Putting nylon strings on a steel string..

gitarjoe · April 5th, 2006, 06:28 AM

acoustic. I was thinking about doing this to my ovation. I wanted to go for a nylon string tone, so I was thinking about doing it. Will this work? Will it hurt the guitar? Do I have to make any mods? thanks.

ruger9 · April 5th, 2006, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitarjoe

acoustic. I was thinking about doing this to my ovation. I wanted to go for a nylon string tone, so I was thinking about doing it. Will this work? Will it hurt the guitar? Do I have to make any mods? thanks.

I'm planning on doing the same thing. It won't hurt the guitar, but I don't know how it'll sound & play. They do sell ball-end nylon strings, I bought a pair somewhere...can't remember where...it's been awhile...

jwsamuel · April 5th, 2006, 10:31 AM

It won't hurt the guitar but you may find the neck becomes too narrow to play properly. Nylon strings are thicker than steel, so there just may not be enough separation for you to be comfortable.

Be sure to get the ball end nylon strings.

Jim

Joe-Bob · April 7th, 2006, 03:35 PM

You won't necessarily have to have ball end strings if you know how to string a classical (tie the strings properly) The problem you're gonna run into is the nut and tuners. Nylon strings are pretty fat, you'll have to ruin that nut for steel strings. Also, classical guitars have huge tuner 'posts' because the strings take a lot of string length to come up to pitch. You'll almost certainly run out of room on the standard tuner posts.

gitarjoe · April 7th, 2006, 07:28 PM

I gues its just not worth it. I guess I will try to find an elcheapo nylon string.

jammy · April 8th, 2006, 02:20 PM

Also a major problem is that it'll sound tripe...

The bracing on a steel string is FAR heavier than that on a nylon strung guitar - It'd be quiet and trebly.

moondoggie999 · April 8th, 2006, 11:22 PM

The nylon strings don't have the tension to really drive the top of a steel string acoustic guitar. The top is too heavily braced to counter act the tension of the steele strings and the nylon strings will just kinda flap away without really pushing the top to make a sound.

A lot of times, the nylon strings would break for me when trying to put them on a guitar meant for steel strings.

You probably know that if you put steel strings on a nylon string guitar, it can rip the bridge off or worse.

Wild Rice Chris · May 7th, 2006, 11:06 PM

Done this to three guitars with various results.

One was a 50's Kay archtop. Sounded great (if a little quiet) but the ball-end on the high E kept popping off. I gave the guitar to a friend and haven't heard of any problems (this was about two years ago).

Another was a large-body modern Gretsch. Not enough tension to move the top well, even with high-tension nylons. Sounded OK, but went back to steel.

Third was an Oscar Schmidt acoustic electric. Worked very well on this guitar, my girlfriend bought it and it's the only guitar she plays.

The nut will need recarving, and my experience was that it works best on cheap plywood guitars. What you lose wasn't there to begin with, so no harm.

Chris
http://www.ricecustomguitars.com

wcap · May 9th, 2006, 07:35 AM

Or, if you have a bit of money to spare (yes, I realize this might not be the case), you could just go out and get a La Patrie classical guitar....amazingly affordable (like the Seagulls made by the same company), and very decent guitars for the money. I'm guessing this would sound lots better than nylon strings on a steel-string guitar. The LaPatries are not in the same league as, say, my Burguet, but they are very nice-playing guitars.

Rob DiStefano · May 10th, 2006, 07:06 AM

Or compromise and string up with silk 'n' steel strings - the plains are steel, the wounds are classical wire over fiber.

Wild Rice Chris · May 10th, 2006, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Or compromise and string up with silk 'n' steel strings - the plains are steel, the wounds are classical wire over fiber.

GHS makes silk and bronze strings. Same idea, but they sound better.

charlie cash · July 2nd, 2006, 12:39 PM

I second the silk and steel option. Martin also makes them. The basses feel similar to nylon strings. The trebels are metal. I just tried a set on my National and they give the guitar a mellower sound.

Ice9 · July 7th, 2006, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitarjoe

I gues its just not worth it. I guess I will try to find an elcheapo nylon string.

I picked up an el cheapo Fender nylon string classical guitar a while back and it was around a hundred bucks.

And it actually sounds halfway decent for the price.Plays pretty nice as well.Good enough for what I do with it.The extent of my classical abilites is "Mood For A Day" by Steve Howe.

Mike

April 5th, 2006, 06:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
gitarjoe Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,131 15 Photos	Putting nylon strings on a steel string.. acoustic. I was thinking about doing this to my ovation. I wanted to go for a nylon string tone, so I was thinking about doing it. Will this work? Will it hurt the guitar? Do I have to make any mods? thanks. __________________ Just my two cents.

April 7th, 2006, 03:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
Joe-Bob Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 46 Posts: 4,023	You won't necessarily have to have ball end strings if you know how to string a classical (tie the strings properly) The problem you're gonna run into is the nut and tuners. Nylon strings are pretty fat, you'll have to ruin that nut for steel strings. Also, classical guitars have huge tuner 'posts' because the strings take a lot of string length to come up to pitch. You'll almost certainly run out of room on the standard tuner posts. __________________ "German is the language God uses when He really means business." --FZ

April 7th, 2006, 07:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
gitarjoe Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,131 15 Photos	Thanks guys.. I gues its just not worth it. I guess I will try to find an elcheapo nylon string. __________________ Just my two cents.

April 8th, 2006, 11:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
moondoggie999 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Pleasanton, CA Age: 40 Posts: 492 3 Photos	tried it, this is what i noticed The nylon strings don't have the tension to really drive the top of a steel string acoustic guitar. The top is too heavily braced to counter act the tension of the steele strings and the nylon strings will just kinda flap away without really pushing the top to make a sound. A lot of times, the nylon strings would break for me when trying to put them on a guitar meant for steel strings. You probably know that if you put steel strings on a nylon string guitar, it can rip the bridge off or worse. __________________ You start off playing guitar to get chicks and end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails - Ed Gerhard

May 7th, 2006, 11:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
Wild Rice Chris Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rice Custom Dungeon Posts: 2,885 27 Photos	Done this to three guitars with various results. One was a 50's Kay archtop. Sounded great (if a little quiet) but the ball-end on the high E kept popping off. I gave the guitar to a friend and haven't heard of any problems (this was about two years ago). Another was a large-body modern Gretsch. Not enough tension to move the top well, even with high-tension nylons. Sounded OK, but went back to steel. Third was an Oscar Schmidt acoustic electric. Worked very well on this guitar, my girlfriend bought it and it's the only guitar she plays. The nut will need recarving, and my experience was that it works best on cheap plywood guitars. What you lose wasn't there to begin with, so no harm. Chris http://www.ricecustomguitars.com __________________ "The children need to learn how to build their own environment and make their own music that is inspired by their roots."--Eugene Hütz "All music turns out to be ethnic music."--Steve Reich Enjoy, and please visit my homepage.

April 5th, 2006, 10:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
jwsamuel Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2004 Location: Upper Holland, PA Age: 51 Posts: 2,129	It won't hurt the guitar but you may find the neck becomes too narrow to play properly. Nylon strings are thicker than steel, so there just may not be enough separation for you to be comfortable. Be sure to get the ball end nylon strings. Jim

April 8th, 2006, 02:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
jammy Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St Helens. Nr Liverpool, UK Posts: 128	Also a major problem is that it'll sound tripe... The bracing on a steel string is FAR heavier than that on a nylon strung guitar - It'd be quiet and trebly.

May 9th, 2006, 07:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
wcap Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 170	Or, if you have a bit of money to spare (yes, I realize this might not be the case), you could just go out and get a La Patrie classical guitar....amazingly affordable (like the Seagulls made by the same company), and very decent guitars for the money. I'm guessing this would sound lots better than nylon strings on a steel-string guitar. The LaPatries are not in the same league as, say, my Burguet, but they are very nice-playing guitars.

May 10th, 2006, 07:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 63 Posts: 4,919	Or compromise and string up with silk 'n' steel strings - the plains are steel, the wounds are classical wire over fiber.

July 2nd, 2006, 12:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
charlie cash Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 368	I second the silk and steel option. Martin also makes them. The basses feel similar to nylon strings. The trebels are metal. I just tried a set on my National and they give the guitar a mellower sound.