I learned to play the guitar way back in the 70's. Back then I wanted a Yamaha Classical Guitar but my Dad had other plans. He bought me a Epiphone Steel String Acoustic. While I learned to love that guitar and I still have it...I still wanted a Yamaha Classical. Over the years I haven't played nearly as much as I used to and now that I have Carple Tunnel in both wrist my hand strength isn't want it used to be. It's really made it hard for me to play the Epiphone

Back when I was playing from time to time I'd play a friends guitar. A nylon string. I found it to be a little easier on the hands. So in recent years when ever the bug to play would hit me I would consider buying a nylon string.

Well I finally did it. Prompted by the desire to learn and play some of Arlo's music. I bought a guitar off ebay. A Yamaha G-240! My childhood dream fufilled at 43!!! LOL my husband asked if I was going through a Mid Life Crisis!

I should get the guitar in the next day or so. I can't wait!

Hugs
Jamie

Congrats! You are gonna have fun. I've been playing since the 70's but am no good lol. Once you learn guitar you'll be wanting to venture into learning autoharp & mountain dulcimer...

Sometimes the set-up on a guitar is bad,(even ones straight from the factory!!) which makes it seem more like you're playing a cheese cutter or a suspension bridge instead of a guitar. There are things a good guitar tech person can do to your Epiphone (and your new Yamaha) to make the strings close enough to the fingerboard that it would be a pleasure to play, not a pain to your fingers. Most people don't know about tweaking a truss rod or adjusting the saddle and nut to make the action better. Regular string changes help, and maybe going to a set of light or extra light strings would help a lot. I've been playing with carpal tunnel problems for the last 20 years or so, and all these things help.

I need to adjust the suspension tension bridge suspension or whatever you call it (my mind is going blank trying to think of the proper word for it) on my guitar & Mikes too. It is hard to play cuz the string are so hard to push on. Origionally it had nylon strings on it but as a teenager I thought that was too wimpy a sound so I changed the strings to the bronze steel ones. Probably not a good choice since it is a classical guitar. But my folks bought it used for $80 back in the 70's so it's all I got guitar wise. I never change strings until they break lol. I haven't yet changed strings on the autoharp yet lol.

Wait I think it is called string action. Yeah. If you adjust the string action it makes it easier to play. I remember Sue had a Martin that was easy to play & it probably had good string action. Alot of times when you get a guitar it is a real killer cuz of the strings being so high up & hard to press. I have a book I bought in the 70's that has every guitar chord in it. Something like that is good for learning the chords I have one like it for dulcimer chords. Good luck...

Not a good idea to put steel strings on a guitar built for nylon strings. But if it was only $80, cheap for even back in the '70s, it probably doesn't matter at this point. But structurally, a nylon string classical guitar isn't built to handle the stress steel strings can put on it. The fan bracing on the classical top is too weak, most older classicals don't have adjustable truss rods in the neck, and the shear force exerted by steel strings strung through a classical bridge can rip it clean off of the top. That's probably one of the major contibuting factors for the high action. That and, because nylon strings are so elastic, they are set for higher action so they don't buzz.

Thanks for the info. I wonder if maybe I need to switch back to nylon strings. Would that make the string action better? I like the steel strings sound tho anyway. My folks got me the guitar used when I wanted to learn guitar & take lessons in school. They had no idea it was a classical guitar & I didn't until later. Believe it or not I played that thing in a rock & roll band lol. They'd mike me by putting a mike near ths guitars sound hole lol...

Changing the strings back to nylon probably will make a difference...those steel strings are probably why the action is bad.

Thanks for the info. When I get back from our almost 3 weeks trip to Mike sister in Ohio, I oughta change the strings to nylon & see how that does. I like the sound of steel strings better tho...