Any other fingerstyle players switching to mainly nylon string guitars?

Timcito

I'm finding my two nylon string guitars - a Cordoba Pro Negra and a Godin Multiac Nylon - feel and sound better for what I do than the old steel-string guitars I have and have owned. They seem to give more volume, definition and sweetness of sound. They are also more practical in that they are kinder to nails than are steel-string guitars.

Anyone else of a similar mind?

Sputnik

Absolutely.  Initially driven by my nylon-loving cat (who creates merry hell when I play steel strings in her presence), I have now moved on almost exactly as you say to develop a real penchant for nylon strings.  I now have two Godin Grand Concerts (a duet and a synth driver) and a handful of more traditional classical and flamenco guitars.  Hopefully more Fretboard members will also go this way so that the FB classifieds can become a first class trading post for the vast range of nylon-strung beauties out there somewhere.  

menamestom

Yeah I’m currently playing a lot on an old flamenco guitar and have had various classical in the past.  I go to Spain every summer and spend a few weeks with an old Ibanez classical and am probably happier with that than all my electrics.

I look forward to simpler times when I can play almost nothing but a half decent classical guitar.

caveat, I also want a steel string acoustic with a nice wide nut so I can swap between them a bit easier. 

Tannin

Not yet but it might happen. I don't know anyone with a playable nylon string guitar I can borrow and I quite often toy with the idea of simply buying one to see what comes of it, but then various considerations make that a bit tricky and I end up doing nothing. After a while, the urge fades. Sooner or later I'll doubtless take the plunge. A well played nylon can certainly sound great!

Soupman

Ah  but @Tannin , I thought you were now only buying on a 'one in one out' order from higher authority? Which one are you going to retire?
 
 

bertie

I find them physically very hard to play,  or at least my sloppy style - which has served me OK for 50 years and I dont plan changing any time soon -  means they're very hard to play cos of the fretboard width.  I find anything over 44mm , "uncomfortable"

guitars4you

https://godinguitars.com/product/g-tour-nylon-matte-black-eq

I do fancy the idea of the new Godin  G-Tour - Narrow nut width so more akin to what many electric players are use to - Like the idea of it in that Dominic Miller kind of way - Was hoping to see one at the Brum Show this weekend but alas not in the UK yet - Good review + demo as well https://www.guitarworld.com/news/godin-g-tour-nylon-black

DavidR

Spent approx. 10y trying to get a good sound out of a classical then went back to acoustic. 

I think you have to come to classical at a young age to get good sounds. It’s not easy. Yes you can play it, but nice sounds off your fingers is quite a fine art. 

Stuckfast

Not really. Although I do love the sound of slide guitar on nylon strings.

ToneControl

Stuckfast said:

Not really. Although I do love the sound of slide guitar on nylon strings.

do you have any recordings to share?

Stuckfast

menamestom

DavidR said:

Spent approx. 10y trying to get a good sound out of a classical then went back to acoustic. 

I think you have to come to classical at a young age to get good sounds. It’s not easy. Yes you can play it, but nice sounds off your fingers is quite a fine art. 

I disagree with that.  I suppose if you are chasing a specific architypal classical tone, rather than just a nice sound, you may be trying to to get something that does take years of practise and even something that in your own mind is not achievable.  But really, to get just a nice sound out of a classical guitar any half decent player should be able to do.

guitars4you

Stuckfast said:

one of my all time favourite artists - Keep it simple, yet so effective, plus equally so hard to play at times with so few notes 

Timcito

DavidR said:

Spent approx. 10y trying to get a good sound out of a classical then went back to acoustic. 

I think you have to come to classical at a young age to get good sounds. It’s not easy. Yes you can play it, but nice sounds off your fingers is quite a fine art. 

I'm not playing 'classical,' well, not in a strict sense. I play fingerstyle blues, ragtime, folk, Celtic, jazz standards, usually with thumb and three fingers and with the 'thumb wrap.' But good sound is one of the reasons I'm feeling increasingly drawn to nylon. It seems to have a louder and sweeter response than steel when played with the fingers + nail. Playability-wise, nylon is also kinder to the picking nails.

The nut width can be a challenge with many nylon-string guitars, but the Cordoba Pro Negra, despite having a 2" one, has a truss rod and a neck profile that just about allows me to do the thumb wrap. My Godin is narrower at 1 7/8", so the thumb wrap is even easier with that one.

m0rt

I stopped playing steel strings after a stint learning classical. Now I don't really place classical guitar, but I stay with nylon pretty much exclusively. Easier on the nails for fingerpicking, strumming. Tone. I prefer nylon tones to steel generally and far easier on the fingers and just, well, more enjoyable.  

Currently play a Cordoba requito and a Paco flamenco as main guitars, and still play the fretless from time to time unless it goes shortly. (Also on the subject of slide, fretless is great for that!)

Oh, and recently got this

I really do fancy a nylectric though. 

bertie

m0rt said:

 

Oh, and recently got this

 

I dont own a suitcase so that's no use to me

BahHumbug

I dunno about mainly changing to nylon, but I got a Taylor 314CE-N a couple of years ago, and I’ve really been enjoying adding a few classical pieces to my fingerstyle repertoire.

Timcito

A guitarist I really like that does amazing things on a nylon string guitar is Duck Baker.

BigLicks67

I think if good quality nylon string crossover guitars were more widely available by respected builders it might be more popular. I think nylon works well for jazz finger style due to the shorter sustain from the strings.
Brooks Robertson seems to be comfortable playing both nylon and steel string.

Timcito

BigLicks67 said:

I think if good quality nylon string crossover guitars were more widely available by respected builders it might be more popular. I think nylon works well for jazz finger style due to the shorter sustain from the strings.
Brooks Robertson seems to be comfortable playing both nylon and steel string.

That's nice playing and a nice guitar, too - bet it cost him a bob or two! I think American luthier Kirk Sand makes guitars that look a bit like that. It also looks a bit like the Gibson slimline that Chet Atkins played in his latter years. 

menamestom

Timcito said:

A guitarist I really like that does amazing things on a nylon string guitar is Duck Baker.

Nice, that’s on my list to learn.

Also this:-

https://youtu.be/VNkvI2DPPzw?si=75LLx417WqHN_8IT