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#1
12-22-2013, 06:01 PM
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Special strings for a 3/4 size guitar?
Don't know how I overlooked them for so long, but recently found that several string makers offer strings for fractional size guitars like 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc.
I'd like to put some better quality strings on a Hohner 3/4 size kids' student grade nylon instrument. It already has decent sound and think that better strings would be an improvement. Question is, what is the difference between standard size classical strings and fractional size strings? I already have a pack of standard size D'Addario Pro-Arte hard/high tension strings and was wondering if I could use those, or if it would be best to go with the fractional size strings? TIA  ,spayzkadet Last edited by spayzkadet; 12-23-2013 at 12:50 AM. Reason: Improved verb useage ; ) 
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#3
12-22-2013, 11:38 PM
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The important thing is the guage of the strings- not the length
The strings marked for 3/4 are generally the same guages as the correspomding full length strings- usually only normal tension and hard tension are available- and then run actually more money than the same corresponding strings for a full sized guitar so- if you shop low price end, regular strings are usually lower and you can cut them down there's limited choice in actual 3/4 marked strings beyond d'addario, which sells hard and normal tension- usually listed as the same corresponding guage, except occasionally in error I think I'm just playing around with this now. the prevailing logic seems to run to hard tension for short scale, but I'm finding the normal seems to be about normal- this may have come about because there's a strange world of all sized guitars labled as different sizes, and with different scale lengths- and they perhaps come with cheap floppy strings- I have llower priced Oscar Scmidt in 1/2 and 3/4 and the strings were soft, though guaged about normal- normal daadrio gives an immediate stiffer action Cordoba puts high tension on theirs, while the dimensions of their shorter scale classical guitars remains more true to real classical playing- with a relatively wider nut than most cheap smaller guitars. I ended up putting wider nuts on both the Schmidts- but you can't get much more than a couple millimeters in further string separation, because the neck is narrow and limiting. A recent used 3/4 Cordoba Cadete has proven stiffer, but the scale is longer than the 3/4 schmidt, and I'm not sure what the worn strings on it are- so far I've put new basses on, but may return it- the action is high and there's no truss rod. I've got several smaller guitars now in various sizes, and all generally are improved with a set of normal daddarios - although I'm going to probably be trying light tension basses at least and maybe normal trebles- I'm not that concerned about the sound- they are what they are, and different from a full size in sound obviously. Still they sound nice, and I';m after comfort and playability. I may write more here later, because right now, I'm still in the middle of getting a working education. but I like a low easy action- and not young- I want to play longer without strress ,and to that end, recently changed to light tension on my full size ax. I might try the hard tension you already have, but I know if it were me, I'd end up with nothing more than normal tension strings on, which, in theory would make for slightly less than normal tension- but still probably more than the floppy strings on already- the hard tension willl definitely make the action stiffer- so the height can be a factor too, if marginal already Last edited by harpon; 12-23-2013 at 05:08 AM.
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#5
12-26-2013, 07:52 PM
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#6
12-26-2013, 11:02 PM
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 OliverN3RD, This guitar is a Hohner HC 03. It was built to use nylon strings. It came from the factory with nylon strings installed. There is no truss rod in the neck. If steel strings were installed, it is likely that the guitar would self-destruct from excessive tension that the instrument wasn't designed to handle. My plan is to replace the old factory nylon strings with new nylon strings. Maybe you mistakenly installed steel strings on your friend's guitar? And...just possibly...you mentioned nylon strings in your post, when what you really meant to say was steel strings? I hope that the person that was injured in the unfortunate accident has recovered since the event took place. spayzkadet
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#7
12-28-2013, 10:31 AM
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#8
12-28-2013, 10:44 PM
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.Thanks also to everyone else for your input, it's all been helpful. spayzkadet
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#9
12-29-2013, 10:34 AM
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