Retrofit of a classical

[naboz]

Those "in the know"...question;
if I were to take an old (Yamaha) classical and put steel string tuners on it--with plans of using silk&steel or light gauge strings--would the bracing, bridge, etc. be sturdy enough?  Of course I would do a set-up also; redoing saddle, etc.
I would keep it in DADGAD tuning.
I may just leave it be, but I also want to know if I have the option to do this. (Sometimes the nylon gets to me.)

[Strings4Him]

I am not a luthier, but everything I have read says that doing so would be dangerous.

[ffinke]

No expert here, Bernie, but I'd stay away from doing that. If unclrob says it's okay then it might work but the trick is to match the tension of the nylon strings. The other problem is with the ball end of a steel string vs. the tied bridge of a classical. If you don't care about the instrument as it was designed then you can do anything you want but typically instruments are designed so that all components work together (including strings).

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[cke]

No expert here, Bernie, but I'd stay away from doing that. If unclrob says it's okay then it might work but the trick is to match the tension of the nylon strings. The other problem is with the ball end of a steel string vs. the tied bridge of a classical. If you don't care about the instrument as it was designed then you can do anything you want but typically instruments are designed so that all components work together (including strings).

f

This is also my guess. If I remember correctly, nylon has less than 1/2 the string tension, so even if you figure out how to tie your strings to the bridge (maybe just the ball ends are sufficient) I think you will warp the neck, or pull the bridge up, or tweak the heal joint or all of the above. If you are willing to sacrifice the instrument, it's your choice. It might work out, but...

[unclrob]

Theres a lot more too it.You'd have dowl the holes and redrill as just replacing the tuners won't work due to all the extra room from the removal of the classical tuners.most classicals built in the last 40 years or so will handle the S+S strings as will the bridge but the real question is for how long.The answer is until it fails.I'm sure that you may be able to put the classical up for a partail trade towards a decent acoustic or sell it.Get a chance PM me I my be able to find you a nice inexpensive steel string that would be better suited.

[naboz]

I guess this just confirms my suspicion; it would be an accident waiting to happen!  (Besides the actual doing of the re-fit.)
I will leave things as is.

p.s. 3 weeks ago I was walking w/my harp guitar (in case) over the dunes and settled in to play along the trees and shoreline of Lk. Michigan. It was the baptism of ambiance for the HG, and a nice time and place to play; slight breeze--no bugs--and not too hot. But lugging that monster thru the sand was a workout!
(1+1, you can guess where I got the retrofit idea!)

[ffinke]

...walking w/my harp guitar (in case) over the dunes and settled in to play along the trees and shoreline of Lk. Michigan.

I can relate to everything but carrying a nice instrument around in the sand. The lake IS nice this time of year but don't blink, you'll miss it.
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