EmptinesOf Youth Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 i know theres been alot lately but i was curious as to what the big difference between a standard dreadnought/cutaway compared to a classical acoustic...? thanks ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Aaaaahhh... A whole lot of difference! A classical guitar (and its cousin, the flamenco guitar) is intended to be strung with nylon or gut strings (though there are some unusual hybrid string-sets for "classical" guitars using other materials and designs out there). The "basses"- the low-strings- are generally wound on the outside with metal. These have considerably less tension than the steel strings usually used on "flat-top" dreadnought acoustic guitars, etc. Classical and flamenco guitars are usuall much more lightly built to be responsive to these lower tension strings; steel-string sets would probably damage them! Likewise, most "flat-tops" are much more heavy-duty in construction and design, and a set of classical or flamenco strings would not get much of a good tone or volume out of one, and the neck would probably back-bow! Also, in part due to tradition, and to suit the fingerstyle technique, classical and flamenco guitars generally have very flat fretboards, where most flat-top steel-string guitars will have a notable curve (the "radius") to the fretboard. The flatter plane described by the strings over the body presents a better playing position for fingerstyle. Classical and flamenco guitars generally have wider necks- especially at the nut- than steel-string flat-tops. This provides wider-spaced strings, easier for classical and flamenco fingerstyle and fingering techniques. Classical and flamenco guitars usually have a "fan" pattern in their internal bracing; steel-string flat-tops generally employ the now famous "X"-bracing pattern asociated most with Martin guitars. Steel-string flat-tops? For the most part, think the West, America, the late 19th and 20th centuries. Classical and flamenco guitars? Think Spain, the 18th and 19th and early 20th centuries, the Iberian Peninsula, the Moorish legacy of influence... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funk Jazz Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 huh? you mean besides the nylon & steel string difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 FunkJazz- I knew you'd pop up on this thread here soon! I kinda expected that you'd have more to say, though... By the way, I LOVE that smokin' bunny avatar of yours! Too funny, sooo wrong! Whu'izzitt?? http://www.posterpop.com/images/merchandise/thumbs/tkz12.gif He needs a shave, too! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted June 6, 2004 Author Share Posted June 6, 2004 the main reason im getting an acoustic is for fingerpicking...im getting sick of doin it on my electric cause i use a really high gauge now and the sound and feel of an acoustic you just can beat...so what would yall suggest? thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revorhythm Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 a dread will have a lot deeper tone to it than a classical. that will be a huge difference hot girls, fast cars, and even louder guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalhair Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Well Caevan really nailed it. But since you ask (or I thought you asked in your follow up) which to get, you really should listen to as many as you can. Nylon and Steel sound so different. Nylon is also really nice of Bossa Nova type stuff. I ignored my steel string acoustic for a long time, but I'm lately giving it equal time, and for playing with other people I'm leaning towards using it almost exclusively. But the classical stuff always sounds so much better on nylon strings. check out some comedy I've done: http://louhasspoken.tumblr.com/ My Unitarian Jihad Name: Brother Broadsword of Enlightened Compassion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Goest ye out and try thee a numbre o' bothe steele-stringed flatte-topped and gutt-strung classicle luthiery, and seest thou what workest for thee beste, Lord EmptinessOFYouth! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batterypowered Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 I think it's a mistake to assume that steel string dreadnoughts have much deeper tone than a classical/nylon-stringer. I've never liked dreadnoughts, and I have played a number of them. I think that they're hideously shaped, for one, and that most of them have sounded really thin and metallic. Of course they're going to sound metallic with steel strings, but I mean in a bad way. I have loved some steel-string acoustic guitars, don't get me wrong, but they were mostly 000 shape Martins and parlour guitars, oh, and my wacky kidney-bean-ish shaped Gianinni. I think a lot of people assume nylon strings will sound thinner because the majority of nylon string guitars we see are beginner guitars. Look at the shop next time, and see how many really good quality nylons there are compared to steel-strings. It's slim pickins, let me tell you. I have to say, though, that I sat down with a $1500 classical the other day, and it was loud and clear and beautiful. It had super-deep and full lows, clear highs, and incredible harmonics. The neck wasn't incredibly wide on it, either, just a smidgen wider than what I'm used to. It was one of those guitars that you sit down with and it just pulls the good playing out of you. Great, great, instrument. ...Too bad I can't remember what it was. I think a Takamine, but don't quote me on that. Now, I will say, that most classical necks bother me. I don't dig a 2" fretboard at the nut. I grew up playing a nylon folk guitar that's probably 1-5/8, 1-3/4", max. It's incredibly comfortable, but unfortunately, most manufacturers don't make nylon string guitars with thinner necks. There doesn't seem to be much demand for it. Oh, and one thing I forgot to add, that Caevan didn't mention is this: Nylon strings, partly due to their lower tension, and partly just because they're made of nylon, have a much more percussive sound to them, and more punch. It's one of the things I miss when I play steel strings, is that attack. twoblock.net batterypowered.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 batterypowered- y'mean that cool, "plunk-kerplunk" attack? Especially when played fingerstyle? Yeah, I shoulda mentioned that! I don't have a classical stylee of my own... but I'd like to, someday. Alvarez Yairi made a beautiful classical model that was in many ways the counterpart of my Yairi steel-string; both have Western red-cedar tops, heavily figured burled-mahogany sides and backs, ebony fretboards and bridge-plates, and fauxe tortoise-shell details in binding, etc. Beautiful looks, beautiful tone! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Emptyness of Youth, you need to have someone walk you through the differences on recordings. That will tell you a lot about the sonic differences between these instruments. Not just on classical recordings or classical guitars. There are plenty of pop music examples of classical guitar. But if you want to play Lindsey Buckingham, James Taylor, etc, be aware the same fingerpicking will sound v-e-r-y different on nylon strings. I learned to play on a jumbo classical and believe me, when I finally bought a steel string, a cheap one at that, it still sounded much better to me on some material than the high grade classical I had been playing. I still like playing other material on the classical, though. Just for example, the main guitar on Clapton's Tears In Heaven is a nylon string, classical guitar. Of course, go play a few at some MI retailers. That will be the best way to hear and feel the differences between steel and nylon string acoustics. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Whoops! Almost forgot to mention. Willie Nelson's favorite guitar.. the one with the hole in the top is a nylon string, classical guitar. If you can find a copy of Willie and Johnny Cash's VH-1 Storytellers episode, there is a point where Willie breaks a string and Johnny offers his steel string acoustic. That's a great way to hear just the guitar, in the hands of a wonderful player switching between nylon and steel strings. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted June 7, 2004 Author Share Posted June 7, 2004 k...thanks so much for all the help everyone...i am eventually gonna head down to the local music store and try out the two but they have really wierd hours so its hard to get to them when there open. At this point i think im leaning away from the classical style mainly because of the wider fretboard and the nylon strings. It sucks cause i dont have as much money as i wish i did to spend on a nice high end one, but i think just having one will make me happy...thanks again ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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