Strings For Detuned Classical

[Ratanous]

New Córdoba C10 sp/ir coming next week. I play my classicals like folk guitars - fingerpicking, strumming with fingers and pic. And I tune them down a whole step. Can anyone recommend strings for my new axe?

I want to compensate for the lower tension and keep a crisp, clear, balanced sound. Tried D’darrio extra hard tension ES 44s on my old guitar, they sounded muddy.

[mr. beaumont]

Classicals are designed a certain way, and the difference between high tension strings and lower tension is not as drastic as say, a set of .013's versus .010's on a steel string.

A good way to combat muddiness would be to look at your right hand technique...the standard position of many folk fingerpickers is not the best for bringing out the most in a nylon string instrument.

[dosland]

There has been a lot of discussion of this issue on the delcamp forum over the years, and the general feeling is along the lines of your experience with your old guitar - you lose something tuning down a full step, no matter what tension you use. I think if I were to do this, I'd take a very serious gamble and buy a whole bunch of individual strings in a range of diameters, including an extra bass string from a 7-string guitar set (like LaBella makes) and see if I could hit the right "feel" with a mix of strings. The problem with this approach is that 1) it's a lot of time and effort and 2) it may be dangerous to fiddle with the unorthodox string sets, from a tension-on-the-neck and bridge perspective. There are real experts - luthiers and actual guitarists - around here who will have better advice on that gamble. Personally, I'd never try this, but maybe I'm just too traditional to play a down-tuned classical

[Brucebubs]

These might be exactly what you're looking for.
They are different - all 6 strings are wound - no plains!

[Bax Burgess]

Also, the D’darrio extra hard tension ES 44s may be a good match for the new guitar. I think that new Cordobas come with Savarez strings. For some firmness with the down-tuning, I'd go with hard strings first. There's a possibility that bonafide firm, extra-hards could choke off the guitar top.

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by dosland

There has been a lot of discussion of this issue on the delcamp forum over the years, and the general feeling is along the lines of your experience with your old guitar - you lose something tuning down a full step, no matter what tension you use. I think if I were to do this, I'd take a very serious gamble and buy a whole bunch of individual strings in a range of diameters, including an extra bass string from a 7-string guitar set (like LaBella makes) and see if I could hit the right "feel" with a mix of strings. The problem with this approach is that 1) it's a lot of time and effort and 2) it may be dangerous to fiddle with the unorthodox string sets, from a tension-on-the-neck and bridge perspective. There are real experts - luthiers and actual guitarists - around here who will have better advice on that gamble. Personally, I'd never try this, but maybe I'm just too traditional to play a down-tuned classical

This is a really good point. I don't know what your old guitar is, but going to a really high tension could end up threatening the integrity of your guitar. Cordoba doesn't recommend anything over hard tension be used on their guitars.

[Ratanous]

My research tells me I don't have to worry about extra hard tension strings, especially with no great difference between sets (as per Mr. Beaumont). By tuning down, I am lessening the tension BELOW what the factory recommends. So higher tension strings actually help compensate for this.

Re my playing style, I'm basically a hacker and my technique is not likely to improve much. A music therapist with no classical experience who uses a classical guitar because it's softer sounding and my students can strum it (while I fret) without hurting their fingers.

I tune down because most songs are to high for my voice. I'm pretty much singing with everything I play.

I understand how the purists feel. I need to do what I need to do. And with help from you folks, I'll make the best of what I have to work with.

Any more feedback appreciated.

THANKS ALL!

[Ratanous]

I may give these a try. What kind of guitar do you use them on?

[Ct20]

Another vote for trying the JP Folk strings..they are designed for use on nylon sting guitars. I've tried them on 3 different guitars..on one of the three the intonation was off. I keep them full time on one guitar now. They produce a sound closer to a steel string guitar than a regular classical and work very well for altered/lower tunings. Thomastik-Infield makes a related, but more expensive version Classic S strings that have better trebles.
Anther thought in traditional nylon strings is Hannabach 815 in either medium or high tension. Hannabach strings are higher tension than other strings but enough clarity that tuning down would probably still sound good.
Good luck.

[Ratanous]

Thank you!

[sirwhale]

Hannabach Goldin?

[Ratanous]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

These might be exactly what you're looking for.
They are different - all 6 strings are wound - no plains!

Nice looking guitar. What is it?

[Todd Tipton]

You may not be able to get that crisp and clear sound as others have said. You can experiment with a lighter attack so as not to overplay the strings. You can also experiment with your right hand playing closer to the bridge. One good thing, if you are tuned down a whole step, you shouldn't have to worry about excess tension.

[TKT]

I just got a Cordoba C10 parlor, and it had some kind of nylons on it. I tuned it down a half step because the action was higher than I like, and it had a lot more resonance.

Since I decided I needed a new saddle in it and it also needed other work, I cleaned it all up, adjusted the neck and restrung with Oasis GPX carbons in normal tension. Even with the shorter scale of the parlor, it still has more resonance tuned down a half step, and is that much easier to fret. The carbons are a lot brighter to my ears on that guitar than the nylons, and I generally don't like nylon trebles as much. But it takes longer for the carbons to come into full stretch and clarity, and they sound better each day with more ring and sustain.

I personally don't see any issue with tuning down a half or full step, it isn't going to hurt the guitar, it will be easier to play longer, it may be more resonant, and yes you may lose some sparkle but it may sound great.

I tried those Pearse strings on a 100 year old 24" scale parlor, and for some reason the G string is super floppy, and yes they are in the correct order, lol. I thought maybe it was unraveling somewhere, but if it is I have not been able to find the spot. It's extremely annoying. I like Plectrums a lot, but have had so many issues with Thomastik made strings over several hundred dollars worth of purchases, that I've quit buying them for now, that's way too much money to have a string break when tuning up the first time, or a week later, rendering the entire set useless since you can't replace any single strings.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Ratanous

Nice looking guitar. What is it?

Takamine D-70.
I bought it new for $49.95 in 1972.