Steel or Nylon guitar?

Question

Ok, so I'm obsessed with learning how to play the guitar (I preffer acoustic)... I'm a teenage girl that wants to play rock/pop/folk music... I want to learn first how to strum... then eventually how to pick...

so what type of string is better? nylon or steel?

Answer 1

It's easier to learn on nylon. It's easy on the fingers and more versatile.

The downside is that it is not as loud, and if you switch to steel strings you may not be as good for a while because your fingers won't be as strong.

Answer 2

Generally, steel strings are better. They last longer and produce a richer sound. If your just starting, I suggest nylon strings, because they are easier on your hands.

I had a great time learning to play the guitar. I hope you do, too! =D

Answer 3

Nylon strings are just too.... weak for me.  Definitely get steel strings, it will pay off when you start picking!

Answer 4

You should start with a steel string guitar.  Guitars with nylon strings are classical guitars and are used primarily for classical music, which is why you so rarely see a pop singer playing one.

Don't worry about your fingers; they will hurt a little for the first week or two whether you have steel or nylon strings and then that will go away forever.  You might want to consider using light gauge steel strings (or even extra light gauge) at first to make fretting easier.  Good luck.

Answer 5

me too, my first guitar arrives tuesday

Answer 6

A good number of teachers (in No.California) recommend nylon string guitars for beginner students for the following reasons:

1: Either (nylon strings or steel strings) type of acoustic guitar can play

ANY type of music However,nylon strings are much easier (less punishing) on the fingers as well as you start learning to use your fingers (not a pick )to play.

Many beginners with the steel-string like to start

right away with the use of a pick to avoid the "hardness" of the  steel strings and seldon move up to learn to use the "bare" fingers to play.

2: For those concern about "volume" many classical acoustic are built with an "electric plug"

that can be utilize to hook into an amplifiying unit.

3: Once you learn to "finger-play" you are ahead of

some players that started with a "pick" and have a

difficult time to play without a pick.

4: Right hand (if a right-handed)finger dexterity is

very important in playing the "melody" passages

(harmony that depends primarily on chords) of

any musical piece.

5: It is true that a nylon-string guitar brings out a more "mellower" sound

and  the steel-strings have a "brighter" (but tin-like") sound.

Both can be heard clearly in a standard living room environment without need of amplification.

In the final analysis is a matter of personal choice.

Most of my profesional guitar player friends have and play often both types of guitars.

They play the nylon-string when in a group of players and they are assigned the 1st guitar music part.

When they are playing harmony (back up) they seem to play more the steel-string instrument.

A note of interest: Every player I know that plays

classical guitar knows how to sight-read music while most other players that only play with a pick and steel-strings guitar use Tabs for playing.

Either way it is you that have to decide.

Try both instrument in the same piece of music (or strumm on both) and see which one you like.

Good Luck and Enjoy whatever guitar you choose.