{"id":1419,"date":"2013-10-22T14:07:57","date_gmt":"2013-10-22T19:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/blog\/?p=1419"},"modified":"2021-10-22T12:16:40","modified_gmt":"2021-10-22T17:16:40","slug":"to-nylon-from-steel-transitioning-from-a-steel-string-guitar-to-a-hybrid-crossover-nylon-string","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/to-nylon-from-steel-transitioning-from-a-steel-string-guitar-to-a-hybrid-crossover-nylon-string\/","title":{"rendered":"To Nylon from Steel"},"content":{"rendered":"

To Nylon from Steel<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Transitioning from a steel string guitar to a hybrid-crossover nylon string <\/b><\/h3>\n

By Richard Robeson<\/i><\/p>\n

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Until fairly recently, the term \u201cacoustic guitar\u201d was reserved primarily for steel string instruments, with most of the variety within the category coming from different combinations of tonewoods, and different body styles, with dreadnoughts being the most popular by far. In the mid-nineties, however, large-scale manufacturers as well as custom luthiers began to add nylon string instruments to a category that had previously been mostly limited to classical<\/a> and flamenco<\/a> guitars. The intent has been to offer nylon string tone and timbre in instruments that more closely resemble instruments that steel string players are used to. This has also meant instruments whose action, neck shape and neck width are more like steel string instruments. But the instant sense of familiarity that comes from such design features can make it easy to ignore just how different these \u201chybrid\u201d or \u201ccrossover<\/a>\u201d guitars are from either their steel string<\/a> or their nylon string<\/a> cousins. That is, until a player actually begins to work with this new breed of guitar. What follows is a heads-up on what to expect, for steel string players considering adding a nylon string instrument to the fleet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"2004

2004 Wechter 9303C ‘Jazz Nylon’ – Richard Robeson<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/h2>\n

SIZE\/BODY TYPE<\/b><\/h2>\n

Despite previously mentioned ways that hybrid nylon string guitars are similar to steel string instruments, the most obvious difference \u2014 and the one that has to be negotiated first \u2014 is size and shape. Most hybrid bodies are based on classical guitar dimensions, which means the body size and shape are much more like a grand concert or 00. If you\u2019re accustomed to the large, wedge-shaped body of a dreadnought, pretty much every angle the hybrid presents to you will feel awkward, despite the neck being a comfortable shape and the action being low. If your usual posture is to sit with both feet on the floor and set the guitar on your right knee (if you play right-handed), the relative narrowness of the body, and the waist, will make the guitar seem too low and too far away. It\u2019s also generally true that the body depth will be much less than with a dreadnought, which adds to the feeling of awkwardness.<\/p>\n

The classical guitar player\u2019s posture places the instrument across the front of the body, about chest-high; and there are lots of strategies to achieve this, from footstools\/footrests<\/a> to various guitar supports<\/a> that elevate the instrument instead of the player\u2019s leg. Very few non-classical players use such devices, though. Many hybrids come with strap buttons, which can be a mixed blessing. A strap makes it possible to play standing instead of seated, and it can even be used while seated to raise the guitar and eliminate the awkward angles. The tradeoff is that like almost all classical and flamenco guitars, most hybrids have necks that join the body at the 12th<\/sup> fret. A strap button placed at the neck heel makes playing in the upper positions a bit complicated, even with a cutaway.<\/p>\n

NECK<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are a few builders who join the neck at the 14th<\/sup> fret, but they are by far the exception (with price points to match). Some players prefer a 12-fret neck, so this won\u2019t be a drawback to them. Even so, because the fret spacing is much wider on a nylon string guitar than on a steel string \u2014 even if the scale length is roughly the same \u2014 the differences in overall proportions can seem exaggerated [due to wider string spacing]<\/b>: for example, a five-fret spread (what some call an \u201cextended\u201d position) requires much more reach on a nylon string guitar.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest marketing points for hybrids is neck shape, which typically includes a radiused fingerboard. This would seem to be a gigantic plus, especially for those who play solid body electrics. But this is yet another mixed blessing: Even though hybrid necks are usually narrower than classical or flamenco necks, they\u2019re still much wider than most steel string necks. It is said that a radiused fingerboard makes barre chords easier to play, but an extra-wide neck (by steel string standards) plus nylon strings, which are much thicker than steel strings even though their tension is much lower, means a lot of work to make a strong, accurate barre. A player with especially large hands could probably work through having to essentially make a wide, radiused barre. A great advantage of a radiused fingerboard on steel string instruments is that it makes string bending much easier. But string bending takes a much more specialized technique on nylon (more about that later), and a radiused fingerboard isn\u2019t much help. The best reason to have a radiused fingerboard on a hybrid is that it makes it a lot easier to fret with the thumb, which is a must-have for many styles, particularly jazz.<\/p>\n

Hybrid guitar necks often have adjustable truss rods, another design feature borrowed from steel string lutherie. Truss rods, adjustable or not, are extremely rare in classical and flamenco guitars, even ones costing tens of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n

STRINGS<\/b><\/h2>\n

Just as we\u2019re living in what some refer to as the Golden Age of guitar building and design, we\u2019re also in one when it comes to strings<\/a>. There\u2019s a mindboggling range of string choices now, from high-tech materials to high-tech manufacturing strategies, which means that there\u2019s a string set for every style of music or type of guitar, even if you have to make your own custom sets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

STRING TENSIONS<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tension for steel strings for acoustic<\/a> and electric<\/a> guitars correspond to their thickness, or \u201cgauge.\u201d For acoustics the range is typically from \u201clight\u201d to \u201cmedium-light\u201d to \u201cmedium,\u201d with some specialty gauges such as \u201cbluegrass\u201d falling to either side of medium-light and medium. In pretty much every instance, the thinner the string, the lower the tension (that is, easier to fret).<\/p>\n

Nylon strings<\/a> are graded by tension instead of thickness. Some manufacturers prefer to name their grades \u201csoft\u201d-to-\u201chard\u201d tension; others prefer \u201clow\u201d-to- \u201chigh\u201d tension. Either way, there are five essential tension grades: super low (or soft), low, normal (or medium), high (or hard), and super-high (or extra-hard). Normal\/medium tension is the most common.<\/p>\n

Within the most commonly used \u201cnylon\u201d classical string group, the relationship between thickness and tension is the same as it is with steel string. However many classical strings are what is known as the \u201ccarbon<\/a>\u201d type of string, which are usually thinner and generally higher tension than comparable nylon strings. And within that \u201ccarbon\u201d type of string, the same principle applies: thicker strings are higher tension.<\/p>\n

All guitar builders have a make of string that they prefer. Some choose a particular string because it has certain characteristics that bring out particular qualities in the instruments they build. Others outfit their instruments with strings they consider to have a transparency that lets the instrument and the player speak for themselves.<\/p>\n

One of the most exciting things about having a new guitar, though, is finding out just what brand\/tension\/material allows your own voice to come through. But it\u2019s also true that every instrument has design limits that affect which tension grades are suitable. Some guitars, for example, can\u2019t handle the stress of extra-hard tension strings<\/a>. The load on the top is so great that it\u2019s inhibited from vibrating, which results in a less volume and thinner tone \u2014 the exact opposite of what you\u2019re trying to achieve, not to mention the added stress on the bridge and the neck. It\u2019s always a good idea to find out the tension grade the builder recommends, and to ask if the guitar can accommodate a higher tension. It\u2019s also worthwhile to compare the actual force ratings of the different strings you\u2019re comparing. Some resellers (SBM, for example, which sets the standard for comprehensive ratings) give the force in pounds (lb) for each string in a set. It\u2019s sometimes a surprise to learn that one manufacturer\u2019s hard tension set carries more force than another\u2019s extra-hard tension set.<\/p>\n

In addition to tension grades, there\u2019s the choice of materials from what might be called traditional nylon to exotic polymers for the plain strings, to wound strings with corrosion resistant coatings<\/a> or core filaments made of a space-age material like Kevlar<\/a>. The bass strings wear out much faster than the trebles, unlike steel strings where it\u2019s just the opposite. And if you buy your strings from SBM you can not only get singles (which a good number of other retailers offer) but you can buy separate bass sets<\/a> or treble sets<\/a> for nearly every brand and model of string made. Your favorite set might ultimately be basses from one set (or manufacturer) and trebles from another.<\/p>\n

Considering just the strings, the biggest issues in moving from steel to nylon are (a) new nylon strings usually take a lot longer to stabilize; (b) only a few of the many alternative tunings steel string players use are stable on nylon strings \u2014 drop-D and DADGAD, and not much else; and (c) very aggressive strumming tends to over-vibrate nylon strings, which knocks them out of tune, and also affects tone \u2014 an aggressive sound doesn\u2019t necessarily mean pushing the strings beyond their limit, unless the goal is the raspiness that flamenco players are so famous for.<\/p>\n

Similarly, pitch bending is an example of less being more. One half-step is about the limit of effective pitch alteration with nylon strings, as opposed to one-and-a-half steps or more for acoustic steel. But the effectiveness of a bend doesn\u2019t always depend on its depth. A one-step slide into a half-step bend can be just as powerful as a deep swooping bend. And musically, it\u2019s the same as a one-and-a half step bend \u2014 if it\u2019s timed correctly. So even a style based on bending (the blues, for example) can work very well.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

PICKS AND PICKING<\/b><\/h2>\n

There will be more on this in a future post, but a few points deserve to be made here. A radiused fingerboard means that the strings will follow the same curve at both ends. This might seem obvious, but it\u2019s the sort of thing you have to always keep in mind as you\u2019re getting used to not only fretting on a wide arc but also picking on a wide arc.<\/p>\n

As for picks<\/a>, they of course also come in gauges; and some players like flexible \u2014 light or medium gauge \u2014 picks. But an inflexible pick is a much better on nylon strings. A pick that deforms when it contacts the string can\u2019t really activate that string well. That sacrifices tone, volume and precision. As any classical or flamenco player can tell you, hard nails are a huge advantage in every technique used to strike the strings; and those with the disadvantage of naturally soft nails have all sorts of strategies to reinforce them, from commercial nail-hardeners<\/a> to super glue to materials attached to nails with super glue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pick-style players have the advantage of not having to submit to constant nail maintenance. They also have an advantage in being able to drastically change their tone and timbre \u2014 from one piece to the next, or even within the same piece \u2014 by simply switching to a pick of a different thickness or of a different material. The net result is tonal and timbral versatility usually associated with electric guitars. These days, all sorts of materials are being used to make guitar picks: tonewoods used in guitar building (ebony, walnut, etc.), coconut shell, bone, fossilized ivory, proprietary materials engineered to replicate as closely as possible the best qualities of tortoise shell, and beyond. Nylon string sets are highly responsive to the type and thickness of the material used to activate them. Not everything that works on steel strings works well on nylon \u2014 stainless steel or granite, for instance. But here again is another opportunity to experiment, and discover how a certain type of pick can liberate your voice.<\/p>\n

So, whether you\u2019re looking to add new colors and textures to your sound, or you\u2019d like to make a permanent switch-over to nylon, there\u2019s a world of possibilities to explore. From modified classical and flamenco designs, to various models meant especially for jazz (including gypsy jazz and archtop nylons), and even to models with built-in midi interfaces, there\u2019s a nylon string guitar for almost any musical genre. And they all take \u201cclassical<\/a>\u201d guitar strings.<\/p>\n

\"Richard<\/a>

Richard Robeson – Onstage 2005<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Richard<\/a>

Richard Robeson – Paris 2011<\/p><\/div>\n

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________________________________________________<\/p>\n

Richard Robeson (www.gandivaus.com) has taught guitar musicianship in Durham, NC and elsewhere since 1981. His own favorite instrument by far is a custom 2004 Wechter 9303C \u201cJazz Nylon,\u201d featured in ten original world music instrumentals on moonlight over the maghrib<\/i> (Gandiva 2011).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To Nylon from Steel Transitioning from a steel string guitar to a hybrid-crossover nylon string By Richard Robeson Until fairly recently, the term \u201cacoustic guitar\u201d was reserved primarily for steel string instruments, with most of the variety within the category coming from different combinations of tonewoods, and different body styles, with dreadnoughts being the most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classical-guitar-strings"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1419"}],"version-history":[{"count":85,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3234,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions\/3234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}