Strings for acoustic/classical.

[Strumbarmy]

My 40 year old hand built wooden guitar needed new strings and I bought (cheap!) medium weight and fitted/laced them in.  I am relearning skills from over 50 years ago and these strings are killing my fingers!  I have ordered a set of Addario J43 (light tension) strings to help me along.  Will I notice a difference?  I have adjusted the action by filing the nut and saddle as it was a shade high at first and it is now just about spot on.  There is no bending or warpage that I can see using straight edges.  My technique is improving and my finger ends are hardening.  I am determined not to give up!

[Dad3353]

No, you will not notice any difference; it's too early for you for that. Just a few checks... Are you sure that you're tuned correctly to concert pitch (A = 440 Hz...)..? Are you playing for too long at a time..? Are you trying to 'cut corners' and play above your pay grade..? Can you post a photo of your guitar, please..?
Most beginners, of any age, find the first few days a bit uncomfortable, even with nylon strings, but I've not come across anyone having their 'fingers killed'. There is something quite wrong somewhere, which needs to be addressed before you either do yourself some damage, or give up, or both. Let's see your guitar, first, and in the meantime, restrict your practicing to 5 or 10 minute sessions, once or twice a day. For the anecdote : my first guitar was a Russian-made, very cheap, classical guitar, strung with steel strings. I knew nothing, and bought, with the guitar, a method book, by Mickey Baker. Page Two was full of jazz chords; in my ignorance I started to learn them, with great difficulty and much pain. That, though was steel strings, and complex jazz chords. What method or instruction system are you using..? A book..? You-tube..? A guitar tutor would be of great help, of course; is that an option, at least to get you started..? Over to you... 

 

Douglas

[Strumbarmy]

Yes, the tuning is correct (used an app and checked with my old tuning fork!).  I am playing for too long (if your session times are what I should be doing), oops!  I am probably being too ambitious!  I have been following some instructional videos on Youtube.  My first tutor was "Bert Weedon - Play in a day!" I shall take my time as you suggest and go a little bit more slowly!

Edited January 29, 2023 by Strumbarmy

[Dad3353]

OK for the photo; thanks. It looks fine. The Bert Weedon method was (and still is...) excellent; I recommend it. 'Play in a Day' was maybe a tad over-optimistic, but it's Good Stuff in there, nicely paced.
I say this a lot when these questions come up, and I'll say it again. With guitar, and many other skills, the fastest way to get results is to go slowly..! It cannot be rushed, and it's a Good Idea to obtain, at the same time as the instrument, a big bucket of Patience. As a beginner, it's counter-productive to exercise for hours at a time. Little, often and, most importantly, regularly are the keys. Better two or three 15-minute session per day, every day, than three hours, twice a week. Little and often (but not too often...). Take on board the simple exercises at first; don't go straining for barre chords on Day One. Give yourself time to get the muscles and movements working; they will give of their best if you allow them to get the hang of it all. When you learned to read, you didn't start on Shakespeare, you did Janet and John. 'Tis much the same with music. Don't go on a step further until you've mastered the preceding step. That's the secret to obtaining your goals the fastest. 

[Strumbarmy]

As I have said millions of times before in my life, "Thanks Dad!" (3353).  That's good advice and I have taken it on board.  My son in law plays guitar and when I mentioned Bert Weedon, he said "Bert who?" (link to ebay for the same book!)

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Strumbarmy
links added

[ezbass]

2 hours ago, Strumbarmy said:

Yes, the tuning is correct (used an app and checked with my old tuning fork!).  I am playing for too long (if your session times are what I should be doing), oops!  I am probably being too ambitious!  I have been following some instructional videos on Youtube.  My first tutor was "Bert Weedon - Play in a day!" I shall take my time as you suggest and go a little bit more slowly!

Over doing it in any new pastime is a rite of passage. You’re excited and want to give it your best and with stringed instruments, this means discomfort. I remember using all sorts of things to try and toughen my fingers up quicker, but nothing beats playing and little and often, as @Dad3353 says above, the way forward. It’ll come, but not in days, in fact you’ll probably not notice the improvement until you go to do something that was impossible seemingly the day before and is now achievable (it wasn’t the day before, it was weeks previous). I had Bert’s Play in a Day, I think everyone did back then. My nephew, who is a formidable player and left me in his wake once I showed him the blues scale, once played in a backing band for Bert.

[Dad3353]

There's a little trick to do, now and again, to evaluate progress that's been made. Play something (anything, even badly...) on the guitar. Now reverse the guitar, and try playing that same thing left-handed. That's how you started out; the difference between them is the progress you've made. Do this every couple of months, or when you think you've stalled.
My 'best' guitar (I've several...) is a Hofner Comittee, so named because it was designed by a committee of top guitarists at the time, one of whom was Bert Weedon. He played on a Comittee for a quite a quite a while. Here's mine...

 

     

 

Allow me to add some wise words of encouragement, to help you on your journey...

 

'It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things sometimes tend to get slightly easier.' 

[ReneAsologuitar]

On 29/01/2023 at 08:44, Strumbarmy said:

My 40 year old hand built wooden guitar needed new strings and I bought (cheap!) medium weight and fitted/laced them in.  I am relearning skills from over 50 years ago and these strings are killing my fingers!  I have ordered a set of Addario J43 (light tension) strings to help me along.  Will I notice a difference?  I have adjusted the action by filing the nut and saddle as it was a shade high at first and it is now just about spot on.  There is no bending or warpage that I can see using straight edges.  My technique is improving and my finger ends are hardening.  I am determined not to give up!

Way to do it!!!

Just stay on it, and everything else gets easier.

 

[Soledad]

Given what you say about adjusting / sorting action, I'm surprised you are finding your nylon-strung causing problems with fingers. It does take a while to build up the fingertips but nylon strings are way kinder than steels. I'm wondering if you are pressing too hard on the fingerboard. As a guide just enough is enough. Any more than that just cramps the hand and can sharpen the note.

One basic bit of practice is to develop the minimum pressure feel - ease pressure until the string is starting to buzz or sound dead - the ideal pressure onto board is a tads more than that. You need to develop that feel on all 4 fingers. And the next trick is minimising finger movement. Lift off just enough, teach the fingers to be ready for their next note position. 

And on we go - it's like climbing a mountain with no top.

My favourite nylon strings btw: La Bella Flamenco hard tension - not actually that much higher tension but have a fabulous crisp attack when required, then go lovely mellow sweet when you play into body, rest stroke, appoyando - that thing.

 

Enjoy, persevere but watch for unneccessary pressure and hence tension in the fretting hand.