# Accoustic string question



## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

about twice a year I get an accoustic from the "dump". usually they are strung with steel strings, and the action is waaaaaaay too high....sometimes they are fixable...some get the pete townsend treatment.... (one is made into a birdhouse, but no birds as yet).....lol...........I have always wondered if perhaps the damage is because it should have been strung with nylon strings originally..... somewhere? I heard that there is a difference between the neck/fingerboard width ? from a steel vs nylon classical guitar..........can someone please explain this for me........(something I did recently learn.....duh.....is that steel string packets indicate the actual lbs of tension per string on the guitar neck ....something that the clerks at my local L&M have neglected to mention in the past...I now have ultralights in stock)
thanks in advance
Gerry


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

Classical guitars usually have wider necks to accommodate for the classical/flamenco finger style.I have a travel guitar that takes both steel and nylon strings and the neck is wider than my full scale acoustics.Once i get it fixed up im going to be putting on some nylons(if i can find some).


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

thanks xuthal..........appreciate the response.......I'll have to do some comparisons on the latest time wasting........lol........project guitar.........no wonder the back fell off and the 4" off the fret end action.......lol....slide anyone.....is there a rule of thumb.....like width at the nut.........


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

I'm not that experienced with classical guitars,i've played one once.I did measure the nut on my hybrid backpacker,its 4 1/2 cm.Keep in mind its not a real classical and is used for both types of strings.Sorry i cant help any more than that.There should be a few classical players here who would know.


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## AGP1 (Jun 18, 2008)

As far as I can tell from a quick review of a few manufacturer websites traditional nylon strung guitars typically have nuts ranging in the region of 45 -52mm. 
Would the type of bridge installed tell you what the guitar was originally designed to be strung with ?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

If the bridge is still attached that would be a clue to what type of strings it once had. Or at the very least if it had no holes for the strings--that would increase the chances of it being a classical.

Just in case anybody doesn't know what I'm referring to.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

Nylon string guitars usually have different tuners and bridges from steel string guitars. On a nylon the head usually has two slots that the tuners go in - http://www.hillguitar.com/showroom/photos/1951_head_lrg.jpg - instead of the posts that steel strings usually use. Also the bridge usually has 6 small holes for the strings to go through - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/ClassicalGuitar_bridge.jpg - instead of 6 bigger holes going into the guitar with pins to hold the string ends.

There are exceptions, of course, but those will be a lot easier to spot than measuring nut widths.


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Thanks for all the info....the guitar in question has holes through the body and string pins and the tuners only have one hole in the post.....what is left of the bridge notched seat is in poor shape and needs some type of rework and/or replacement.....looks like a candidate for the ultra-light steel if the reglue goes well...by the way the nut width compared to my other steel string accoustics.


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