Anyone play nylon guitar over a steel string?

I prefer finger picking on the nylon guitar with its wider fretboard and I also like the nylon sound. However, I like to sing with a steel string guitar; it makes me sound better and I have an easier time finding the correct pitch. If I must pick one, I'd go for the steel string, it is more versatile. But, I don't have to pick one so I own and enjoy both.
 
I have a Luna Guitar. I replaced the top three strings with nylon. Got some weird looks from some of the sales people at my request, but it works well for me . and I play it more.
 

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It is better to change nylon strings that was killed by metallic frets than to change metallic frets that was killed by steel strings...
 
There are many examples in pop music and other genres such as flamenco and other South American styles where synthetic string guitars are featured prominently. I sometimes meet with people for acoustic jams (Celtic music) where we have one guitar player who is classically trained and he brings his classic guitar.

I am not sure if the term nylon string guitar is still applicable as those guitars have used other materials long before they were used on ukulele, though I think many still prefer the good old nylon strings while advanced players rave about Aquila Rubio.
Here's a suggestion for ukuleles with small clearances between the A and G strings and the edge of the soundboard, like the ANueNue
AMM2 concert. I struggled with string "guttering"- that is the A and (especially low ) G sliding off of the fretboard during chording with
otherwise very nice ukulele. Finally a combination of a Hannebach or LaBella Flamenco "top 3" set and a low G Aquila Red solved the problem. The red Flamenco strings and the red Aquila also look cool on this reddish mahogany model.
Tensions are higher than most ukulele sets, be they nylon or fluorocarbon, which is why this works. A concert has inherently lower string tension than a tenor, or the guitars for which these strings are designed. On an instrument with a stout neck, like the AMM2, I don't think it'll be a problem. Hopefully the bridge will stay down. Even Worth or Fremont hard sets and wound Gs slid off the AMM2 fretboard. My '50s Martin tenor's narrow neck poses the same problem, but I'm not about to try the flamenco strings on it. Instead, I'll just have to work on more precise left hand finger placement with that vintage instrument.
 
I have a preference for classical guitars but also have steel-strings. To me, it's a matter of:
  • Does the instrument's tone fit the music?
  • Do you need more clarity to cut through other instruments being played?
This is Hapuna Sunset performed by Charles Michael Brotman on a classical guitar (nylon-strings). It was among the slack key guitar performances featured in "The Descendants". It's hard to get this kind of warmth from steel.



This is Liloa's Mele performed by the late Sonny Chillingworth on a steel stringed guitar. The brightness and clarity of the hammer-ons and pull-offs are made possible by the strings.

 
I really like the thin feel of steel strings, so my nylon string just sits in a closet, sulking. Uke strings feel thin enough for me to enjoy or I'd be one of those people looking for steel string uke. (although I do play a mini electric guitar tuned A-a, so maybe I am that guy)
What strings do you use on your mini electric?
 
Probably all the Willie Nelson you've ever heard has been played on "Trigger," his nylon strung guitar. I love the sound of it. And apparently, so does Willie and everyone else!
 
When I was a young dummy I thought nylon strings were just cheap strings because at school the class set of guitars all had nylon strings, and those guitars were the only guitars I'd ever encountered with non-steel strings, so I thought they were like "the plastic recorder" of strings. So when I bought my guitar I made sure I bought one with steel strings on it, as that criteria was like 100% of my pea-brained requirements for a quality instrument. I eventually realized I was wrong in my understanding of what nylon strings are and learned what a classical guitar is, etc. Now that I play ukulele, I understand that I would have much preferred nylons at the beginning.
 
Does anyone else prefer a nylon guitar ovar a steel string, and not use the nylon string guitar for classical music?

I use it, and love the sound way more than steel. But I never see anyone else using one unless they are only playing classical music.

I know it's ment to play classical, but I just like the sound of the strings more, and the size of the neck.

So does anyone here use nylon stringed guitars not for classical music? Or am I the only one?!
Well I play a guitalele tuned just like a guitar using Aquila red strings, and it seems really cool for old school blues and is working out pretty well to provide more bass notes for our band that has banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. We were just too tinny and twangy when I played a tenor uke. These uke type strings have such a cool sound in really addicted to. Also sounds great with bluegrass and even with a slide tuned to open E. I gave all my steel strings away since the uke craze, well except for the SG.
 
Steel string guitars are better for what I do, so, a lot depends on what you play, or in my case, the songs I write. I am playing songs that are lyrical in nature, not instrumental.

I have thought about buying a classical guitar with a thin neck, but, there are very few and I don't like 95 percent of those classical guitars that I have played. I am giving the one I have away to a friend that wants one, actually.

Steel string guitar necks are completely different and much more comfortable for me.

I do play all sorts of ukuleles, though, and I am very fond of baritones. I have concerts, sopranos, and baritones. At this point, I don't own any tenors, but that is destined to change. I have played a boatload of them, just never acquired one to call my own. I do like the higher string tension.
 
I play the same type of music (folk & originals) on my Romero D Ho 6 guilele with fleuro (?) carbon strings as i do on my steel string guitars. Since i keep it tuned a full step up from standard guitar tuning, it's pretty much like playing guitar capoed at 2nd fret, with a very sweet, soft sound. I can't say that i prefer it -- it's just different.
 
I have a preference for classical guitars but also have steel-strings. To me, it's a matter of:
  • Does the instrument's tone fit the music?
  • Do you need more clarity to cut through other instruments being played?
This is Hapuna Sunset performed by Charles Michael Brotman on a classical guitar (nylon-strings). It was among the slack key guitar performances featured in "The Descendants". It's hard to get this kind of warmth from steel.



This is Liloa's Mele performed by the late Sonny Chillingworth on a steel stringed guitar. The brightness and clarity of the hammer-ons and pull-offs are made possible by the strings.


When I moved to Oahu in 1978, Charles Brotman was the classical teacher at UH Manoa, training classical guitar performance majors. At that time he was into early music, and often performed and recorded on a Renaissance lute!
 
I have a preference for classical guitars but also have steel-strings. To me, it's a matter of:
  • Does the instrument's tone fit the music?
  • Do you need more clarity to cut through other instruments being played?
This is Hapuna Sunset performed by Charles Michael Brotman on a classical guitar (nylon-strings). It was among the slack key guitar performances featured in "The Descendants". It's hard to get this kind of warmth from steel.



This is Liloa's Mele performed by the late Sonny Chillingworth on a steel stringed guitar. The brightness and clarity of the hammer-ons and pull-offs are made possible by the strings.


Really nice examples. I love them both.
 
At that time he was into early music, and often performed and recorded on a Renaissance lute!
I am toying with an absolutely crazy idea of playing Renaissance lute music with a guitarlele.

Most 6-course Renaissance lute tablature can be played on a guitar tuned from EADGBE to EADF#BE and with a capo on the 3rd fret. This puts the guitar into GCFADG.

That same tuning could easily be achieved by an Islander Guitarlele (the GL6). No capo needed.

EDIT: BTW, nice YouTube channel you have there! :)
 
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I am toying with an absolutely crazy idea of playing Renaissance lute music with a guitarlele.

Most 6-course Renaissance lute tablature can be played on a guitar tuned from EADGBE to EADF#BE and with a capo on the 3rd fret. This puts the guitar into GCFADG.

That same tuning could easily be achieved by an Islander Guitarlele (the GL6). No capo needed.
Have you seen From Lute to Uke by Tony Mizen? Tab and notation for gcea uke. I like it a lot.
 
Have you seen From Lute to Uke by Tony Mizen? Tab and notation for gcea uke. I like it a lot.
Yes, I had seen it. The adaptations are rather good.

A lot is lost though by going from 6 courses to 4. I know that being an amateur lutenist with an 8-course lute.

But 6-course lutes were very common during the Renaissance and most tablature was written for these. Converting a guitarlele to lute tuning is an easy way to read and play directly from period works. It has the added bonus of having a body shape that's very comfortable to play.
 
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Yes, I had seen it. The adaptations are rather good.

A lot is lost though by going from 6 courses to 4. I know that being an amateur lutenist with an 8-course lute.

But 6-course lutes were very common during the Renaissance and most tablature was written for these. Converting a guitarlele to lute tuning is an easy way to read and play directly from period works. It has the added bonus of having a body shape that's very comfortable to play.
True. I’m trying to avoid a new obsession. I like to read tab. It’s actually the only scenario where I can see myself being semi successful with six courses. I just don’t want to go down that buying guitaleles road.
 
I started out playing an electric guitar for a few years and then gave up guitar. About 10 years later I started back with a steel string acoustic guitar and it hurt my l.h. fingers too much. Plus I had all sorts of hand and thumb pain on l.h. so I started looking for an instrument that I could play without pain. First I went to Baritone Ukulele and I love it and still play it every day. Then I started missing the 5th and 6th string so I tried short scale classical guitars but the combination of wider nut, longer scale, made it almost impossible to play a 6 string instrument. Then I found the Guitalele. First the Yamaha GL1 and now a Kmise Guitalele with a 20 inch scale. Now I have the perfect instrument. The smaller body size is comfortable. The strings are nylon and the sound is great. Only thing left is to purchase a quality made Guitalele, 20 inch scale some where down the road. I will never play steel strings again. They just do not have the warmth that nylon has. I do not play classical guitar.
 
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