Home › Forums › Discuss Your Gear › nylon string guitar
- This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 2 months ago by bruce s.
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January 17, 2020 at 6:41 pm #157687
I’m considering getting a nylon sting guitar to practice finger style playing. I haven’t had much luck with steel string guitars, mainly because I don’t use fingernails. I’ve been trying a friends classical but the neck is a little too wide for me. So I’m doing some research on hybrids and looking at the Taylor Academy 12e-N. Has anyone out there had any experience with this guitar or something similar?
Thanks
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January 18, 2020 at 11:07 am #157721
Hi Bruce,
There doesn’t seem to be too many people on this Forum that can help you with that particular guitar, me included, but I was interested in your comment about your experience with steel strings when playing fingerstyle and your comment “I don’t use fingernails”
I wanted to mention that most of the time I play steel-strung acoustic and electric using just fingers and sometimes a thumbpick, but my fingernails are always kept reasonably short (both hands) so most of the sound from the right hand is produced by the flesh of the fingers not the nails. I’ve found what is more important is that the nails are a consistent length.I know I haven’t answered your question but …..food for thought.
Richard
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January 18, 2020 at 11:08 am #157722
Hi Bruce,
I have a Taylor Academy 10e steel string. The Academy is one of my favorite acoustics. When I want to play unplugged the Academy is the first instrument I pick up. IMHO the Academy series is one of the real coups of Andy Powers at Taylor guitars. I can’t speak for the 12e nylon because the specs are slightly different.
If you go to Taylorguitars.com you can comepare any models by clicking on the models you want to check out the specks on. I realize you are interested in a nylon string guitar. I mentioned you want to do some finger picking. Keep in mind that generally nylon string guitars have a wider fretboard to allow for finger picking such as your frineds’ classical guitar that you have played. The Academy nylon string does have a narrower fretboard than the average classical guitar so this may be one of the features that you will like.
Naturally if you are near a music store that carries Taylor guitars it would be best to go in any play an Academy nylon string.
If you plan to flatpick, the Academy series does not come with a pickguard. I bought one from Taylor and installed it because flat pick more than fingerpick and I wanted to protect the spruce top. That’s a personal choice of course. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.
I see many of your posts of your playing. You play a mean guitar so I think an Academy would be a quality instrument that you would enjoy. The caveat is what I already mentioned of course to play one first before pulling the trigger on an actual purchase. Good luck Bruce!
Best regards,
Gene
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January 18, 2020 at 12:03 pm #157728
Thanks Gene and Richard, unfortunately there’s no store around that carries that model, so I’ve just been going by the reviews. I have a Taylor GS Mini and like it a lot, but on finger style playing I have a hard time getting the high E and B strings to match the volume of the others. I want to pluck them harder and it throws the rhythm off. On the classical they even out quite well, which is the reason for looking at the Taylor nylon, and with the nut being smaller than a classical it may work better for me, closer to my electrics.
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January 18, 2020 at 3:15 pm #157733
I have a flamenco yamaha cedar ce141 it is nice but I don’t use it as often as I should.. think it is a fine guitar and recently put new classical martin nylons on it.. anyway I bought the hard shell separate.. all in total around 500usbills.. it’s not a bad idea learning a bit of basics flamenco style.. so yes get one that feels and play comfortably ,, this one is fine ..again , think wide necks are typical for them all
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January 19, 2020 at 12:49 pm #157800
I agree with what Richard said: You don’t really need fingernails to play fingerstyle. And Brian has pointed this out before also. If your fingernails are weak (like my wife’s) just start eating whey powder and they will grow faster and stronger. And some classical guitarists go to a nail tech (usually found in hair salons) to have their fingernails reinforced with a kind of plastic coating. Strangely enough, I have found that with nylon strings, you actually DO need fingernails, otherwise you just get a dull kind of “thunk, thunk” sound when you pick the strings. Steel strings, on the other hand, ring out pretty good just with the fleshy part of your fingertip.
Sunjamr Steve
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January 19, 2020 at 10:43 pm #157869
You should consider a guitar center and try them,, I bought my yamaha cf 141 nylon several years ago maybe ten years ago,, i wanted to try learning some flamenco .. I should start back into it lol..it’s an on and off thing you know! lol anyway, you don’t need fingernails,, they are nice to have especially for nylon strings,, you could research and depending on what genre you are interested in first.. you can use silk steel wound strings on a nylon classical guitar.. if you can ,I suggest you check out those electric godin models
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January 19, 2020 at 10:52 pm #157870
Thanks Gene and Richard, unfortunately there’s no store around that carries that model, so I’ve just been going by the reviews. I have a Taylor GS Mini and like it a lot, but on finger style playing I have a hard time getting the high E and B strings to match the volume of the others. I want to pluck them harder and it throws the rhythm off. On the classical they even out quite well, which is the reason for looking at the Taylor nylon, and with the nut being smaller than a classical it may work better for me, closer to my electrics.
don’t get 18 fret scale length ,, buy 20 for acoustic so you have two frets more above the 12th to the body .. do some research online try a reputable dealer for trial period.. honestly if I were thinking like you , I’d check out those Godin nylon electrics they do good i betcha with steel silk wounds too.. might even shop for used and save
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January 20, 2020 at 1:44 am #157872
I see it exactly like Richard. I only play fingerstyle and have short fingernails. At first the fingers of the right hand hurt a little, because I use my fingertips, which then gets better with time. A concert guitar will always have a width of about 47 mm on the saddle; that must be so. I took my time and at first only played fingerstyle when the fingertips were not irritated. Remember how your left hand fingers did in the beginning.
Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.
Wilfried
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January 20, 2020 at 6:22 am #157878
Thanks everyone for your input. Still not sure what I want to do. Maybe just tough it out with the GS Mini, fingerstyle is not something I do a lot but I just want to make it easier when I do. I have large fat fingers which makes the strings seem so close together, which is the reason for wanting a wider neck as with the nylon guitars…
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January 21, 2020 at 6:27 pm #157946
Bruce, always try acoustics before you buy, also check out like I mentioned.. electric acoustics are nice and silk wounds are easier from my experience and than reading reviews afterwards.. you should buy quality for fingerstyle if that’s your preference ..if you buy cheap you may have regrets.. especially why you try before buy
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January 21, 2020 at 7:27 pm #157949
Thanks John, there is not a lot of quality guitars to try around here but I may try some of the silk wounds….
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January 21, 2020 at 10:23 pm #157950
Hi Bruce
I’ve got 2 classical guitars.
One is a Japanese made “Zen-on” guitar. Its model is AG-6F Its an all wood guitar and sounds like an expensive made guitar.
This guitar is about 50 some years old. But if you find a Chinese made Zen-on guitar and can try it out, it might be a fine guitar. I’ll have a picture of here on this post.My other classical guitar is with the cut-a-way. It’s an Aria “A-35 CE” It is made in China. I’ll post a link here. https://ariaguitarsglobal.com/product/a-35ce/
I bought it new, but ordered it out of the catalogue at the music store. I think I paid about 300 USD with case.
Is it a nice guitar, well yes. Plays very easy and the neck it trim and slim. I actually did a challenge with it using a slide, so really the guitar is one you can experiment with.
Now, is it worth 300 USD, NO it is not, but for the cut-a-way types, it is in the ball park of prices. I couldn’t get a discount on it so maybe that is why I didn’t think it was worth it. But a good price would be about 225 to about 255 USD with case.
The electronics on it I found to be quite good at least on my Vox guitar amp.
I hope this helps you.
Make sure when you buy, the top is real wood and not laminated.Zen-on guitar
Aria A-35 CE guitar
The melody of the notes is what expresses the art of music . 🙂 6stringerPete
It really is all about ”melody”. The melody comes from a language from our heart. Our heart is the muscle in music harmony. The melody is the sweetness that it pumps into our musical thoughts on the fretboard. 🙂 6 stringer Pete
Pete
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January 22, 2020 at 5:53 am #157958
Thanks Pete, I’ll take a look at those….
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