Why arent nylon string guitars more popular?

[JannieA]

I was at a Farmers Market today, mostly to check out the street musicians, there were thousands of people there today-love summers in the NW. Stopped to listen to a Jazz Band, not bad really and the guitar player was on a Classical guitar, did quite well and it was totally unplugged and it was still okay, that suprised me - a lot. Looked like a fairly old basic Classical nylon stringed guitar.

[celticguitar666]

Originally Posted by JannieA

I was at a Farmers Market today, mostly to check out the street musicians, there were thousands of people there today-love summers in the NW. Stopped to listen to a Jazz Band, not bad really and the guitar player was on a Classical guitar, did quite well and it was totally unplugged and it was still okay, that suprised me - a lot. Looked like a fairly old basic Classical nylon stringed guitar.

Everything was "unplugged" at one time and gut not nylon or steel
Dewey

[SteveHung]

Nylon guitar is usually restricted to classical and spanish/flamenco music, although I'm not saying you can't play say bluesgrass on a nylon. Steel string guitar is more versatile for different styles of music, it's used to play rock, folk, country, bluesgrass, pop.......

Also, classical guitar takes a lot of discipline and dedication, and classical guitar is not as popular as say rock or pop these days.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by SteveHung

Nylon guitar is usually restricted to classical and spanish/flamenco music, although I'm not saying you can't play say bluesgrass on a nylon. Steel string guitar is more versatile for different styles of music, it's used to play rock, folk, country, bluesgrass, pop.......

Also, classical guitar takes a lot of discipline and dedication, and classical guitar is not as popular as say rock or pop these days.

I quite disagree. Nylon-string guitars are used for many different genres including folk, pop and jazz (especially in other countries where they are far more popular than steel-string acoustic guitars) and they are no less versatile. While classical technique requires discipline and dedication (so does the Chet Atkins/Tommy Emmanuel/Doyle Dykes steel-string technique for that matter), it is not the only technique used on the nylon string guitar.

[CCFingerstyle]

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

I quite disagree. Nylon-string guitars are used for many different genres including folk, pop and jazz (especially in other countries where they are far more popular than steel-string acoustic guitars) and they are no less versatile. While classical technique requires discipline and dedication (so does the Chet Atkins/Tommy Emmanuel/Doyle Dykes steel-string technique for that matter), it is not the only technique used on the nylon string guitar.

I whole heartedly agree with your disagreement! I find nylon instrument to be incredibly versatile and are not really restricted to any particular kind of music. I still remember the beginning of the acoustical version of Hotel California when I went to the Eagles' Hell Freezes over concert several years ago. If I recall correctly, the dudes were doing some serious rocking out on Takamine nylons. Of course, I am a guy who plays Bossa Nova on my steel string guitars. I like crossing back and forth between metal and nylon when it comes to guitar playing...would hate to limit myself to either and call it better than the other.

[SteveHung]

Perhaps I haven't been exposed to too much nylon string playing, but to me, steel strings seems more versatile and dynamic with the range of sounds you can get from them. When plucked lightly, you get a sweet mellow sound (Babe I'm Gonna Leave You), but when attacked harshly, you can get a thumpy sound with more bass response (SRV's acoustic version of Rude Mood). Steel strings have a scratchy percussive sound that you can hear when palm muting, and also a scratchy sound when doing a grand slide. You can also tap on them like Preson Reed or Michael Hedges to get even more different types of sounds from them. Many steel string players utilize different tunings. I might be wrong on this one, but there seems to be more body size/wood choice combos for steel strings, 12-string and baritone options, than nylon.

Most of the time when I listen to nylon players, it's that consistent warm mellow tone.

This is just my opinion, though. I love nylon guitar, and love Sergovia, Oscar Lopez, and Django Reinhardt's nylon playing. I just think steel-string guitar is a more versatile instrument.

[j3ffr0]

Popular music in the US lends itself more to the steel string guitars. Country, rock whatever. There are exceptions, but beginners generally want to play pop, so that's what they gravitate to, and so steel string acoustics vastly outnumber nylon string guitars in most stores.

I'm primarily a finger picker and I much prefer nylon for that, because I can play aggressively for a long time without tearing my nails up. I love the sound of a finger picked steel string guitar too (the sustain and the long whining notes), but I can only treat myself to it for a half hour every now and then without trashing my nails.

[BuleriaChk]

You really have to listen to more Flamenco.....:-)

[corbetta]

Most of the time when I listen to nylon players, it's that consistent warm mellow tone.

I suggest you listen some more. As someone who used to spend about equal time on each, I can say that the amount of tonal variation you get from your average nylon string guitar is substantially greater than that of a steel string. It just takes a different kind of approach to coax the sounds out.

All of the techniques you mentioned (and a bunch more) are also easily employable on nylon strings. The one thing I concede to steel is that the harmonic "sparkle" is much more prominent and therefore certain things (including many fingerstyle compositions) sound more lively and punchy on steel strings.

[Landru]

Yeah - I play electric and steel-string acoustic . . . .

Back in '86, I "quit" live music (didn't last long) and sold everything I owned. With the cash I bought what I thought would be my lifetime 'til I get old and grey" guitar - a Ramirez classical. My logic was i needed a campfire guitar and nothing else, and that the nylon strings wouldn't need callouses (since I wouldn't be playing much).

I'm so happy to have this guitar - what a friend. Interesting the world view of nylon vs. steel string - we have The Beatles and they have Jobim - and there you go.

[AfterViewer]

Also kinda depends on what general type of music you're playing. For me, I've recently strung up with a couple different sets of strings to check out a completely different sound coming from my guitar. Have stopped playing music that was more Spanish-like to playing more Arabic/Soundtrack stuff because of the major difference. Now I've broken in the strings and will stock up on more sets to maintain that signature sound I am hooked on. I used to use high tension (red pack) Augustine strings for Classical Spanish playing. Now I'm using high tension silvered Martin wound with D'Addario pro/art tenors. Takes a while to knock some of the crisp off the silvered strings but the sound dynamics are way outspoken.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Play2PraiseHim

...I often wonder if people still place limits on the nylon string and have a mindset that it is for classical and spanish music only.

Hi Lady Toni…
For me:

• Lack of volume
• Lack of projection
• Lack of sustain
• Muddy tone with my style of play
• Neck too short
• Fingerboard spacing too wide

While I could solve the nut and string width issues, or cutaway perhaps, the lack of volume, projection, muddiness and sustain would still be deal killers for me.

[BuleriaChk]

I have a Takamine TC132SC. Plenty of volume, especially into a good acoustic amp (which also solves projection issues). Tone is very clear with Tak CTP-2/Palathetic pickup. My guitar is cutaway, which gives plenty of reach. The pickup/preamp is so good that I can use most effects problem free... (Stick a Tube Screamer in the chain, and you'll get all the sustain you need.....) Narrow necks are for wimps............:-)

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Lady Toni…
For me:

• Lack of volume
• Lack of projection
• Lack of sustain
• Muddy tone with my style of play
• Neck too short
• Fingerboard spacing too wide

While I could solve the nut and string width issues, or cutaway perhaps, the lack of volume, projection, muddiness and sustain would still be deal killers for me.

[corbetta]

I too find faulting nylon strings for lack of volume and or projection to be a rather perplexing statement. Sure, if you're comparing a $100 Aria Nylon to an D-28, the former would sound wimpier and project less. But when comparing guitars of the same quality—ESPECIALLY at the higher end of the spectrum—I think you'll find nylons to move much more air and project better when unamplified than steel strings.

[Dogsnax]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Lady Toni…
For me:

• Lack of volume
• Lack of projection
• Lack of sustain
• Muddy tone with my style of play
• Neck too short
• Fingerboard spacing too wide

While I could solve the nut and string width issues, or cutaway perhaps, the lack of volume, projection, muddiness and sustain would still be deal killers for me.

Hi Larry,

As you may or may not remember, I'm a steel-string player who made the transition to nylon string classical guitars about four years ago. At first I really struggled to pull a decent tone out of two very nice classical guitars, one being a Kenny Hill Master Series. What I quickly learned is that volume, tone, projection, and sustain are all about technique when it comes to nylon strings. I have had to make some significant changes with my right and left hand technique.

If you ever get the chance to play a top-level classical guitar, you'll find most are very powerful with tons of volume and projection. Keep in mind almost all concert-level classical guitarists perform without amplification and they fill some good-sized venues with lots of sound.

Just want to make sure we don't critique/paint nylon string classical guitars with too broad of a brush....

Fred