What’s the difference between nylon and steel strings?

Guitars with nylon strings are usually called Classical guitars and though they used to be confined to playing classical music, they are now used by guitarists across the musical spectrum. In general, they have smaller bodies and are constructed more lightly than guitars designed for steel strings, which gives them a distinctive sound. Typically they have wider necks and flat fingerboards. Nylon string guitars are great for beginners because they require less effort to play and the wider neck allows more room when squeezing fingers together to make chords. Guitars with wider necks can also be a good solution for adults with larger fingers.

Steel string guitars are louder but are more difficult to play. They have narrower necks and fingerboards that are slightly curved, making some chords easier to play. Steel string acoustic guitars are definitely the favorite of contemporary singer/song-writers.