Finger style better with Nylon?

[Gitaman]

Hello comrads,
I am addicted to playing my 2017 Martin Gpc28e. I am just a couch meditator, Mostly finger-style. I am ordering Emerald X7 and would appreciate some wisdom on deciding on X10Nylon or X7steel. (I don't think they nake X7nylon.) I like the sound from my finger pads more so than from nails and nylon might sound better, just a guess, but Steel seems more versatile. Thank you all for input in advance!

[Ember]

For questions related to carbon fiber guitars you'd probably be better off asking on this subforum: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...splay.php?f=48

They'll absolutely be able to help you out.

One thing I can say, but take it with a grain of salt as it may be different when it's CF nylon vs. CF steel, is that both steel string and nylon string guitars can be good for fingerstyle, if you opt for a steel string guitar meant for fingerstyle you'll usually want a smaller-bodied guitar (OM, 000 etc.) compared to something like a dreadnought.

However a nylon string and a steel string will have a very different tone when it comes to fingerstyle and there is different material that serves each best, for exotic music (bosanova, flamenco) and classical repertoire, a nylon string is definitely your best bet, but when it comes to the more modern approach to fingerstyle you'd be better off with a steel string, that'd be stuff like ragtime, delta blues or pop and rock songs arranged for solo guitar.

So assuming CF guitars are the same on that front, both are good for fingerstyle, it just depends on what you're looking for, definitely head over to the carbon fiber subforum though, they'll help you out.

[Kerbie]

Seems to me, the question concerns nylon vs steel and really has very little to do with carbon fiber. The OP is aware of the CF section.

I play almost all fingerstyle and I have both steel and nylon guitars. As Ember said, the nylon is wonderful for classical styles. It's a very warm sound that I enjoy.

I like steel a little more for rock, pop, blues, country, etc. But I'll pick up my nylon and play blues without hesitation. I do think steel is a little more flexible and if you play in groups, it's used more often. Both are wonderful sounds and you can play any kind of music on either guitar.

[sirwhale]

Nylon is king for fingerpicking.

If you want, I have a mix of videos with a carbon fibre steel string, and a flamenco guitar, playing songs of the same style (folk, blues, John Fahey, etc). I disagree that you can't play blues or whatever on a nylon string, these are just stereotypes. I've made my choice, I started with steel and tried nearly every string going, until I thought about nylon strings. Funnily enough, due to those very same stereotypes I just mentioned, it took me a long time to consider it. Now it is flamenco all the way and I never look back.

The link to my channel is in my signature below.

Otherwise, go to some guitar shops and play a range of your favourite songs on a good steel string and a good nylon string and see what sound you like the most.

Bare in mind though, a flamenco guitar with carbon strings will sound very different to a classical with nylon strings. A classical is built to have more sustain and to have a mellower sound. The action is high to get great dynamics without any fret buzz or fret slap. The flamenco guitar is built to have more attack and to be brighter. The action is much lower and fret buzz is accepted in flamenco (it also doesn't sound bad with nylon strings). Saying that, I only get fretbuzz is I strum very hard. A flamenco guitar with carbon strings on can sound quite bright indeed. My flamenco guitar is also louder than any acoustic I have played. As a whole it sounds and feels looser (not like a tight acoustic under high tension), it vibrates more and has a deeper low end than any acoustic I have played. The trebles are powerful and bright, but not bitingly bright like steel. Now one thing people might not like compared to steel is the sustain, that is a big difference. But I prefer less sustain as I don't strum and I want to hear every note.

[SouthpawJeff]

I just started playing a nylon string guitar about two months ago so take my advice for what it’s worth. I greatly prefer the sound of the nylon string for fingerstyle. On my particular guitar the sound is louder and projects better than the steel string. I’m not sure about the guitars your looking at but my nylon is a classical so also has the benefit of the wider fingerboard. It does take some getting used to, but offers a lot more room for complicated fingerings.

I find the classical is much more forgiving to the fingers when learning a new song piece. I can play my steel string for a couple hours without problem. However practicing a new piece tends to cause sore fingers after a little while. Not a problem on nylon strings😉

The only downside for me is I tend to get tripped up when going from the nylon to the steel. The different scale length has me overshooting the 12th fret on the SS😮

Good luck,
Jeff

[Vindellama]

As Robbie Bashô would say (from a 'fingerstyle' perspective):
'Nylon for "love" songs, steel for thunder'

[Steel and wood]

I've never thought about, but could be somewhat tempted to own/play a nylon hybrid guitar because it's a sound I do appreciate, even if I'm not sure whether my thumb pick and metal thumb picks would lend themselves well.

However I have never contemplated owning/playing a classical guitar. (Give me callouses over that huge neck profile any day).

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Gitaman

Hello comrads,
I am addicted to playing my 2017 Martin Gpc28e. I am just a couch meditator, Mostly finger-style. I am ordering Emerald X7 and would appreciate some wisdom on deciding on X10Nylon or X7steel. (I don't think they nake X7nylon.) I like the sound from my finger pads more so than from nails and nylon might sound better, just a guess, but Steel seems more versatile. Thank you all for input in advance!

I don't know what to tell you. But if you think about it, the Classical guys who play nylon generally play with nails, which is the reverse of your thoughts. I think nylon strings need nails. OTOH, I regularly play with a guy who comes to the gig with a CF guitar (not sure of the brand) and plays steel strings with nails... Yuck. Far too bright. Like nails on a chalk board. I finally got him to EQ out some of the highs (at least for one week). His guitar still didn't blend with the ensemble.

I'm not that familiar with the Emerald models beyond the X7, but if you are thinking to put nylon on an X7, what's the harm in testing them?

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I don't know what to tell you. But if you think about it, the Classical guys who play nylon generally play with nails, which is the reverse of your thoughts. I think nylon strings need nails. OTOH, I regularly play with a guy who comes to the gig with a CF guitar (not sure of the brand) and plays steel strings with nails... Yuck. Far too bright. Like nails on a chalk board. I finally got him to EQ out some of the highs (at least for one week). His guitar still didn't blend with the ensemble.

I'm not that familiar with the Emerald models beyond the X7, but if you are thinking to put nylon on an X7, what's the harm in testing them?

I play with only just enough nail that I get flesh and nail on the string. If I look at the tip of my fingers with the palm facing my eyes, I cannot see my nails. Some people told me that you needed long nails to play nylon, and this is not true.

[Earl49]

I you were to ask Andre Segovia, he would answer "nylon". If you asked Leo Kottke, he would say "steel". So it depends on what you want to hear.

[Gitaman]

I humbly thank and appreciate all of your input and videos. I certainly have a long way to sound like you guys' playing, but I know it will be a wonderful journey. Speaking of a jouney, now I have a legit reason to visit guitar center and sample some nylons, hehehe!

P.s. Emerald makes X7N but didn't say if the top is designed for Nylon.

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I you were to ask Andre Segovia, he would answer "nylon". If you asked Leo Kottke, he would say "steel". So it depends on what you want to hear.

Of course Earl, you are correct. I just fight the corner for nylon string guitars because they are fantastic instruments, and there is a lot of stereotyping about which guitars fit which types of music. It can put people off trying them. It happened to me; I thought that way for while. But luckily I got over it and went to try some flamenco guitars.

[erhino41]

Before I had fingernails I hated playing nylon string guitars. To me they sounded very tubby with muted fundamentals. Theflesh of the fingers just want enough to get a good fundamental. Now that I have fingernails I love nylon string guitars. Personally I would go with the steel string of you want play with no nails.

[Earl49]

I have both, Sirwhale. I mostly play steel string, but it is fun to go for the nylon sound sometimes. I owned a Taylor NS34ce crossover for a long time, and it scratched the nylon string itch quite nicely. I sold it about 3-4 years ago, to begin my downsizing moves. Then recently a 70's era Guild classical was gifted to me by an elderly lady who was simplifying her life and no longer played anything but ukulele. So I have a nylon strung guitar again.

I thumb-over a lot, so a classical can be a handful, but it still works. It gives a noticeably better sound than the Taylor did - lighter bracing? And I agree with erhino's assessment too. The tonal finish of having nails makes the tone much more defined and crisp.

[pf400]

So you have a steel-stringer and are wondering about nylon ? I have both and couldn't part with either my Martin steel or my Yamaha nylon crossover. I like to play through an amp, and with the two guitars, anything from rock tones to flamenco to classical is possible. I can play nylon a bit longer than steel in one sitting if that's a concern...a bit easier on the fingers. I use acrylic fingernails, and picks, on both. Sometimes I try a pick on a song I've always used fingerstyle on, and am surprised that it actually suits a pick more than fingerstyle. Fun.