Stupid guitar string question

[Chilli.s]

I will probably have to mess with the truss rod

Going from 10 s to 13 s on a thin neck will probably mean you do have to do this.

A quarter of a turn on the truss rod is a large adjustment. Don't overdo it. Adjust... leave it a day to settle, then see how it is.

 

[maomao]

Going from 10 s to 13 s on a thin neck will probably mean you do have to do this.

A quarter of a turn on the truss rod is a large adjustment. Don't overdo it. Adjust... leave it a day to settle, then see how it is.

Yeah. I'm waiting till the summer holidays. Going to put fresh 10s on it and adjust it slowly. It was a cheap guitar anyway so probably just not up to it.

 

[Knotted]

I hate restringing all strings at once, it takes ages for it settle back and me not having to retune every hour To be honest, as I'm only playing for myself at home, this time I'm changing on a per need basis. Right now my D string is looking in need of change, but the others ok.

Try twisting/bending the strings with your thumb and finger (and then retune of course). Stretching them like that helps a bit.

 

[danny la rouge]

Mental.

In answer to the op. Go to a music shop and ask for a d string for a classical guitar. Then put it on your guitar.
If you can be arsed, put a whole new set on, especially if the rest of the strings are old.
Don't put steel strings on a classical guitar as the greater tension will fuck the neck

Pretty much this.

As you are a beginner (I assume, from the fact you don’t seem to have changed a string before), get “normal tension” strings. They’ll be softer on your fingers than the hard tension strings advanced players tend to prefer. Don’t buy any fancy schmancy strings. You won’t appreciate the difference yet.

Ideally, playing 20 minutes per day, you should change nylon strings once every three months. (My friend who is a professional classical guitar player changes his once a week, but he’s a demon who plays for hours a day).

Do not put steel strings on your classical guitar.

 

[rutabowa]

Pretty much this.

As you are a beginner (I assume, from the fact you don’t seem to have changed a string before), get “normal tension” strings. They’ll be softer on your fingers than the hard tension strings advanced players tend to prefer. Don’t buy any fancy schmancy strings. You won’t appreciate the difference yet.

Ideally, playing 20 minutes per day, you should change nylon strings once every three months. (My friend who is a professional classical guitar player changes his once a week, but he’s a demon who plays for hours a day).

Do not put steel strings on your classical guitar.

^ do all this.

also just to add, from previous posts: DONT try to adjust the truss rod, and don't worry about intonation. changing strings should be really easy, there is no need to complicate it at this point. I have NEVER adjusted a truss rod or intonation in 30 years or so of playing. I've also put loads of the "wrong" strings on different guitars and it has never been a big deal tbh... But yes do use nylon strings for that one.

 

[rutabowa]

I did replace the nut at the same time so there could be another explanation.

It will be this, almost certainly.

 

[danny la rouge]

Just as a point of information: (traditional) classical guitars don’t have truss rods. That’s why there’s a problem if you try to put steel strings on them. So you have even less need to worry about your truss rod.

 

[rutabowa]

I didn't know that... I just pretend they are not there. Even guitar shops sometimes break guitars beyond repair when they try truss rod adjustments, so me personally I stay well away and pay someone who really knows what they're doing (the 1 time it has been necessary).

 

[danny la rouge]

Aye. Don’t fuck wi stuff.

 

[xenon]

I think for a classical guitar you need to tune down a semitone as well as standard tuning is too much tension for the neck. So I heard, dunno, don't own one.

And as for playing with out the D string.


I hate restringing all strings at once, it takes ages for it settle back and me not having to retune every hour To be honest, as I'm only playing for myself at home, this time I'm changing on a per need basis. Right now my D string is looking in need of change, but the others ok.

Is it an electric with a Flloyd Rose?

Otherwise you might have knackered or rubbish machine heads. Acoustic's tuning doesn't drift that much IME, at least in our climate.

 

[Chilli.s]

Is it an electric with a Flloyd Rose?

Thats deffo a job for a proper repair person. They are a nightmare

 

[danny la rouge]

I think for a classical guitar you need to tune down a semitone as well as standard tuning is too much tension for the neck. So I heard, dunno, don't own one.

And as for playing with out the D string.


I hate restringing all strings at once, it takes ages for it settle back and me not having to retune every hour To be honest, as I'm only playing for myself at home, this time I'm changing on a per need basis. Right now my D string is looking in need of change, but the others ok.

Is it an electric with a Flloyd Rose?

Otherwise you might have knackered or rubbish machine heads. Acoustic's tuning doesn't drift that much IME, at least in our climate.

Nah, don’t bother tuning down.

Nylon strings do go out of tune more easily than steel. I’ve experimented with ball end nylon strings, but it turns out that there’s a reason the professionals use the bridge twist method: it’s more reliable.

 

[xenon]

Thats deffo a job for a proper repair person. They are a nightmare

Just do one string at a time and wedge something under the back of the bridge.

Mind you I still approach a restring of the 7 string FR one I have with trepedation. I bought it cos it has other features I really like, not too much into the divebombing stuff.

 

[xenon]

Nah, don’t bother tuning down.

Nylon strings do go out of tune more easily than steel. I’ve experimented with ball end nylon strings, but it turns out that there’s a reason the professionals use the bridge twist method: it’s more reliable.

I only played a cheapo one when first learning. But I never learned how to replace strings that wrap round the bridge.

 

[Chilli.s]

Just do one string at a time and wedge something under the back of the bridge.

Mind you I still approach a restring of the 7 string FR I have with trepedation. I bought it cos it has other features I really like, not too much into the divebombing stuff.

Long ago I attempted to change the gauge and tuning that I was going to keep the guitar in on a FR equipped guitar. Bad mistake. Took ages to get it back to a playable state.

 

[danny la rouge]

I only played a cheapo one when first learning. But I never learned how to replace strings that wrap round the bridge.

It’s intimidating at first. But the world has YouTube nowadays, (as long as you can find someone who doesn’t want to spend 20 mins telling you their life story and how easy it is to subscribe to their channel first).

 

[xenon]

Long ago I attempted to change the gauge and tuning that I was going to keep the guitar in on a FR equipped guitar. Bad mistake. Took ages to get it back to a playable state.

Oh yeah I have fucked them up too. Before I knew, I used to take all the strings off, thinking I could clean the fret board and everything. Then spent hours trying to rebalance it. (I didn't know about the claw screws at the back.)

There's a good guitar tech in Bristol, Eltham Jones. He's serviced my guitars a few times.

 

[xenon]

It’s intimidating at first. But the world has YouTube nowadays, (as long as you can find someone who doesn’t want to spend 20 mins telling you their life story and how easy it is to subscribe to their channel first).

I quite like the nylon sound for some things but I'll just borrow my mate's...

 

[Knotted]

And as for playing with out the D string.

Don't knock it until you've tried it. It's music - there aren't any rules. It's still five times less stripped down than this.

 

[danny la rouge]

Don't knock it until you've tried it. It's music - there aren't any rules. It's still five times less stripped down than this.

I notice he has a tuner clipped to his guitar.

 

[girasol]

Try twisting/bending the strings with your thumb and finger (and then retune of course). Stretching them like that helps a bit.

Not so much for classical guitars (nylon strings) and it takes a good week of tuning many times a day for strings to settle. I do love the sound of new, fresh strings! I changed mine last night and for the 3 minutes it stays tuned it sounds great! It'll be ok in a few days. This is worth reading if you have classical guitar, regarding string stretching.

Why do Classical Guitar Strings Keep Going Out of Tune? (Stop them!) | Nylon Plucks

Like every classical guitarist on the planet, I too have observed that a new set of strings does not stay in tune for long. It…

www.nylonplucks.com

Frequently tuning a new set of strings: When I change my strings, I keep re-tuning the guitar every few minutes (while watching TV). The following day I will take the guitar out of its case every couple of hours and re-tune it. I just keep re-tuning frequently and in a couple of days all that is needed are micro-adjustments.

^ Yup, this is pretty much what I find myself doing when I change the strings on the classical guitar...

I have an acoustic guitar and that is very stable regarding tuning, metal strings tend to go out of tune a lot less.

 

[maomao]

Not so much for classical guitars (nylon strings) and it takes a good week of tuning many times a day for strings to settle. I do love the sound of new, fresh strings! I changed mine last night and for the 3 minutes it stays tuned it sounds great! It'll be ok in a few days. This is worth reading if you have classical guitar, regarding string stretching.

Why do Classical Guitar Strings Keep Going Out of Tune? (Stop them!) | Nylon Plucks

Like every classical guitarist on the planet, I too have observed that a new set of strings does not stay in tune for long. It…

www.nylonplucks.com

I have an acoustic guitar and that is very stable regarding tuning, metal strings tend to go out of tune a lot less.

Nylon strings are terrible for this. I get the same on my ukulele. Takes several hours of playing, stretching and retuning to settle.

 

[girasol]

Another good tip which will decrease the amount of days you need to keep retuning is keeping the strings short, i.e. (from same article)

Fixing strings at both ends correctly: Personally, I string the guitar in such a way as to minimize wraps on the tuning rollers. Because the whole length of the string stretches – including the bits wound on the rollers – if you minimize those, you cut on the time of significant initial stretching. Making fewer turns around the roller helps a bit too.

Nylon strings do stretch, but they also slip almost just as much. If you are careful about tying them on both ends and keeping as few wraps as possible on the roller, they should stay in tune pretty well the first or second day itself. Securing strings properly to ensure that there’s no slippage is probably key.

I'm also tempted to buy carbon strings once I"m done with the sets I have at home...

Try Carbon Strings On Your Classical Guitar | Nylon Plucks

Once a student of the classical guitar gets basic technique under control, he or she becomes consciously aware of the tone their instrument is putting…

www.nylonplucks.com

edit: fuck me, carbon strings are expensive!

 

[platinumsage]

The new set of strings has arrived. This is when I put them in a drawer until I have a free day to watch classical guitar stringing tutorials.

 

[Knotted]

Another good tip which will decrease the amount of days you need to keep retuning is keeping the strings short, i.e. (from same article)




I'm also tempted to buy carbon strings once I"m done with the sets I have at home...

Try Carbon Strings On Your Classical Guitar | Nylon Plucks

Once a student of the classical guitar gets basic technique under control, he or she becomes consciously aware of the tone their instrument is putting…

www.nylonplucks.com

edit: fuck me, carbon strings are expensive!

Try going back to catgut. Here kitty kitty...

 

[rutabowa]

The new set of strings has arrived. This is when I put them in a drawer until I have a free day to watch classical guitar stringing tutorials.

Def worth learning how to do properly, and it really won't be difficult or take long

 

[girasol]

Try going back to catgut. Here kitty kitty...

I have a cat!

 

[Chilli.s]

I have a cat!

Do you know what tension its guts are?

 

[maomao]

Try going back to catgut. Here kitty kitty...

You can actually buy these for approx 100 USD a set (can't find them for sale in UK).

 

[platinumsage]

You can actually buy these for approx 100 USD a set (can't find them for sale in UK).

Quite hard to make apparently as its properties vary depending on the diet etc of the individual animal:

https://pmj.bmj.com/content/postgradmedj/25/287/427.full.pdf