The kind of guitars that most people in the U. S. played back in the late part of the 19th and early 20th century were steel-string guitars. Most of them, especially in the Southern Appalachians and the South in general were $3.98 "Silvertone" guitars purchased from the Sears & Roebuck catalog. One of the things that steel strings had over gut was they were durable. They weren't breaking all the time, and they were of more consistent quality. Gut strings were made from sheep's intestines. They were often inconsistent in guage and they fret-cut easily. They broke frequently.

Even some of the classic-type guitars from Mexico that made it into the Southwestern U. S. were strung with steel strings. Again, steel strings were durable. Gut strings just didn't last very long.

Segovia and other classical guitarists changed strings before every concert and hoped that he could get through it without one or more breaking. But the advent of nylon strings in 1947 changed all that.

People such as the early blues singers could not afford to be buying strings constantly.

Serious note, Henry:   don't try to argue with me about the history of the the guitar. This is something I'm rather an authority on.

Don Firth

P. S. By the way, Lead Belly played a 12-string, all steel, that he got used for $15.00. A Stella. You can buy a Stella 12-string nowadays just like the one Lead Belly played, but it will set you back $3,000.

Also--early banjos, which were often home-made, were strung with usually steel wire. Same problem. Durability.