The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-19-2017, 10:36 AM
Frankieabbott Frankieabbott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 202
Default Anyone tried converting a steel acoustic........

.........guitar to a nylon strung guitar. I reckon it's viable. The only two concerns may be needing to change or modify the nut and could I get enough string winds on the tuners too get the strings up to pitch.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-19-2017, 10:42 AM
Frank Ford Frank Ford is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 638
Default

Indeed, it's done all the time. Widening nut slots is often the only modification needed. If it is a pin bridge, you can learn to tie big "granny" knots in the strings to simulate ball ends (that's what was done in the 19th century) tie on some string balls or other beads, or obtain ball end "folk" nylon string sets.

The result is a quiet sounding guitar with easy left hand action - just as you'd expect.
__________________
Cheers,

Frank Ford
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-19-2017, 11:30 AM
perttime perttime is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Finland
Posts: 2,098
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Ford View Post
...
The result is a quiet sounding guitar....
To elaborate: string tension and the energy that goes from strings to top will be less with nylon. Steel string guitars are built to cope with higher tension and more energy, so the top will vibrate less with nylons.
__________________
Breedlove,
Landola,
a couple of electrics,
and a guitar-shaped-object
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-19-2017, 06:29 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,107
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by perttime View Post
so the top will vibrate less with nylons.
Agreed

Steve
__________________
Cole Clark Fat Lady
Gretsch Electromatic
Martin CEO7
Maton Messiah
Taylor 814CE
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-20-2017, 04:19 AM
Frankieabbott Frankieabbott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 202
Default

Thanks for the advice guys. The viability / outcome will be known pretty soon. I've got the guitar.....got many nuts that I've attempted to alter over time in an effort to lower my acoustics nut action (always manage to file one string slot just a little too much) that I could use as a new nut.....have a number of saddles too (yes, many of which are from failed saddle alterations). Just waiting for ball end nylon strings to arrive in the post. Should be good to go in 2 days time. If it works then great. If it doesn't then I've got a set of my usual extra light phosphor bronze strings to put on it. Nothing ventured.....nothing gained.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-20-2017, 06:47 AM
redir redir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 7,650
Default

I've done it a few times that I can remember for people and none of them ever sounded any good. I try to convince people to just get 10 gauge extra light strings instead.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-20-2017, 09:06 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 10,984
Default

The details have been well covered so far. It can be made to work mechanically, but the tone will likely be lacking. Steel string guitars are braced to handle the tension of steel strings (~165 pounds for light gauge) whereas nylon string guitars are more like 90-100 pounds. So your converted guitar will be WAY over-braced for best tone. But it will be easy enough to undo if you don't like it.

I have an old Sears Silvertone folk guitar that sometimes wears nylon strings. I swap out the nut and use ball-end nylon sets. I do this when I'm learning something elaborate and playing the same passages over and over. That's just easier on the callouses. Or sometimes for hand rehab after an injury.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-20-2017, 06:44 PM
printer2 printer2 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Middle of Canada
Posts: 5,085
Default

Did it also, not as quiet as I expected, did not sound too bad. Saw the virtue in nylon strings and built me one.
__________________
Fred
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-22-2017, 07:48 AM
Frankieabbott Frankieabbott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 202
Default

It's worked out ok. Ok in the sense that the strings are on the guitar and I've made some temporary adjustments that I hope to make more permanent at a later date.

NUT.........Had to make slots for strings 1,2 and three a little wider. Strings 5 and six buzzed out at first fret so bunged a sliver of plastic credit card to raise nut action.

NECK.......Loosened truss rod and put a shed load more relief into neck.

SADDLE....Raised saddle by around 2mm (plastic credit card again).

It plays. Loud enough for my usual bedroom nurdlling. How can I post pics on the forum?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-22-2017, 08:50 AM
perttime perttime is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Finland
Posts: 2,098
Default

Best way to post images is to host them somewhere else, and make a photo link here. I prefer Flickr.

There's a Gallery here too, but it is a bit limited: http://www.acousticgallery.com/photopost/
__________________
Breedlove,
Landola,
a couple of electrics,
and a guitar-shaped-object
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-24-2017, 08:42 PM
Mr Fingers Mr Fingers is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,007
Default

Quiet is right. You might try a classical or purpose-built nylon-strung guitar before you do a changeover. I was stunned by the wonderful feel and tone/projection you can get from even a pretty "cheap" nylon-strung guitar (if you shop around and avoid the clunkers). It's hard (impossible) to get that in a converted steel-stringer, and you lose so much of the unique pleasure of playing nylon when the guitar is choked.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 05-09-2017, 07:40 AM
Frankieabbott Frankieabbott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 202
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Fingers View Post
Quiet is right. You might try a classical or purpose-built nylon-strung guitar before you do a changeover. I was stunned by the wonderful feel and tone/projection you can get from even a pretty "cheap" nylon-strung guitar (if you shop around and avoid the clunkers). It's hard (impossible) to get that in a converted steel-stringer, and you lose so much of the unique pleasure of playing nylon when the guitar is choked.
Have got to say that the steel to nylon changeover has worked pretty well. It's playable however first e string doesn't seem to sound either clearly or with as much volume. To make it sound I have to consciously pluck this string a lot harder which I don't particularly want to to as it will introduce me to poor playing technique very early on in my finger style playing. It sounds a bit ' plinky plonky' too.....even though the action at fret 12 is quite high ( around 3mm). The outcome of this nylon odyssey is that I definitely want a 'proper' nylon strung guitar.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:37 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=