Nested Set Model vs Materialized Path in MySQL

Question

Just getting started on my first big(ish) project using mysql with quite a limited amount of technical knowledge. I'm faced with what seems to be the very common question of how to represent my tree hierarchy. I've been through Google quite extensively and have started to draw out the project using the Nested Set Model, but between the left and right columns will have at least 1000 values. Before I get too deep into it, I wanted to get a basic understanding of what someone more experienced might recommend.

My project involves 4 levels of nodes which will be used in a search function to narrow down product manufacturers. Each level has several options. One path might be:

• SPECIFICATION GROUP (parent)
  • FACILITY CONSTRUCTION (1 of 5 options)
    • CONCRETE (1 of 20 options)
      • PRE-CAST CONCRETE (1 of 10 options)
        • retrieved list of manufacturers who fit the criteria

Once all the nodes are added to the database, I don't foresee them changing for at least a few years (they come from a master document which is an industry standard). The list of manufacturers will be (hopefully) frequently added to.

Any help getting started down the right road would be really appreciated, as well as links to relevant material.

Thanks!