I’ve been playing and teaching classical and flamenco guitar for over 21 years and have tried hundreds of classical and flamenco guitars. All that playing has taught me exactly what to look for when buying a guitar and I put this guide together for you to help you avoid some common buying headaches and help you make the right choice of the bat!
Table of Contents
How to choose your perfect classical or flamenco guitar?
So you’re ready to buy a classical or flamenco guitar? Awesome! 🎸
But here’s the thing – buying a guitar can feel totally overwhelming with all the options out there. Should you get cypress or rosewood? What’s the right scale length? How much should you spend?
I’ve helped hundreds of students pick guitars over the years, and I want to share what really matters so you don’t waste your money (or end up with a guitar you hate playing).
Let’s break it down!
Before You Buy: Do Your Homework
Here’s my number one tip: Try a LOT of guitars before buying! Seriously, the more you try, the better sense you’ll have of what works for you.
Here’s how to do this right:
- Ask friends and other guitarists if you can try their guitars. I did this all the time (probably too much 🙄). You’ll learn what players at or above your level are using and what they like or dislike about their guitars.
- Visit local guitar shops and try as many as possible. Bring a small metric ruler and a notepad to write down measurements and notes about each guitar. The salespeople will usually let you try everything, and, if you’re lucky, some of them may even be able to demonstrate what to listen for.
- Watch YouTube comparison videos to get a sense of different sounds and brands, especially if you can’t access many guitars locally.
One warning, though: if you’re a beginner, don’t buy a guitar online that you can’t return. You really need to feel it in your hands and hear it for about a week to know if you want to keep it or not. And…if you have a friend who can play it for you so you can listen, even better!
The Most Important Thing: Sound Quality
First things first – your guitar needs to sound good! And guitars made with solid woods almost always produce the best sound. They’re more expensive, but if you can swing it, get a guitar with a solid top, solid back, and solid sides.
Why? Laminate wood guitars tend to have lower volume, don’t sound that great, and don’t last very long. If you’re a complete beginner just trying out the guitar, then laminate might be okay temporarily. But just know you’ll likely need to upgrade within 1-2 years if you really want to improve.
What to listen for:
- Volume: The guitar should produce very good volume with as little effort as possible. The string volume should be balanced across all strings – no single string should be way louder than the others.
- Tone quality: You want a guitar that sounds pleasing to your ears. Does it have a nice richness to it? Or does it sound thin, metallic, or just plain annoying? Trust your ears here!
- Balance is crucial: Some guitars sound great on the bass strings but weak on the trebles, or vice versa. You want consistent quality across all six strings.
- Your personal taste: Most importantly, you should absolutely love the tone you hear! If it sounds good to you, the guitar will be more enjoyable to play.
Comfort is Everything (Seriously!)
Here’s what most people get wrong: they focus so much on sound that they forget about comfort. But if a guitar isn’t comfortable, you won’t want to practice. It’s that simple.
There’s no point having a guitar that sounds amazing if you can’t play it comfortably!
Left Hand Comfort:
- Neck thickness: The neck should be relatively thin from front to back. This is personal, but I’ve found thinner necks are generally easier to play. The neck shape can be C-shaped or D-shaped – I personally prefer D-shaped.
- No buzzing: There should be zero unintentional buzzing when you fret each string from the 1st to the last fret. If there is, the frets aren’t set correctly or the neck is bent. (Note: In flamenco, some buzz or “growl” is actually desirable and adds character to the sound – but unintentional buzz is never good.)
- Scale length: This can depend on your height, arm length, or just personal preference. Scale lengths generally range from 635mm to 670mm. I’m 5’8″ with long arms and fingers, and I’m comfortable with 655mm. Generally, the shorter you are, the shorter your scale should be. Most people feel comfortable with 650mm, but try different ones to find what works for you.
Nut Width:
Nut widths are typically 50-54mm. All my guitars have 52mm nuts, which I find very comfortable. Generally, 52-54mm works for most people, but this is personal!
The nut width determines string spacing. If it’s too narrow, you might accidentally hit adjacent strings when fretting or playing with your right hand.
Action (String Height):
Action is the distance between the strings and frets. Here are the measurements, on average, you want to look for:
- At the 12th fret: 2.5-3.2mm
- At the 6th fret: 1.5-2.5mm
- At the 1st fret: .75-1.25mm
I have all of my guitars set to 1mm at the 1st fret, 2mm at the 6th, and 3mm at the 12th. That’s considered a low to medium action.
No measurement is inherently better than any other – it ultimately depends on what you like. Ideally, you want the lowest action possible that still lets you play with a wide dynamic range without causing buzz.
The good news is that action is customizable — it can be adjusted at both the nut and saddle. But do your best to find comfortable string action right out of the box. You can always make minor adjustments later.
Right Hand Considerations:
- String tension: This isn’t a guitar issue, but it’s important to understand that string tension affects comfort, volume, and sustain. I’ll write another newsletter about what to look for when choosing strings, but for now, I’ll recommend medium/normal tension strings for most people.
- String separation: The distance between the 1st and 6th strings is affected by the nut width. Make sure that your string spacing is comfortable. Just to give you an idea, all of my guitars have a 58mm distance from the 1st to the 6th string at the saddle and 44mm at the nut.
- Hand Size: Keep in mind that hand size isn’t just about finger length – palm width matters too! Some people with shorter fingers but wider palms can reach frets more easily. Finger thickness also affects your string separation preference. As a rule of thumb (pun intended), people with shorter fingers and smaller hands do better with a shorter scale length guitar. But… technique also makes a huge difference. Just because you have smaller hands doesn’t mean you’re doomed.
Guitar Size:
- Classical and flamenco guitars come in various sizes: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 7/8, and 4/4 (full size). Little kids should start with a 1/4 or 1/2 size guitar, and as they grow, they should get bigger and bigger guitars. If you are on the shorter side, try out a few 3/4, 7/8, and full-size guitars to see what feels most comfortable. And if you want to invest in the “perfect” instrument, you can always have a good luthier make you a custom guitar with your size preference that sounds awesome!
Check the Intonation
Here’s a quick test to make sure you’re not getting a cheap guitar with tuning problems:
- Use a tuner app to make sure the open strings are in tune (assuming the strings have settled).
- Play your open 6th string (E) —> 5th string, 7th fret (E) —> 4th string, 2nd fret (E), 3rd string, 9th fret (E) —> 2nd string, 5th fret (E) —> 1st string, open (E).
- Compare all notes on your tuner.
They won’t be perfectly lined up since guitars do not have “perfect” intonation. But they should have near-perfect intonation and be REALLY close. If they’re very different (noticeably), the guitar has intonation problems, and you should avoid it.
The Woods (And What They Mean)
Traditional Choices:
- Flamenco guitars: Traditionally used cypress back and sides (called “blancas”). These produce a brighter sound with faster attack and less sustain – perfect for accompaniment.
- Classical guitars: Traditionally made with rosewood back and sides (sometimes called “negras” in flamenco). Rosewood gives a longer attack and more sustain – often preferred for solo playing.
But here’s the reality – nowadays, it’s totally a personal choice! You’ll find classical guitars with cypress and flamenco guitars with rosewood. Many professional flamenco players use negras for solo work and blancas for accompaniment, but honestly, it’s down to personal taste more than anything. I personally have one of each!
Tops:
Most classical and flamenco guitars use spruce tops, which produce a brighter, punchier sound with good projection. If you prefer a darker, warmer sound with more sustain, go with cedar. Again, your choice!
Other Components:
Most high-quality guitars use mahogany for the neck and ebony for the fretboard. Beginner guitars might use rosewood for the fretboard instead. High-quality guitars also typically use rosewood for the bridge.
The nut and saddle materials also matter. Cheaper guitars use plastic, which doesn’t allow the note to project or sustain very much. Good guitars use bone (ethically sourced).
Tuners Matter
Good tuners are easy to turn, don’t snap, and are very precise. They come standard with any guitar and you can always upgrade later (prices range from $50-$1000).
Main thing to look for: they should be easy to turn, smooth, and hold their position.
The Tap-Plate (Golpeador)
This is crucial for flamenco! The tap-plate protects the top from percussive techniques (golpes). All flamenco guitars should come with one – usually clear plastic, though you might see colored ones on some guitars.
For classical players – and this is my strong opinion – you should get a permanent tap-plate installed even if you only play classical. It’s better to have one and never use it than not have one and wish you did. Plus, it won’t affect your sound at all!
Flamenco vs. Classical: What's the Difference?
You might be wondering if you need a flamenco or classical guitar. Here’s the deal:
It doesn’t matter! Everything depends on the sound you like! A classical guitar will work perfectly well for learning flamenco and vice versa (as long as you have a golpeador).
There are way more similarities than differences, traditionally speaking! The main differences:
- Flamenco guitars typically have lower action (strings closer to frets), lighter construction, faster/punchier sound with less sustain, and come with a tap-plate.
- Classical guitars have slightly higher action, focus on sustain and roundness, and usually don’t have tap-plates.
These days, the lines have blurred quite a bit. Many differences come down to setup more than construction. You could even start with a classical guitar and have the action lowered and a tap-plate added!
What about crossover guitars? These are nylon-string guitars that look and feel more like electric or acoustic guitars – narrower necks, sometimes solid bodies. While I wouldn’t recommend one as your main flamenco or classical guitar, if you already have one, you can definitely start learning on it.
Budget: What Should You Spend?
Let’s be real about money. You can find guitars that meet all the basic criteria for just a couple hundred dollars, but it’s hard to make a high-quality guitar that sounds good, feels good, and lasts for very little money.
Here’s a realistic breakdown:
- $100-$500 (Beginner): Basic models for students or casual players. At around $400, options open up to include very respectable guitars. The Yamaha CG172SF (about $400) is a solid choice that many of my students love and keep even after upgrading.
- $500-$1,500 (Intermediate): Better craftsmanship and quality woods. Around $600, the Cordoba F7 is fantastic. The Cordoba C5 classical (about $400) can also make a great flamenco guitar with lowered action and an added tap-plate.
- $1,500+ (Semi-professional): Handcrafted by luthiers with premium woods. At around $1,300, the Cordoba F10 (all-solid cypress and spruce) is hard to beat – it could last you a lifetime. At about $2,000, the Camps Primera Blanca is a fantastic semi-professional instrument.
Generally, quality improves dramatically as you go from $300-400 up to the $750+ range. And at $750+, your options increase exponentially. If you want the highest quality, you’re looking at spending anywhere between $2000-$20,000 for hand-made, luthier guitars!
What About New vs. Used?
Used guitars can be great deals! Here’s what to know:
The good news: If a used guitar appears in good shape and you love how it sounds and feels, you’re unlikely to have big problems later. Unlike cars, guitars that have been played a lot can actually be better since they’ve “opened up” and revealed their true character.
What to check carefully:
- Cracks: Lots of great guitars have really minor cracks. Some cracks are structural (bad), but many are not. If a crack is well-repaired, it might not be a problem at all and could save you money. But if you’re not sure and don’t have an expert to help you assess it, you’re probably safer avoiding guitars with cracks.
- Warping: Check the body and neck, especially near the bridge and fretboard.
- Fret wear: Excessive fret wear may require costly repairs. Light wear is acceptable if you’re willing to invest in minor adjustments.
- The guitar’s history: Ask about any repairs, adjustments, or modifications.
- Neck adjustments: Most used guitars (even 100+ year old ones!) are perfectly fine and haven’t suffered any neck movement. Be cautious if someone tells you a used guitar definitely needs neck work – that’s often a scare tactic. However, if a previous owner used much higher string tension than normal for years, the neck might have arched, which would need repair.
The downside: Just like with cars, if you don’t love a used guitar, you might be stuck with it. Try to only buy used if there’s a return policy.
When possible, buy from a reputable dealer or have a guitar tech inspect it before purchase.
What to Look For (Quick Checklist)
When you’re testing guitars, ask yourself:
✅ How does it sound? You should love how your guitar sounds!
✅ How does it feel? Even if you’re brand new to guitar, you should like how it feels in your hands.
✅ How does it look? First, make sure nothing looks broken, wrong, or weird. After that, looks are subjective – go for sound and feel over appearance (but if you hate how it looks, maybe skip it).
✅ Any damage or structural problems? (See used guitar section above)
✅ What are the measurements? Write down scale length, nut width, action at 12th fret, and action at bridge for comparison.
A Word About "Guitar Sellers"
Here’s some real talk: be careful about sellers who only push certain brands or claim their adjustments make guitars better. A good seller respects the craftsmen who build guitars and helps you find what works for YOU – not what gives them the biggest profit margin.
The best approach? Talk to friends with experience, check forums and social networks, and contact serious, professional companies with wide experience who prioritize getting you a guitar you’ll love – even if that means not buying from them.
My Challenge to You
Before you buy, try to play as many different guitars as possible with different scale lengths, nut widths, and action heights. Visit shops with a metric ruler and notepad, ask friends to try theirs, watch comparison videos.
Remember: the best guitar is the one you’ll actually want to pick up and play every day. Sound quality matters, but comfort matters even more!
Need More Specific Recommendations?
I’ve put together detailed guides with my top recommendations for beginner to intermediate players:
For Classical Guitar: Check out my guide to the 4 best classical guitars for beginners to intermediate players: https://diegoalonsomusic.com/post/4-best-classical-guitars-for-beginners-to-intermediate/
For Flamenco Guitar: See my guide to the 3 best flamenco guitars for beginners to intermediate players: https://diegoalonsomusic.com/post/3-best-flamenco-guitars-for-beginners-to-intermediate/
Want Personalized Help to Play Classical or Flamenco Guitar Beautifully & Confidently?
If you’re serious about improving your playing classical or flamenco guitar well and want personalized guidance on practice strategies, technique, and performance, I’d love to help you out. Cllick here to book a Free Consultation with me and learn how you can work with me for faster and better improvement.
Happy guitar hunting! 🎸
— Diego Alonso
P.S. One last thing – handmade guitars aren’t fashion products. They actually tend to increase in value over time if well-maintained. So buying a quality handmade guitar is a safe short and long-term investment!
