Rhythm playing is a *sound*, and I suspect that getting it is less about the guitar than the right-hand technique required to produce the characteristic chunk.** And the attack/decay envelope of nylon strings is going to be quite different steel and require its own right-hand technique. That said, I'd expect that a flamenco model might be easier to get the chunk and bite of GJ than, say, a concert-grade classical. (I have one of each, and there's a distinct difference.)
Before I got an archtop and had to finally wrangle the flatpick, I was exclusively a fingerpicker and played swing rhythm on my flat-tops with the backs of my nails of my index and middle and ring fingers--a bit rasgueado-like. Combined with left-hand damping, it produced a decent swing-rhythm chop. If I were on my flamenco guitar and didn't want to use a pick, I'd revert to that approach. (In my heart I'm still a fingerpicker.)
** This video addresses right-hand technique for nylon strings. The nylon sound isn't quite the same as, say, a Dunn, but I think the technical approach is what's needed to approximate a traditional GJ sound.
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Sebastien Giniaux seems to mostly (mostly sometimes) play a nylon string.
I never understand what it's doing for him but he's one of the best of the best.
Rhythm playing is a *sound*, and I suspect that getting it is less about the guitar than the right-hand technique required to produce the characteristic chunk.** And the attack/decay envelope of nylon strings is going to be quite different steel and require its own right-hand technique. That said, I'd expect that a flamenco model might be easier to get the chunk and bite of GJ than, say, a concert-grade classical. (I have one of each, and there's a distinct difference.)
Before I got an archtop and had to finally wrangle the flatpick, I was exclusively a fingerpicker and played swing rhythm on my flat-tops with the backs of my nails of my index and middle and ring fingers--a bit rasgueado-like. Combined with left-hand damping, it produced a decent swing-rhythm chop. If I were on my flamenco guitar and didn't want to use a pick, I'd revert to that approach. (In my heart I'm still a fingerpicker.)
** This video addresses right-hand technique for nylon strings. The nylon sound isn't quite the same as, say, a Dunn, but I think the technical approach is what's needed to approximate a traditional GJ sound.
This guy needs to slow down.