Today we are going to be comparing a nylon string versus a steel string acoustic guitar. now if you're looking to purchase your first guitar or perhaps, you've been playing electric guitar for three or four years and you want something different, or you're a parent or grandparent looking to buy a guitar for your kids. You've come to the right place.
So what we're going to do is just take a brief walkthrough of the instruments to talk about the differences and how they feel to play. Then we're going to do some playing examples one of the biggest differences between these guitars is the string spacing or the nut width on classical instruments.
You have a wide spacing so as a new player, it's actually really great because as you play either single notes or chords. You just have a little bit more room for your right hand and for your left hand to make your chord shapes or your notes without accidentally hitting other strings. So if you're learning a D chord oftentimes new players have a hard time getting that first string to ring because your fingers are touching it.
If you're playing a C getting the third string to ring, through all your fingers is very difficult and on a classical instrument. Because you have more spacing and more room it becomes easier for the new player. So that's one of the big advantages I guess one of the downsides to the spacing is when you're making three string or three fret chords rather like a D minor an F or that C.
It's a little trickier because you have to reach out plus you have to reach a little higher. So it's kind of got its advantages and disadvantages, but generally I think for the new player the width is an advantage overall. Another advantage to this design is the nylon strings are under less tension than a steel string guitar so the notes are easier to press down and that goes for Barre chords. Especially you know they can they can be quite tricky and require a lot of pressure on a steel string on a classical instrument.
They're quite a bit easier to play and the diameter of the strings themselves. They don't kind of cut into your fingertips the same way as a really thin light steel string does you'll still have to build up calluses obviously but because the surface area is a little bit greater on the nylon and the tensions a little less it's a little bit easier to play at first all right so let's take a listen to these guitars.
What we're going to do is play them back-to-back in three different genres so you guys can really get a feel of yeah the tonal differences between these two instruments and then we're going to play them in a mix so I'm just going to do a little bit of soloing all right enjoy.
final thoughts on these guitars I think if you're looking for a guitar that's versatile something that can play pop rock blues bluegrass country whatever genre you're into the steel string guitar is going to be a little bit more versatile so if you just have some fun saved up for one guitar that's probably the way to go now if you just like the mellow tone of the nylon strings I know I do or if you're into classical music or you want to learn flamenco or something like that yeah the nylon string produces a really wonderful tone and I think for the new player it is easier to learn on initially but you will lose some versatility thanks so much for watching you guys I hope you enjoyed this review please subscribe to the post if you haven't done so already and like the review that helps me out a ton and we'll see you guys next week take care