Friday, February 28, 2025

21 thoughts on “Using Steel Strings On A Classical Guitar #shorts

  • Bridge pins predate both nylon and steel strings, they were the more common design for all sorts of guitars in the 19th-20th century and were not designed to account for steel strings. When steel string acoustics were developed, the tradition they were working in already used bridge pins. They are just better for changing strings.

    The main problem with putting steel strings on nylon string guitars is that the neck and soundboard are not strong enough to take the load, even if the bridge is fixed to the soundboard more strongly, or bridge pins are used. It won't work. It isn't the bridge that is the design issue. Early steel string guitars used a device that distributed the load to the end block to avoid needing a stronger soundboard.

    Also, low tension steel strings are doable and much easier to design for. High tension and corresponding stronger design is simply to get more loudness and sustain out of the strings. Though steel strings were originally motivated more by gut strings being expensive and not longlasting. Nylon didn't exist.

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  • It can do damage to your top because it's bracing is different from a steel string. Also the glued bridge would damage the top because the gluebinding is stronger than the wood.

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  • Thomastik-Infield has two steel options for classical guitar: KR116 and KF110. I've had a look at their tension weight, its around the same as High Tension nylons. About 30lbs less than Silk and Steel strings. Speaking of which, if you have a cheap laminate top classical that you've moved on from, stick some Silk and Steel on it. You can get some 'fresh' tones to noodle on, do scales or play pieces with. At least it doesnt sound like a cheap classical, rather, a different instrument. Better than the bin and if it shortens its life, it was disposable anyway????????.
    For alternative to classical nylon and carbon options. There's also the John Pearse Folk strings from the same company. Not shilling for the company???? Just that they get overlooked for alternatives….

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  • I have a classical guitar but I have steel strings on it i've been using it for a year now and I got no problems at all

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