Nylon stringed folk guitar

quincy451
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:53 pm
Status: Offline

Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:46 pm

I have done the steel to nylon guitar conversion. It did not cause any noticable issues with the top of the guitar. I had it like that for about 15 years. I did have an issue with the tuners. The spacers around the tuner pegs where plastic and snapped and broke off even with the nylon strings. So by the time I gave the instrument away it needed new tuners. I used ball end nylon folk strings for this. I can't really say how well it sounded or didn't. I could have cared less when I was playing this instrument the most. When I was 12, or 13, circa 1976 - 1977.

Would I do this again. Most likely not. Not that it will affect the function of the instrument. It's just unknown what it might sound like. But I might be talking fast on that. For I might try it once on my Jasmine just to see what it does. But having had difficults on that guitar going to extra light strings, I suspect nylon ball end with about 50% the tension of steel to be even worse. What happens with this guitar is when you put too light oa string on it you get a resonance up at the top of the neck, that is just the wrong sound from the guitar. Hurry for truss rods. I think it is related to that.

But back to your selection. Now days you have many choices in what they call hybrid guitar which hs what you are looking for. Nylon strings with a steel sized/radius neck with a truss rod. Fender makes a CDN240SCE which goes for about $350. It was at top of my want list for a while. Until I realized...well, it has a radius neck and I don't want that. And I found one being played on youtube and was not so moved by it. And talking to the owner, he was not moved either. He was like, you get what you pay for. I was like, curb the excitement.

Personally I want a solid wood top classical perferably with a cutaway but ok jsut not. Another thing to consider is do you want a 14 fret neck join or a 12th fret. I didn't think a 14 fret neck join would be a big switch. But it is when you are so hard wired to think...ok 12th fret for this note...top of the neck...oh wait...not on this guitar...two down from that.

Well, good luck with your persuit. Sorry for rambling so much and helping so little with your issue. But beyond which guitars to consider...it is all up to you.


davidjdriver
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:03 am
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:21 am

Hey thanks for the rambling! I appreciate you taking the time. After hearing form someone who has actually done this and lived with it I think that I will either buy the Luna or save for a year or so to get the ovation.


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:46 am

Have you checked with "Neverfoundthetime"?; he is using a nylon-stringed folk in his videos.
Yep, I am it's a 20 year old Takamine EN60C... love it. Was $1'500, so I thought I wouldn't comment. I first played my mother's Spanish Classical so I like the slightly broader neck and the sound. I'm sure this didn^t help you David! :-)


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic