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Has anyone tried ball-end nylon strings on a classical guitar?


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Posted

I went to the music shop in town today and asked for classical guitar strings, in the region of 30 Polish zloty. I got home and found they had ball ends, like steel string acoustic and electric strings have.

 

I'd never heard of this type before, and decided to give them a try. Thinking about the pressure of the balls on the bridge, I popped downstairs and fashioned an aluminium plate with six holes in which will sit at the back of the bridge to prevent the ball ends digging into the wood. I'm hoping this will result in some kind of added brilliance....my glasses are always half full :).

 

The wirewound strings have a ball end the same as on steel string acoustic and electric guitars....the treble strings have a neater-looking thingy, but I can understand the reason for the different designs. So the strings will not look aesthetically wonderful at the bridge end, but never mind.

 

I will put the strings on tomorrow, and report back.

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Posted

Experiment aborted, and ball ends duly snipped off!

 

It didn't go well. Firstly the top string pulled through the ball end twice, so I had to re-knot it. Then it snapped twice on nearing pitch. Also, the break angle over the saddle was doubled, so in the end I put them on by tying them as usual at the bridge, while I still had enough top string length left.

 

We live and learn.

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Posted

No, I always get tied end classical strings. Sometimes I get asked at the shop if I want tie end or ball end, and I always have to make sure they're not ball end. Of course, if my guitar was set up for the ball end type it would make string changing much faster and easier.:idea:

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Posted

I have to admit, I didn't think there was a difference. But the last time I put strings on my classical guitar, I tried a ball end type. They do not stay tuned! I don't think I'll ever do that again. If I have to put in time restringing it, I want it to play and sound better when I'm done, not worse...

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