No problem, olddude. Hard tension classical strings are well within the perameters of what's safe on a classic.

In fact, I use hard tension strings on the flamenco guitar. I was getting just a bit more "fret-buzz" than I wanted. Fine for flamenco, but since I also use the guitar for song accompaniment, I took it to a nearby shop that deals in high-end classics to possibly have the bridge raised a hair. Steve Novacek (pronounced "Nova-check"), who knows about all there is to know about guitars, suggested that I leave the bridge alone, but put hard tension strings on it. I asked about the increased tension, and he said essentially what I said above. It solved the problem for song accompaniment, and I can still get the buzz if I want it.

I use regular tension strings on my classic, however. On that guitar, they sound better than the hard tension.

I also have a neat little nylon-string travel guitar (a GO-GW; it looks like a canoe paddle with strings). It has a short scale length (24.5" instead of the usual 25.6"), so the hard tension strings are what the maker work, Sam Radding, in San Diego, recommends, and they work just fine.

With a new guitar, it's a good idea to experiment with different string brands and tensions to see which ones give you the best sound.

Don Firth