Which Strings for an Old Guitar?

[CarlE]

I inherited an old Stella parlor or fractional guitar, and wondered what what type and gauge of strings I should install. As best I can tell, it was made in the '60s, and was one of their lower priced models. It looks to be in pretty good structural shape, the neck looks straight and the bridge is solid. It had what I believe were the original strings since they were perfectly wound on the tuners (or strings later installed by a shop, as the owner was my older cousin who I don't think ever really learned to play). These strings were black nylon treble stings, with metal wound bass strings but I don't know the core. All were ball end. The scale length is 24 inches, and the saddle is metal - looks like a long piece of fretwire in a slot in the bridge, which is secured to the top with two screws.

I know that it is no Martin or Taylor, but I was hoping to get a playable instrument out of it, even if just as a campfire guitar. I am a bit worried about steel strings putting too much tension on the neck since it had the nylon strings before. It says "steel reinforced neck" on the headstock but I do not see a truss rod adjustment anywhere. It would be nice to just throw on a set of light PB D'Addarios or Elixirs but I want a campfire guitar, not firewood! If there are strings that would be similar to what i removed I could try those as well if anyone has a thought as to a modern equivalent.

All opinions will be entertained, and those of experienced Stella owners will be moved to the top of the list!

[Steve DeRosa]

Never owned one myself but back in the '70s I had several students who did, and I have a friend (original owner BTW) who still uses hers regularly; as I'm sure you're aware, you have a real survivor there ("Steel Reinforced Neck" was no guarantee against warping or a pulled neck joint - many such instruments fell victim to the ubiquitous Black Diamond strings, including my own Harmony Broadway archtop), and the fact that it had nylon strings all these years - not original to the guitar FYI - is a major factor in its longevity. In terms of replacement strings, in the interest of a long and useful life I'd go with the lightest acoustic (80/20, phosphor bronze, silk-&-steel, monel) steel strings possible - given the short 24" scale something in the 10-47/10-48 range should be OK - and while you won't get a whole lot of volume, it'll be a fun little couch/campfire guitar and a nice memento of what student instruments used to be in pre-"Lawsuit" days...

[EZYPIKINS]

An old guitar, Well old strings, Of course.

[zombywoof]

There should be a model number stamped up by the neck block and possibly a date stamp. Harmony produced tens of thousands of Stellas between 1939 when they acquired the rights to the Stella name from the Oscar Schmidt Comaony and 1975 when they closed their doors. Stellas were the ultimate beginner's guitar because they were easy to find and cheap as it got. Unlike the Schmidt versions which were built with various kinds of woods, the Harmonys were all-birch construction. It sound like yours has a bolt pinless bridge. Generally though the Harmonys hold together well with the main issue being the need for neck resets.

I still keep three Stellas around which date to the late-1930s and early-1940s. I just string them all with 11s.

[PatrickMadsen]

I have an 1912 00 Bruno with Extra Light John Pearce 80/20's on. No problem at all.

Jake Wildwood did the work on it and felt using the extra lights were fine to use.