Strings 4 through 6-those that produce low base tones-are usually silver in color, but consist of around individual strands of nylon wrapped with silver plated copper thread. The major characteristic of nylon strings is the soft, pleasant sound that they are able to produce. Nylon strings have large vibrational amplitude when plucked, and require sufficient space between strings to ensure they do not hit the adjacent string.
The neck of the guitar is wider than usual, to allow the player's fingers to press down a string without coming into contact with other strings during fast musical pieces. The classical guitar has a wider neck, which changes the way the strings are pressed when compared to acoustic guitars and other designs. Compared to acoustic guitars, where the guitarist seemingly grasps the neck and presses down on strings with the thumb, the guitarist's thumb does not come into contact with the strings when playing a classical guitar.
Instead, the thumb presses against the back of the neck to support the other fingers. All the remaining four fingers are used to press down the strings. Four fingers are used to pluck the strings, with the thumb acting as a support. As for the width of the neck, a typical Yamaha classical guitar has a neck width of 52 mm, while that of a Yamaha acoustic guitar is 43 mm, demonstrating that the classical guitar neck is about 1 cm wider.
They are said to sound brighter, which is why these sets are often aimed at flamenco and folk guitarists. Scientific tests have confirmed that colored dye itself is unlikely to create a brighter sounding string. However, colored sets may be made from different polymer or manufactured differently than clear nylon, which may affect its sound. The only way to tell is to experiment with different sets. You can read more in our article, Black nylon guitar strings versus clear: is there a difference?
Ball-end nylon strings are aimed at folk artists or guitarists shifting from steel-string acoustic or electric guitars. The benefit is largely psychological rather than practical. Learning to string a classical guitar is a simple skill, like learning to tie your shoes.
Fluorocarbon strings can present more of a challenge. The first time I tried a set, the first string went flying off, something which never happens with nylon. There could be a combination of reasons, such as less friction or that the strings are often thinner because the material is so dense. A common solution is to slightly melt one end of the treble strings with a lighter or a match.
This creates a pseudo melted ball-end that provides some extra grip once the strings are tied off. Another solution is to tie a simple overhand knot or figure-of-eight knot, which acts as a stop. Fluorocarbon treble strings are made of a polymer called polyvinylidine fluoride PVDF.
This material is a dense material that creates a brighter sound, which is closer to the sound of gut strings but without the same price tag or tuning issues. Like gut strings, tests have shown fluorocarbon strings damping threshold is higher than for nylon strings. However, these overtones do create a slightly different sound than gut strings.
This issue is most pronounced on the G string of the guitar. The reason? It is the thickest of the treble strings, which creates more string stiffness. This naturally interferes with the vibration of the string, creating greater inharmonicity or overtones that are not pleasing to the ear and reducing sustain. The nature of fluorocarbon, which is denser than nylon, provides one potential answer.
Replacing the nylon G string with a brighter sounding fluorocarbon string can create more evenness of tone across the full treble string range. Fluorocarbon strings greater density means they also tend to project sound more powerfully than nylon strings. But this greater density can also make vibrato harder, and some find the strings harder to fret.
The wrapped bass strings are a different matter. They also have wider necks, which add more space between the strings, and bodies that start at the 12th fret, not the 14th fret like most steel-string guitars. With steel-string guitars boasting 14 frets clear of the body and often a cutaway, that makes it easier to reach the high frets and solo.
Tuning is another way to separate nylon and steel. Nylon strings must be tuned often, Because they are made out of a softer material, they are more sensitive to temperature and humidity and frequently go out of tune.
At the end of the day, the choice between a nylon-string guitar and a steel-string guitar comes down to personal preference. Just know that they are not interchangeable and your decision should be based on more than just how they make your fingers feel.
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