[Tyler Bingham]

Maybe this question has already been asked but, what is the biggest differences between a rhythm guitar and a fingerpick/folk guitar? Just a wider nut or is there more to it? Is the dreadnaught body supposed to be for one style? Am I asking for an essay response? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[D-Dawn]

I thought you could play fingerstyle on any type of guitar

A steel stringed acoustic/western acoustic has steel strings (..lol..sorry) so I am assuming you mean this type when you say a rhythm guitar and a classical guitar has nylon strings. I am assuming you mean Classical this type for fingerstyle.
I think its all in what feels and sounds good to you!

[Justapicker]

Fingerpickers (including classical guitarists) tend to like a wider string spacing than flat pickers. Usually a 1 3/4" nut width on steel strings and 2" on a classical. While you can certainly play fingerstyle on a slimmer neck, the wider ones make playing cleanly easier.

Because fingerstyle tends to be a more "intimate" style, the smaller bodied guitars lend themselves nicely to it. They're also more comfortable to play for some of us. A dreadnaught works fine for fingerstyle too, and you can also strum the hell out of a smaller -bodied guitar. For playing rhythm in a band context a larger, dread or jumbo, body gives you the volume you want.

The major exception or rule would be that if you want to play with serious bluegrass people you must play a Martin Dreadnaught! That's only because they're snobs...

[allthumbs]

Dreads also tend to have higher strings than folks to give the strings more room to move when they are getting hammered by a pick. Fingerstyle has strings that are closer for ease of picking individual notes. Folk guitars tend not to have pickguards either for obvious reasons.

[Hey]

The only real big difference is the sizes of stings. Fingerstylelist(or just pickers...) tend to use light gage, for action. Rythm guitarist tend to use median gage, to get a "fuller" sound. And last, bottle neck guitarist(or slide, but I perfer bottleneck ) tend to use heavy gage for that "heavy delta" sound.

[allthumbs]

Originally Posted by Hey

The only real big difference is the sizes of stings. Fingerstylelist(or just pickers...) tend to use light gage, for action. Rythm guitarist tend to use median gage, to get a "fuller" sound. And last, bottle neck guitarist(or slide, but I perfer bottleneck ) tend to use heavy gage for that "heavy delta" sound.

With respect Hey. There is a bit more difference between a dread and a folk than just string gauge. The dread is a big guitar. It is meant to be played standing up. The big body gives it more volume and a deep bottom end which is what one wants in a gigging rhythm guitar. It takes a fine touch to adjust them so the strings are low enough to be good finger picking guitars without getting string buzz. Their strength is strumming.
Folks and parlors are much smaller and the focus is on a more balanced tone, a brighter top end. They are designed to have low action for speed and ease of fingering. They are not designed to be strummed like a dread.
String gauge is more about tone than guitar type. The heavier the string, the more tone. I do have heavy strings on one slide guitar for the tone but, I can also and have played slide using 11s on a semi jazz guitar. I tend to play 12s or 13s on my electrics and 13s on my acoustics. Players tend to pick strings for what they want to do and tone.

I was talking to some friends yesterday about strings and we agreed that once your comfortable with your guitars, they will tell you what strings they want. My Alleykat wants 11s. Not my first choice but, that is just what works for it. I have 8 guitars and am happy to say that I have never touched a 9 or 10 gauge string in 30 years of guitar noodling. Guitars and strings are tools. You need the right ones to do the best job.

[Hey]

You know what allthumbs, I do not know why, but it never seemed to click for me that a bigger guitar has a louder and heavyer sound then a smaller one. I always knew it was so with wind insterments, drums, etc. but it never clicked for me with gutiars. That is going to make a huge difference for me once I start buying more guitars. I feel very stupid now. But thanks for makeing my brain makeing that connection.