Buying a new instrument is a critical step. A basic knowledge of the instrument will help you make a wise purchase, a purchase you can enjoy for years, perhaps even a lifetime. Walking into a shop without a basic understanding of the instrument is a formula for disappointment. There are three types of acoustic guitar - the classical guitar, the flamenco guitar and the steel string acoustic guitar (which comes in 6 or 12 string versions). It is possible for all of these to be fitted with pickups and be 'plugged in'. If this is the case they are referred to as electro-acoustic/electro-classical guitars. An electric guitar has a solid body and pickups.
The Parts of a Classical Guitar
The Classical Guitar
The classical guitar differs from its steel-string relatives in several significant ways:
Nylon strings (rather than steel). Nylon produces a round, mellow sound and is the preferred sound for classical, Latin and many pop/folk styles.Low string tension (75-90 pounds vs.150-200 pounds for steel-strings). Less string tension makes a classic guitar easier to play than a steel-string acoustic.
Wide fingerboard. The fingerboard, 50 mm at the nut, provides room for intricate finger picking. In contrast, the narrow fingerboard of a steel-string acoustic, 40 mm at the nut, is optimized for playing with a pick rather than finger picking.
Longer string length. The longer string length from saddle to nut (650 mm vs. 644 mm for steel-string acoustics) enhances the bass response and sustain.
Small, easy to hold body. The classical body is smaller than the steel-string acoustic guitar.
CAUTION: DO NOT PUT STEEL-STRINGS ON A CLASSICAL GUITAR. The high tension of steel-strings will severely damage the bridge and soundboard. A classical guitar should have three nylon strings and three bass strings made from nylon wrapped in brass wire.
Price Ranges
Most beginners are looking for an inexpensive guitar. Buyer beware: most guitars retailing for under $100 are disappointing junk. Don't throw your money away on a cheap toy, pay a little more and get a real guitar. Really cheap guitars have unacceptable compromises in design, materials and construction quality. Fortunately, there are many factory-made guitars costing from $150 to $300 that make perfectly fine student instruments.
Professional classical guitarists play instruments handcrafted by individual makers, e.g., Fleta, Hauser or Gilbert. Depending on the maker's reputation, these guitars cost $3,000 to $20,000. Guitars made by a specialized group of builders in a small shop cost from $1000 to $10,000 e.g., Ramírez, Hirade or Asturias. For most people these instruments are out of reach.
Recommended Classic Guitars
These models are excellent values in their respective price ranges. The Takamine, Hirade and Jasmine guitars carry lifetime warranties. The remainder carry one-year warranties.
Budget Quality • $100-299
Good Quality • $300-449
High Quality • $450-899
Premium Quality • $900-1600
Recommended Strings
D'Addario Pro Arté, EJ45 Normal or EJ46 Hard
D'Addario Pro Arté Composite, EJ45C Normal or EJ46C Hard (the best strings made!)
What you need to know when selecting a Classical Guitar
What are your goals?
Are you anticipating a serious hobby or majoring in music? If so, buy the best solid top guitar you can afford. An inexpensive guitar is a good choice if your goal is merely casual enjoyment. Do you need to be amplified for stage? If so, an electro-classical will afford maximize versatility. Before shopping, decide on a budget so the dealer can show you guitars in your price range.
At the shop
The best way to select a guitar is to examine and play several models in your price range one after the other. It is helpful to bring an experienced friend to help you judge the construction, playing ease, intonation and sound quality (a good salesmen should be able to play for you as well). Learn from opinions that differ from yours. However, individual musicians value different things so you must be the ultimate judge of your guitar-to-be.
Each guitar is unique in feel due to variations in neck thickness and shape. If the neck is comfortable, the guitar will be easier to play. The string height above the fingerboard--the action--also influences playing ease. The action may vary according to personal taste and playing style. High action is difficult to play but allows buzz-free high volume playing. Low action is easy to play but buzzes during aggressive playing. A compromise between the two is best for most players. Fortunately, the action can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you are a steel-string player, remember that classical action is higher than steel-string action due to nylon's lower tension.
Listen carefully to the timbre (tone colour) of the guitar. A balance between dark and bright is the most versatile. However, timbre preference is subject to taste and playing style. If your right hand technique is on the bright side, a dark sounding guitar will help balance your tone. If you play without nails, a brighter guitar will help bring out the upper frequencies.
Play single notes throughout the guitar's range and listen to how they sustain. Listen to the relationship of the bass notes to the treble. The bass should be firm with a long sustain. However, the treble notes must be able to stand out in relation to the bass so you can project the melody. Finally, have someone play the instrument so you can judge the projection.
What's the difference in sound between a $300 guitar and a $3000 one? Budget guitars are less resonate and have a smaller tonal and dynamic range than expensive guitars.
You normally get what you pay for. Budget guitars cost less because cheap materials and lesser workmanship are used to trim costs. Budget guitars should be playable but will have numerous finish defects, unpolished frets, messy glue joints, unsanded bracing and poorly adjusted action (a good dealer will adjust the action if needed). Premium quality guitars will have a near perfect fit and finish of all components. Even the interior bracing will be neatly glued and sanded smooth!
Before purchasing a guitar, especially a used or budget instrument, confirm that the tuning heads turn smoothly and allow reasonable pitch control. Fortunately, cheap or broken turning heads are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace.
Soundboard and bridge checks are essential when buying used instruments. The strings exert 75 to 90 pounds of stress on the bridge and soundboard of a classic guitar. After a few years--especially in hot, humid climates--structural damage may occur. Check that the soundboard is not warped, and that the bridge is not lifting off.
Construction
The woods used in the construction of musical instruments are called tone woods. The guitar's value and quality are strongly influenced by the manufacturer's choice of tone woods.
The soundboard
The soundboard is the most vital component because it vibrates to create the guitar's sonic personality. Soundboards in better guitars are made from solid spruce or cedar, soft woods that vibrate easily. As a solid wood soundboard is played over months, even years, it grows in beauty of tone and volume, i.e., it breaks in. Veneer soundboards are less resonate than solid wood and don't break in. However, veneer is considerably stronger than solid wood and thus makes a good choice for children or outdoor use. Moreover, a quality veneer top will sound better than a poorly made solid top. Nevertheless, design and construction quality being equal, solid wood sounds better than veneer.
Detail of a Cedar Top
Detail of a Spruce Top
The back and sides
The back and sides, constructed of hardwood, provide structural support for the soundboard and neck. They also form a resonating chamber; that is, they amplify the sounds from the strings and soundboard. Rosewood is traditionally used for backs and sides. Softer hardwoods such as nato, mahogany, walnut, koa and maple are excellent and less expensive alternatives to rosewood. Hardwood veneers are used in the back and sides of most guitars costing under $2000. Hardwood veneers have 95% of the musical properties of solid hardwood but are stronger, less prone to cracking and relatively inexpensive. Nevertheless, if you can afford it, a well designed and constructed solid wood guitar offers the ultimate tone.
Woods Used in the Back & Sides
Necks & Fingerboards
Necks are primarily constructed of mahogany, but other hardwoods such as maple or nato may be used. Fingerboards take a beating and thus are made from dense hardwoods such as ebony or rosewood. Ebony is preferred due to its durability and stiffness but is normally found in guitars costing over $1000, e.g., Hirade H5. Rosewood fingerboards are the norm in mid-priced instruments, e.g., Takamine C132S. Nato, veneer or soft woods are used in fingerboards of budget guitars.
The choice of tone woods exert a substantial influence on timbre (tone color). Cedar soundboards take several months to break in and sound relatively dark and robust. Moreover, they are more forgiving of sloppy right-hand technique than spruce. Spruce soundboards take several years to break in and offer more clarity than cedar, but less warmth.
The density of the hardwood used in the back and sides also influences timbre. Dense hardwoods, e.g., rosewood, produce the darkest timbre. Softer hardwoods, e.g., maple, koa, walnut or mahogany, have a brighter timbre.
The combination of tone woods also influences timbre. Spruce and cedar sound boards are traditionally coupled with rosewood back and sides, yielding a balanced timbre. A spruce soundboard and soft hardwood back and sides--e.g., maple or mahogany--yields the brightest sound. A cedar top and soft hardwood back and sides--e.g., koa or walnut--yields a full-bodied voice with a touch of crispiness.
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