Lightest silk and steel strings made

Subject: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: GUEST,Allan
Date: 25 Jul 04 - 02:40 PM

Will someone suggest the lightest silk and steel strings on the market. These old fingers cant take regular strings, and I would like to try silk and steel . In other words which silk and steel are the easiest on the fingers. Nylon is OK but not all the time.
Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: KateG
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 07:20 AM

Check juststrings.com, they have silk and steel strings by several manufacutures and in several weights. One of the mfr's they carry also make a set of silk and phosphor bronze, which I use to use on my old cheese-cutter guitar. In fact, I liked them so much I'm thinking of trying them on my Martin.

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 09:18 AM

Would a 'cheapie' type guitar strung with nylon strings be capable of taking some of these strings - as a generality.

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 10:03 AM

If you can't find a light set that is light enough--the easiest thing to do is to buy medium or heavy regular set, then ditch the low E String and buy the thinest high E string you can find--and string using the A string for the low E --

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 06:32 PM

But won't that affect the height and cause fret buzzing?

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 07:32 PM

If the strings are too light, the guitar won't speak as well--it loses volume and the tone deteriorates---but you probably won't have extraneous noises become a problem until the strings are too rubbery to get much sound out of, anyway--I generally use the heaviest strings and instrument will take because it sounds so much better---if you are having a problem, though, you have to do what you have to do--

It might be time to shop for a new instrument--one with more comfortable action--a shorter neck might help, also, because the tension on the strings will be less--classical guitars are gentler on the fingers as well, but it also might be time to re-evaluate your fingering techniques and iron out bad habits that might be causing you discomfort--

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 10:57 PM

Well thanks for your advice - I don't consider myself a 'guitar player', cause even though I have 'mucked about' a bit over the years, I have always give up because I was trained as a pianist/keyboardist like the idea of 'numbing up' my fingertips, thus reducing their sensitivity of other instruments I play.

My brother was given a relative cheapie, and later bought himself a better instrument: his cast off is what I have at the moment. It has nylon strings, but I find even those unpleasant.

Was just looking for ideas, really.

Robin

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: GUEST,allan
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 10:25 AM

Thanks every one for the help.. It's the fingers not the guitar that are the problem. At 75 years the skin becomes thinner. I will be putting the s&s strings on a Martin 00016 so the martin can take it.
Here is a list of the S&S strings on the market
Martin Marquis M1400
Martin M130
D'Angello 100 ss
D'addario
La bella
As to the thikness the Martins appear to be very slightly thinner
Any ideas on ones you may have tried?????
Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: GUEST,Van
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 02:54 PM

I always use LaBella - have done for 30 odd years and like their tone & the way they feel.

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: GUEST,Dale In Tx.
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 05:48 PM

Yes I have a Classical Guitar that is 15 years old. It had Silk and Steel strings on it and sounded really good. It is a Fender J-10 Model, would love to find a new set just like them . Where can I go on what site and find what I am looking for . Need Help Dale

Subject: RE: Lightest silk and steel strings made
From: PoppaGator
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:34 PM

I had always been taught that a classical guitar (one designed for nylon strings) could be damaged -- broken in half! -- if strung with steel strings. Can one actually get away with putting these light-guage "S&S" metal strings on such an instrument without putting a fatal strain on it? I doubt it, but am open to discussion...

I realize that GUEST,allen is stringing up a guitar manufactured for steel strings, and had been using nylon by choice. Others reading this thread, however, should not misunderstand this discussion and think they can install steel strings (even the lightest) on an instrument intended for use with nylon (or old-fashioned gut) strings only.

Getting a luthier to do a thorough set-up *might* help make the guitar easier to play, but then again it might not -- might not help *enough*, anyway. New strings are certainly less expensive, though!