Playing fingerstyle on one of these nylon string guitars is an excellent choice.
Are you wondering what the best nylon string guitar is for fingerpicking?
Although fingerstyle guitar players often play on a steel string guitar, there are compelling reasons why you might want to own a nylon string.
Modern guitarists like Tim Henson from Polyphia and fingerstyle phenomenon Gabriella Quevedo are known to bust out the nylon crossover from time to time.
So let's look at adding a snazzy nylon string guitar to your selection of steel axes.
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What's The Best Nylon String Guitar For Fingerstyle?
Here's my pick of the 7 best nylon string guitars, ranked according to your budget and playing needs.
- Best guitar for beginners: Ibanez GA6CE
- Best introductory guitar closest to traditional classical: H. Jimenez El Maestro
- Best nylon closest to steel string: Yamaha NTX1
- Best crossover style overall with modern improvements: Takamine GC3CE
- Best for Spanish-sounding music: Córdoba GK
- Best high-end Yamaha for performers: Yamaha NCX3
- Best high-end nylon string guitar: Taylor 314ceN
Before we dive into the specs of each of these models, a quick word about nylon guitars in the world of fingerstyle.
What Are The Types Of Nylon String Guitar?
Don't be tempted to call every nylon string guitar a classical guitar. Crossover guitars use the internal bracing structure and body shape of an acoustic steel string guitar. A crossover guitar may have a slightly shorter scale than a classical guitar, which is the distance between the nut and the body of the guitar.
Crossover guitars also have a thinner body and usually feature some sort of pickup system, making electro-acoustic instruments common. Crossover guitars also have a truss rod, which are extremely rare on classical guitars. My classical guitar professor had a very low opinion of classical guitars with truss rods.
There are also flamenco guitars, which are very similar in outward appearance to a classical guitar. In the case of a flamenco guitar, which is traditionally constructed from cypress wood instead of spruce, the headstock is distinguishable from a classical guitar by its friction pegs instead of machine heads.
Let's now look at 7 awesome nylon string guitars you can add to your collection right now.
Ibanez GA6CE
The GA6CE from Japanese manufacturer Ibanez is a versatile hybrid that excels as a classical, acoustic, and electric guitar, making it an ideal choice for beginners exploring finger picking. Its comfortable neck make it ideal as a practice or a performance instrument, and the sound, while lacking in some dynamic range when unplugged, is more than adequate when captured by its undersaddle pickup.
- Top: Spruce (laminate, not solid)
- Back & Sides: Sapele
- Made in China and Indonesia
Featuring a natural high gloss finish, purpleheart fretboard and Ivorex II™ saddle, the GA6CE also boasts a AEQ-2T preamp with 2-band EQ that allows for bass and treble adjustment.
H. Jiminez El Maestro
Designed with a scale length of 25.5" and topped with a high quality rosewood fingerboard, the H. Jimenez El Maestro is a beautifully crafted guitar that brings traditional classical tones to beginners. Layo Jimenez, the man behind the design is familiar with the need to have your sound heard in a public setting, as he grew up hearing musicians from Mexico perform every weekend.
- Top: Spruce (laminate wood, not solid)
- Back & Sides: Mahogany
- Made Overseas
The rosewood fingerboard and gold tuning machines with pearloid buttons are a nice touch. This guitar delivers a warm, resonant sound at a decent price, making it a solid introductory classical guitar.
Yamaha NTX1
Boasting a unique headstock shape, a distinct "smiling bridge" design and a beautiful abalone sound hole, the Yamaha NTX1 is a mid-range nylon-string guitar with modern touches, perfect for contemporary styles. Featuring a thinner neck joint than a traditional classical, as well as a thinner body than the NCX line from Yahama, the NTX1 offers a more familiar experience to steel string players.
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Back & Sides: Nato
- Made in China
With a superb sound owing to the versatile A.R.T. (Acoustic Resonance Transducer) pickup system, the NTX1 is ready for the stage. The action may be a little high for electric guitarists, but its amplified performance and strap buttons make it stage-ready.
Takamine GC3CE
Hailing from Sakashita, a small town in central Japan, the GC3CE from Takamine is my top pick for its blend of modern improvements and traditional construction. Offering a rich, resonant sound owing to its fan-braced interior and solid spruce top, the GC3 from the "G" series offers the best of both worlds, perfect for finger picking and crossover styles.
- Top made from Solid Cedar
- Back & Sides: Mahogany
- Crafted in Japan
Guitarists of all skill levels will appreciate the comfortable, asymmetrical mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. The TP-4T preamp with three-band EQ also features a built-in tuner, making it a standout choice for performers and students alike.
Córdoba GK
Córdoba Guitars (which now belongs to Yamaha) is on a mission to bring nylon string guitars to a wider community, and the GK Studio Flamenco is a stellar example. Clearly designed for playing traditional Spanish music, such as the song Flaming by Sungha Jung, the GK Studio delivers incredible sound both plugged in and unplugged.
- Top made from Solid European Spruce
- Back & Sides made of Cypress
- Made in China
With a thinner body and neck than a traditional flamenco guitar, the GK Studio features a Fishman Presys Blend preamp for excellent amplified sound, and a soft cutaway shape for ease of playing in the upper register.
Yamaha NCX3
Featuring the same bracing design as used on the top-of-the-line handcrafted GC Series, the Yamaha NCX3 is a performer’s dream, offering superior amplified sound through the proprietary ARE pickup system. Shipping with a practical foam case, the NCX3 is a guitar built for all occasions, supremely crafted from Rosewood, a tropical wood sought out for high-end guitars.
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Back & Sides: Solid Rosewood
- Made in Indonesia
With an ebony fingerboard and solid mahogany neck, as well as the plug&play simplicity of the electronics ensure that the NCX3 will appeal to both beginners and experienced gigging guitarists.
Taylor 314ce-N
The Taylor 314ce-N is the pinnacle of high-end nylon-string guitars, offering a comfortable neck and exceptional sound for fingerstyle players in both performance and practice settings. This Grand Auditorium guitar features a neck profile that will surprise those with experience playing traditional classic guitars.
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Back & Sides: Sapele
- Made in USA
With a 1-1/8” neck width, this Grand Auditorium guitar balances comfort and string spacing perfectly. Its amplified sound is pristine, though it lacks the beveled body of Taylor’s Academy series.
Why Use A Nylon String to Play Fingerstyle Guitar?
Nylon guitars are designed specifically for a brighter tone than classical guitar. As well, classical guitarists rarely sing and play at the same time, whereas this is common in fingerstyle or even flamenco music. You can explore more differences in the sound of both instruments right here.
