Help Please with Nylon string choice!
 

I have an '85 Takamine C132S classical guitar...

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/new-to-.../#post-6309076

It's a beauty with a cedar top, rosewood back and sides, and what appears to be an ebony fretboard. Just wondering what strings I should try on this old girl? I strung it up with some cheapies that I had and played it for a while, but was never thrilled with the tone. Any advice appreciated!!!

Congratulations on the new guitar, looks a beauty in the pictures. Cedar and rosewood is a great combo. Give D'Addario Pro Arte strings a try. Buy a set of nylon strings and a set of florocarbon. The nylon will give a warmer sweeter sound, the florocarbon will be brighter, louder and more direct or powerful sounding. These are generalizations but nylon and florocarbon sound different so this will give you choices. You can then decide which you like the sound of best. Leave them a bit longer in length on install. Nylon strings are easy to reuse.

There are a huge variety of strings for classical, different strings make very big change it sound from one to the other. Classical guitar players experiment a lot to find the sound they like. The above suggests are just a starting point.

Thanks! Just what I was looking for, a place to start! I know I'll play it more if I can get it sounding good.

Along with the D'Addarios recommended above, Augustine Classic Red worked
pretty well on the C132S I once had, so maybe worth a try.

Just thinking (or overthinking) things at lunch... Fluorocarbon guitar strings? Will they hurt my guitar? I've seen some pretty hard ceramic line guides on fishing rods get really chewed up by fluorocarbon line. Seriously!

They're often just called carbon strings, and on a guitar they don't travel quite the same linear distance as on a fishing rig. Also, the main points of contact are the nut (hard plastic or bone), the saddle (hard plastic or bone), and the bridge (probably some very dense wood). The only caution I have with the carbon strings is they're a bit thinner, so an extra loop at the bridge or a slightly melted end or even some "beads" might be helpful in preventing slippage. They're definitely worth a try, I think there's a more audible difference from "nylon" to "carbon" than across all the different types of traditional string. Your ear and guitar will have to decide if that difference is good.

Florocarbon strings will not hurt your instrument. I am a very avid ukulele player and most people use florocarbon because of the louder brighter sound it produces. If it doesn't hurt a little bitty ole ukulele it won't hurt a big ole guitar. Remember the string is sitting stationary on the contact points not causing any friction

Thanks for the responses! Sounds like carbon strings won't tear up my guitar then. How's the weather down there dosland? I was privileged to take a missions trip to Fiji in 2003. Met a lot of wonderful folks, but the best people I met were Kiwi's! Just good, down to earth folks who were lots of fun to be around. For that matter, the Aussies were great too! I still say the best cheese I ever ate was New Zealand cheese. Delicious!

Look for posts on the forum from Sirwhale.
I think he’s tried every string there is and writes very useful reviews.


Thanks to Sirwhale’s reviews, I’ve settled on Knobloch CX Actives trebles and Hannabach basses. Also in the running are Aquila Rubino trebles. If you want something with more of a steel string sound, try Pearse Folk strings or Thomastik Infeld Classic S

Second the Pro Arte strings. Classical strings can normally be purchased in seperate sets for the wound 4, 5, and 6th strings, normally referred to as bass sets. Get the Pro Arte basses and a set of fluorocarbon trebles. If you're concerned with the ability of your instrument to take higher tensions then just purchase the sets in medium tension. Sets are also sold in "hard" tension and you may want to use the lighter tension mediums.

This particular guitar doesn't have a truss rod so I'll stick with medium tension strings. Actually the old strings that are on it don't sound too bad. Plenty of volume on the bass strings and the treble strings are a little more subdued. Is this typical of a cedar topped classical?

From my own experience and what I read, subdued is not, particularly, a thing with cedar tops, but with how the guitar is made and string choice.

It's definitely time for new strings.

Yeah, I'd stick with normal / medium tension for a while to see how your guitar reacts to regular playing before slapping high tension strings on it.

:)

It might well be worth trying a few different string sets over the course of time and string changes. I migrated from the D‘adario Pro Arte to LaBella 2001 strings. They are low tension, modestly priced, have a great feel and sound, at least on my guitars. Lately I am liking those new Martin Magnifico strings but the tension on these sets may be a bit on the high side for your comfort on your particular guitar.