Electric Strings on an acoustic?

RollingThunder75 · June 2nd, 2008, 06:46 AM

This is probably a seriously dumb question, but is it ever a good idea (or even possible) to put heavier electric guitar strings on an acoustic?

Martinp · June 2nd, 2008, 08:09 AM

I have an old arch top I put electric strings on, works OK. it even sounds decent (not great) acoustically, but if it didn't have a magnetic pickup, I run acoustic strings on it.
so I guess the answer is it may not be a good idea, but you can do it

Stratsrgood · June 2nd, 2008, 11:24 AM

I always put EB "Beefy Slinky" on my cheap resonator (with the plain 3rd swapped for a 0.024 wound) - it sounds great and the strings last for ages. I started using them because the guitar sounded a bit "thin" with bronze strings.

Squier Esquire · June 2nd, 2008, 03:33 PM

i did that to my kay archtop 2 days ago. sounds really good on mine

woodman · June 2nd, 2008, 04:44 PM

i tried it a long time ago, and it sounded pretty good when the strings were fresh. but they would wear out stunningly fast!

J. Hayes · June 17th, 2008, 09:48 AM

on acoustic guitar as well as electric when I lived in SoCal and wanted to change my strings more often so I started buying Ernie Ball Slinkys in the 10-46 range as they were much cheaper than buying acoustic strings, sounded decent, and if I needed to play an acoustic lead I'd have an unwrapped G string to bend. I also used electric strings for a folk size Yamaha guitar I had on which I'd have strings 3 through 6 an octave higher for some rhythm parts. They were like the higher octave strings on a 12 string guitar...........JH in Va.

Johnny Isaacs · June 19th, 2008, 08:37 PM

uses nickel strings on Clarence White's old acoustic!

http://www.acousticguitar.net/daquisto/tr.html

They sound pretty good and Tony doesn't suck!

Johnny Isaacs

outbreak · June 19th, 2008, 09:03 PM

what about electric strings on a nylon string classical guitar. would this eat through the bridge

mellecaster · June 22nd, 2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Isaacs

uses nickel strings on Clarence White's old acoustic!

http://www.acousticguitar.net/daquisto/tr.html

They sound pretty good and Tony doesn't suck!

Johnny Isaacs

Merle Travis used Nickel wound on his old D-28 w/ the Paul Bigsby Neck...and so does his Son, Thom Bresh....they say (said) it just suited that Guitar the Best.

aznrambo481 · June 22nd, 2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outbreak

what about electric strings on a nylon string classical guitar. would this eat through the bridge

Don't do it. I have a friend who has a cheap classical guitar he used to put electric strings on... it ate away at the frets (they were made to handle nylon....) and you can't play anything past the 6th fret now. I'm sure that's only the beginning of a long list of problems...

CatfishStudios · June 22nd, 2008, 10:34 AM

Classical Guitars are not designed to take the tension of metal strings...fret wear would be the last of my worries...what would likely happen would be the bridge separating from the top..Forget Nike and Just Dont Do It!

June 2nd, 2008, 06:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
RollingThunder75 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: WV Posts: 397	Electric Strings on an acoustic? This is probably a seriously dumb question, but is it ever a good idea (or even possible) to put heavier electric guitar strings on an acoustic? __________________ Live every week like it's Shark Week.

June 2nd, 2008, 08:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Martinp Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Westbury, N.Y. Posts: 306	I have an old arch top I put electric strings on, works OK. it even sounds decent (not great) acoustically, but if it didn't have a magnetic pickup, I run acoustic strings on it. so I guess the answer is it may not be a good idea, but you can do it __________________ mp Westbury, New York

June 2nd, 2008, 04:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,801	i tried it a long time ago, and it sounded pretty good when the strings were fresh. but they would wear out stunningly fast! __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)

June 17th, 2008, 09:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
J. Hayes Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 950	At one point I was getting some session work... on acoustic guitar as well as electric when I lived in SoCal and wanted to change my strings more often so I started buying Ernie Ball Slinkys in the 10-46 range as they were much cheaper than buying acoustic strings, sounded decent, and if I needed to play an acoustic lead I'd have an unwrapped G string to bend. I also used electric strings for a folk size Yamaha guitar I had on which I'd have strings 3 through 6 an octave higher for some rhythm parts. They were like the higher octave strings on a 12 string guitar...........JH in Va. __________________ Ralph Mooney rules!!

June 19th, 2008, 08:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
Johnny Isaacs Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,430 3 Photos	Tony Rice uses nickel strings on Clarence White's old acoustic! http://www.acousticguitar.net/daquisto/tr.html They sound pretty good and Tony doesn't suck! Johnny Isaacs __________________ Myspace music page I've never trusted a guitar player who hasn't licked a few 9volts... Famous last words...... after this one, no new Tele's!

June 2nd, 2008, 11:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Stratsrgood Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hampshire,UK Age: 57 Posts: 111	I always put EB "Beefy Slinky" on my cheap resonator (with the plain 3rd swapped for a 0.024 wound) - it sounds great and the strings last for ages. I started using them because the guitar sounded a bit "thin" with bronze strings.

June 2nd, 2008, 03:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Squier Esquire TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: louisiana Age: 13 Posts: 42	i did that to my kay archtop 2 days ago. sounds really good on mine

June 19th, 2008, 09:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
outbreak Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Australia Age: 20 Posts: 450	what about electric strings on a nylon string classical guitar. would this eat through the bridge __________________ '07 MIM std tele '07 Epiphone Studio Dot '08 Gretsch 5120 '08 Ibanex accoustic '07 VOX ad50vt

June 22nd, 2008, 10:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 33 Posts: 727	Classical Guitars are not designed to take the tension of metal strings...fret wear would be the last of my worries...what would likely happen would be the bridge separating from the top..Forget Nike and Just Dont Do It!