# Nylon string/classical guitars



## Chrostoph Albert (Mar 31, 2009)

I was just wondering if this would be the section to talk about classical guitar as well as just acoustic, since there is no section ont he forum dedicated to nylon string guitars.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Nylon string guitars *ARE* acoustic guitars.

Peace, Mooh.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Go ahead --post about them--I have a classical--I started guitar on classical--I don't play that style a lot anymore--but at times I wish I had taken it more seriously.

I still love the sound of my classical, and it sounds good for blues too.

I enjoy listening to classical guitar if it's expressive, and not dull sounding elevator type music. 
Christopher Parkening is an incredible guitarist.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I've been playing a LaPatrie Collection Classical for a few years. It's pretty good bang for the buck. A couple of times I've borrowed a Beneteau classical from a friend for recording purposes. Generally I use nylon strings to get that tone for accompaniment of a singer I work with on occasion, or for wedding music etc, and for classical/baroque pieces I enjoy playing.

Someday I'll trade off some electrics and get another, better classical guitar, but I tool up according to demand and need.

Peace, Mooh.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

was just thinking of posting about the nylon I got today...glad to see this thread. I love the ones I have, play them a lot more than my steels lately. I have a whole bunch of old Yamaha Dynamics, too many to post pics of all of em but heres a few...the wood they used is outstanding, really beautifully figured solid maple and pine tops. Came in several models and in a few colors, the lacquer on every one I have has crazed and checked all over the body, they sound fabulous and play great. Have a bid on another one ending in a couple of days...opening bid was 1 yen, I`m sure it`s gonna go higher...no, really...but these little gems have yet to be discovered by people overseas so while most players abroad are going for the laminated red label FGs, I`m collecting these all solid wood Yamaha Dynamics, some of mine go back to the early `50s, like the black label seen here...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

Mooh...you don`t have to sell a guitar to afford one of these Dynamics...I bet you can find one for less than a couple of hundred loonies, paid $100.oo for the blond pictured in the case above...the back looks like the one on the right in the top pic, it`s a Yamaha No. 45 from the early `60s.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

so....lets see some nylon strings eh.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

OK...while youse are all sleeping I`m gonna post pics of the Suzuki I got this week for $30.oo heeheehee....


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I think they ripped you off--no strings...:smile:




Seriously though--the grain on the back & sides is worth $30 alone--as long as it's not a laminated photograph...:smile:


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

yeah it was already around 4 PM so I hurried to take it outside to get some pics, it`s got strings now though :rockon2:

seems to be another solid wood Suzuki, have 3 others...that blueish streak on the side looks to be where clothing reacted to the finish and left a mark, it won`t come off and I know it looks like a crack but it isn`t.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

well looks like I`m just amusing myself eh...no other nylon string players?...dang...look what your missing...

on the left is my 100 yen...thats less than a dollar... Masao Koga and on the right is my 21 yen guitar...less than 25 cents, and it turned out to be all solid wood made by a builder whose signature nobody can read here but it has become one of my favorites...so for less than $1.25 I got both of these babies in the same week...thats only happened once though...Mooh...you readin` this?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

The strings would cost more than the guitar!

I have to get me to Japan...


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Here's a fuzzy picture of mine--I need one that shows the beautiful rosewood sides & backs better.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

yes the strings did cost more as did the shipping, still...what a steal they were.
What maker is yours? Looks nice in the picture


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2009)

A pair that I own. Don't use them much (if at all).
About the only songs I ever played were mood for a day (yes),
trees (rush) and Dee (Randy Rhoads).


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Really enjoy your collection, sneakypete...I love nylon strings, just don't have one at present.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

There's only been a few over the years. A late '70s Takamine which I bought new, with great tone and terrible intonation, a couple of inexpensive LaPatrie which were eventually traded up for the aforementioned LaPatrie Collection which I still have and use. There have also been a few cheap plywood models including a Sears, which I've collected and used as loaners or charity guitars. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

sneakypete said:


> yes the strings did cost more as did the shipping, still...what a steal they were.
> What maker is yours? Looks nice in the picture


Thanks-it's a little banged up, with some minor checking--but it's over 30 years old.

The Label says Taro.
It was made in Japan in the early/mid 70's.

It's very probable the same guitar was sold with other brand names as well. I've never been able to find a lot of info about it online. Here's one of the few links I've ever seen online of another Taro-
Taro

If you've run across the brand I'd be interested in knowing.

It wasn't an expensive guitar--but it was well made, and sounds great-I love the bass response I get from it.


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## Canadian Charlie (Apr 30, 2008)

My daughter has a nylon stringed 3/4 guitar. could I remove the nylon strings and use regular steel strings?


:smilie_flagge17:


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Canadian Charlie said:


> My daughter has a nylon stringed 3/4 guitar. could I remove the nylon strings and use regular steel strings?
> 
> 
> :smilie_flagge17:


No, even with the reduced scale length, the top bracing, top plate, bridge glue, tuner posts (rollers), and neck, will not tolerate the increased tension. Not sure why you'd want to do this anyway.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Chrostoph Albert (Mar 31, 2009)

Ima a nylon string player as well XP...thats why i asked the question lol. I should get some pictures of my guitar up. It cost me 100$ at spaceman music and its lefthanded. Il put some pics up when i get home :smile:


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

my 63 hofner- fun guitar


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I got a couple of old Yamaha Dynamics that look like that...who says there ain`t any reliced acoustics? One of my battered crew, a #15, I keep on a stand and it`s gets more play than any others, it sounds fabulous and I like the way it looks.


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## Canadian Charlie (Apr 30, 2008)

Mooh said:


> No, even with the reduced scale length, the top bracing, top plate, bridge glue, tuner posts (rollers), and neck, will not tolerate the increased tension. Not sure why you'd want to do this anyway.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.



I've never changed strings on a guitar with nylon strings and it looks hard. 

:smilie_flagge17:


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

Canadian Charlie said:


> I've never changed strings on a guitar with nylon strings and it looks hard.
> 
> :smilie_flagge17:


It isn't that hard. Here is a video by Buster B. Jones.. RIP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98tEv7xtgkI

Buster was a great godin nylon multiac player. Alas the demons caught up to him earlier this year.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

or you can just buy ball end nylon strings...but tie a few extra knots after the balls `cause the ones I used slipped through the hole, but no biggie. After you change nylons a couple of times you get the hang of it.

you know I mean nylon strings...not that I`d know what it`s like changing nylons...I know whats it like pulling them off somebody else though.


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## Blue Apple (Feb 8, 2006)

I bought my Goya sometime during the 80's... I recently did a little bit of research and it turns out it was made in 1950!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

sneakypete said:


> or you can just buy ball end nylon strings...but tie a few extra knots after the balls `cause the ones I used slipped through the hole, but no biggie. After you change nylons a couple of times you get the hang of it.
> 
> you know I mean nylon strings...not that I`d know what it`s like changing nylons...I know whats it like pulling them off somebody else though.


It's easy to change nylon strings after you get used to it--but maybe try the ball end ones.

Here's a good link that may help-
Changing nylon strings


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

picked one up for $5.oo yesterday...it`s made by Eiichi Hayashi, a web search turned nothing up on the name. No year written on the label either, but it says the same thing the Sadao Yirirs said...this guitar was hand made for music lovers etcetcetc. guess it was a popular thing to write on your label in the `60s and 70`s...man, this thing was dirty, I mean crud on top of crud, still not 100% clean so I`ll have to scrub it a bit more tonight, at least it ain`t sticky anymore...



















the label says this was his 8th guitar build, which might really mean something if he turns out to be the Stadivarius...spelling?...of MIJ guitars...or it may mean nothing at all, which is what I`m guessing since theres no info on his name on the web here. Either way...for 5 loonies I ain`t complaining...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

sneakypete...How's it play and sound?

Peace, Mooh.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I like the neck typical classical feel, but it`s got new strings and they go out of tune every couple of minutes so it`ll take a few days for them to stop stretching but it sounds pretty good, might just be my nephews Christmas present this year. Took some pics of the inside, if thats plywood it doesn`t look like any I`ve seen before, the grain matches inside and out...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Lots of high quality ply guitars are a close match inside and out, but not often. I've played a few classicals with ply backs that sound quite good. On the whole, ply classicals sound better to ply steelstrings, to my ears. Either way, for what you paid, it's a huge bargain.

Cool.

Peace, Mooh.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

didn`t know that, I have an all ply Koga that sounds very nice to me so you may be onto something.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

sneakypete said:


> didn`t know that, I have an all ply Koga that sounds very nice to me so you may be onto something.


You never know...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

yeah with these old MIJ acoustics it`s generally a roll of the dice, I mean in the shops the strings...if they`re all there...are usually so old that theres no point in trying to play them, so I have taken chances with many, I`ve been very lucky so far with a few that were not worth keeping...it`s an even bigger roll buying on line but worst case scenario...I get parts for other ones that are keepers, not easy finding spare parts, sometimes a donor guitar is the only option. Still, it`s a lot of fun, keeps me off the streets when I`m cleaning them...my wife knows exactly where I am 9kkhhd


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