Here are my 3 Best Flamenco Guitars for 2025 as a professional guitarist with over 21 years of teaching and performance experience, I've played hundreds of guitars. After playing and teaching so much, I began recommending 3 classical guitars with great playability and consistently good sound about which my students have always given me excellent feedback. (*Please consider buying with the affiliate links below to support my free education blog and YouTube channel.)
Best Top-Tier Intermediate Flamenco Guitar Córdoba F10 ($1,260)
REVIEW
The Córdoba F10 is one of the best intermediate-level guitars I’ve played. Like all guitars I recommend, this one has great playability (i.e., it’s comfortable), a great tone, good volume, and a nice attack. Like most traditional flamenco guitars, the F10 comes with a clear “golpeador” (tap-plate), low action, and is made with a solid spruce top and cypress sides/back which give it a bold and bright sound that typifies the sound of flamenco guitar. If you’re at a high-intermediate level and/or starting to perform, this guitar is an excellent choice. It comes with a polyfoam hard case and Córdoba’s excellent warranty.
Note: Most guitars beyond this price point are luthier-made, concert guitars ranging from $2,000-$20,000.
Best Beginner-Intermediate Rosewood Flamenco Guitar: Rosewood Flamenco Guitar: Córdoba F7 Paco ($599)
REVIEW
Paco de Lucía played flamenco guitar on what was typically though of as a “Spanish classical guitar” (i.e., spruce top and rosewood sides/back). Rosewood produces a darker sound and more sustain than does cypress — brighter sound with more attack and less sustain. If you prefer a darker, warmer sound, the Córdoba F7 is the way to go. Even though the sound is quite dark, it has surprisingly good volume for the price and is very good playability. An excellent choice for beginner to intermediate flamenco guitarists.
The F7 comes with a golpeaodr (tap-plate), low action, a solid spruce top, and rosewood sides/back. This one comes with Córdoba’s excellent warranty, but you’ll have to buy a case separately.
Best Starter Flamenco Guitar: Yamaha CG172SF ($399)
REVIEW
This guitar is, without a doubt, the best starter flamenco guitar I’ve played. I recommend this one more than any other guitar and like it so much that I even got one for my mom. For a beginner guitar at under $500, it has a pleasant tone, great volume, and good playability. It comes with a golpeador (tap-plate), low action, a spruce top, and cypress sides/back. The fretboard is rosewood rather than ebony, but still lasts a pretty long time. Make sure to buy a case for this one.
The Links above are affiliate links. Although I have personally tried and recommend all of the items above, I also earn a very small commission from each of them. Commissions support my free YouTube channel and free educational blog. Please consider buying with the links above. Thank you for your support!
Every new piece adds to your growth as a guitarist. Stay inspired and continue refining your technique with the next Flamenco Guitar piece.
I’ve spent over 20 years teaching and performing Spanish guitar, and I want to share what actually works. In this SPANISH GUITAR COURSE, I’ll guide you step by step so you can improve faster and play beautifully.
Find more of my educational blogs here!
If you are interested in learning more about Flamenco and Classical Guitars, visit my website!
Why is it that almost always when reviewing or comparing cordoba flamenco guitars it’s always to a F7 Paco and. It just the F7 which has traditional wood for a flamenco but the Paco does not?
Hi! Thank you for commenting. The F7 Paco uses rosewood back and sides, which gives it a darker sound with more sustain than its equivalent, with cypress sides and back. Cypress is the traditional wood used for the back and sides of Flamenco guitars. The reason I recommend the F7 Paco it’s because I think the regular F7 doesn’t sound as crisp as the cheaper Yamaha version I also recommend. I (personally) prefer the Yamaha over the cypress F7 but think that the F7 PACO is a great choice if you are looking for a darker tone. I hope this helps!
How much more of an improvement is the Cordoba F10 over the regular F7 with spruce top? Is the big price difference justified? I have the F7 and is overall happy with it but do consider an upgrade
Hi Peter. Thanks for commenting! I’ve played both side by side and think the upgrade is definitely worth it if the tone and volume are important to you. The F10 has a much crisper and punchier flamenco tone to me than the F7. Plus, it’s louder, which makes it easier to play. Ultimately, it’s just preference, so if you can, try both out side by side before you commit. Thanks Peter!