Steel Strings Vs. Nylon Strings for a Guitar
Every budding guitarist wonders what the difference is between steel or nylon strings. While there are several distinctions, including the type of guitar on which they are installed, choosing between steel or nylon strings is really a matter of personal preference.
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Steel String Guitars
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Steel-stringed acoustic guitars have special internal bracing and adjustable reinforced necks to accommodate the extra tension of steel strings. These guitars also feature slimmer fingerboards better suited to steel string playing styles, and body shapes designed for optimal steel string sound projection and tone.
Nylon String Guitars
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Nylon-stringed guitars, also called "classical" or "Spanish" guitars, do not have adjustable necks. Since nylon strings produce much less tension than steel, internal body bracing is also different. Nylon-stringed guitars have wider fingerboards and string spacing, allowing for traditional finger-style playing for which classical guitars were originally designed. Bodies tend to be wider and fatter, to optimize the nylon string tone.
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Which Is Better?
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There is a common belief that nylon strings are easier on the fingers than steel. While this may be true for some players, learning any instrument results in abused body parts at first. Some players are fine with steel strings, and others prefer the softer touch of nylon.
Tone
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Steel string produce a brighter, more metallic tone, while nylon strings produce a darker, warmer tone. Any style of music can be played using either string or guitar type.
Substituting Nylon For Steel
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Installing nylon strings on a steel string guitar will have no adverse effects on the instrument, but the string slots may not accommodate the thicker nylon strings. The acoustic design of steel string guitars is not suited to amplifying the subtle nylon string sound, and the tone may be disappointing.
Substituting Steel For Nylon
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Since nylon string guitars are designed for low tension strings, installing steel strings will almost always result in irreparable harm to the instrument's neck, internal bracing, and bridge.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Lali Masriera
