Recommendation - steel or nylon stings

I am picking up acoustical guitar after many, many years (currently 72 years old). It will used almost be entirely for my pleasure and used at home. Debating between steel and nylon strings. Your appreciate any thoujghs.

Hi David,

tbh nylon is a lot more limited in its intended use and style (mostly classical)

Most outside of that are steel string now

Just depends what you like the sound of etc

Yeah, I was going to say it depends on the kind of music you want to use it for. Nylon is mostly for classical. Steel is a more versatile instrument, but harder on the fingers until you build calluses.

Iā€™d say, have two guitars. One proper acoustic, steel strings, another one - proper classical with nylon ones.

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Not a bad idea. I see a lot of what look like good buys online.

Thanks for the feedback, I love the deep mellow sound of the nylon but I am not a classical guy. I had hoped you could do on a nylon string most everything you can with steel.

You can play the same songs on a nylon string. It just sounds a bit different. Iā€™ve never owned a steel string. I donā€™t play classical.

You can play anything on a nylon strung guitar, it doesnā€™t have to be a traditional looking guitar, there are crossover style ones that are pretty decent.
Hereā€™s a few guitars, Nylong and Steel strung that I can recommend!

Ignore the 12 string one, not a good idea but the filters remove good options as wellmas it :man_shrugging:

Can you play a nylon string with a pick?

Well, I know you can, but I read somewhere that the strings will wear out much faster.

Can anyone confirm or refute?

Welcome to the community @Drwinter !

@Tbushell , of course you can do anything you want. They do make soft picks for nylon strings, leather and felt, I believe. Plastic picks may not be idea due to wear and, in my opinion, the pick and nylon together would bring out the plastic sound too much.

To Davidā€™s question, I can repeat my ā€œof courseā€ line above. But there are differences beyond the sound.

Nylon strings are much lower tension, so donā€™t lend themselves to styles that dig in hard at all or lots of strumming for example. Unless you want the buzz and growl like in Flamenco.

Classical and Flamenco guitars traditionally have a much wider nut and string spacing (personally I prefer this) and a flat fretboard. Great for articulation and speed, less great for chords, especially bar chords, rhythm strumming and the like.

You can do it all but the suggestion to get one of each (or several of each?:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:).

I think it is reasonable to listen to yourself and that you arenā€™t that interested in playing classical. A steel string may be more versatile. If you are interested in eventually playing finger style, get something without a neck/nut that is too narrow (maybe 44mm rather than 42-43mm, mine is 46mm but I like wide).

You can then experiment, in the future, with strings that bring out sounds you like, like Monels, silk and steel, flat wounds and so on. Then get the nylon anywayšŸ˜.

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I think someone should tell Willie Nelson that he should play a steel string guitar. His old Martin highline spring guitar sounds pretty damn good.
If you want a nylon string guitar thatā€™s what you should buy. It will be easier on your fingers when you start out and Iā€™m sure you will buy a another guitar anyway. Everyone who sticks with it does.

Good luck on your guitar journey :guitar::notes:

+1 on this. Get both. Shop around for high quality and affordable guitars. I would add that a steel string acoustic with decent built in electronics would be a good idea. Built in EQ, tuner, phase shifting and pickup(s) come in really handy when playing live.