Nylon strings for acoustic guitar?


kimbunning
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Joined: 04/07/20
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kimbunning
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Joined: 04/07/20
Posts: 1
04/13/2020 8:26 pm

Hello,

Just beginning ... wondering if I can switch to nylon strings (or something a little less hard on my fingers)? I have a Yamaha F325D. I'm interested in learning classical guitar, but this is the guitar I have now and I'd like to use it rather than get a whole new guitar.

Thanks in advance!

Kim


# 1
William MG
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William MG
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04/13/2020 8:45 pm

Hi Kim

What I am going to say is highly controversial, but to me the most important thing right now is that you are willing to pick the guitar up and play.

I have never tried nylon strings on an acoustic so without direct experience I would not put a comment forward. I don't even know how classicals are strung, on your acoustic your strings have little ball ends that the pins lock in place.

However, as I stated on another post, I am a 57 year man who put 9 gauge electric strings on my acoustic last January when I started playing and it was the best thing for me to do. I did not like the 12 gauge strings that were standard on my guitar and I believe are on yours. And as I type this, I am playing our Yamaha APX500 which I threw a set of 9 gauge electrics on the other day as I was responding to a question by another member. And again, this is not proper. But to me there is no wrong way if you are going to instrument and practicing. And whatever you need to do to make that happen should be done.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 2
Herman10
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Herman10
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04/14/2020 3:48 am

if the acoustic as the pins to keep the strings in place then no, not posible to put nylon strings.

Vice versa can do but a classical guitar doesn't have a trussrod so you will probably break the neck.

Herman


# 3
davem_or
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davem_or
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04/15/2020 2:19 am

No. No. No. No. No

Nylon strings will not work. The neck is set to handle metal strings which have much, much higher tension than nylong strings. The neck will bow back, maybe twist if you do this.

My advice is to keep going and you will get better. Trust me, your fingers will adapt.

My "cheater" way of handling this is to put a capo on the first or second fret and retune the guitar accordingly until your fingers get stronger.


# 4
William MG
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William MG
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04/15/2020 7:39 am
Originally Posted by: davem_or

No. No. No. No. No

Nylon strings will not work. The neck is set to handle metal strings which have much, much higher tension than nylong strings. The neck will bow back, maybe twist if you do this.

My advice is to keep going and you will get better. Trust me, your fingers will adapt.

My "cheater" way of handling this is to put a capo on the first or second fret and retune the guitar accordingly until your fingers get stronger.

Is this from your own first hand experience Dave?


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 5

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