Acoustic Guitars- Steel String vs. Nylon String?

Question

I am looking to buy my first guitar and I'm pretty sure I want it to be an acoustic. However I'm not sure if it would be best o buy a steel string. What are the advantages and disadvantages of steel strings as opposed to nylon strings?

Answer 1

That depends a lot on what type of music you want to play. Most of the acoustic guitar music you hear on the radio is steel string. That's the bright, sustaining tone most musicians associate with "acoustic" guitar.

Nylon strings give a more muted, mellower tone. Typically this is used for classical playing, although it has been used in popular music very successfully. (Think of Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" -- the second, lead guitar is a nylon string.)

Many people will tell you that a nylon string guitar will be easier to learn on. This is true, but if you go with a classical guitar, with the wider neck and shorter fretboard, you might find some troubles transitioning to the standard longer narrower acoustic fretboard.

Answer 2

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RE:
Acoustic Guitars- Steel String vs. Nylon String?
I am looking to buy my first guitar and I'm pretty sure I want it to be an acoustic. However I'm not sure if it would be best o buy a steel string. What are the advantages and disadvantages of steel strings as opposed to nylon strings?

Answer 3

Musical style speaks volumes when it comes to this issue. Those who want high volume will be unhappy with unamplified nylon string guitars. From my perspective, the basic difference between steel and nylon is this: steel strings ring and nylon strings resonate. The volume produced by steel is generally much greater than nylon but, to my way of thinking, the sound resonance produced by the wood of your guitar is largely masked by steel strings.

If you have a decently made guitar (generally, around a thousand dollars and up), the sound interplay between the wood and the strings in a nylon guitar is magical across the entire frequency range. With a steel string guitar, the sound produced by the vibrating string overpowers the wood resonance at all but low frequencies.

Personally, I'll take a nylon string guitar any day for the sensitivity gained from the interplay between wood and vibrating string.

Answer 4

If it's your first guitar, nylon strings will be easier to develop callouses with, and may last longer (depending on how much you stretch them and beat up on them) If you are going to do a lot of strumming and play a lot of rock however, the steel strings will give you a brighter, tighter sound. I would recommend that you go down to a music store and try a few out. What really matters is how they sound to your ears.

Answer 5

nylon stringed guitars have more tone they are usually associated with classical guitars which normally have a wider and concave fingerboard they are not as easily made electric as metal works with a pickup but they can be miked or played with an acoustic pickup . if you want to play blues with bottle neck and the like you probably want a steel stringed guitar the guitar is made to handle the extra stress of steel strings and has the crisp metallic sound and usually a convex neck definitely try them out first

Answer 6

Well, nylon strings have a more of a classical sound, and steel strings are more like basic. I dont know what you prefer, but i like nylon, it gives it more of an accoustic sounding, like slower, and steel strings work good for doing faster songs. Steel strings hurt your fingers more sometimes also. I dont know what you like , try some of them out in the store and see what you like.

Answer 7

I tend to stick with steel strings as I play folk, rock, country and blues. Nylon is best for classical.

Answer 8

It all depends on what kind of music you are playing I prefer steel because they resonate with a more twangy soundd better suited for rock/country. Nylon also has a nice soun but i prefer steel.

ZACH

Answer 9

Nylon sounds good on acoustic guitars

Answer 10

nylon most def. my brother in law has a nylon and he loves it.... he told me that steel strings dont sound as natural.