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I recently bought a classical guitar and love its warmer tone compared to my steel string acoustic. At some points, it almost has an electric-archtop sound.
Are there ways to maximize the jazz tone of a classical guitar even more? I don't particularly like the overly Spanish/Flamenco tone of twangy/zingy bass strings and the strings always smacking the frets.
How do you all set up classicals to get a mellow sound? Heavier strings? Anything else?
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09-14-2022 12:20 PM
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They have flatwound acoustic strings...sometimes they'll be called "recording" strings.
As for the trebles, I find plain nylon is the warmest sounding, so the other materials out there will likely be more bright and zingy.
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Hard tension strings and a pick
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I wonder what strings those Brazilian musicians use? (One of my fav album is Henderson’s Double Rainbow)
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Here’s a useful page for comparing strings by the Aquila company, whose strings I often use: https://aquilacorde.com/en/blog-en/m...ssical-guitar/
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This may be a stupid question, but can I use any acoustic strings for the bass strings (flatwound or otherwise), or do they need to be specifically made for classical guitars? I recall reading that classical guitars are lightly braced and not made to withstand the pressure that normal steel-string acoustic guitars would cause. I don't want to use heavy strings and break my guitar in half!
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Yeah, I would think that's a recipe for disaster.
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Definitely a disaster.
Listen to Charlie Byrd - jazz player with a Ramirez classical. He probably used Augustine Blacks or Reds.
I’m not 100% sure what you mean by a jazzier sound. If you just mean mellow, and would use any plain nylon trebles and for the basses I recommend Rayon by Aquila.
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I use hard tension nylon strings on all my classical guitars...;-)
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By "jazzier sound" I mean less Spanish/Classical, and something that sounds more like an electric archtop with heavy flatwounds. In other words, bass strings with less twang/zing and hopefully that "rotate" less when I touch them, and treble strings that are warm and that sound the way an oversized 14/15-gauge high E string might (fat and "sounds" tight like it has high tension, like a bow-and-arrow string). Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Classical guitar has a classical sound.
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If you can hear the sound in your head you can play it on the classical guitar. I jammed with a friend the other day. There was some background music on with an electric archtop and he sounded and played almost the same on some medium-class nylon string guitar.
What I am trying to say is work on your touch, dont expect the strings to do magic
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Yes, they're called recording strings because they eliminate the bright squeaky sound when you shift. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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What I have on my Godin Grand Concert:
La Bella 900 Golden Nylon & Polished Golden Alloy Classical Guitar Strings - Medium Tension
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It DOES depend on your fingers (touch and attack), the guitar, and your strings used.
Playing a classical guitar is SO much different than say, a steel string acoustic - played with a pick or fingers!
Different bodies, woods, and necks, to start.
I have a beautiful new cedar topped rosewood (cocobolo) bodied nylon string guitar. I am trying different strings to find which will be best for me. Hi (hard) tension strings are harsh and hard to play on this guitar Not as warm as nylon, less sustain, not for me. I can't wait to change them.
I also have a cheaper (well made) student model guitar, from 1981. While not as mellow, it has some really nice tone. Again, the body and woods used will give different tones. Keep trying different strings.
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Buzziness in new strings can be transient. When they break-in a bit, or something, that may subside. I'd give it a week or two.
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Gene Bertoncini recommended these to me:
La Bella Strings Professional Series | 413P Studio Guitar Strings
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Thomastik-Infeld KR116.
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Get a Gibson 175. classical guitars really don't have the structure to imitate an arch top with heavy strings. and it's much more about your right-hand attack than strings. Are there any guitarists playing nylon whose tone you enjoy? if so, study their technique, that will get you closer.
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A friend uses Taylor nylon guitars, a regular heavy pick, into a Henriksen Bud and he sounds fantastic. He has them setup with very low action and doesn’t hit particularly hard. I otoh, use a DuPont gypsy guitar and hit like I’m trying to murder the guitar with a 5mm brick of a Wegen pick. Different strokes.
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"Jazz sound" on classical guitar - there is no such thing.
I've been playing guitars with nylons for over 50 years.
The most comfortable guitar with nylons for me is Frameworks Modern Classic.
Why?...no feedback and it has most comfortable neck.I can play everything on it...:-)
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For the trebles you could try Aquila Rubino or the heavier tension Granato strings. Ironically the latter are for flamenco, but they may give you exactly what you're looking (erm, listening) for if you don't play them in flamenco fashion. Both references come closest to the sound I'd like to (but can't...) get from steel string trebles. Originally Posted by markesquire
The bass strings could be trickier. Heavy tension sterling silvers, maybe? Ironically again, I use GHS 2100W phosphor-bronze classicals on my resonator. They do have that vulgar PB zing when new but lose it quickly to give a really warm sound. I do combine them with a brass low E which has a more appropriate tension and sounds livelier higher up the fretboard.
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