Classical vs Acoustic Guitar

[Depth_Charge]

Despite all my attempts to steer her towards bass or drums, my 11yo daughter qualified for, and is starting classical guitar lessons at school.

Consequently, I'm in the market for a classical guitar with nylon strings. The school sent us a newsletter advising us NOT to get an acoustic guitar, but didn't stipulate the difference between the two.

So, whats the difference between a classical guitar and an acoustic guitar?

Thanks,

D_C

[Melik]

I think they're talking about a steel string acoustic guitar

[T-Bird]

Hi.

A Classical nylon string guitar and a "normal" steel string ACG are light years apart when it comes down to technique on both hands.

The construction differences are also drastic, so I'd stick to their suggestion.

Think of it as standard tuned 6 string bass and a 6 string guitar. You can play both the same way if you need to, but when the more suited technique is used, you'll get the most of the instrument.

The downside of buying a classical guitar is obviously that they tend to be rather expensive compared with their steel string cousins.

Regards
Sam

[JtheJazzMan]

Is she studying with an actual classical guitarist?

I wouldnt rush to buy just so she has something for the first lesson.

Classical guitars do start at cheap prices even by AU standards, but they are crap. So be wary of your typical guitar shop assistant and their knowledge.

The differences are more to do with the size and features like a cutaway to reach the upper frets.

Some adult players still use very small bodied classical guitars.

Asking the teacher for help would be the best option.

[Buzzi]

Originally Posted by JtheJazzMan

Asking the teacher for help would be the best option.

+1

I started my "real" music study with a classic guitar.

Student models tend to be very cheap. They usually don't even have thusrod (don't know how to spell). But you really won't need it for a while.

Mine is still very playable for a cheap guitar bought in 1996.

Don't know how much you are willing to spend, but try Yamaha:C Series or CGS Series

[Joe Nerve]

The simplest and most obvious difference is that a classical guitar is nylon string, an acoustic, steel. I'm pretty certain the string spacing is also a bit wider on a classical, and they have scroll like tuners as opposed to the typical machine heads. Classical guitar is much warmer sounding, and a whole lot easier on the fingers than a steel string.

[edmidlifecrisis]

Nut width is more like 1 7/8 vs regular steel string acoustic which are either 1 11/16 or closer to 1 3/4. The neck feels wider too, strings are farther apart.

We have a La Patrie classical guitar. Made by same people that make Seagull and Godin guitars, a Canadian company. Very good value, not too expensive. I like it better than any of the other sub $500 brands I've tried from the major manufacturers. She might need a less-than-full sized model, though. Good luck, she will like it.

BTW that old, beat to crap guitar Willie Nelson plays is a classical nylon-string!!!

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

The simplest and most obvious difference is that a classical guitar is nylon string, an acoustic, steel. I'm pretty certain the string spacing is also a bit wider on a classical, and they have scroll like tuners as opposed to the typical machine heads. Classical guitar is much warmer sounding, and a whole lot easier on the fingers than a steel string.

^ This

[JTE]

Classical guitars as opposed to most steel-string guitars have:

A. Nylon strings (plain nylon on the first three, nylon thread with wire wrap on the three basses). That means they also have rather large barrels for the tuning machines, often made of plastic on less expensive ones. Because nylon strings have a lot less tension than steel strings, a classical guitar is much more lightly braced. The nylon strings attach to the bridge by threading through and being tied on (it's much easier than it would appear to be after you get the hang of it, but it can be intimidating at first). All of this means that if you put steel strings on a classical it'll probably destroy the guitar. If you put nylon strings on a steel string guitar it won't have either much volume or tone, assuming you can even get the strings wound on the tuners and attached at the bridge.

B. 12 frets clear of the body while most steel-strings are 14 frets clear. It does affect the visual perception of where you are on the neck, and it's important because most classical guitars don't have many position markers.

C. Flat fingerboards instead of radiused boards. They classical technique relies on the right hand fingers being independent and having a precise angle of attack. The classic has a very flat fingerboard, even flatter than a shred-monster Ibanez guitar. The fingerboard is also much wider than most steel-string guitars to facilitate the techniques.

John

[walker rosewood]

Most classicals, even high end don't have a truss rod because they don't need one. The tension of the nylon strings is not high enough to pull the neck. Hence why you don't want to put steel strings on it.

There are classicals with cutaways, although the low end ones usually don't.

IME cheap classical guitars sound worse then cheap steel string guitars. It also takes a lot more cash to get a decent classical then a decent steel string. The price to quality ratio is much steeper.

Being a girl and only 11, your daughter probably has small hands. You might need to start her on a 3/4 size guitar. See what the teacher thinks.

Aside from the already mentioned physical differences, "classical guitar" is generally considered a real concert instrument, like violin or piano, etc. Whereas steel string guitar leans more towards pop or folk music. In other words a recital might include pieces by Bach, Villa-Lobos, or Phillip Houghton (for the Aussies!) and not your favorite Dave Matthews or Pink Floyd riff.

[sobie18]

Ibanez GA5 is a nice entry model and not too expensive, either.