A couple of problems

[MJScott]

Here they are: Old kind of stiff hands (don't recommend stretching - already do). Kind of small hands.

I have had a bunch of Nylon string guitars - none have really worked for my fretting hand (muting strings, some reaches difficult . I'd like to find one that would get the job done for me. Here's a list (as I remember it):
La Patrie Motif and Presentation
Yamaha NTX700
Taylor 214 CEn
Alvarez Crossover Ht 65 (???)
Orangewood Mason Nylon
Alhambra 2C Senorita
Yamaha NTX1 (current )

It would seem that I need a nut width of no more than 1.75" and a shorter than standard scale length. The only one of the above list, that worked best was the Orangewood; it however had other issues, and still had a bit of a wide nut. The NTX1 has a non pleasing tone and is hard for me to play cleanly. And yes it was set up prior to purchase, and I've tried multiple sting types....

So, any ideas?

Thanks!

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by MJScott

Here they are: Old kind of stiff hands (don't recommend stretching - already do). Kind of small hands.

I have had a bunch of Nylon string guitars - none have really worked for my fretting hand (muting strings, some reaches difficult . I'd like to find one that would get the job done for me. Here's a list (as I remember it):
La Patrie Motif and Presentation
Yamaha NTX700
Taylor 214 CEn
Alvarez Crossover Ht 65 (???)
Orangewood Mason Nylon
Alhambra 2C Senorita
Yamaha NTX1 (current )

It would seem that I need a nut width of no more than 1.75" and a shorter than standard scale length. The only one of the above list, that worked best was the Orangewood; it however had other issues, and still had a bit of a wide nut. The NTX1 has a non pleasing tone and is hard for me to play cleanly. And yes it was set up prior to purchase, and I've tried multiple sting types....

So, any ideas?

Thanks!

Hi Mike,

You might need to go an entirely different direction. Consider going with a shorter scale small body (size 0 of 00) with a 1-11/16" nut and fitted with a specialty string like "Silk and Steel" strings.

If you find a nice small body guitar that has a lot of low end and resonance then the silk n' steels will provide you with a softer tone and light guage string will make it easy to play.

I'd probably go with a Taylor GS Mini with silk and steels to test the waters. I don't have my GS Mini any longer, but it makes me wonder what it would be like if it were strung with nylon.

Read THIS topic to point you to ideas relating to the use of nylon strings on a "conventional" guitar.

Looking through what you've already tried doesn't give me hope that you're going to find great nylon tone with the compromises you're thinking about.

[MJScott]

Well, let me add I have several steel string guitars including a GS Mini. It is currently strung with Martin Retros (12's). I have no problem with any of the steel string guitars-just the Nylon string ones listed above....

[birdsong]

This is my own history/story, of a similar trajectory.

Have played steel string guitars since 1977. In 2009 had major chemo and radiation therapy and ended up with moderate neuropathy in hands, arms, other extremities. Then a few years ago, what I call "early onset" arthritis hit my fingers, and especially my index fingers, big time (I'm now 62).

I have reduced feeling and reduced dexterity.

I discovered AGF in 2014, looking for ideas and other instruments and for better or worse, haha, I found them.

I've tried a handful of nylon-stringed guitars at shops and purchased 3 used from these classifieds. I still own two of those.

I have learned the following:

Nut width: first, nylon strings are much larger than steel and need more room in which to vibrate. Thus I do not think you can find a decent-sounding, or decent-functioning, nylon-stringed guitar with a 1 3/4" nut width. Sure, folks make them but I find it hard to believe they would really be functional and sound all that nice.

So, I tried 48mm (= 1 7/8"), and 50mm (~1 15/16) and the standard of 52mm. I can't do 52 very well but I can do 48 / 50 and the two I still have have these dimensions.

Side note: I have a steel string guitar with a 1 13/16" nut width that I like a lot. I haven't seen a nylon stringed guitar with a nut like this though.

Lesson #2: technique! Many folks don't like to hear this but, it's a major shift going from steel to nylon. I go back and forth, almost daily. It's a bit of a chore when I pick up the nylon guitar. I have had to really focus on technique - maybe no surprise, but it was a bit of a surprise to me, with so many years of playing, to realize how much I had to "go back to basics". I really had to start over with the nylon (I love YouTube for this!).

And for technique it's not just how I fret, it's "head to toe" - how I sit, hold the guitar, place my hands, etc. It's all made me a better player I'd say and the good news it that I can, in fact, play the one with the 50mm nut. I was convinced I could not. I purchased it b/c it is also short scale, 630mm and a 3/4 size body.

The combination of these dimensions surely helps but again so did my re-learning how to properly hold both my body and the guitar.

Lesson #3: The instrument with the 48mm nut width is 650mm scale - which is a "typical guitar" scale (in this case, 25.6"). It's a 00-sized body. I did have a tech shave the saddle a bit at strings 5/6 (A/E). I felt I was having some trouble reaching those strings at some passages in some songs, at the higher frets (7-10). I think it has helped (I can play those passages better now) but I sometimes think there's a placebo effect.

Point is - 48mm isn't necessarily easier (again for me). There's the "total package".

The one that I sold, was the first one I purchased here. It was a flamenco style Cordoba, with a 50mm nut width, 650mm scale, and a thin body. I really enjoyed the thin body as I could get my arms around it. It was my first foray into nylon and it served it's purpose (one of which was to make me want to go up the food chain!).

Last lesson (for now): The Kenny Hill I have came with a Sageworks guitar support. That really helped me get the guitar into a better position. I struggle mightily to play in "classical position" on my own - my legs just won't do it. So this device has made all the difference. Of course there are a handful of variations on this theme, at different price points. I highly recommend one of them.

You don't specify a budget. My Cervantes is a "mid level" of his line; I think his price for this model are now in the low $2000's but used ones of course are much cheaper.

My Kenny Hill New World Player is made in China, with specs from KH. Coming from China it's affordable but I think new ones are still at ~$1800 which isn't affordable to many I'm sure. Again used ones, like the one I got, are much less expensive.

I've read here about experiences others have had, and folks have reported good results with Cordoba and Kremona models, to name a couple.

John

[MJScott]

Thanks! That reminds me to work on posture and playing in the Classical Position too. I've sort of gotten away from that. I have a classical with a 1.75" nut width on order-held up by the weather. We'll see how that goes. I am concerned that the strings may vibrate into adjacent fingers on the fret board-not sure. I'll have to play gently-not my strong suit I'm afraid-lol.

[Carey]

There might be some things in this thread that would help:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...ighlight=hands

I'm positive that the bao-ding balls mentioned have made my stiff hands more
flexible, and that stretches and such are now easier. A good set-up of the guitar can help for sure too, if that's not yet been done.