a new nylon core technology. I currently use the aforementioned Claro trebles with a set of Augustine Bass strings but I am eager to see what they come up with so hopefully I won't feel the need to create a "mixed" set anymore.