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  #1  
Old 05-19-2015, 07:50 PM
lovefsguitar lovefsguitar is offline
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Post Would you play this stuff on a nylon string guitar?

Greetings everyone!

Hope you're all doing well.
The other day I was chatting with a really good guitarist ( well to me at least ), he said to me that for playing jazz, blues, soul, R&B or funk.. and when it comes to acoustic playing, a nylon string guitar is the way to go!

Didn't comment at all since I've got almost no experience when it comes to playing on nylon strings, as all of my playing is on steel string acoustics.

But do you agree with that? And why or why not?

Would really love to hear all of your thoughts.

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 05-19-2015, 09:54 PM
zakk963 zakk963 is offline
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I love playing jazz on a nylon stringed guitar. It has that smooth tone that really works well for comping. Look at guys like Charlie Byrd and some of his bossa playing.

Blues.... Ill run through a few licks here and there, but I prefer to play it on a steel string. But hey, its all about what sounds good to you.
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  #3  
Old 05-20-2015, 01:25 AM
perttime perttime is offline
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It has been some time since I last played nylon - but I think you can play anything on a nylon string guitar.

Sound will obviously be different from what you get out of an electric or a steel string. The low string tension makes many things very easy on nylon.

Check out Rodrigo y Gabriela:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&v=ZJxKf34B-7E
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  #4  
Old 05-20-2015, 02:45 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovefsguitar View Post
Greetings everyone!

Hope you're all doing well.
The other day I was chatting with a really good guitarist ( well to me at least ), he said to me that for playing jazz, blues, soul, R&B or funk.. and when it comes to acoustic playing, a nylon string guitar is the way to go!

Didn't comment at all since I've got almost no experience when it comes to playing on nylon strings, as all of my playing is on steel string acoustics.

But do you agree with that? And why or why not?

Would really love to hear all of your thoughts.

Thanks
I can't agree or disagree, because I don't know what he meant. Is he just a particular fan of nylon, so believes it should be the way to go? Has he heard something from authoritative sources (who?) who say nylon string is going to become fashionable (so we'd better catch on)?
Or something else made him say that?

The obvious truth is, that for all those styles, steel string is (and has been) preferred by the vast majority of players. (Which is why saying nylon is the "way to go" needs some explanation.)

Naturally that doesn't mean you can't use nylon string, in any genre you like. It's up to you. Obviously it's standard in classical, Spanish and Brazilian music, because it's traditional (hence Rodrigo and Gabriela). In other genres it's rarer, but it's there (Charlie Byrd, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler sometimes). You hear it in pop/rock/R&B music whenever they want a vaguely spanish/classical vibe. I don't think I've ever heard it used in blues or funk. (I've played blues on nylon myself, for fun, but I wouldn't say it's ideal; steel is better. IMO, that is, FWIW .)

I'd definitely say it's worth trying nylon string on ANYTHING you'd normally pick up a steel-string (even an electric) for. See what you think - you might be pleasantly surprised. You have to judge for yourself.
But to say nylon-string "is the way to go" strikes me as idiotic in the extreme. Either that's his personal opinion (the way to go for him, that's all), or he believes it's about to be fashionable, which is a dumb reason to choose it.
I certainly believe everyone who owns a steel-string acoustic should also own a nylon-string. But that's only because I always have... (In fact I own two nylon-string acoustics, and only one steel-string....)
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Old 05-20-2015, 06:35 AM
Bikewer Bikewer is offline
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I play a lot of fingerstyle jazz and the nylon-string is very nice. Lots of folkie stuff sounds fine.
You CAN do anything you like, of course. Willie plays his jazzy-country stuff with a flatpick on a nylon string. Works for him.

In Latin countries, nylon string instruments are virtually standard.

But you don't hear a lot of bluegrass flatpicking done on one, and blues tends to loose it's cutting "twang".....
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Old 05-20-2015, 12:24 PM
lovefsguitar lovefsguitar is offline
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Thanks for the replies everyone!

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
I can't agree or disagree, because I don't know what he meant. Is he just a particular fan of nylon, so believes it should be the way to go? Has he heard something from authoritative sources (who?) who say nylon string is going to become fashionable (so we'd better catch on)?
Or something else made him say that?

The obvious truth is, that for all those styles, steel string is (and has been) preferred by the vast majority of players. (Which is why saying nylon is the "way to go" needs some explanation.)
The posts here got me thinking, i wanted to ask him again why he loves playing those musics on nylon strings.

Just finished taking to the guy, he's mainly an electric guitar player ( which I forgot to say in my initial post ). He says he plays jazz, soul, R&B and funk on electrics all the time. But when he wants to play that kind of stuff acoustically he goes for nylon. He says nylon string guitars give a deep dark seducing sound that sounds amazing in jazz, R&B, soul..
as he finds the sound of a lot of steel sting acoustics too jangly or too bright for those musics!! He thinks steel string acoustic guitars are better for country, bluegrass, folk, pop..

Folks, I trust you on everything acoustic, so what do you think?
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  #7  
Old 05-20-2015, 12:45 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovefsguitar View Post
Thanks for the replies everyone!



The posts here got me thinking, i wanted to ask him again why he loves playing those musics on nylon strings.

Just finished taking to the guy, he's mainly an electric guitar player ( which I forgot to say in my initial post ). He says he plays jazz, soul, R&B and funk on electrics all the time. But when he wants to play that kind of stuff acoustically he goes for nylon. He says nylon string guitars give a deep dark seducing sound that sounds amazing in jazz, R&B, soul..
as he finds the sound of a lot of steel sting acoustics too jangly or too bright for those musics!! He thinks steel string acoustic guitars are better for country, bluegrass, folk, pop..

Folks, I trust you on everything acoustic, so what do you think?
I do understand what he's saying there. A good nylon-string (and I mean a good one) has an incredibly rich, seductive sound. I can't personally afford to own guitars that good, but from the examples I've played, I'd say top end nylon-strings are better than top-end steel strings.
So I can well understand how good they'd be for jazz, R&B and soul, where the tonal depth of the instrument could be put to good use.
Meanwhile, the brighter sound of steel is - from that perspective - more appropriate for blues, bluegrass, country etc. (But don't forget Chet... )

So my advice - if this is about whether you should buy a nylon-string! - is: buy one; but buy the very best you can afford.
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Old 05-20-2015, 01:52 PM
wrathfuldeity wrathfuldeity is offline
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I would love be able to...but I suck

However evidence is presented...you choose, electric, steel or nylon slingers can hang


Last edited by wrathfuldeity; 05-20-2015 at 01:58 PM.
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  #9  
Old 05-20-2015, 09:10 PM
walternewton walternewton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovefsguitar View Post
Folks, I trust you on everything acoustic, so what do you think?
Well, since you asked - I think you should trust your own ears, and your own opinions about what sounds "good"; rather than worrying about what "some guy" or few strangers who happen to post on a particular internet forum say

Last edited by walternewton; 05-20-2015 at 10:16 PM.
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Old 05-20-2015, 09:28 PM
DupleMeter DupleMeter is offline
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I'm going to totally not help by saying I like them both.

But I play steel string 99% of the time. That said, when I pull out the nylon string I love it for jazz and for leads/solos. But I don't think I'd like it as my only guitar.
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  #11  
Old 05-21-2015, 08:28 AM
Pualee Pualee is offline
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Personally, blues and nylon string don't work for me. Bending is such a part of the style... while nylon bends very easy, it also slips out from under the fingers even easier!
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Old 05-21-2015, 09:24 AM
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse is offline
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I'm a bit crazy about the sound of a nylon string guitar and even though I've got steel string guitars I always go back to the nylon string and to be honest I probably prefer it to the steel string. I would agree that steel string is better for playing the blues, I also play slide lap style and tried setting up a guitar with nylon strings for playing slide on but it sounds so quiet and it just wasn't working the same way that steel strings work with slide. Also it depends what kind of slide you use, on nylon strings any metal type of slide didn't seem to have enough character in the sound, whereas glass and interestingly plastic worked a lot better. I would actually say that plastic was the best effect for slide on nylon strings.
I would also echo JonPR's thoughts by saying Chet Atkins and again Chet Atkins, because I get the feeling that Chet Atkins also loved the sound of the nylon string guitar but didn't record as much as he would of liked with one possibly to do with record companies and commercial viability. "The Entertainer" is amazing as is "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" with Dolly Parton in which Chet's guitar work scintillates and makes me shake my head in disbelief every time I hear it.
Some who also loved the nylon sound was Davey Graham who rightly pointed out that it's probably not best to play both steel string and nylon string because the spacings are ever so slightly different as well as the technique needed to play each to its full potential. He also said that even though this was true that he was a maverick and he didn't care, so he played both. He is a huge hero of mine and he possibly answers other people's query on here about blues on nylon string guitar. This is how it would be done...

Last edited by Betelgeuse; 05-21-2015 at 09:36 AM.
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  #13  
Old 05-21-2015, 10:30 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Betelgeuse View Post
Some who also loved the nylon sound was Davey Graham who rightly pointed out that it's probably not best to play both steel string and nylon string because the spacings are ever so slightly different as well as the technique needed to play each to its full potential.
Good point - assuming you want to excel at either one, you'll probably get there quicker by ignoring the other.
But then as you say...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Betelgeuse View Post
He also said that even though this was true that he was a maverick and he didn't care, so he played both.
I think there's a lot of us mavericks out there....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Betelgeuse View Post
He is a huge hero of mine and he possibly answers other people's query on here about blues on nylon string guitar. This is how it would be done...
Nice - I've been a long time DG fan too (getting to him via the Donovan-Jansch route back in the 1960s), but I never saw that clip before.
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Old 05-21-2015, 10:58 AM
JerrysGuitarBar JerrysGuitarBar is offline
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Although it's unusual, it's far from unknown as many of the replies already show. These guys use nylon string all the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLq7Aqd_H7g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DozJKVvX1p0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc_rMiTxizg

And others use it from time to time and use steel string as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_sl4r0eGVY

George played the solo of Till There was You and the main part of And I Love Her on nylon string for the rich dark sound we've heard about on this thread.

Just a few thoughts...
Jerry
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Old 05-21-2015, 11:09 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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I sure do love playing nylon strings, and if I could only have one kind of acoustic, it'd be nylon.

That said...as others have said, something about steel strings for a blues just sounds right.
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