> I do nice neat knots in steel strings when I break them. Sheet bends.
> Affects the tone if it happens between the nut and the saddle though.
> HTH
I prefer to braze any broken strings together and then grind the joint down a bit. This sounds better than you'd think. The intonation gets thrown all to shit though.
>> I do nice neat knots in steel strings when I break them. Sheet bends.
>> Affects the tone if it happens between the nut and the saddle though.
>> HTH
> I prefer to braze any broken strings together and then grind the joint
> down a bit. This sounds better than you'd think. The intonation gets
> thrown all to shit though.
Yeah, the gas axe is good for all kinds of minor repairs.
> On 9/29/2012 1:34 PM, brianmccar...@my.ccsu.edu wrote:
>> Same memories of the Augustines here. And ditto on wouldn't think of
>> using them nowadays. I've started using D'Addario "Dyna-core" with the
>> "T2" trebles, normal tension.
>> I use a two-loop knot on the tieblock - it seems more secure to me,
>> and I like the way it looks. My string ends on the tieblock end point
>> toward the treble side. On the tuning end I just sort of give them a
>> quick-and-dirty overhand knot, and let the wrapping take care of itself.
> I used to have all the strings tied with an open loop. Boy that was pretty!
>> When I took lessons in my youth, my teacher, an engineer by day-job,
>> taught me to leave as little slack as reasonably possible before
>> tightening, so as to have as little stretch as possible. He also
>> taught me to change only three at a time, so as not to unload and then
>> re-load the neck. I go him one better and do them one at a time.
>> I've since heard that this is really not necessary.
> My teacher was an nuke sub engineer. That's what I heard anyway. He had
> a huge shop in Honolulu that built guitars and lutes out of mango and
> koa wood. He didn't teach me a thing about installing strings or tried
> to micro-manage my hand position or classical guitar strokes. Mostly, he
> chain-smoked and listened while I played with an amused look.
>> Is this fascination with the string-changing act maybe a nylon thing?
> This might mean that nylon-string folks are boring people but I hardly
> think that's likely.
<g> Could be that anything is a welcome distraction from actually having to play the thing.
> On 1/10/2012 5:42 AM, dsi1 wrote:
>> This might mean that nylon-string folks are boring people but I hardly
>> think that's likely.
> <g> Could be that anything is a welcome distraction from actually having
> to play the thing.
I feel sorry for students of classical guitar. They're likely to be handed one-page pieces by long-dead German dudes or, even worse, lute pieces by English chaps that have been dead even longer. It's not a pretty picture.
> On 9/30/2012 11:46 AM, Tony Done wrote:
>> On 1/10/2012 5:42 AM, dsi1 wrote:
>>> This might mean that nylon-string folks are boring people but I hardly
>>> think that's likely.
>> <g> Could be that anything is a welcome distraction from actually having
>> to play the thing.
> I feel sorry for students of classical guitar. They're likely to be
> handed one-page pieces by long-dead German dudes or, even worse, lute
> pieces by English chaps that have been dead even longer. It's not a
> pretty picture.
All prospective students should proceed straight past classical and enter the door marked flamenco. Now *that's* music with attitude. The big hair and lyrca mob have got nothing on those (gender free) guys.
One of the best guitars I ever had the honor to play, was a classical guitar I borrowed for a recording project.
It was made by luthier Oskar Graf. Beautiful tone, and fine workmanship.
> One of the best guitars I ever had the honor to play, was a classical guitar I borrowed for a recording project.
> It was made by luthier Oskar Graf. Beautiful tone, and fine workmanship.
There's a lot of guys making great guitars that nobody ever heard of. Decades ago I saw a classical guitar which had a top that was so perfectly finished that the wood cells sparkled in bright light. I've never seen another top like that since. It's a pretty rare phenomenon.
dsi1 <d...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote:
> On 9/25/2012 5:21 PM, Ed Edelenbos iPad wrote:
> > Am I the only one who actually likes the process of changing strings? I'm
> > not talking the end product, but the process itself.
> > Maybe I just have too much time on my hands.
> > Ed
> I used to enjoy changing strings on my classical guitar. Very relaxing. > I tied the string ends in a most pretty and symmetrical way. All the > string ends would point down and to the left. I just loved that!
> The text on the insert of the Augustine string package had a picture of > an old guy with a beret and a pipe that I would contemplate. Later I > found out that it was Segovia. The insert also contained an endorsement > from the maestro which was printed in English, French, Spanish, maybe > German? Probably even Arabic in these times. It was the Rosetta Stone of > guitar string inserts.
> These days I wouldn't think of using this set. Unreliable intonation has > made me lose faith in Augustine. As it goes, DuPont nylon just doesn't > have enough kick for me. I use fluorocarbon trebles with EXP basses.
I use Aquila Alabastro Superior Tension, made my (very)old classical sound like a youngster again.
MJRB
> On 28/09/2012 7:40 AM, dsi1 wrote:
> > On 9/25/2012 5:21 PM, Ed Edelenbos iPad wrote:
> >> Am I the only one who actually likes the process of changing strings?
> >> I'm
> >> not talking the end product, but the process itself.
> >> Maybe I just have too much time on my hands.
> >> Ed
> > I used to enjoy changing strings on my classical guitar. Very relaxing.
> > I tied the string ends in a most pretty and symmetrical way. All the
> > string ends would point down and to the left. I just loved that!
> > The text on the insert of the Augustine string package had a picture of
> > an old guy with a beret and a pipe that I would contemplate. Later I
> > found out that it was Segovia. The insert also contained an endorsement
> > from the maestro which was printed in English, French, Spanish, maybe
> > German? Probably even Arabic in these times. It was the Rosetta Stone of
> > guitar string inserts.
> > These days I wouldn't think of using this set. Unreliable intonation has
> > made me lose faith in Augustine. As it goes, DuPont nylon just doesn't
> > have enough kick for me. I use fluorocarbon trebles with EXP basses.
> I do nice neat knots in steel strings when I break them. Sheet bends. > Affects the tone if it happens between the nut and the saddle though.
> HTH
Tears hole in your fingers too. (I remember Black Diamonds with knots in them).
MJRB
> On 1/10/2012 5:42 AM, dsi1 wrote:
> > On 9/29/2012 1:34 PM, brianmccar...@my.ccsu.edu wrote:
> >> Same memories of the Augustines here. And ditto on wouldn't think of
> >> using them nowadays. I've started using D'Addario "Dyna-core" with the
> >> "T2" trebles, normal tension.
> >> I use a two-loop knot on the tieblock - it seems more secure to me,
> >> and I like the way it looks. My string ends on the tieblock end point
> >> toward the treble side. On the tuning end I just sort of give them a
> >> quick-and-dirty overhand knot, and let the wrapping take care of itself.
> > I used to have all the strings tied with an open loop. Boy that was pretty!
> >> When I took lessons in my youth, my teacher, an engineer by day-job,
> >> taught me to leave as little slack as reasonably possible before
> >> tightening, so as to have as little stretch as possible. He also
> >> taught me to change only three at a time, so as not to unload and then
> >> re-load the neck. I go him one better and do them one at a time.
> >> I've since heard that this is really not necessary.
> > My teacher was an nuke sub engineer. That's what I heard anyway. He had
> > a huge shop in Honolulu that built guitars and lutes out of mango and
> > koa wood. He didn't teach me a thing about installing strings or tried
> > to micro-manage my hand position or classical guitar strokes. Mostly, he
> > chain-smoked and listened while I played with an amused look.
> >> Is this fascination with the string-changing act maybe a nylon thing?
> > This might mean that nylon-string folks are boring people but I hardly
> > think that's likely.
> <g> Could be that anything is a welcome distraction from actually having > to play the thing.
It's strange thing, but after years of playing steel string guitars, nylon strings make my fingers sore.
MJRB
> I use Aquila Alabastro Superior Tension, made my (very)old classical > sound like a youngster again.
> MJRB
I'm curious about these. The thing I've seen in internet discussions on them is the allegation that they're subject to unexpected breakage -- which would be a disqualification for me. Any truth behind the breakage thing? How long have you been using them? I'm tempted to give them a try sometime.
> I use Aquila Alabastro Superior Tension, made my (very)old classical
> sound like a youngster again.
> MJRB
I use the Nylgut strings too. It's a popular string with the ukulele players on this rock. I think the fluorocarbon strings are the greatest advancement in strings for classical players. That's just my opinion, but it's an awesome one. OTOH, this too, is the future of guitars.
In article <57765ad4-bde7-48e1-8564-1fd3ba437d61@googlegroups.com>,
brianmccar...@my.ccsu.edu wrote:
> > I use Aquila Alabastro Superior Tension, made my (very)old classical > > sound like a youngster again.
> > MJRB
> I'm curious about these. The thing I've seen in internet discussions on them > is the allegation that they're subject to unexpected breakage -- which would > be a disqualification for me. Any truth behind the breakage thing? How long > have you been using them? I'm tempted to give them a try sometime.
Mine have been on there for three or four years and still sound great. They don't go out of tune as much as nylon either. Mind you the guitar doesn't get played a lot.
MJRB
