The main difference between classical and acoustic guitars is their string type. Classical guitars use nylon strings, producing a warm, mellow tone ideal for classical and flamenco music. Acoustic guitars use steel strings and produce a brighter, louder sound, making acoustic guitars versatile across various genres. Classical guitars have wider necks, while acoustic guitars have narrower necks. Both acoustic and classical guitars are good for beginners but each guitar is designed for different playing styles and techniques.
For beginners, the nylon strings on a classical guitar are easier to press down, while acoustic guitar steel strings require more finger strength but project sound better. Classical guitarists typically use fingerstyle techniques, plucking individual strings with their fingertips. Acoustic guitarists frequently use a pick, strumming chords or picking individual notes.
To choose between a classical and acoustic guitar, beginners should consider their musical preferences and desired playing style. Classical guitars are suited for classical and flamenco music and fingerstyle playing, while acoustic guitars offer more versatility for genres like rock and pop. The best guitar for a beginner is a guitar that will motivate them to learn and practice the most.
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What is a classical guitar?
A classical guitar, also called nylon string acoustic guitar, is a type of acoustic guitar with 6 strings that produces sound through the vibrations of its nylon strings. These vibrations are amplified by the guitar’s hollow body, creating the instrument’s characteristic sound. Unlike steel-string acoustic guitars, classical guitars use nylon strings, which results in a warmer and mellower tone. The classical guitar is also sometimes called the Spanish guitar. This is because the classical guitar is often used in Spanish, classical, and flamenco music.
The classical guitar originated from the baroque guitar, a popular instrument in 17th and 18th-century Europe. The early classical guitar designs first appeared in the 19th century as the works of Spanish luthier Antonio de Torres. Torres’s innovations in guitar construction, including his fan bracing system, greatly influenced the sound and design of the modern classical guitar.
Classical guitars are traditionally crafted with nylon strings, cedar or spruce tops, and rosewood or mahogany bodies. The classical guitar produces a distinctively warm, mellow, rich, and balanced sound. The nylon strings contribute to the softer attack and warmer tone, while the choice of woods for the top and body further shapes the tone of the guitar.
Guitar players typically prefer the classical guitar for fingerstyle techniques, where the player plucks individual strings with their fingertips, rather than using a pick. The fingerstyle techniques demand careful hand positioning and nail care. Proper nail length and shape are crucial for producing clear notes and controlling dynamics because the nails and fingertips directly strike the strings. Fingernail length of about 0.04″-0.08″ (1-2 mm) beyond the fingertip is optimal for the fingerstyle techniques on a classical guitar.
Classical guitars also come in the form of flamenco guitars, with only slight differences. The difference between flamenco guitar and classical guitar is in their construction, as flamenco guitars are designed to withstand the percussive style of playing often used in flamenco music. Flamenco guitars typically have a slightly different bracing pattern, a thinner top, and a tap plate to protect the body from tapping.
What is an acoustic guitar?
An acoustic guitar is any guitar that produces sound acoustically, without the need for external amplification. However, in common usage, the term “acoustic guitar” often refers specifically to steel-string acoustic guitars. Steel string acoustic guitar is a type of guitar that generates sound through the vibrations of its 6 steel strings, which are amplified by a hollow body.
The steel-string acoustic guitar evolved from the classical guitar as musical tastes shifted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The demand for a louder and brighter sound in developing genres like blues and folk spurred innovations in guitar construction, leading to the use of steel strings in acoustic guitars. The first steel-string acoustic guitar was developed by a German-American luthier Christian Friedrich “C.F.” Martin Sr. in the early to mid-19th century. Martin developed a new guitar design that incorporated steel strings, which allowed for a louder and brighter sound compared to the traditional gut and nylon strings used in classical guitars.
Steel-string acoustic guitars are characterized by their use of steel strings. To withstand the increased tension of steel strings, steel string acoustic guitars incorporate robust internal bracing patterns, often using “X-bracing” or variations like “A-bracing” or “ladder bracing.” Bracing not only provides structural support but also significantly influences the guitar’s volume, projection, and attack.
When constructing steel string acoustic guitars, the guitar makers carefully select a variety of tonewoods for their specific sound properties. While spruce and cedar are popular choices for the soundboard, backs and sides commonly feature mahogany, rosewood, or maple. The neck is typically constructed from hardwoods like mahogany or maple for their strength and stability.
Steel-string acoustics come in various body sizes and shapes, each with a slightly different sound, and tone. The large-bodied Dreadnought is known for its powerful projection and booming bass. The smaller Concert and Auditorium models offer a more balanced sound, often favored for fingerstyle playing and intricate melodies. Other popular shapes include the rounded Jumbo, prized for its volume and full-bodied tone, and the compact Parlor, known for its warm, focused sound.
The steel-string acoustic guitar is versatile and popular in numerous musical genres like pop, rock, blues, and country. For a beginner, strumming is the most important technique for acoustic guitar because it allows players to create a rich, full sound that drives the rhythm and supports melodies.
What are the differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar for beginners?
The differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar for beginners include differences in strings, playing technique, and sound.
Classical guitars use nylon strings. Nylon strings are softer on the fingers and produce a warm, mellow tone. In contrast, acoustic guitars use steel strings. Steel strings feel tougher on the fingers initially but produce a brighter, louder sound. The choice of strings also influences the playing techniques that are typical for each guitar type.
Classical guitars are primarily played using fingerstyle techniques, plucking individual strings with fingers rather than using a pick for flatpicking. This focus on fingerstyle encourages precise finger control and articulation, essential skills for classical and flamenco music. While fingerstyle is possible on an acoustic guitar, acoustic guitars are often strummed with a pick, creating a fuller, more percussive sound suitable for a wider range of genres.
Although both the steel string acoustic guitar and classical guitar produce sound acoustically, their volume and projection differ. Acoustic guitars, with their steel strings and often larger bodies, are noticeably louder and project sound further than classical guitars with their nylon strings.
1. Sound differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar
The differences in sound between classical and acoustic guitars include tone, sustain, volume, projection, and suitability for different genres. While both guitar types are acoustic instruments, the choice of strings and materials results in 2 different sound profiles.
Tone: Tone describes the overall quality and character of a guitar’s sound, such as whether it is bright or mellow, warm or clear. Classical guitars have a warm, mellow, and resonant tone. Nylon strings produce a smooth, balanced sound that emphasizes clarity. Acoustic guitars, with their steel strings, have a brighter, louder, and more percussive tone. This difference in tone is primarily due to the differences in strings and tonewoods used during the construction of the guitars. Classical guitars often feature cedar or spruce tops and rosewood or mahogany bodies, while acoustic guitars commonly use spruce tops with rosewood or mahogany back and sides. The combination of nylon strings and specific tonewoods gives classical guitars their characteristic warmth. On the other hand, the steel strings and wood choices of acoustic guitars contribute to their brighter, more resonant sound.
Sustain: Sustain refers to how long a plucked note continues to resonate, determining the length of time a note can be heard. Acoustic guitars generally have better sustain and hold notes longer than classical guitars. Classical guitar sustain is around 3-14 seconds, with lower strings sustaining longer, according to the guitarists at Delcamp Classical Guitar Forum. Acoustic guitar sustain ranges from 9-15 seconds, with some models featuring even longer sustain, according to the guitarists at the Acoustic Guitar Forum.
Volume and Projection: Volume refers to how loud a guitar sounds, while projection describes how far the sound travels. Due to the properties of steel strings and their construction, steel-string acoustic guitars are generally louder and project sound further than classical guitars according to the book “The Guitar Handbook” written by Ralph Denyer. When it comes to projection, the sound of a steel-string acoustic guitar carries easily across a room or even a concert hall. Classical guitar produces a more intimate sound, best suited for smaller spaces if the classical guitar is played without a microphone or any other type of external amplification.
Genres and Songs: Classical guitars are traditionally associated with classical, flamenco, and Spanish guitar music. Andrés Segovia, a prominent figure in the classical guitar world, helped popularize the instrument for classical music. Acoustic guitars are more versatile than Classical guitars. Steel-string acoustic guitars appear across a wider range of genres, including folk, rock, and country. Iconic musicians like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Johnny Cash have utilized acoustic guitars extensively in their music. Although it is technically possible to play any guitar song on either guitar, the song sounds different on each guitar type. For example, the delicate sound of a classical guitar might not be suitable for a hard rock song, while a traditional acoustic guitar might not have the ideal tone for a Spanish flamenco piece.
2. Comfort and playability differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar
When choosing between a classical and acoustic guitar, playability and comfort are key factors, especially for beginners. The width of the neck, string spacing, difficulty of fretting the strings, and the size of the body all have a major impact on how easy or hard it is to comfortably play the guitar for a beginner player.
Neck Width and String Spacing: Classical guitars have a wider neck and wider string spacing than acoustic guitars. The average nut width for classical guitars is typically 2 inches (52 mm), ranging from 1.9 inches (48.26 mm) to 2 1/8 inches (54 mm). This wider nut on a classical guitar is more challenging for beginners with smaller hands because the wider spacing of the strings requires the players to stretch their fingers more to reach the notes. However, the wider string spacing on classical guitars also makes it easier to play individual notes clearly and avoid accidentally touching other strings. The nut width on acoustic guitars averages between 1.6875 inches (42.86 mm) and 1.75 inches (44.45 mm). The closer string spacing on acoustic guitars is more comfortable for chord shapes. However, since the strings are closer to each other it is more difficult to avoid accidentally muting or touching adjacent strings on the fretboard, which can lead to buzzing and dead notes.
String Tension and Fretting: String tension is the force applied to the guitar string when the string is tuned to a specific pitch. String tension directly impacts how hard or easy it is to fret (pressing the strings down to the fretboard) the notes and chords on the guitar. Classical guitars, strung with nylon strings, have a lower string tension than acoustic guitars with steel strings. According to string manufacturer D’Addario, the nylon strings typically have a tension of 79.81-91.81 lbs. Steel strings on acoustic guitar range from 130-200 lbs according to string manufacturer Elixir Strings. This means classical guitar strings require less finger strength to press down, making them feel more comfortable for beginners still developing calluses on their fingertips. The higher tension of acoustic guitar strings requires more effort to press down, which leads to sore fingertips more quickly, particularly for new players.
Body Size and Shape: Classical guitars are generally smaller and more compact than acoustic guitars, making classical guitars more comfortable to hold and play for some beginners, particularly younger learners. Full-size dreadnought acoustic guitars are significantly larger than full-size classical guitars. The average body depth of a classical guitar is 3.9″ to 4″ (99.06 mm to 101.6 mm). Dreadnought acoustic guitars have body depths ranging from 4″ to 5″ (101.6 mm to 127 mm). The dimensions of the dreadnought acoustic and classical guitar only start to become similar when comparing ¾ size dreadnought and full-sized classical guitar. The larger body size of the dreadnought guitar makes acoustic guitars less comfortable to hold and play for extended periods when compared to classical guitars.
3. Shape and construction differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar
Classical and acoustic guitars look similar but the construction of each guitar type is different. The construction of acoustic vs classical guitar includes differences between body shapes, internal bracing, bridge designs, and string types used on each guitar type.
Body Shape: Classical guitars have a body shape that is more symmetrical than the body shapes of acoustic guitars. On a classical guitar, the upper and lower bouts are similar in width, creating a 1:1 waist-to-waist ratio. The average body width of a classical guitar falls between 12″ and 13″. In contrast, acoustic guitars frequently lean towards an asymmetrical “figure-8” shape, with body widths ranging from 14″ to 16″. This asymmetrical “figure-8” shape is visible across different acoustic guitar body types. For example, the large “dreadnought” has broad shoulders and a deep body. The smaller “concert” shape has a narrower waist and shallower body depth compared to the dreadnought but the upper and lower bout are still not in a 1:1 ratio like on the classical guitar. The ratio between the upper and lower curves on an acoustic guitar is typically closer to 1:1.2 to 1:1.4 ratio.
Internal bracing: Internal bracing is a system of thin wooden supports glued to the underside of the guitar’s top. This bracing system provides structural support and has a big influence on the sound and volume of the guitar. Classical guitars use a fan-bracing pattern. This means that 5-7 thin, parallel braces run from the soundhole to the edge of the guitar’s top, allowing the soundboard to vibrate easily and create a warm, full sound with complex tones. Acoustic guitars most commonly use X-bracing. This involves 4-6 thicker braces arranged in a crossed pattern. The X-bracing also contributes to the loud volume and brighter tone of the acoustic guitars. The X bracing provides stronger structural support than fan bracing. The stronger structural support of the X-bracing is necessary for the acoustic guitar to handle the high tension of steel strings.
Bridge: The bridge is where the strings connect to the guitar’s body, transferring the vibrations to create sound. On classical guitars, the bridge is a flat piece of wood right below the soundhole. It has six slots for tying the nylon strings. Acoustic guitars have a raised bridge with six pegs. Steel strings, which have small balls at the end, are put through holes in the bridge and held in place by these pegs. This stronger bridge is needed to handle the steel strings’ higher tension.
Strings: Classical guitars use nylon strings. The three treble strings are pure nylon, while the bass strings have a nylon core wrapped with metal wire for added weight and resonance. Acoustic guitars use steel strings. The treble strings on an acoustic guitar are plain steel, while the bass strings consist of a steel core wrapped with various metal alloys, commonly bronze or phosphor bronze. You should not put steel strings on a classical guitar because the increased tension of steel strings can damage the classical guitar. Classical guitars are braced lightly to accommodate the lower tension of nylon strings and the higher tension of steel strings can overstress the neck, warp the soundboard, and cause irreparable damage to the guitar. You should not put nylon strings on a steel-string acoustic guitar because the lower tension of the nylon strings will result in a weak, dull sound. The acoustic guitar with nylon strings will also not intonate correctly, meaning notes will sound out of tune as you move up the fretboard. Additionally, the tuning pegs and nut slots on acoustic guitars are designed for the smaller diameter of steel strings, making it difficult to properly secure and tune nylon strings.
4. Price and cost differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar
There are very few differences in price between differences between classical and acoustic guitars and the differences that exist are minimal.
Good beginner classical guitars typically cost between $150 and $600, while good beginner acoustic guitars range from $200 to $600. The cost of these beginner guitars is primarily determined by the materials used in construction, such as whether the top is made of laminate or solid wood, and the reputation of the brand.
One notable difference is the cost of the tonewood used for classical soundboards compared to acoustic guitar soundboards. Acoustic guitars frequently use Sitka Spruce tops while classical guitars commonly have soundboards made from Western Red Cedar. According to a tonewood shop “Exotic Wood Zone” the price of an AA rated Sitka Spruce guitar top is around $80 while the price for a AA rated Western Red Cedar guitar top is around $60. This means that the cost of a Sitka spruce top is higher than the cost of a Western Red Cedar top.
5. Learning to play differences between classical guitar and acoustic guitar
Neither classical nor acoustic guitar is inherently easier to learn. The most important factor is the player’s motivation and the style of music and guitar techniques they want to learn and play.
Motivation: Classical guitar attracts players drawn to fingerstyle playing and music genres like classical, flamenco, or bossa nova. The nylon strings of a classical guitar are also easier on the fingertips, making classical guitars more comfortable to play for beginners who are still developing calluses. The steel strings on an acoustic guitar are less comfortable to fret than nylon strings on a classical guitar. However, acoustic guitars motivate players with their musical versatility in genres like folk, pop, and country. At the same time, many popular guitar songs are played on an acoustic guitar. When choosing the guitar type to learn first, it is also important to consider the beginner songs that motivate you to learn and practice guitar playing. Good acoustic guitar songs for beginners include “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day. Good classical guitar songs for beginners include “Romance d’Amour” and “Study in E minor” by Francisco Tárrega.
Learning Curve: Learning classical guitar to a professional level generally takes longer than acoustic guitar due to the demands of fingerstyle playing and the complexity of classical repertoire. Classical guitarists begin with fingerstyle practice like PIMA developing right-hand precision essential for classical and flamenco music. PIMA is a term used in classical guitar to refer to the fingers of the right hand: P stands for pulgar (thumb), I for indice (index finger), M for medio (middle finger), and A for anular (ring finger), helping players know which finger to use when picking the strings. Acoustic guitarists often learn strumming patterns first, followed by learning basic chords and quickly practicing playing popular songs across genres like folk, rock, and pop. While both instruments require dedicated practice, mastering the nuances of classical guitar often demands more years of study. However, it is also possible to practice chords and popular songs on a classical guitar, which has softer strings, and then transition to a steel-string acoustic guitar later on for musical versatility.
What are the overall pros and cons when comparing classical guitar vs acoustic guitar for beginners?
The overall pros and cons when comparing classical guitar vs acoustic guitar for beginners depend on the musical goals and preferences of the beginner. Classical guitars are easier to fret and focus on classical music and fingerstyle technique. Acoustic guitars are less comfortable to fret but provide versatility across genres with a brighter, louder sound. The picture below summarizes the main pros and cons of acoustic vs classical guitar for beginners.
Classical guitars are gentler on the fingertips. This makes classical guitars more comfortable for beginners who are still developing calluses. Classical guitars are ideal for classical, flamenco, and traditional music genres. However, the wider neck of a classical guitar can be challenging for beginners with smaller hands. Classical guitars are also less versatile for other genres like rock or pop. Additionally, the quieter sound is better suited for solo performances rather than band practice or playing with other instruments.
Acoustic guitars are versatile instruments, suitable for a range of genres like pop, rock, country, and folk. Steel string acoustic guitars produce a brighter, louder sound that projects well, making them ideal for both solo and group performances. The downside is that steel strings can be tough on fingers initially. Playing an acoustic guitar requires more hand and finger strength compared to a classical guitar because of the higher string tension. Acoustic guitars can be quite loud, which could be disruptive in apartments or shared living spaces.
What are the advantages of classical guitar for beginners when compared to acoustic guitar?
The advantages of classical guitars for beginners when compared to acoustic guitars are listed below:
- Nylon strings are gentler on fingertips and easier to fret than steel strings
- Wider neck encourages precise finger control and articulation
- Lighter body weight
What are the advantages of classical guitar for beginners when compared to acoustic guitar?
The advantages of acoustic guitars for beginners when compared to classical guitars are listed below.
- Versatile across genres
- Narrow neck makes it easier to play simple chords for beginners
- Louder volume and sound projection
What are the differences between acoustic guitar vs electric guitar?
The differences between acoustic guitar vs electric guitar include the differences in sound production, need for amplification, and design variations.
Sound Production Mechanism: Acoustic guitars produce sound acoustically. The sound of an acoustic guitar is produced by the strings’ vibrations resonating through the guitar’s body. In contrast, electric guitars produce sound electrically. On the electric guitar, the vibrations of the strings are detected by pickups, converted into electrical signals, and then amplified through a speaker.
Amplification Needs: Electric guitars require an external amplifier to produce their characteristic tone. Acoustic guitars, with their hollow bodies designed to amplify sound naturally, do not require external amplification.
Design Variations and Features: Electric guitars often feature solid bodies, a variety of pickup configurations, and onboard controls for volume and tone. Acoustic guitars have hollow bodies and lack electronic pickups or controls.
