String Tension

[strumsalot]

As some of you may know, I'm restoring a 100+ year old parlor guit. The bridge is cacked so I am gonna replace it, which brings me to my dilemma.

Should I go with a classical bridge and use nylon strings or "pyramid style" bridge with steel strings?

The guit originally had gut strings and is ladder(?) braced.

I want to put the least amount of tension on the neck and top. For nylon, I found D'Addario Pro-Arte's Lights come to 78.2 pounds total tension, and for steel, GHS Silk and Steel Lights come to 95.5 pounds.

I was thinking about going with the GHS and tuning down a half step, this will lessen the tension some, but how much? Also, I'm not familiar with nylon strings. Can anyone explain the difference in the feel between light, normal and heavy tension?

 

[luvmyshiner]

Hey Chad,

I don't know anything about classical strings, but looking at the way that thing is braced, I think I'd stay away from the steel strings and try to keep it as true to the original as possible.

 

[Katastrophe]

+1 to Shiner. Nylons have a lot more "give" to them than steel strings, and are easier to play on, IMO. I would imagine the low tension nylons would feel like rubber.

 

[Cal]

Chad
Do you have the original bridge? If so, any pics?

 

[Simon]

going with the GHS and tuning down a half step, this will lessen the tension some, but how much?

According to a tension calculator the tension on a 'regular' strung drops 11% when tuned down half a step. I suppose that would be the case for the silk'n'steels also, meaning from 95.5 to 85 lb.

 

[strumsalot]

According to a tension calculator the tension on a 'regular' strung drops 11% when tuned down half a step. I suppose that would be the case for the silk'n'steels also, meaning from 95.5 to 85 lb.

Thanks Simon.

Cal, I was told it has the original bridge, and nothing I see makes me think otherwise. I'll get some pics up later.

 

[Cal]

Chad, I was really hoping it had one of those "George Durkee" patent bridges; but looking at the bridge pin hole spacings it ain't.

I'd still like to see it though.

 

[Cal]

According to a tension calculator the tension on a 'regular' strung drops 11% when tuned down half a step. I suppose that would be the case for the silk'n'steels also, meaning from 95.5 to 85 lb.

I noticed that the "tension calculator" uses D'Addario figures. D'Addario calculates its figures based on 25½" scale lengths... so as your parlor's scale length is probably 24¾" that would be the same as dropping another quarter step (roughly).
So a little bit less tension again.

 

[spt]

This seems to be an American made parlor. Many of them used pyramid style bridges, so you wouldn't make a visual faux-pas by using one. But if you have the original, I would try to stick as close to it as possible.

Although your guitar does seem lightly braced, the fact that it is ladder braced does not imply it was meant for gut strings and couldn't take the tension of steel strings. Such bracing was used well into the 70's on American made flat-tops of all size and shape. (I'm working on one at the moment that has a bracing very similar to yours. It's a 3/4 guitar for kids from the 60s -?- spruce/mahogany ...so cute)

Anybody knows off-hand when steel strings were first manufactured for guitars? I don't have a clue but always assumed a century, more or less.

 

[mrmudcat]

Definitely 19th century although hard to tell an exact date late 1800's.(for the moden steel string) Metal string instruments were in king henry the VIII's collection (????) Not sure if this is the right numbered king and or what century . Hard to pinpoint an exact date on a first metal strung guitar type.:dude: