going all nylon...

[mr. beaumont]

Considering it...just so much more comfortable for me...guess I'll have to keep a steel string or two for teaching/certain gigs, but I'm seriously thinking of going all nylon for my regular gigs and I've pretty much already gone there for home playing...anybody else put aside steel strings?

[jazzrat]

I with ya on this Jeff. I have to keep my solid body electrics but all my acoustic
and jazz stuff could be covered with a nylon string.

[darylcrisp]

i was thinking exactly the same thing today. i love the feel/tone of nylon, i love the light weight of the instruments(what i have-Flamenco/Ukes).

I've been seriously thinking sell the steelstrings other than one, and get one good classical and i'm done.

d

[lodi_55]

Jeff.. I definitely switched from steel to Nylon. The tone just speaks to me more, I believe nylons are easier to play and they are a better fit for my style. Having said all that... I just picked up my OM steel string a few months ago. I'm glad I did as my stable was definitely lacking (as was I) a steel string guitar.

[Windminstrel]

..... a newbie here to classical guitar.

I recently bought an old 70's BM Espana from Ebay, it was only cheap and sold as 'spares or repair'. The guitar was in need of a serious amount of TLC and I decided it was worthy of spending a little time and money on it, whatever the views of others regarding this particular brand bear in mind that:
a) I enjoy refurbishing old guitars and
b) It was my intention to use it to learn classical guitar on
c) I don't listen to others, I like to make my own mind up

My wife's face was a picture when she saw the dirty old guitar with bits missing, 3 old strings and what appeared to be soot on the front of it.

I have replaced the nut and saddle with new bone ones, replaced the (beyond repair) tuners with a new set, cleaned up the dulled frets and fingerboard, re-staining the fingerboard with ebony wood dye. I was going to replace the bridge but the original one was in good condition so left it on.

Finished it off with a set of D'Addario Pro Arte EJ45 Normal Tension Strings.

Re-stringing was interesting, a couple of trebles needed re-tying after they unwound and pinged off, but I re-tied them (4 loops on the high E rather than the usual 3 which worked well) and all is well. Well, it will be once the strings settle down, my tuner is currently in overdrive.

Anyway, once I get it in tune I am greatly impressed with the sound. I also have bought a book for learning Classical Guitar.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Gu...assical+guitar

I am looking forward to my new journey, although the stringing up was a pain in the **** the first time, I don't have any qualms about doing it again.


Below is a link to some of the photographs taken.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1054764...eat=directlink

I have missed a turn on the low E but will rectify this, it is held up on a tie on the A and tunes up anyway.

Update: 12/10/13
Well, as it stands at the moment I am spending less time on the nylon and more on my Tanglewood. I enjoy playing the classical occasionally now, but my preference is for the tone I get from my steel string. Diversity is a good thing when playing guitar and learning all aspects of guitar music is a good journey.

[Garthman]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

..anybody else put aside steel strings?

No - and I'm not likely to abandon steel strings whilst I have the choice of both. But I do most of my day-to-day playing on nylon and a lot of my repertoire is played on nylon.

If it ever came to an either/or situation, nylon would be the winner.

[zhunter]

I don't gig steel string acoustic but I still do electric work. In those situations, which cover a pretty wide range of styles, nylon just isn't going to work as well.

Having said that, my main focus and gig situation these days is nylon string acoustic. Nylon probably accounts for 80-90% of my playing and shedding time and, while learning right hand methods has kicked my butt, playing nylon string guitars is really satisfying. Now if I could get my picado up to speed.

Fortunately, I don't have to choose between nylon and steel.

hunter

[Garthman]

Originally Posted by Windminstrel

..... a newbie here to classical guitar.

I recently bought an old 70's BM Espana from Ebay . . . . .

Congratulations on your new guitar, Windminstrel.

My first real guitar (I'd dabbled on a horrible old thing for a couple of years) - bought new in 1969 - was a BM Espana. Great guitars - the old ones like mine (and yours will probably be one of them too) are all solid wood and they play and sound great. Despite many a ding and lots of scratches plus the odd repaired crack, mine is still going strong and I play it regularly.

[jersey]

There are periods where I'll only play my Cordoba, and I have such thoughts. But then the craving for steel returns.

[Windminstrel]

Congratulations on your new guitar, Windminstrel.

Thank you.

I am pleased to read you are still enjoying yours also.

[john bange]

Nylon all the way...selling my 12 string and buying a 2nd banjo. No wound strings on my banjos and ej 45's on my 2 guitars

[toomanyknots]

I gave up steel and electric in favor of classical guitar a while back. Now I regret it as I don't know my way around a steel string or electric guitar worth a crap. In the end though, I say do what you love doing, the happier you are the longer you live, etc. It's weird cause in classical you pick with your finger, appoyando or something it is called (HUGE misspelling there I am sure, haha), but on a steel string or electric you pick with your thumb or a pick. This is what screws me up when I try to play steel or electric anymore, because I try to pick with my fingers like on classical, but on steel. It just don't work really, haha. I want to pick my up a cheap electric though to practice on, or a cheap steel string. At the moment all I got is classicals.

[JCave]

Originally Posted by toomanyknots

At the moment all I got is classicals.

Does "nylon" necessarily mean a classical guitar?

[lodi_55]

Originally Posted by JCave

Does "nylon" necessarily mean a classical guitar?

I don't think so.. There are many nylon string guitars including Classical, Flamenco, "crossover" and probably many other varieties!

[DJ in FL]

10-4 on the CROSSOVER MODELS.

Nylon sure is easier on OLD hands...much easier to press equals less pain and playing longer...good things