Mahagony Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with Nylon Strings?

Niv · 25th June 2008

is there something like that existing? I hate steel strings, but want to try such Dreadnought Mahagony for tone.

kafka · 25th June 2008

There is no such thing. Give it a try if you feel like it. You won't hurt anything. My guess is that it will sound and play like crud.

If you don't like steel strings, you can try some silk-and-steels. They're a lot softer.

A440 · 26th June 2008

Yep Silk & Steel strings definitely worth a go. Although people tend to use them on smaller bodied guitars.

Nylon guitars are built completely differently to Steel string guitars...totally different bracing etc..as the tensions are very different (amongst other things)..

You can get Nylon string guitars with Mahogany back & sides. That, along with a cedar top, will sound very nice.

vernier · 26th June 2008

Just get a classical or flamenco guitar ..either will be better than you need.
'

travisbrown · 26th June 2008

You won't get the *tone* out of a mahogany dreadnought with nylon strings. I mean you can do it - you can get ball-end nylon stings for folk guitars, but generally steel string guitars are built a bit differently. For one, the tops are usually about 50% thicker on average (3mm vs. 2mm) which means you need that much more oomph to activate the soundboard. Also, steel strings are usually X-braced as opposed to the lighter ladder bracing of classicals.

The result is it's a bit of like being a hummingbird in a windstorm. The nylon strings aren't going to get the best out of the guitar.

Like Kafka suggested - get silk and steel strings. They are the middle ground between nylon and steel-core strings.

Niv · 26th June 2008

hey thanks, sounds interesting that silky thing. and if not i´d try the mahagony/cedar option without that beautiful dreadnoughtbody.

cheers

gurubuzz · 26th June 2008

Guitar player will scream blue murder if you put nylons on a steel string guitar..

MYTHBUSTED

i went to a guitar shop once and said I wanted nylon strings for an Ovation

The guy said it would sound horrible.

And the pickup would not work....

he was wrong

It sounded great for recording those Clapton style lead accoustic sounds

If you wanted to busk on it forget it it's too quiet but ir really recorded great...

Worth a try...

I even plug it into AmpliTube and it sounds great with haps of drive

25th June 2008	#1
Niv 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended. Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 264 Thread Starter	Mahagony Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with Nylon Strings? is there something like that existing? I hate steel strings, but want to try such Dreadnought Mahagony for tone.

25th June 2008	#2
kafka Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,267	There is no such thing. Give it a try if you feel like it. You won't hurt anything. My guess is that it will sound and play like crud. If you don't like steel strings, you can try some silk-and-steels. They're a lot softer. __________________ - It looks just like a Telefunken U47 - with leather. You'll love it ... - Jazz is not dead - it just smells funny. - It doesn't make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.

26th June 2008	#5
travisbrown Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 4,140 9 Reviews written	You won't get the tone out of a mahogany dreadnought with nylon strings. I mean you can do it - you can get ball-end nylon stings for folk guitars, but generally steel string guitars are built a bit differently. For one, the tops are usually about 50% thicker on average (3mm vs. 2mm) which means you need that much more oomph to activate the soundboard. Also, steel strings are usually X-braced as opposed to the lighter ladder bracing of classicals. The result is it's a bit of like being a hummingbird in a windstorm. The nylon strings aren't going to get the best out of the guitar. Like Kafka suggested - get silk and steel strings. They are the middle ground between nylon and steel-core strings. __________________ I'm not a producer, but I play one on Gearslutz.com

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26th June 2008	#3
A440 Lives for gear Joined: May 2006 Location: London Posts: 842	Yep Silk & Steel strings definitely worth a go. Although people tend to use them on smaller bodied guitars. Nylon guitars are built completely differently to Steel string guitars...totally different bracing etc..as the tensions are very different (amongst other things).. You can get Nylon string guitars with Mahogany back & sides. That, along with a cedar top, will sound very nice.

26th June 2008	#4
vernier Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 6,130	Just get a classical or flamenco guitar ..either will be better than you need. '

26th June 2008	#7
gurubuzz Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 950	Guitar player will scream blue murder if you put nylons on a steel string guitar.. MYTHBUSTED i went to a guitar shop once and said I wanted nylon strings for an Ovation The guy said it would sound horrible. And the pickup would not work.... he was wrong It sounded great for recording those Clapton style lead accoustic sounds If you wanted to busk on it forget it it's too quiet but ir really recorded great... Worth a try... I even plug it into AmpliTube and it sounds great with haps of drive