Acoustic vs classical guitar: which should you buy?
Acoustic and classical guitars look similar but feel and sound very different, and choosing the wrong one for your music is a common first mistake. The difference comes down to the strings, the neck and the tone. Here's how to decide which to buy.
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The core difference
When people say "acoustic guitar" they usually mean a steel-string acoustic, like every guitar we review on this site. A classical guitar is also acoustic, but it uses nylon strings and is built differently. The two are not interchangeable: they have different strings, different neck widths, different bracing and different bridges, because steel strings pull with far more tension than nylon ones. Knowing which you want before you buy saves a lot of frustration, because a guitar set up for one type cannot simply be restrung as the other.
Steel strings vs nylon strings
This is the difference you feel first. Steel strings, as on a steel-string acoustic such as the Yamaha FG800, are brighter and louder, with a ringing, sustaining tone, but they are harder on the fingertips, especially in the first few weeks before your calluses build up. Nylon strings are softer and gentler on the fingers, with a warmer, mellower, rounder tone and less volume and sustain. Many beginners find nylon kinder at the very start, but steel strings are what most modern pop, rock, folk and country actually use, so the comfort advantage is short-lived if those are the styles you want to play.
Neck and body differences
The necks are noticeably different widths. A steel-string acoustic typically has a nut width of around 43 mm, with the strings fairly close together, which suits chord strumming and a thumb-over fretting style. A classical guitar has a much wider neck, usually around 50 to 52 mm at the nut, with the strings spaced further apart, which suits intricate fingerstyle and classical technique but makes chord shapes a longer reach for a beginner. Classical guitars also have a flat fingerboard with no fret markers on the face and a slotted headstock, while steel-string acoustics like the ones we test have a curved fingerboard, dot markers and a solid headstock. The bodies differ too, with classical guitars usually lighter and a little smaller than a dreadnought.
Tone and the music each suits
The two instruments are built for different music. A steel-string acoustic has a bright, loud, percussive voice that cuts through and sustains, which is exactly what pop, rock, folk, country, blues and singer-songwriter material want; it is the sound of almost every chart acoustic guitar you have heard. A classical guitar has a warm, soft, intimate voice that suits classical repertoire, flamenco, bossa nova and gentle fingerstyle. If you imagine yourself strumming chords and singing modern songs, you want a steel-string acoustic; if you imagine playing classical pieces or flamenco, you want a classical. There is no crossover instrument that does both equally well.
Which is easier for a beginner?
It depends on what you weigh up. In the very first weeks, a classical guitar's nylon strings are gentler on the fingertips, which some beginners prefer. But its wide 50 to 52 mm neck makes chord shapes a bigger stretch, and chords are most of what a beginner learns, so many learners actually progress faster on a steel-string acoustic once their fingertips toughen up, which takes only a few weeks. Our honest view: for the vast majority of people learning to play modern songs, a well set up steel-string acoustic such as the Fender CD-60S (which has the easiest neck on test) is the better first guitar. Choose a classical only if you specifically want to play classical or flamenco music.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between an acoustic and a classical guitar?
Strings and neck. A steel-string acoustic such as the Yamaha FG800 uses steel strings, a narrower neck (around 43 mm at the nut) and produces a bright, loud, ringing tone. A classical guitar uses softer nylon strings, a wider neck (around 50 to 52 mm) and produces a warm, mellow tone. Steel suits pop, rock and folk, while nylon suits classical and flamenco.
Is a classical guitar easier for beginners?
Nylon strings are gentler on the fingertips, so a classical guitar can feel kinder in the first few weeks. But its wide neck makes chord shapes a longer reach, which many beginners find harder. For modern pop, rock and folk a steel-string acoustic is the more useful first guitar; choose a classical only if you specifically want to play classical or flamenco music.
Can I put nylon strings on a steel-string acoustic guitar?
Not properly. Steel-string and nylon-string guitars are built differently, with different bracing, neck angles and bridges, because steel strings exert far more tension. Fitting nylon strings to a steel-string acoustic gives a slack, weak sound and fitting steel strings to a classical can damage it. Buy the type that matches the strings and music you want.
Our advice: which should you buy?
Match the guitar to the music. If you want to strum chords and play modern pop, rock, folk or country, buy a steel-string acoustic, the kind we review here, and accept a couple of weeks of slightly sore fingertips. If you want to play classical or flamenco, buy a classical guitar with its softer nylon strings and wider neck. For most beginners learning popular songs, a steel-string acoustic is the more useful starting point, and our best overall pick the Yamaha FG800 or the easy-necked Fender CD-60S are both excellent first instruments. For everything else that goes into choosing a steel-string acoustic, see our buying guide and our best beginner acoustic guitar page.