Should I get new strings?
Question:
> Beginner’s question: > Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching > myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, > wound metal lowers.
Exact the model I’ve got. Good for the money, not as cheap as a lot of the competition at that price. Nylon strings are always like that, the lower three will have a metal wounding (and of the the thinnest of them is the one that snaps first). Change the strings when the start showing serious grooves around where they touch the frets when you play. Or do like some cheapskates like me do: When the D string is getting the grooves, turn it around, and play until it snaps, only then swap it or the whole set. Playing with slightly old strings is nice as they stay in tune better, although new strings will have more sparkle which many newbies like. As a beginner, I don’t think the make of strings matters much, I buy what’s on sale (or the lowest price "known make", in my case I guess it’s often D’addario) > Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the > guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. My fingers sure > are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no > matter what strings I use.
Yep, fingers will be sore, but nylon strings are easiest on your fingers, so it won’t be for long… The thickness thing is different on nylon strings compared to electric guitars/steel strings (9’s=the size of the thinnest is 9, 10s 11s etc ), and I always bought whatever is regular, so I can’t really help there. I guess they go by different tensions, like low, medium and high or something. > If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and > do you know of any web sites where I can buy them?
I think there is a site that sells strings separately too (so you don’t need to buy the whole set when one breaks), if I only remembered the URL. – Weelie
Response:
> Beginner’s question: > Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching > myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, > wound metal lowers. > Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the > guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. My fingers sure > are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no > matter what strings I use. > If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and > do you know of any web sites where I can buy them?
this is one: http://www.stringsbymail.com/ – Weelie
Response:
> Beginner’s question: > Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching > myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, > wound metal lowers. > Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the > guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. My fingers sure > are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no > matter what strings I use. > If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and > do you know of any web sites where I can buy them?
and this: http://www.juststrings.com/ – Weelie
Response:
It’s the same as the rule you apply when you buy a power saw. First thing to do is replace the factory blade. You can use a micrometer or a feeler gauge to determine the gauge of the strings. Re your finger calluses: If you play it, they will come. BTW, Good luck on self taught classical! Has to be the hardest thing to learn on your own. I hope you succeed. Don’t let Segovia get you down, strive for perfection, but don’t expect to play like him for a few decades. Dan
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Beginner’s question: > Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching > myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, > wound metal lowers. > Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the > guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. My fingers sure > are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no > matter what strings I use. > If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and > do you know of any web sites where I can buy them? > Thanks for any help. > Newbie Greg
Response:
>Beginner’s question: >Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching >myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, >wound metal lowers. >Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the >guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. …
As a beginner, Lights would probably be your best bet just to be kind to your fingers. You may or may not have to adjust the truss rod tension if you change to a different guage string set. > …. My fingers sureare sore, but I figure that’ll be the case > until they callous up no matter what strings I use.
True to some extent. A $100 guitar probably has a truly horrid action setup, i.e., string clearance above the fingerboard. For starters, check the nut height. If it’s easier to press the strings two or three frets down the neck than it is to press the first fret then the nut is too high. Likewise, if the strings are more than about 3/16" above the fretboard at the body fret, you’re going to have a hard time playing it. For an example, I adjust my guitars for 1/8" to 5/32" at the body fret (14th fret) with Light strings. Different gauges may need slightly different clearance but it should be close to the numbers given. There’s no need to go into truss rod adjustment here. The measurements I mention are enough for you to get some idea of whether or not your guitar’s action is playable. If it’s not in the ballpark, the look into having the action adjusted to make it playable. Your fingers will thank you. Too many novices give up and never learn to play guitar because their first guitar’s action was unplayably bad.
Response:
Beginner’s question: Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100. Am teaching myself classical guitar. The Yamaha came with nylon strings uppers, wound metal lowers. Would it do me any good to get better strings than what came with the guitar? I don’t know what brand or thickness they are. My fingers sure are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no matter what strings I use. If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and do you know of any web sites where I can buy them? Thanks for any help. Newbie Greg
Response:
> Just bought a classical Yamaha C-40 from Costco for $100.
http://www.yamaha.com/cgi-win/webcgi.exe/DsplyModel/?gCGU00004C40 It’s Yamaha’s lowest priced full-sized classical guitar. Not bad at all. http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Yamaha/C40-Classical-01.html And here is review of your guitar. I think it’s nothing wrong with your guitar and strings. > My fingers sure are sore, but I figure that’ll be the case until they callous up no > matter what strings I use.
Yeah.. It’s typical.. don’t need to worry. > If newer/better strings would help, what kind would you recommend, and > do you know of any web sites where I can buy them?
Ofcooz you can try some low tension strings, but I think it won’t help much. Go, buy and test.
Response:
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