Nylon strings aren't as consistent as steel strings in manufacture. It's easier to make an all-steel string to tighter tolerances than it is a polymer string, or a wrapped polymer string. The higher tension of steel strings also lends itself to better intonation than the relatively "floppy" rubberband-like nylon strings.
Classical guitars just aren't mass produced with compensation included. I've had a handful of electrics that were.
As mentioned already, the masters don't play with poor intonation. That's due in part to the fact that they play top notch guitars made by the best luthiers in the world, and part because they possess a very light touch (it's very easy to bend nylon strings out of tune by applying too much pressure on all three axis').
And frankly, I've played a lot of different instruments and styles over the past 33+ years and only the poorest quality classicals have ever bothered me in terms of intonation. If anything, some of the guitars with compensated nuts (Earvana and Feiten) bothered me. That's likely because my ears have become accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of guitar tunings.
Last edited by Red_Label; 11-30-2017 at 08:04 PM.
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