Obviously, the acoustic guitar is the best guitar for a beginner to buy. The second factor to consider when buying is the type of strings. The acoustic guitar can be made of different type of strings where some are made of nylon while others are of steel. Here is what you need to know before you go to buy any type. We are giving you the pros and cons for each type to help you know the best type for you.
Nylon String Guitar
Pros
- A classical nylon string guitar is known to produce a gentle sound mostly perfect for jazz and Latin music. As a result of its soft strings, one can be able to play soft, mellow sound for romance.
- A nylon-string guitar also comes with the advantage of size. Unlike the steel guitar, it is made with a rather small body that is convenient while travelling.
- Playing a guitar especially if you are a beginner might be a serious experience especially when it comes to the fingertips. Holding the strings causes blisters and is also painful. This is because for beginners they have not yet developed strong fingertips to deal with the pain. Nylon strings are gentle and very soft preventing so much pain and blisters for beginners.
Cons
- It is not suitable for playing pop and rock music. For people willing to play rock music, youwill agree with me that it requires power and large volume. The nylon string guitar lacks this.
- The nylon strings require turning more often as compared to the steel string guitar. Once a steel string guitar is turned can last for a long time but for a nylon string guitar it is not possible. The nylon steel guitars are not heat resistant. As a result, they loosen more often and require tightening.
- For a nylon-string guitar it is difficult to reach the higher frets in the neck as compared to the steel string guitar. Irrespective of having a small body, its neck is much bigger.
Steel-String Guitar
Pros
- The steel string guitar is known for its energy, for rocking music it is the perfect option. This type of guitar produces louder and sharper volume as compared to the nylon-string guitar.
- It does not require regular turning. Once turned it can stay for a very long time before it is turned again. The steel strings are heat resistant. As a result, they do not loosen easily.
- The steel string guitar gives room for easy playing of the higher part of the neck. It is made of a long neck and much thinner which allows you to easily move along the neck to the higher frets.
Cons
- Steel strings have a problem when new. New steel strings will detune easily and frequently. This can be disturbing. However, this lasts for a short time.
- Unlike nylon strings, the steel string guitar is much more painful and can cause blisters. Playing the steel string guitar will require you to press down on the strings which is painful especially for beginners who have not developed strong fingertips.
- The steel-string guitar is made of a rather large body. This may become cumbersome. It may also discourage practice for beginners especially with small bodies.
Who Is It Built For?
The two types of guitar are mostly built differently to cater for the needs of different players. Here is what you need to know.
For the nylon guitar, it is built and designed mostly for beginners. It is made with simple features that are friendly to a beginner with little experience. However, it is also built for people with a liking of simple and mellow sounds. It is good for playing classical traditional music that does not require too much rocking and power.
Steel-string guitar on the other side is different. Its design is clear for people gaining experience in guitar. This is a guitar meant for playing loud and sharp music. It is a perfect option for people playing pop and rocking music. It is also built for beginners with huge bodies and are ready to move fast in learning guitar.
Final Verdict
Choosing the best type of guitar to buy will depend on you as a player. If you are a beginner with passion in playing guitar, I would advise you to take the nylon-string guitar. It will offer you a humble and nice experience as you learn. If you have any experience, the steel-string guitar will do better for you.
