Regular vs High Tension Strings
 

Most of my experience playing is on a vintage 1964 Gibson. My interest has been increasingly classical. I recently bought an Orpheus Valley Fiesta FC. Now I am learning about nylon strings. My questions for all the wonderful players out there is this, what is the advantage to high tension strings?...Disadvantages? Does the higher tension have any long term effect on the guitar?

Thanks for all you help, past and present.
Phil

Not an expert by any means, but here is my 2 cents.
Concert guitarists sometimes favor high tension strings I suppose to increase volume. I use them one one guitar which has a large top as they seem to help the top move. Many classical guitarist eschew their use saying that the higher tension chokes the top and that they cannot produce the tonal variation that normal tension strings do.
Crossover players seem to like them as at first the tension of nylon strings feels kind of squishy until you get used to them.
Finally, Some longer scale instruments, (655 and over) may benefit from the higher tension string, which somehow doesn't make sense to me as the string tension would normally be higher on a longer scale instrument, no?

Experimentation is what will tell you what is best for you and your guitar. Generally, higher tension strings, (like higher gauge steel strings) will drive the top more and produce a louder sound. They will also be harder to fret. If fretting higher tension strings isn't a problem for you, and your guitar sounds better than with lower tension strings, go for it.

Generally, if you are a casual player, medium, normal or standard (all the same) will be just fine. Hard or extra hard would be good if you want more volume and they are still easy for you to play cleanly.

Also in a very broad way, higher tension strings accept a more agressive touch, without buzzing or loosing focus.
But in exchange will usualy be more dificult to do vibratos, maybe ligados (hammer ons, pull offs) and to "manipulate" the sound in general.
Any well built guitar should be able to handle a high tension string, dont worry about it.

But as David Said, only experimentation will tell you what is best in your case.
I usually like high tension for my guitars, or HT basses with normal trebles.


P.S.: Wanna go to extremes? Try the Hannabach 728 or 815 Extra-High tension. You can tow a truck with that thing...

Thanks to everyone for you help!
 

I am just a kid (63) getting started on serious classical. I played steel strings off and on all my life. As always, you are all a big help.

P.S.: Wanna go to extremes? Try the Hannabach 728 or 815 Extra-High tension. You can tow a truck with that thing...[/QUOTE]

Guto, I’ll throw a couple of the Hannabachs into my trunk with my jumper cables.:)

I think this should be of help to you. You may want to bookmark the page.

http://www.hillguitar.com/website/ne...tar_setup.html

I own one of Kenny's instruments and he adjusted one of my other guitars. I now do my own set-ups (and a few other folks') and apply his guidelines.

EDIT:
You can also compromise. I use Medium-Hard tension strings. The basses are hard-tension and the trebles are normal-tension. I currently prefer carbon trebles rather than nylon since they have a brighter tone. These work very well with some guitars but can be shrill on others.

I use Savarez Alliance 540ARJ.

I am a cross-over player, and I will only play extra hard tension. I play aggressively and need the tension. I also find them much easier to keep in tune.

If you plan to play with a very light touch, with a lot of vibrato, you probably will not like them.

I've found that the higher tension strings also have a bit fuller sound, compared to standard tension which have a brighter tone. I usually prefer standard tension basses with high tension trebles, but each player will have their own preference.

Another common use for high tension strings is on shorter scale instruments.

Our "senorita" sized Almansa (scale = 635mm) uses them.

One thing to keep in mind is that the differences in tension across nylon string sets pales in comparison to the differences in tension across steel string sets.

The difference in tone and feel can be pretty subtle when changing to a higher or lower nylon tension.

-brian

That's really true.
Also, it can happen that one makers "normal" tension is as tense as another's hard tension. There are no standards for measurement.

hi
luthiers likes to use extra hard tension in a new guitar, so the top can work
and open in a shorter time, after, almost everybody prefers a normal tension. my 20 years old ramirez 8 string, cedar top would not accept a high
tension set, with the years tops(more cedar) works ok with a normal tension,even a light set!
the only guitar i use with hard tension is a 64mm, spruce top.
dont get confuse with steel tensions,, nylon have the same thicker, just different tension.

Hi Kabalan, I don't mean to be disrespectful and I don't like to contradict others, but that information is not really accurate.

Nylon strings do vary in thickness acording to their tension too. Take the D'addario Pro Arte's, as an example: http://store.daddario.com/category/146022/Pro-Arte
In the specs you will find that the harder the tension, the thicker the strings. A normal tension 1st string is .028 while a hard tension is .0285 and an extra-hard is .029.
If the material is the same, the only way to increase tension at a certain pitch is to increase the string's mass. That's why they have to be thicker, the more tense they are.

I just use the Pro-arte medium tension cause that's what I like. I ain't no expert though.

While I play nylon (as well as steel) but not classical, when I got my new Hill New World awhile ago I experimented with strings and tried some high-tension sets. I returned to using normal tension because I couldn't get the 3 string pressed down when barring on the flat wide neck and the high action needed with nylon strings. If you have a cross-over with a radiused neck , or strong hands, you may not have this problem.

I use composite strings only, and have experimented with both the Savarez high tension composites and the Oasis HT composites. I found the HT much more difficult to play, and now have settled in to normal tensions.

If you haven't tried the Oasis composite strings, you are missing a real treat. Not as expensive as the Savarez and they feel great and play great, and I get a lot of life out of them.