If you are reading this, chances are that you’d like to learn classical, but you need assistance with choosing a good one. I’ll be honest, choosing a classical guitar can be a tough task.
With so many options out there how are you supposed to know which one is good and which one is not?
How do you choose the one that’s worth it’s money?
With years of experience and in-depth research of the market, we prepared a list of the best classical guitars for the money so you make the right choice.
Without further ado let’s take a look at the our buyer’s guide right now.
Best Classical Guitars Under $2000-3000 Price Range
Cordoba C3M
Specs
- Top: Solid Western Red Cedar
- Body: Mahogany
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Nato
- Fretboard: Morado
The Cordoba C3M is one of the most popular classical guitars in the world. This full-body, handcrafted piece of art is created with traditional Spanish fan bracing, and has a solid Canadian cedar top. The Cordoba C3M is a staple in the Iberia series.
While it’s quality is high, and it plays very well, the best thing about the Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar is its price, which is extremely reasonable for the quality of guitar you get. While maybe not for experts, the Cordoba C3M is definitely a guitar that beginners and intermediate players will like.
Pros:
- Quality craftsmanship.
- Great playability
- Excellent tone for reasonable price.
Cons:
- No bag or case with purchase.
- Quality and playability won’t meet experts standards.
La Patrie Guitar Presentation
Specs
- Top: Cedar
- Body: Wood
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
This North American made classic guitar has one of the nicest fretboards I’ve ever played. The Rosewood is perfect for comfort and ease as you move along the frets.
The craftsmanship on this guitar is excellent and the semi gloss finish is beautiful.
The sound is great but might not be for everyone. It has a little darker tone and is tough to make sound bright and alive, unless you count the buzzing sound that happens out of box.
While this is a great guitar for the price that I loved playing, it might not be for everyone.
Pros:
- Will be ready to go right out of the box.
- Fretboard is easy to play and comfortable.
- Nice quality finish that looks good.
Cons:
- Tone isn’t the brightest, has a darker sound.
- Might need some work right out of the box.
Alhambra 2C-US Classical Student Guitar
Specs
- Top: Cedar
- Body: Mahogany
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
I played the Alhambra 2C-US guitar for a long while because of how great it sounded, and how good it felt in my hands.
This guitar, while very high quality, also has a high price tag to go along with it. But, because you are getting a high quality instrument that sounds and feels good; and a guitar that should last you many years, it’s not an over the top price.
But while the guitar feels and plays great, I find it looks a little cheap and is a little bland. I would have loved to see some more style infused into the body and neck especially.
Pros:
- Excellently built guitar that will last years.
- Comes with a nice gig bag to carry around in.
- Sounds like a top quality classical guitar.
Cons:
- Priced at over $1500.
- No gloss finish makes the guitar look bland.
Cordoba Fusion 12 Rose
Specs
- Top: Solid Western Red Cedar
- Body: Mahogany
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Nato
- Fretboard: Morado
Now this guitar is unique when it comes to classical guitars. The dark Solid Indian Rosewood top caught my eye immediately and made it look like a normal full-size acoustic at first glance. After playing so many classical guitars that looked practically identical, it’s nice to see something a little different.
Add the look and the fact that this acoustic-electric has a built in tuner, and I’m just about sold.
Pros:
- Great gig bag to go with guitar.
- The look stands out among classical guitar circles.
- Curved fingerboard is easy and comfortable to play.
Cons:
- The action is higher than most players would prefer.
- Might be slightly overpriced.
Yamaha C40 GigMaker
Specs
- Top: Spruce
- Body: Rosewood
- Back: Meranti
- Neck: Nato
- Fretboard: Rosewood
When you’re thinking high quality classic guitars, Yamaha’s name might not be the first brand out of your mouth. You may relate them more closely with cheaply made, affordable guitars for beginners.
But every now and then I play a Yamaha guitar that is of great quality and just feels good.
While this guitar is still considered a beginner or intermediate’s guitar, I think it could stand up and compete with guitars that have a much higher price tag. If an intermediate player was able to buy this new and make some adjustments, you’d have yourself a top quality instrument.
Pros:
- Gig bag and tuner included.
- Great value for the money.
- A nice weight and size.
Cons:
- The action is too high for more advanced player.
- Some people who have bought it complain about the strings buzzing on certain frets.
Buyer’s guide
Classical guitar vs acoustic guitar
There seem to be a lot of confusion concerning what a classical guitar really is and how it’s different from it’s acoustic sibling. I would like to make sure that you clearly understand what a classical is and how it’s used. Let’s look at its main peculiarities.
Wider neck
Unlike regular acoustic or electric guitars, classical ones have a wider neck. This makes playing regular chords a little harder. However, keep in mind that are meant to be played fingerstyle, not strummed. Winder neck also means that the strings are further away from each other.
Strings
Classical guitars are known for nylon strings. They provide a warm, deep and mellow sound, which is perfect for playing classical music or fingerstyle melodies. Playing steel strings can be painful until you grow those calluses on your fingertips. Nylon strings are much softer so you your fingers won’t have to suffer.
Playing position
Of course, you can practice classical in any position you want. But to achieve technical efficiency as well as help your posture, it is recommended to hold classical guitar in a traditional position. It allows you to keep your picking and fretting hands at the right angle to the fretboard, which is super important for developing a decent fingerpicking technique.
Finger picking
There is no law against using a pick or strumming a classical guitar, but it makes much more sense to use finger picking in this case. Because of the wider neck, the strings are further away from each other so it’s easier to hit single strings without touching adjacent ones. Besides, nylon strings are softer and much easier to play.
How to choose a classical guitar
Buying a regular budget acoustic guitar can often be a tough task to do. Generally, cheaper models tend to have a higher action – which is pretty bad for a regular acoustic guitar (an action is the distance between the strings and the fretboard).
As the price goes up you get better quality, sounding and materials. However, the good news is that you can find great sounding classical guitars for a quite reasonable price.
The thing is that high action on a classical guitar is not a problem at all, since it’s about the same both on cheap and expensive models. What you need to pay attention to is the overall craftsmanship of the instrument, quality of necks, frets as well as the quality of the tone.
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Did you find the guitar you love?
Do you have any questions?
Let me know in the comments.
