Acoustic Guitar or Classical Guitar: how to choose the right guitar for you

What are the differences between classical and acoustic guitars? At first glance not much. But if you look closer you can spot some key variations and these are important as they give each guitar its unique sound.

When beginning to play the guitar it’s important to learn the differences between a classical guitar and an acoustic guitar. To the untrained eye they may look almost identical but there are a few key differences.

That being said both guitars are tuned the same way and although they are played somewhat differently and sound different, if you learn to play on one you can play the other without too much trouble. However, choosing the guitar to play depends a lot on what kind of music you want to play and your level.

So what makes an acoustic guitar different to a classical guitar?

Classical Vs Acoustic Guitar

Strings:
The main difference is the strings. Classical guitars use nylon strings while acoustic guitars are strung with steel strings. Playing the strings produces a noticeable difference – nylon strings create a mellow, softer sound while steel strings produce a louder, crisp almost metallic twanging sound as the string vibrates.

Head:
The strings of the guitars are strung slightly differently and you can see this variation in the headstock of the guitars as well as the bridge. The tuning machine for both guitars functions slightly differently to accommodate the difference in strings. In the acoustic guitar they are turned via pegs directly through the head while the classical guitars sport slotted headstocks with strings wound through the slots. This difference in headstock gives the nylon strings of the classical guitar a better tone when played. It also reduces buzzing. The acoustic guitar is played with steel strings, and for this reason, it is outfitted with a different type of tuning hardware in the headstock. The tuning machines have been created differently to give the different types of string stability and the right pressure for playing. This is easy to see when one guitar is next to the other. As a musician you also become aware of the difference when you need to tune or restring your guitar.

Body:
The body shape of the classical guitar is similar in shape to that of the acoustic, both following a figure of 8. Classical guitars tend to be larger in body while the acoustic guitar normally follows a “dreadnaught” shape invented and produced in the early 1900s. The dreadnaught shape has a wider body compared to the longer narrower body of the classical guitar. It was named after the British battleship HMS Dreadnaught to evoke the idea of being huge and epic. The particular shape of each guitar doesn’t influence the sound of the guitar too much, the shape is designed more for players comfort with the “waist” of the guitar designed to sit over the knee of the musician. The volume of the body of the guitar does change the sound a bit, with larger bodies producing a louder sound, however too big can make the sound “boom” and may not be what you are looking for.

Neck:
An acoustic guitar has a slightly narrower neck than the standard classical guitar. This has mostly got to do with how the guitars are played. Acoustic guitars are most often played by strumming or picking and so the neck is adapted to make this type of playing easier. The same holds true for the classical guitars which have wider necks and sometimes no fret markers which may make it a little trickier if you are used to playing on an acoustic guitar.

Frets:
Technically frets are the metal bars that are embedded down the neck of the guitar. The spaces between the frets are where you place your fingers while playing the guitar and called fret spaces. Often these spaces are referred to as frets which is incorrect and can be a bit confusing. It’s important to know however, if you are reading online or watching tutorials, when people speak of “frets” they are in fact referring to these areas in between the metal fret bars.
These spaces between frets on a Classical guitar are considerably wider than that of an Acoustic guitar. This is because music most often played on a classical guitar requires a lot of finger work over the frets, so having wider fret spaces makes it easier to play Classical guitar or Flamenco. Classical guitars don’t often feature fret markers directly on the fingerboard, while acoustic guitars do, but if you turn the neck of a beginner classical guitar you can more often than not find them along the top side, these markers help to identify 5th, 7th or 12th fret. Many musicians stick fret markers onto their guitars, you can buy them at your local
shop or just use some masking tape.

Bridge:
The bridges differ too, in acoustic guitars the strings are pinned via the bridge, while on classical guitars the strings are tied over the bridge. Steel strings are made with a ball on the end with a tiny hole that fits onto the bridge pin.

Use:
Each guitar is played in a slightly different sitting position and as noted above the shape of the guitar is mostly influenced by this. The classical guitar is played in a more upright position while the acoustic guitar is most often played almost horizontally over the knee.

Deciding which instrument to choose may not only depend on its parts but the sound that it makes. It is also important to consider your playing level. If you are a beginner, it may be wise to start on a classical guitar, as playing on this type of guitar is more versatile, meaning that you can learn every style on a nylon stringed classical guitar. It’s easier on your fingers, and gives you a wide range of playing possibilities. You can easily move between flamenco or pop and rock, you can even learn riffs that are normally played on electric guitars. Acoustic or electric guitars don’t offer this range and can only play specific styles of music.

As you can see learning the guitar on a classical guitar makes sense, but once you have mastered the basics you can move onto an acoustic guitar or even an electric guitar to get that special sound you may be after.

Whether Acoustic or Classical, guitars vary enormously in the sound that they produce. Both the construction and the wood used influence the tone of the instrument and of course the type strings do too. Trying out a variety of instruments can help you narrow down the sound you are after. Whether you enjoy rich loud sounds or softer, mellow ones, renting different classical
or acoustic guitars can give you time to get to know each instrument. Renting a guitar is a great way to really learn its sound. Renting an acoustic guitar allows beginners to try out new sounds without having to buy a new instrument. Renting an instrument gives you flexibility to choose the right guitar for you.

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