Half Step Down Tension

[MaKaToM]

Hi Guys!

Last week I ordered a Taylor 214ce-n (not classical, I know) and Taylor Europe say its ETA is April 16th Really excited!

Now, I am a steel string player, but I use an old nylon parlor guitar to write on.

I have all of my guitars tuned a half step down, as this tends to suit my voice better.

On my steel string guitars, I use heavier gauge strings (.13's) to combat the loss in tension... but I'm not sure what I could do with the new guitar, as it's nylon strung

I wish I could just by a nylon strung guitar, with a steel string neck that had normal tension when tuned down a half step, but unfortunately that doesn't appear to exist.

Cheers guys

Tom

[Paikon]

Use Hannabach strings 815 super high tension.
http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/c...uper-high-481/
These are the highest tension classical strings.

[Garthman]

Just about any nylon strings will be OK if tuned down just a semitone.

[ewalling]

Why not play the same songs in a different key, one that suits your voice better? You surely don't have to tune down to achieve this, do you?

[MaKaToM]

I do play some songs in different keys, but with others changing the key loses the tone of the song.

ETA for new guitar is tomorrow... Excited :-)

[brucefulton]

Scale lengths on current full size classical guitars range from as short as 630mm to 660mm or even more. That is more than one fret's worth (one semitone) of distance, and hence, tension. Any medium or high tension set should be fine for detuning 1 semitone. After all, drop D tuning is common on many classical guitar pieces, and that is two semitones. Higher tension strings may help if the action is so low that detuning causes string buzzing.

[ZippyChip]

Don't worry about tuning to a lower tension.
I use some very low tunings in nylon and it does just fine. My only compensation is in using high tension strings but even regular tension can work ok.
Last weekend I had my guitar tuned to CGDGBD, and I have used nylon for CGCGAD.

Originally Posted by ewalling

Why not play the same songs in a different key, one that suits your voice better? You surely don't have to tune down to achieve this, do you?

Hmm, let's see. Relearn song in new key or tune down...I think I'll tune down, thanks

I tune down a whole step on classical. Love the tone and feel. I use Savarez 540CJ strings.