Why nylon / classical (vs. steel-string / western)?

[softballbryan]

Davis Webb... your early comment made me laugh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yflWG-e38OU

Bryan

[Gostwriter]

I always played a steel string until a few years ago. I wanted to practice some of the Flamenco and Italian style music my grandmother used to play on her mandolin. Since switching over to nylon I find myself playing things I wouldn't have tried on steel strings and and also prefer some of the stuff that I did play on steel strings on the nylon. There is a difference in sound and application but since most of my guitar playing is in my house, there is no need for booming sound, amplification etc. it's very nice if you want to play low while others are watching TV, my old Guild would have drowned out even the View.

[Guitarer]

The decision to play classical guitar vs. steel string is the same one as playing jazz vs. rock ,vs. finger style country (ie. A personal preference)

[fongie]

still love my steels, but I'm leaning more and more towards nylons......so much fun.

[Bern]

Classical guitar only on nylon strings is a purist view. It's been like that forever.
If it sounds good either choice is good in my book.

[kats45]

I can't imagine getting bored playing classical. I find a classical very sweet and soothing. I'm saving to get one myself, though I have played classical in the past. Getting into fingerstyle is what re-ignited my interest in classical.

[texasdw]

Originally Posted by Bern

Classical guitar only on nylon strings is a purist view. It's been like that forever.
If it sounds good either choice is good in my book.

Correct. Several of these posts imply that you can't (or perhaps shouldn't) do classical music on a steel string or (gasp!) an electric. I completely disagree. Admittedly, I don't play a lot of classical music...but stuff like Lagrima, Romance, or Recuerdos de la Alhambra sound very nice (to my ears at least) on my ES335 or my L5 through a nice clean amp. Sure...perhaps some of the more "cultured" patrons would probably scoff/ roll their eyes and walk away. But for the audience I'm typically playing for I can slip those tunes in between my more typical Chet-style stuff and it seems to fly just fine. In fact, Recuerdos is one of those pieces that folks tend to stop what they're doing and listen (I play in hospital lobbies, old folks homes, receptions, those sorts of venues).

But I also have a crossover (a Taylor) and admittedly, it does sound more...hhhmmm natural for those selections. But when I'm doing an acoustic gig I take a steel and a nylon and switch back and forth. Electric? I'm fine with one guitar.

Of course this is perhaps an uneducated opinion. Again...I'm not a classical guitarist. But I've picked up quite a few of the tunes and I enjoy playing them - nylon, electric, whatever.

[Englishplayer]

I like the sound of nylon, but hated the wide neck. Made strumming very difficult. So, the hybrid won me over. Play a bunch of minor chords slowly back to back with nylon and you'll get a feeling different from steel strings. I was afraid I'd get tired of it, but I have not yet. I still play steel strings much more often, but it provides a little variety now and then to take out the hybrid.
If you get one be sure the neck isn't too wide or, in some cases with a hybrid, too narrow.

[countryuke]

I started on nylon because the lady in the shop said it was what I needed. Played it for a couple of years, then put it away as I started playing a solid body electric. I had wires everywhere, tried all sorts of gear, fiddled with knobs for hours, found it frustrating, then one day it occurred to me that I was chasing that nylon sound. I sold all my electric stuff & now happily play my classical guitar & my baritone ukelele. My music style is country & jazz. I'm a happy nylon man these days!

[arktrav]

Nylon vs steel. Wow!! I think I'v'e got it settled and then, well, I go back one way or the other. I've recently focused on small body steels and decided to sell my two Cordoba's, a fushion 12 Orchestra and a GK studio. Well, I was getting them together to start writting them up, take pictues m, etc. I got them out and played around some on them and BANG! I can't get rid of them I love them. Somehow, I just forgot how much I love them. Surely there is sosme name for the mental issues this presents.