It sounds like you’re looking for a classical guitar.
The classic guitar is known for having a quieter and softer sound than a steel string acoustic. But their sound is much warmer and if you’re just starting to learn the guitar the nylon strings are much less stressful on the fingers. Though not as popular today they are still great for classical, blues, or jazz.
We’ve put together a list of a few of our favorite classical guitars to get you started.
Yamaha CS40 7/8 Size Classical
Yamaha CS40 7/8 Size ClassicalIf you’re looking for a great starter classical guitar, you can’t go wrong with a Yamaha. The guitar is solid built with a meranti and nato woods, which are eastern subspecies of mahogany and have similar tonal qualities to traditional mahogany but at a lower cost. Plus the smaller size means it’s not unwieldy for beginners.
- Back and Sides: Meranti Wood
- Top: Spruce
- Neck: Nato Wood
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- 7/8 Size
Fender MC-1 3/4 Size Classical
Another great beginner’s classical guitar. The 3/4 size makes playing easier, plus the “c” shape neck allows for easier gripping of the neck. Sapele is a very balanced wood that is often called an African Mahogany with a higher density for a brighter sound.
- Back and Sides: Laminate Sapele
- Top: Laminate Agathis
- Neck: Nato Wood
- Fretboard: Rosewood
Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar
If you’re looking for a full sized and more traditional classical guitar. The C3M has great balance and tone because of quality mahogany and cedar tonewoods. The use of solid woods instead of laminate means it get greater sound.
- Back and Sides: Mahogany
- Top: Cedar
- Neck: Nato
- Fretboard: Rosewood
