Nylon String Tension Question

**Woody Sound** · 05-20-2020, 08:56 AM

For those of you who go back and forth between archtop, electric, and nylon (crossover?) guitars. Do you prefer the hardest tension, or the lighter? I've been struggling with this for a while. I'm asking more about when picking on the nylon crossover, pop latin, bossa solos, etc, not really "classical" playing. Seems like there are pros and cons to each.

**Michael Neverisky** · 05-20-2020, 10:04 AM

Pros and cons, yes. I prefer lighter tension strings for two reasons: I find them more expressive (vibrato, etc) and they're easier on my left hand. In the days when I fingerpicked a steel string guitar with .012 or .013 strings I might have said otherwise, but I use .011 on my 25.5" scale Telecaster and the hard tension nylons strings on my 25.5" scale Cordoba Orchestra Fusion and not as user friendly as the Tele experience.

**lukmanohnz** · 05-20-2020, 10:46 AM

I am not a classical player but I’ve had a Takamine CP132SC for years and love it. A friend who plays classical turned me on to these high tension strings many years ago (his teacher used them as well) and I have used them ever since. The cedar top and (laminated) rosewood back and sides on this guitar result in a fairly mellow tone, so the high tension Savarez strings brighten the tone a bit - it’s a great combination. It’s more about tone for me than the feel. The transition from a compound radius fretboard and closer string spacing of any of my steel string guitars to the flat-as-a-board and wider classical fretboard is a bigger contrast to me than the string tension and gauge of the nylon strings.

**Michael Neverisky** · 05-20-2020, 11:28 AM

That's a good point too, the tone. My guitar is also cedar over laminated rosewood and, I agree, the tone of the lower tension is warmer. Which is also something I prefer.

**Alter** · 05-20-2020, 12:47 PM

I find extra hard tension nylon strings easier to adjust to. I use D addarios.

**darkwaters** · 05-20-2020, 09:10 PM

I use 10s and 11s on my electrics and 11s on my flat top acoustic, regular tension nylons on my Taylor 12-N. It came with hard tension strings, but I didn't like the feel and regulars sound just as good and just as loud, but are a good deal easier on my left hand.

**bohemian46** · 05-20-2020, 09:24 PM

I use, and prefer, D'Addario "Normal" ( medium) tension strings.
I play a cutaway Carlos Pina cypress/spruce guitar.

I have used these strings for a few decades. They are consistent and the
tension of the " Normals" offers
the most flexibility.

**rob taft** · 05-22-2020, 05:08 PM

I don't flat pick nylon but for me nylon string choice is driven by the guitar i.e. I prefer extra hard carbon trebles and hard tension on my flamenco guitar. On that guitar normal tension strings lack snap and clarity. I use hard tension composites on my classical and normal tension on my cheaper crossover. The crossover is always amplified and string choice matters less and if was to flat pick, that is the guitar I would use.