Classical Strings for fingers tips playing (no nails)

[Guido_59]

I don’t grows long my nails, I’m obligated to cut them short, otherwise they break.
Now I’ll buy a classical/crossover/fusion guitar with nylon strings.
Considering I’ll play with fingertips , no nails, there are type/brand of strings that are better with this style of playing ?
Thanks in advance

[Lee Fontaine]

I also play without nails and I'm partial to a sound rich in overtones with a bright ringing quality. I also prefer medium tension strings. When set tension goes much over 90-lbs, it aggravates my poor arthritic left thumb.

I have two conventional classical guitars, one spruce top, the other cedar top. I also have a Yamaha Silent Guitar SLG200NW electric. On the spruce, I'm using Savarez Cantiga Alliance Premiums (510-ARP). On the Yamaha I use Savarez Cantiga Alliance 510-AR. On the cedar top (a recent acquisition), I've tried both of the aforementioned Savarez sets in addition to a Savarez White Card set. I'm still looking for the right set.

On the cedar, the Savarez Alliance carbon trebles are a bit over the top. The conventional nylon trebles in the White Card set were too bland. I'm planning to try a set of Philippe Bosset titanium strings which I know absolutely nothing about. If those don't work, in the same order I have a set of Dogal Diamante strings coming which are a hybrid carbon/nylon mix in both basses and trebles.

What's the right set for you? Only your ears can tell you. All strings are a trade-off. Carbon trebles have a bright sound but a little less sustain. They're also usually a thinner guage that some players don't care for and you need to tie them securely to the tie block so they don't slip and whip. Nylon has a nice feel to it with good sustain but on some instruments may not produce that rich set of overtones that some of us like. On the low side, some basses can be overpowering. I also find that I burn through the windings on Savarez 510AR's but not so with the 510ARP basses. The premiums loose their tonal quality before I wear out the windings. Go figure!

My best advice, put into words what best describes what you want to hear and then read the on-line reviews. I'm a Strings by Mail customer. They have a large customer base and a wide selection of classical strings. I also recommend starting off with well established brands like Augustine, D'Addario, Dogal, Hannabach, and Savarez.

Classical guitars are like snowflakes. No two are exactly alike. Furthermore, their tonal characteristics evolve with age and playing time. Have fun finding your perfect set of strings.

[Guido_59]

Thanks for answer
My idea was to buy a non-tradional classic guitar but a fusion/crossover or a Cordoba Gk studio normal or NEGRA , why not second hand.
I have just buyed a Cordoba gk studio that a Se Gk studio with solid spruce top
back and side sycamore
Despite it is classified as studio “flamenco” can be used to play great variety of music ,also jazz
On it to start I’ll put a standard set of D’Addario Pro Arte ej45 normal tension nylon core.
My luthier, suggest this string as staring point when today I go to his laboratory and I have ask him to check guitar and lowering action, it’s a second hand, guitar
He suggest this string because I haven’t play nylon guitar fie a long long time
I try without nail this string and after I’ll decide if chanting it ir not

[redir]

I quite playing classical guitar when I developed psoriasis which destroyed my nails. Some ten years later I ran across Rob MacKillop's website who advocates for playing without nails and thanks to him I got back into it and am ever so grateful that I did. Anyway... He uses Aquilla Nylgut strings because according to him they have a coating on them that is 'grippy' for lack of a better word and makes for playing with the skin of the fingers easier. I tried them myself and found that I like them for that reason and for other reasons as well.

In the end though you should experiment with strings and see what you like. You can figure out how best to play them. I played D'Addario for years and imho you can never go wrong with those strings they are always good.

EDIT: Update... I just went to look at his site to get a link and it looks like he uses a new set of strings now so something else to even try:

https://rmclassicalguitar.com/strings/

[Guido_59]

Very interesting, thanks
I read about this string ,but it seems make to obtain sound like old gut string.
This is a s not what I’m looking for
Reading spec of this string I’m thinking that and good idea to try should be use a set if string with rectified treeble that probably offer more grip for finger skin playing without mail
By your experience this should a good choice, at least to try ?
Bye from Italy

[redir]

I never played actual gut strings so I don't really know but yes you are correct they the NyleGut strings claim to be 'nylon gut' strings. I find them to be a little different then regulars strings but again I cannot compare them.

It takes a little time and money but the best thing to do is buy a bunch of different sets of strings and try them out. Probably good to start with the popular recommended ones like D'Addario, Saverez, Agustine and so on. I would stick with regular tension at first too.

Strings not only are personal in player preference but your guitar too will sound better with certain strings on them then others.

[Guido_59]

redir, you are right but but it’s a long and onerous way.
I’m thinking to buy 3 set normal tension of Daddario
EJ 45 most commonly string as staring point
EJ 30 lightly polished. probably the warmest and smooth
EJ 30 C clear nylon as ej45 but with composite bass string for more bass response
I hope this to help which are better for me and my future guitar
( I’m on decision between a second hand Cordiba GK Studio and Córdoba GK STUDIO NEGRA ( this new , not found as second hand)

[TBman]

Check out Hannabach super low tension trebles. I play with nails, but still they have a warm tone. I paired them with Luthier Set-35 basses.

The other day I ordered a couple of full sets of the Hannabach 815 SLT also.

[Guido_59]

Thanks 🙏
👋 👋👋 from Italy

[kirkham13]

I use La Bella 2001 medium tension flamenco with black trebles. I would recommend them for any guitar- sound and feel amazing bright round trebles. you could also try the classical set- a few dollars cheaper.

[stringman5]

I would suggest you try Aquila Ambra 800 set or if you prefer high tension, the Aquila Ambra 900 set. These have synthetic gut treble strings that are rectified providing a very nice feel when playing without nails. Another plus is that these strings are brighter than nylon strings.

If you prefer a very mellow sounding string, you might try Aquila Perla.

In the end, you'll just have to experiment to find what you like best.

Good Luck!

[Guido_59]

Aquila string are interesting, I’ll try them in the future

[RJVB]

d'Addario strings are in that they have consistent quality and give a very neutral/common sound. If you want a bit more of a personal sound (or if you grow tired of the plasticky sound of standard musical nylon - of which there are in fact only 2 kinds), you basically have two options:

- Aquila Rubino or Sugar for the trebles. Personally I am partial to the Rubino trebles (which also exist with slight changes as Martin Magnifico)
- Thomastik Infeld. The make 2 different kind of steel strings for classical guitar, both using nylon tape winding for the trebles which really makes them sound like an in-between string. The rope-care E and B strings were a little too low tension for my guitar but the G string sounded really great. Thomastik also make CRK trebles that they claim are a mix of nylon and "carbon". They do sound that way but the claim is apparently chemically impossible.
- Bass strings almost always use a multi-strand (yarn) nylon core with silver-plated copper winding. If you want longer-lasting strings that sound very bright when new and go dark and mellow when they age, try brass-wounds (e.g. the Galli Aurum basses, sadly not available as a separate set). Or for a different sound: phospor-bronze wounds. I know of only off-the-shelf 1 option here: GHS 2100w. These strings sit a bit between brass and copper wounds; bright when new but not as dark when they age.

The plasticky sound I hear with common nylon may be due to the fact I too play without nails, but there are several ways to do that. I keep my nails like in the video below, which allows me to add just a bit of nail (esp. of the 3rd finger) when I want, and they will support the flesh so I can play really with the tips for a bit brigher sound.
There's another thing to consider: my luthier told me that nail-less playing increases the chance for fretbuzz due to the way you make the string vibrate. I think he isn't wrong in that and that can mean certain strings are more suited than others. Sadly that's not as simple as going for a higher tension: I've already encountered strings with a noticeably higher tension that buzzed more than other strings.

[Guido_59]

Thanks for suggests
The world of classical is more complex than electric world!
I didn’t think that it was like this.
In electric guitar would there are various type of string and different gauges , in classical guitar word the options are much more !

[12th_fret]

Originally Posted by redir

I quite playing classical guitar when I developed psoriasis which destroyed my nails. Some ten years later I ran across Rob MacKillop's website who advocates for playing without nails and thanks to him I got back into it and am ever so grateful that I did. Anyway... He uses Aquilla Nylgut strings because according to him they have a coating on them that is 'grippy' for lack of a better word and makes for playing with the skin of the fingers easier. I tried them myself and found that I like them for that reason and for other reasons as well.

In the end though you should experiment with strings and see what you like. You can figure out how best to play them. I played D'Addario for years and imho you can never go wrong with those strings they are always good.

EDIT: Update... I just went to look at his site to get a link and it looks like he uses a new set of strings now so something else to even try:

https://rmclassicalguitar.com/strings/

The great Tárrega evolved to play without nails. I also play without long Nosferatu nails and get very nice tone, sustain and sound.