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Good Ball-end Classical Strings?


Grant Harding

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I've got an old classical guitar that has a really low bridge saddle, so traditional tying of the strings doesn't create enough break angle.

 

I've normally just used a knot behind the hole and that fixes the break angle but the wound strings eventually break or unwind.

 

I can't find any ball-end sets that seem decent. Any advice? Hopefully something I can get online. Thanks!

 

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Looking at my guitar I see what you mean about the break angle. The tied method pulls the angle shallower than the steeper angle if using only ball ends. But, assuming the low saddle is necessary to keep the action playable, why the break angle issue? Are the strings not ringing out? Are they buzzing atop the saddle for lack of downward force (break angle)? You're not giving a symptom you're experiencing with the guitar.

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It's right at the limit when they're tied in the normal way, so some strings are slightly buzzy. I've been just knotting them behind the bridge and it works brilliantly and the notes are all strong and loud. But... the wound ones start to unravel at the knot after a month or so and eventually break (I don't play it that much).

 

​​​​​​The guitar is coming up on 50 years old and has a Spanish heel neck construction, so no neck reset. It has a really thick ebony fb, so having that planed to fix the angle is the most accepted method, but I'm not ready for that yet.

 

The 12 or 18 hole method is not unusual from what I've read.

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30° is normally fine for steel strings. Dunno about nylon but it seems like it should be similar. The high E on my beater acoustic has less than that and so do the octaves on most 12-strings. Playability shouldn't be a factor so what about a taller saddle?

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The action and sound is perfect, so that's not really an option. I just need to not do the traditional method that pulls up on the string.

 

After a pretty long Internet search I'm pretty sure I'm going to make a dowel/drill bit gizmo and convert it to an 18 hole tie block. Some really good builders do this as a default apparently and I love the simple clean lines.

 

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21922-mod-garage-conquering-classical-guitar-string-changing-terror?page=3

 

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The action and sound is perfect, so that's not really an option. I just need to not do the traditional method that pulls up on the string.

 

After a pretty long Internet search I'm pretty sure I'm going to make a dowel/drill bit gizmo and convert it to an 18 hole tie block. Some really good builders do this as a default apparently and I love the simple clean lines.

 

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21922-mod-garage-conquering-classical-guitar-string-changing-terror?page=3

 

The 12 and 18 hole ideas (and the double holes for the tuners) are sure interesting approaches - I've never seen that done before, but it's pretty slick - thanks for posting that!

 

Who made your nylon string guitar Grant?

 

 

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Grant, can you take a picture of your bridge and post it - I don't understand why you don't have enough break angle with a conventional tying scheme. And in my humble opinion trying to drill all those holes with the bridge on the guitar would be a nightmare - not only do you have to properly space the holes but the chuck of your drill is going to interfere with the top if you try to drill them parallel to the top. With the bridge off of the guitar it would be simple to chuck it up in a drill press but I sure wouldn't try on a guitar.

 

I also know that both Martin and D'Addario make ball end nylon strings and you can also tie a little bead on the end - I see that used with classical pin bridges

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The guitar is a 1970 Yamaha GC10. It was their first super high end professional classical. Ezo spruce top and solid brazilian rw back and sides.

 

​​​​​​The bridge has been slotted to enable the saddle to be sunk down low, which is what makes it perfect to play (for a classical, not low like an electric).

 

The mod involves marking the holes with a template and custom awl, then making the holes with a drill bit glued into a long dowel. As long as I take time and carefully protect the top (French polish) it should be low risk risk risk risk... :)

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La Bella "Folksinger" are good ball-end strings, Rotosound also do a ball-end set. You can make your own by using a craft bead - readily available in craft shops - with a knot in the string. This method provides more support than just a knot.

 

 

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And in my humble opinion trying to drill all those holes with the bridge on the guitar would be a nightmare - not only do you have to properly space the holes but the chuck of your drill is going to interfere with the top if you try to drill them parallel to the top. With the bridge off of the guitar it would be simple to chuck it up in a drill press but I sure wouldn't try on a guitar.. . .

 

No, indeed not. I converted one of my classical guitars to a 12 hole bridge - for precisely the same reason, viz. poor break angle - but I removed the bridge from the top then drilled the second set of holes (PS. 18 holes are not necessary). I think it's preferable to trying to do it with the bridge attached.

 

But using ball-end strings is a quick fix that works fine.

 

 

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Regarding the tuners, I push the string end through the hole in the capstan and double it back through forming a loop. Then I take the free end around the capstan, run it through the open loop and close the loop by pulling the string tight by hand. This locks the string end in the loop. Regarding the bridge, I tie off normally. My saddle (Yamaha classical CG110CE) is also very low but I don't have any issues.

 

Regarding the drill bit/dowel tool, and little pin vise is all that's needed.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&sour...26203054111933

 

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