On Monday, June 28, 2004 at 9:40:15 AM UTC-4, alcarruth wrote:
You could go the 'all natural; route, and switch to Thomastic "S" series classical strings. These have a core of fine steel wire rope, even on the high
E, but are designed to have the same overall tension as 'normal' nylon strings.
They're sort of expensive, but they will give your classical guitar that steel
sound.
Alan Carruth / Luthier
An old message stream but perhaps you're still out there, Alan. Glad you left the comment. I'm on nylon but occasionally miss the sound of steel strings.
I've ordered a set of Thomastik-Infield Classic S rope core strings for a Godin Multiac Grand Concert SA guitar. This is a nylon electric. Actually got if for comfort: tried a zillion guitars at price points from $300 to $2,000, at half the guitar shops
in a city of 3 million. Hadn't played in 35 years, have osteoarthritis in my fingers and couldn't make chords work on anything steel. Still had the Ovation but it was useless to me: too narrow, fingers weren't working. Went nylon for the wider neck, at
least until I can hammer my fingers & brain into remembering/relearning chord shapes and fretboard. (Be warned: it ain't like riding a bike, learn once & you know it forever. Playing a guitar is what they call "a perishable skill": use it or lose it).
The action on the Godin is unbelievable. Not even a mid-range Taylor came close. This is playable for me all the way to the top of the fretboard, though I'm still working on barre chords with a four-fret span (used to...). Three's ok though. Nylon in
general have a wider neck but most classical guitars (Spanish esp.) have a much higher action than I ever liked, even when I was younger, and the action on my Ovation was too high for these fingers to re-learn. The Godin looked do-able - amazingly low,
yet they don't buzz when strummed. This thing offers synth access but I doubt I'll ever use it.
Fast forward 3 months. Ramped slowly, but I'm improving, & I think I made an acceptable choice. Especially given the limited options during the COVID shutdown. I can even travis pick again though the left hand's coming much more slowly (barres are a
bitch - still muddy & plagued w dead strings). The Godin sounds good but not great bare (it IS an electric semi-hollow body, after all) - quite different from a traditional acoustic - but run through an amp it sounds great. I may never perform again but
if I did this would be every bit as acceptable as the Ovation and anything else I've ever played. Where it really shines for me, though, is playability: I don't remember a Martin D35 being this comfortable to play. But the Godin is heavy as hell - I don'
t like that. Once my fingers get back & I can deal with narrower string spacing I may swap or add a steel string acoustic (soliciting suggestions if anyone has advice to offer). Or just get happy focusing entirely on fingerpicking nylon.
I like the sound & playability of the strings Godin uses and I'm sure these have plenty more life in them, but I've ordered the Thomastik strings anyhow. I'll report on whether they deliver.
It's been 16 years since you made your suggestion. Anything come to mind now?
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