The nylon string as a folk instrument

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by janepaints

count me in....a year or two ago i sold my last steel string guitar....the nylon-string guitars i own are capable of anything i want to play and (IMO) have many advantages over steel-string guitars---or perhaps it's that they just suit my ears/tastes/needs better.

Same here! I actually sold all my guitars / gear in order to have only one guitar, which IMO must be nylon. That's the only kind I'm interested in. I also sold everything to raise money to buy "baby gear" for my two newborn twin girls

Nylon guitars are widely used for jazz, bossa nova, folk music and many other genres besides classical. First thing that comes to my mind is Noel Stookey from Peter, Paul and Mary - he played a nylon strung guitar.

I'm not sure, but from the comments I'd say that this forum has, in its majority, American users. And a "standard" guitar in the US is a steel string guitar, I guess. From what I read, the nylon would be suited for beginners (don't agree with that) and for classical music.

I'm from Brazil and gotta say that here, when you say "guitar" you actually mean a nylon one. If you want to be specific about steel, you gotta say its "full name - steel string guitar".

Anyway, what I mean by that is: search around the web for folk music from other countries. You'll find that the nylon string guitar is a standard instrument all over the world, not only here in South America but also Asia and Europe as far as I know.

[sirwhale]

I play folk and blues.

I sold all my acoustics and now just play a flamenco guitar. The reason was because I much prefer both the sound, the feel, the space, the flat fret board, and the low tension. Bare in mind that a flamenco guitar has lower action, has more growl to its sound, and if you use carbon strings you can get a powerful and bright sound out of the trebles.

I wrote a large post about crossover guitars and John Pearse strings but I very quickly transitioned away form this and to the full flamenco guitar and carbon strings. And now all my GAS has disappeared, I just spend all my time playing.

I'm working on some Gary Davis songs at the moment and when my singing gets acceptable enough I'll record a version. I'd like to have some videos to show that my flamenco guitar works for blues too. (videos in my signature). But there are already some folk songs and some John Fahey covers there, played on my beautiful and sonora guitar.

Old post on crossovers and those John Pearse strings:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=468169

My favourite recording on this flamenco:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=483209

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by rodmbds

Anyway, what I mean by that is: search around the web for folk music from other countries. You'll find that the nylon string guitar is a standard instrument all over the world, not only here in South America but also Asia and Europe as far as I know.

In Spain, of course, the "Spanish guitar" is king.

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by sirwhale

I play folk and blues.

I sold all my acoustics and now just play a flamenco guitar. The reason was because I much prefer both the sound, the feel, the space, the flat fret board, and the low tension. Bare in mind that a flamenco guitar has lower action, has more growl to its sound, and if you use carbon strings you can get a powerful and bright sound out of the trebles.

I wrote a large post about crossover guitars and John Pearse strings but I very quickly transitioned away form this and to the full flamenco guitar and carbon strings. And now all my GAS has disappeared, I just spend all my time playing.

I'm working on some Gary Davis songs at the moment and when my singing gets acceptable enough I'll record a version. I'd like to have some videos to show that my flamenco guitar works for blues too. (videos in my signature). But there are already some folk songs and some John Fahey covers there, play on my beautiful and sonora guitar.

Old post on crossovers and those John Pearse strings:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=468169

My favourite recording on this flamenco:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=483209

Love to play blues on a nylon string too.

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by sirwhale

In Spain, of course, the "Spanish guitar" is king.

It's funny because, for the Spanish, it doesn't make sense the term "Spanish guitar". They say it's redundant. "if it's a guitar, of course it's Spanish, right?".

I guess it's the equivalent of saying "American apple pie" - lol

Anyway, they do have a different when referring to "guitarra flamenca" and "guitarra clasica".

[drbekken]

https://youtu.be/0Legnpm4WRw

Nylon string blues...on a cheap ‘Ramon Garcia Angelina’ guitar.

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by drbekken

https://youtu.be/0Legnpm4WRw

Nylon string blues...on a cheap ‘Ramon Garcia Angelina’ guitar.

Wow! Are you me? Gosh, I thought " when did I record this video?" Lol

Key to the highway on a cheapo nylon guitar, that's exactly what I do!

But man, I mean, physically. We look alike too. Except for your great singing and the hat... But I mean, even the glasses

Cool and weird at the same time...

[jazzguy]

Great - enjoyed this.

[drbekken]

Originally Posted by rodmbds

Wow! Are you me? Gosh, I thought " when did I record this video?" Lol

Key to the highway on a cheapo nylon guitar, that's exactly what I do!

But man, I mean, physically. We look alike too. Except for your great singing and the hat... But I mean, even the glasses

Cool and weird at the same time...

Haha, video please..!

[Guitar Slim II]

My dad was a "folksinger", influenced by many of those mentioned by the OP, and always used a nylon string and played fingerstyle. Later, he learned a little classical, but he said he played fingerstyle even before then, just because he didn't feel comfortable with a pick.

While I perform solo as a classical guitarist, I also do a bit of session work, and am a gigging sideman with a singer-songwriter in the LA area. It's all on nylon, none of it is classical, and it could certainly be called "folk" or "acoustic rock."

I also teach my students finger-picking patterns that would work as nice accompaniments for standards and popular songs, as an alternative to strumming patterns.

PS: Remember the LaBella "Folksinger" strings -- black nylon with ball ends? Nylon folk has been around for a long time. I suppose it was gut-string folk before that...

I have found this thread and the linked discussions very intriguing - thank you.
having had the weekend to chew it over I keep asking myself if a classical with low-tension ball end strings like PJ116 or KR116 is actually the very thing I've been looking for. I've been drawn to classical guitar aesthetics but tend to play steel string parlor much more.
so thanks to all

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by jpmf

I have found this thread and the linked discussions very intriguing - thank you.
having had the weekend to chew it over I keep asking myself if a classical with low-tension ball end strings like PJ116 or KR116 is actually the very thing I've been looking for. I've been drawn to classical guitar aesthetics but tend to play steel string parlor much more.
so thanks to all

I'd advise you to try medium and high tension as well. I will be impressed by the difference it makes - much like it does on steel strings.

You could simply own both nylon and steel guitars, nothing wrong about that. Though I can sympathise with a low budget (maybe that's you case), you could look for second hand guitars.

Oh, I'll try to post the doppelganger later on. Currently I have no guitar, actually I got a Juan Estruch which I also have to update the post I created about it. Right now it needs a good clean up and I need spare time!

[FrankHudson]

Many decades ago (post the folk-scare, but I had the same Oak and Sing-Out books) I bought a cheap all-laminated classical from a department store and that's what I learned on. The wide and chunky neck didn't bother me, and the lower tension strings probably helped me a bit when learning.

I eventually got a 12-string, an electric and eventually a steel-string acoustic.

I originally picked with the fingers, but after a few years I moved to a flat pick almost exclusively. The different sound and attack of steel strings was something I got accustomed to, and that meant that I played nylon less and less. But I still do from time to time. There's no law that says you can use a pick with a nylon string guitar (or if there is , call Willie Nelson and he'll send legal help).

Here I am playing nylon strings (with a flat pick) with a two cellos, (with a tambura and a sitar set way down in the mix as almost subliminal resonance on the western instruments)

I Shall Not Care

After doing that I'm thinking I may start playing nylon string more again.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Guitar Slim II

PS: Remember the LaBella "Folksinger" strings -- black nylon with ball ends? Nylon folk has been around for a long time. I suppose it was gut-string folk before that...

My wife still uses those on her Samick.

[sirwhale]

Blues gospel on nylon:

https://youtu.be/wew8H1dRk9E

More to come.