Restringing a classical guitar with steels

[Jono Bolton]

Is this doable? I'm looking for a small steel strung acoustic and a mate of mine has kindly offered me a nylon-strung classical guitar, which he says needs to be restrung anyway, so what are the potential pit-falls of putting steel strings on it? My main concern is that the guitar won't cope with the increased tension.

[Billy Apple]

I don't think the neck will put up with the increased tension, what with no truss rod and that. At best it will have a right forward bow, at worst it could break.

[BigRedX]

Unless it's a very solidly built guitar and extremely light strings you will break it. So don't do it. You will most likely pull the bridge off the soundboard due to the way it is constructed and the way the string tension acts upon it. The strings go through the top of a steel strung guitar for a reason.

Edited June 29, 2013 by BigRedX

[skankdelvar]

Have it anyway and put nylons on it. Nylons are fun.

[geoffbyrne]

Gut/nylon strung guitars were never built to take the tension of steel strings - it would buckle.

G.

[ezbass]

Don't do it! I did many, many years ago, huge mistake as they started to tear the neck off.

[Jono Bolton]

It's ok, I've been offered a loan of a resonator which I've always wanted to try, so I'm looking forward to that. Thanks for all confirming what I thought would be the case, I'm glad I didn' try it and ruin a mate's guitar now!

[dincz]

My first guitar was a classical with steel strings and led to my interest in bass as the neck relief made it impossible to hold down more than one note at a time

[Painy]

Many years ago I mentioned to my nan that I was looking for a new acoustic guitar but wanted a steel strung one. Bless her heart she went out and found the most hideously warped old classical guitar you've ever seen with steel strings on it from a second hand junk shop and bought it for me! Can't say I'd have recommended it.