10 Best Classical Guitars of 2024

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The realm of classical guitars contains an essential paradox.

On the one hand, it's the guitar you picture when you think of the dusty old guitar in your elementary school classroom closet. You know, the one with the terrible action, impossible-to-grip neck, and stuck tuners.

It's also the finely crafted instrument used by Andres Segovia, Julian Bream, and Paco De Lucia to create some of the most beautiful classical and flamenco music ever recorded.

Our list of the best classical guitars is here to clear up any confusion and bring it all together for you.

We've featured some amazing entry-level classicals that are a far cry from the clumsy, toylike monsters of yore.

We've also got some top-of-the-line entries featuring onboard electronics, unconventional body shapes, and other nifty modern features.

Our pick for the best overall classical guitar available today is the Taylor Academy 12e-N. This is an instrument that would make Segovia proud but that your elementary school teacher could afford.

Whether you're a beginner looking for a comfortable and affordable first classical or an experienced professional looking for a versatile gigging workhorse, your guitar is on this list.

Quick Summary of the Best Classical Guitars

  1. Taylor Academy 12e-N (Best Overall)
  2. Martin 000C12-16E Nylon (Best for Steel-String Players)
  3. Cordoba F7 Paco (Best for Flamenco)
  4. Yamaha CG122MS (Best for Beginners)
  5. Ibanez GA35TCE (Best Thinline Classical Guitar)
  6. Alvarez CC7HCEAR (Best Classical Guitar for Gigging)
  7. Yamaha C40II (Best Budget Classical Guitar)
  8. Godin ACS-SA Slim (Best for Versatility)
  9. Cordoba C7-CE (Best Value)
  10. Yamaha SLG200NW (Best Practice Classical Guitar)

Best Classical Guitars

1. Best Overall – Taylor Academy 12e

Taylor Academy 12e

SPECS

  • Top: Lutz Spruce
  • Back & Sides: Layered Sapele
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: West African Crelicam Ebony
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 17

The Taylor Academy series is leading today's market in professional-quality yet affordable guitars. The 12e Classical is no exception.

This guitar offers incredible build quality and playability at its price point, making it our top pick for the best overall classical guitar.

The 12-e Classical combines premium tonewoods with subtle design perks to make this guitar a real pleasure to play.

From its slim neck profile to its built-in armrest that softens the contact point between the player's arm and the guitar's body, this guitar is built for comfort.

Taylor has also outfitted this guitar with an impressive electronics system that maintains a consistently natural sounding tone even at high volumes.

All in all, if you're a steel-string guitar player looking to make a transition to classical, this is an ideal point of entry.

2. Best for Steel-String Players – Martin 000C12-16E Nylon

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon

SPECS

  • Top: Spruce
  • Back & Sides: Mahogany
  • Neck: Select Hardwoods
  • Fingerboard: Ebony
  • Scale: 26.44"
  • Frets: 20

Another higher-end choice for steel-string guitarists looking to make the switch to nylon-string guitars is the Martin 000C12-16E.

This guitar features choice tonewoods and premium electronics, as well as a nut width that steel-string players will find more accessible than on traditional classical guitars.

The Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT1 electronics make this guitar perfect for players who are looking to add a bit of nylon string guitar tone to their live arsenal. This guitar is perfect for steel-string players looking to switch up their sound but not their playing style.

Sorting through the different makers of classical guitars can be overwhelming. Why not stick with what you know?

Martin has applied their guitar-building know-how and careful tonewood selection to a classical guitar that Martin devotees will definitely want to add to their collection.

3. Best for Flamenco – Cordoba F7 Paco

Cordoba F7 Paco

SPECS

  • Top: Solid Western Red Cedar
  • Back & Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 19

Now, something for the traditionalists: the Cordoba F7 Paco. This guitar features all the trappings of classic flamenco guitars and comes at an affordable price. Flamenco guitarists, in particular, won't believe the quality of this guitar for its price.

From its solid cedar top to its traditional fan bracing, the F7 Paco combines premium tonewoods with traditional craftsmanship for a warm tone with just the right amount of snap for classic flamenco guitar sounds. No electronics here—this is a truly traditional classical guitar.

The F7 Paco makes a great beginner guitar but is sure to impress the professionals as well. For a great guitar that easily outperforms the competition at its price point for flamenco music, look no further than the Cordoba F7 Paco.

4. Best for Beginners – Yamaha CG122MS

Yamaha CG122MS

SPECS

  • Top: Solid Engelmann Spruce
  • Back & Sides: Nato
  • Neck: Nato
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Scale: 25.56"
  • Frets: 18

Thanks to their easy playability and mellow sound, classical guitars can be a great entry point for beginners just picking up their first instrument.

And with the CG122MS, Yamaha brings us one of the very best classical guitars for beginners as well as one of the best classical guitar deals out there.

This guitar isn't just for beginners, though. It's a full-bodied guitar with a surprisingly balanced tone for its price point.

Yamaha once again delivers when it comes to bang for the buck—impressive build quality and premium tonewoods make this a guitar that rivals many pricier classical guitars.

Whether you're a beginner looking to pick up your first classical instrument or you're an experienced player looking to pick up an affordable classical guitar, you can't go wrong with the Yamaha CG122MS.

5. Best Thinline Classical Guitar – Ibanez GA35TCE

Ibanez GA35TCE

SPECS

  • Top: Spruce-topped Mahogany
  • Back & Sides: Mahogany
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 21

The Ibanez GA35TCE seems designed expressly to appeal to electric guitar players looking to add that nylon string sound to their bag of tricks.

Its comfortable thinline design and great onboard electronics are sure to appeal to gigging musicians who want to add some classical playing to their repertoire.

Unplugged, this guitar's sound doesn't necessarily stand out from the crowd—it is a thinline, after all, but plugged in, it shines.

The AEQ210T preamp and tuner system bring out the guitar's rich sound, heavy on the low and midrange but with the dynamics you'd expect from a classical.

The Ibanez GA35TCE is a modern classical guitar in the truest sense. From its premium electronics to its comfortable design, it makes a great foray into the classical guitar world for players who are mostly accustomed to playing electric guitar.

6. Best Classical Guitar for Gigging – Alvarez CC7HCEAR

Alvarez CC7HCEAR

SPECS

  • Top: Solid AA Spruce
  • Back & Sides: Black Walnut
  • Neck: Mahogany/Ebony
  • Fingerboard: Indian Laurel
  • Scale: 25.59"
  • Frets: 22

Here's another hybrid guitar that's great for gigging live but comes with a more traditional classical feel than the Ibanez GA35TCE: The Alvarez CC7HCEAR.

Easily one of the best nylon string guitars at its price point, the CC7HCEAR boasts incredible build quality as well as top-notch electronics.

The CC7HCEAR's wider nut and classical appointments appeal to tradition, while the LR Baggs electronic system and contoured armrest ground it firmly in the present.

The gorgeous tonewoods supply superb tone that's captured perfectly by the premium pickup and preamp system.

Where many of the guitars on this list are designed to appeal to steel slingers curious about crossing over to nylon, this one is perfect for pure classical players who need a solid gigging workhorse with reliable electronics and build quality.

7. Best Budget Classical Guitar – Yamaha C40II

Yamaha C40II

SPECS

  • Top: Spruce
  • Back & Sides: Meranti
  • Neck: Nato
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Scale: 25.56"
  • Frets: 18

Here's another Yamaha classical guitar that's ideal for beginners and players on a tight budget. Once again, Yamaha delivers great build quality and components for a quality guitar at the beginner price point that feels and sounds like a classical guitar worthy of a pro.

Featuring a spruce top, meranti back and sides, and a nato neck, the C40II uses more affordable yet still great-sounding tonewoods to construct a traditional nylon-strung guitar that plays great and sounds even better.

A nylon string guitar is always a great place for beginners to get their start. The Yamaha C40II is a full-scale classical guitar with a traditional design that delivers a superior tone for its price and is sure to be a keeper for beginning classical players as well as hobbyists on a budget.

8. Best for Versatility – Godin ACS-SA Slim

Godin ACS-SA Slim

SPECS

  • Top: Solid cedar
  • Back & Sides: Silver Leaf Maple with Canadian Laurentian Basswood Wings
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: Richlite
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 22

The Godin ACS-SA Slim is definitely a departure from the realm of ordinary classical guitars.

Here, Godin has combined classical guitar craftsmanship with some truly unique modern tech to make for a highly playable and versatile secret weapon guitar.

Designed for comfort and playability with a solid cedar top, slim body profile, and thin neck, the ACS-SA Slim also features an RMC transducer pickup system with a 13-pin synth connection.

Paradoxically, this guitar is as much a versatile piece of studio equipment as it is a classical guitar.

While clearly not for traditionalists, this guitar is great for electric players and experimental musicians who want to bring some nylon string tone to their live or studio setup.

If you've ever wanted to get synth tones from your classical guitar, well, that finally exists.

9. Best Value – Cordoba C7-CE

Cordoba C7-CE

SPECS

  • Top: Solid Western Red Cedar
  • Back & Sides: Rosewood
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 19

In the C7-CE, Cordoba presents a traditional Spanish guitar that's sure to please purists but is also equipped with great modern electronics.

And the kicker? It's solidly in the mid-range price point, bringing to the masses some otherwise inaccessible features and build quality.

The C7-CE features a gorgeous Red Cedar top, rounded out by rosewood back and sides and a solid mahogany neck.

The pristine tones that resonate through these premium tonewoods are captured by a Fishman Presys Blend preamp with an under-saddle piezo and an internal microphone.

Also featuring a traditional Spanish-style fan-braced construction, a rosewood bridge, and a stylish rosette, this guitar brings just the right combination of tradition and modernity for the contemporary gigging classical or flamenco player. It's arguably the best value on this list.

10. Best Practice Classical Guitar – Yamaha SLG200NW

Yamaha SLG200NW

SPECS

  • Top: N/A
  • Back & Sides: Mahogany Body with Rosewood/Maple Frame
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Fingerboard: Ebony
  • Scale: 25.5"
  • Frets: 19

Rounding out our list is something very different: the Yamaha SLG200NW "silent guitar." This guitar was designed expressly for the purpose of silent practicing and feedback-free live performances.

Making up for its lack of a traditional hollow body is a bevy of nifty onboard features, including EQ, reverb, and chorus, as well as a chromatic tuner and piezo pickup. These features make this guitar ideal in a live setting for everything from classical to pop music.

The SLG200NW is also super compact and very playable, making it a wonderful silent practice guitar when paired with your favorite headphones.

For those looking for something different that also offers a ton of versatility, this is a great option.

Best Classical Guitars Buyer's Guide

If you're looking to purchase a new classical guitar, there are a few things you should consider first. We've briefly summarized and explained these factors below to make your guitar shopping journey as painless as possible.

We've also included a handy FAQ to answer all your burning classical guitar questions. Read on to learn more about classical guitars than you ever wanted to know!

Sound Quality

The sound of a classical guitar is unmistakable: warm, rich, at once mellow and percussive. While the sound of individual guitars doesn't vary much at first listen, there are an assortment of features that will contribute to your guitar's unique tone.

As with most other guitars, the tonewoods used to construct a classical guitar provide much of the tonal character of the instrument. We'll cover those in further detail below under the "Tonewoods" heading.

The design of the guitar's construction also contributes to its sound. For classical guitars, a fan-braced construction is often considered ideal because it allows the top to vibrate more freely for a more resonant tone.

Body shape, shape and size of a sound hole, and scale length can all make their mark on your guitar's sound as well.

Finally, any onboard electronics are going to contribute to the unique character of your guitar's sound when amplified.

Tonewoods

Look for a solid top made of spruce, cedar, mahogany, or another premium tonewood for best results.

While these are among the more commonly sought-after tonewoods, they are also more expensive. There are an ever-increasing number of tonewoods like Sapele and Nato that offer great tone for less, so don't hesitate to give one a try!

The back and sides can also be made of various woods, such as rosewood, mahogany, or maple, as well as the more exotic and affordable tonewoods alluded to above.

Different wood combinations produce different tonal characteristics. It's these combinations that will ultimately create your guitar's unique sound, so look for a guitar with a combination of tonewoods that you think will combine for a balanced sound.

Playability

"Playability" is what it sounds like—it refers to how comfortable a guitar feels to play. Playability factors include the nut and neck width, action, and scale length (which affects the string tension as well as relates to a player's own size).

Classical guitars can be among the most playable guitars thanks to the softer feel of the nylon strings. However, those with a more traditional design, like the Cordoba F7 Paco, can feature a wider nut which can make gripping the neck in the first position more difficult for smaller hands.

Fortunately, we've also included a ton of guitars like the Ibanez GA35TCE that improve playability for players who are more accustomed to the acoustic guitar and other steel string guitars, which generally have narrower nut and thinner neck profiles.

Brand/Price

When it comes to classical guitars, many reputable manufacturers may seem a bit off the beaten path at first, especially if you come from a steel-string acoustic guitar background.

These instruments differ in many ways from their steely brethren. So, there are understandably a different group of manufacturers like Cordoba and Alvarez that specialize in classical guitars in particular.

However, many of the best-known guitar makers from the steel-string guitar world also dabble in classical guitars, often delivering high-quality instruments of their own. Check out the Taylor Academy 12e-N or the Martin 000C12-16E Nylon for proof.

Like all instruments, classical guitars are available at various price points, ranging from affordable beginner models to high-end professional instruments.

Determine your budget and try to find the best guitar within that range. Keep in mind that higher-priced guitars tend to offer better craftsmanship, materials, and sound, but we've included some excellent options at lower price points, like the Yamaha CG122MS.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between a classical guitar and an acoustic guitar?

Classical guitars are specifically designed for playing classical music and have nylon strings, a wider neck, and a flat fingerboard.

They deliver a warm and mellow yet percussive sound that's ideal for gentle classical fingerpicking as well as flamenco guitar strumming techniques.

Acoustic guitars, on the other hand, usually have steel strings, a narrower neck, and a curved fingerboard.

While classical music can be performed on a steel string, they tend to be favored by folk, country, rock, and blues artists for their dynamic range and versatility.

Should I buy a beginner or a professional classical guitar?

The choice between a beginner and a professional classical guitar depends on your skill level, commitment to playing, and budget.

If you're a beginner, it's generally recommended to start with a beginner or intermediate-level guitar, many of which we have featured on this list.

The Yamaha C40II is a great beginner guitar that features an impressive build and sound quality for a very low price.

Professional guitars, on the other hand, are typically higher in quality, offer better sound, and are designed for advanced players or professionals. These can also include advanced electronics that might not be necessary for beginning or casual players.

How do I care for my classical guitar?

Caring for a classical guitar isn't much different than caring for any of your other guitars. Cleaning your guitar is as simple as using a soft, lint-free cloth to wipe the body, neck, and strings after each playing session.

Classical guitars are sensitive to changes in humidity, which can cause the wood to swell or shrink, potentially leading to structural issues.

Use a humidifier in dry conditions and a dehumidifier in humid environments. Store the guitar in a hard case with a humidifier when not in use for extended periods.

Avoid extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, and areas with high humidity or rapid temperature changes. Always handle the guitar with clean hands to prevent the transfer of oils, dirt, or sweat onto the instrument.

Just as with your steel-string acoustics, change the strings when they lose their brightness, become dull, or show signs of wear and tear.

And don't hesitate to schedule periodic check-ups and adjustments with a qualified guitar technician. They can inspect the instrument, adjust the action, perform necessary repairs, and provide guidance on specific maintenance needs.

Can I use steel strings on a classical guitar?

We strongly recommend that you do not try to use steel strings on your classical guitar!

Classical guitars are not designed to handle the tension of steel strings, as they can cause damage to the guitar's neck and body. The higher tension of steel strings can also lead to a significant change in the guitar's bracing and affect its overall sound.

It's essential to use nylon strings, which are specifically designed for classical guitars. There's no point in buying a classical guitar if you don't want the sound of nylon strings!

Verdict

We get it. Breaking into the world of classical guitars can be a daunting task. Totally different brands, design characteristics, and sound quality... it's a whole other animal.

That's why we created this list of the best classical guitars. Not only are we pleased to present to you some of the very best offerings on the classical guitar market today, but we also hope we have genuinely lightened your load when it comes to researching your next instrument.

We had to hand the top slot to the Taylor Academy 12e-N. This guitar simply offers great value when it comes to build quality, materials, sound, and price point. It offers an easy point of entry for a guitar player who is looking to make an entree into the classical realm.

But that doesn't even come close to covering every player's needs. We've included quality instruments from every price point and with a diverse range of features to help you find the perfect classical guitar for you.

Head on over to Sweetwater and pick up yours today!

Strum in style! Find the best high-end classical guitars now. Elevate your music with precision and luxury.

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