Acoustic guitar and strings

jsmoke · 21 Mar 2020 at 23:29

I have a cheap a acoustic guitar that I've hardly played. Mainly because it's like playing a cheese grater(the strings) . Almost unplayable.

Can I get lighter strings or even classic nylon strings if so do you have suggestions?

I should say the guitar also goes out of tune ridiculously quickly also, I think the tuning knobs must be worn out. But that's because it's cheap, I bought it in a charity shop.

Raymond Lin · 22 Mar 2020 at 01:35

9’s or even 8’s, may need a new nut, check tuner to see if it’s loose.

darkgen · 22 Mar 2020 at 11:18

I use Elixor HD Light (0.013-0.053) on my Koa mini but then my fingertips are pretty calloused up. Just keep playing and work through the pain; your tips will build up layers of skin pretty quickly.

jumpy · 23 Mar 2020 at 16:21

Using heavier gauge strings will make your fingers hurt even more as the strings will be under more tension.
Don't try putting nylon strings on an steel strung acoustic or steel strings on a nylon acoustic guitar - the first one will not feel right as classical nylon strung guitars typically have a wider fretboard, and your machineheads will probably cut through the nylon strings at the tuner post when under string tension. And putting steel strings on a nylon classical guitar is likely to bend the neck and permanently damage the guitar (assuming it doesn't have a trussrod).

Losing tune could just be the strings are old and worn out. I'd be looking at the bridge string pegs and the tuners themselves also as suspects for poor tuning.

any pics of the guitar and the tuners?