Here is a comprehensive guide to classical guitar prices. Barring luthier-made, custom-built instruments that can go all the way up to thousands of dollars, we have the best of the rest here.
Classical guitars come in 3 price ranges: cheap beginner models between $150 and $250, mid-priced models for beginners between $300 and $600, and high-priced models for intermediate to advanced players between $700 and $2,000.
At every price range, there are good options to consider and buy. Here’s a look at some of the popular classical guitars across every price band.
Table of Contents
$150-$250: A good price of a classical guitar for beginners
While there are classical guitars listed below $150 (and some even below $100) it is difficult to recommend those for any sort of serious playing. As an amusement or toy for little children, they may be alright, but I know of no tutor or school that advocates the use of extremely cheap instruments. Among other things, such guitars may not stay in tune, have a poor tone and not last very long.
The inexpensive guitars in our listing below do not suffer from such handicaps. They are well tried and trusted over the years, if not decades. They will not be perfect in every sense, obviously, given the low price but they are more than serviceable.
| Top wood/Back & sides | Neck wood/Fingerboard | Scale length/Nut width | Check price | |
| Yamaha C40II | Spruce/Meranti | Nato/Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Yamaha CGS102A | Spruce/Meranti | Nato/Rosewood | 530 mm/48 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Yamaha CGS103A | Spruce/Nato | Nato/Rosewood | 580 mm/48 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Yamaha CGS104A | Spruce/Meranti | Mahogany/Rosewood | 635 mm/48 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Cordoba Protege C1 | Spruce/Mahogany | Nato/Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Cordoba C1M | Spruce/ | Mahogany/Pau Ferro | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
Yamaha C40II – The all-time favorite
The Yamaha C40 is the beginner’s classical guitar. Thousands of tutors have been recommending it for decades. Almost everyone who learned the classical guitar seems to have had the C40 as their first full-size guitar.
The C40 has all the essentials going for it – robust build, a good sound and an inexpensive price. The C40, or its current version C40II, is the world’s most popular entry-level nylon string guitar and you can’t go wrong with it. Enough said.
The top wood of the C40II is a spruce laminate and the wood on the sides and back tends to be one of Meranti or Nato. At this level of pricing, these wood alternatives are practical and cost-effective choices. The model has 18 frets.
See the Yamaha C40II in action. Check out my in-depth article on the C40.
If this video proves anything, it is that a good artiste can play on even a beginner’s guitar and make it sound good.
Check the price of Yamaha C40II at Sweetwater
Yamaha CGS102A: The half-size starter guitar for children
Yamaha is famous for its great-sounding, budget classical guitars. The Yamaha CGS102A is a half-size model meant for children. The scale length is 530 mm (distance between the saddle on the bridge and nut) which is considerably less than the full size 650 mm.
It’s also considerably easier to play for a child given its shorter length. Again, the actual wood laminates used in the construction of the back, sides and neck tend to vary based on availability. It could be one of Mahogany, Meranti and Nato.
The Yamaha CGS102A comes with the approval of tutors-parents-students for a long while now. It is a light, full-sounding guitar for children.
Check the price of Yamaha CGS102A at Sweetwater
Yamaha CGS103A: 3/4 size for older kids
For older children above 8 years of age, a popular choice is Yamaha’s CGS103A. This is a 3/4 size classical guitar meant for beginners. It is perfect for elementary school children up to the 6th grade or so.
When it comes to classical guitar sizes, the general guide is as follows:
1/4-Size – 4-6 years old
1/2-Size – 6-8 years old
3/4-Size – 8-11 years old
7/8-Size or 4/4-Size – 11 years-Adult
That places the Yamaha CGS103A in the 8-11-year-olds bracket.
The CGS103A is also perfect for adults with small hands who prefer the comfort of a smaller scale length guitar. It is a ‘proper’ classical guitar in all other respects with a laminated spruce top, meranti for back and sides and rosewood bridge and fingerboard. It has a traditionally contoured body making it easy when a child transitions to a full-size instrument.
Like all Yamaha guitars, the craftsmanship and build quality of the CGS103A are top notch. It is well made, easy to tune and holds its tuning well.
With a scale length of nearly 23″ and a body depth of about 4″, the CGS103A serves as a great transitional instrument for players before they step up to a full-sized instrument.
It has 18 frets and comes with Savarez D’Angelico Light Tension strings pre-fitted. Light tension strings are easier to play on and produce a round, soft tone. The guitar, being a classical one, does not come with or need a strap.
Check out Yamaha CGS103A at Sweetwater
Check out Yamaha CGS103A at Amazon
Yamaha CGS104A: Full size student’s favorite
Yamaha CGS 104A is a full size model and a students’ favorite for its overall value and sound.
The sound quality of the CGS104A feels more ‘expensive’ than the actual price. Its features are typical Yamaha ones – good woods, great build and continued student confidence over the years. Wherever there is formal education concerning the classical guitar – online, a conservatory or with a tutor – the 104A enjoys a great reputation.
The top wood is laminated spruce. The wood for the sides, back and neck is laminated Meranti/Nato and it’s Rosewood for the fingerboard. The number of frets is 18 and the finish is glossy.
The CGS104A is a leading student model with full-size specs. Check the price of Yamaha CGS104A at Amazon.
Cordoba Protege C1: Brighter and lighter
In the world of classical guitars, the two biggies in terms of brands are Yamaha and Cordoba. And then there are the others.
The C1 is a high quality, full-size nylon string guitar from Cordoba for beginners. It features a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, a wood-inlaid mosaic rosette, and a high gloss polyurethane finish. The scale length is a full size 650 mm and the nut width is the standard 52 mm.
Like all Córdoba instruments, the C1 features premium Savarez strings and an adjustable truss rod for neck adjustments. The truss rod is noteworthy in that beginner guitars do not generally offer this feature.
Cordoba classical guitars are known for their light feel and a brighter sound. The Protege C1 is very much in that style. The C1 has a variant in the popular C1M (‘M’ is for matte finish), also a full-size student model, but you can save some dollars if you’re not hung up on glossy looks. Check the price at Amazon.
Cordoba C1M: Full size and 3/4 size for students
Cordoba’s popular student model C1M (full-size) is often pitted against Yamaha’s C40II model. Both are in the same price range.
Like with most Cordoba models, the C1M comes factory-fitted with high tension strings – Savarez 500J High Tension specifically. This is unusual because most tutors advise using normal tension strings because they are easier to play on.
But then, high tension strings do give a punchier impact to the overall sound. Cordoba guitars tend to be brighter while Yamaha guitars sound warmer.
The Protégé C1M is built with a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a comfortable, slim neck profile, traditional mosaic rosette, and a matte polyurethane finish. Like all Córdoba instruments, the C1M model feature premium Savarez strings and an adjustable truss rod for neck adjustments.
Like the C1, the C1M has all full-size features.
Check the price of Cordoba C1M at Sweetwater
For an overview of classical guitar models for beginners, read my article A Beginner’s Guide to Guitar. For learning the instrument using online resources check out my piece Best Online Lessons for the Classical Guitar.
$300-600: What is a good classical guitar?
The next set of mid-priced classical guitars is still aimed at the beginner, perhaps the ambitious beginner willing to spend a little more. The higher-priced models in this set are aimed at someone who has already passed the rank beginner stage, perhaps a year or more into the study of the instrument. He or she may wish to move to the next level – in playing ability as well as the instrument itself.
| Top wood/Back & sides | Neck wood/Fingerboard | Scale length/Nut width | Check price | |
| Yamaha CG142 | Cedar or Spruce/Nato | Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba C3M | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Nato/Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba C5 | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Mahogany/Pau Ferro | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba Dolce 7/8 | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Cedar/Morado | 630 mm/48 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Godin Etude | Cedar/Wild Cherry | Mahogany/Rosewood | 651 mm/51 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Yamaha CG192 | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba C7 | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Mahogany/Rosewood | 648 mm/50 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Alhambra 1C | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Mahogany/Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Amazon |
Yamaha CG142: The next level from Yamaha
The CG Series from Yamaha is the next level up from their CGS Series (the S stands for Student). The CG142 is still a beginner’s guitar, perhaps the ambitious beginner. It is a full-size classical guitar for either a first timer or someone stepping up from a 3/4 size model. It is great value for money, not expensive at all.
A key difference on why this guitar is ahead of the Student Series is the top wood. This is no longer a laminate (thin layers of wood stuck together) but a solid wood piece. The top of the guitar (and the wood used) has a direct bearing on the sound produced.
The two variants of the CG142 are thus the cedar top and the spruce top – CG142CH and CG142SH. The former has a solid American red cedar top and the latter a solid Engelmann spruce top. The spruce top version has a bright sound with good projection. The harmonics are crystal clear and the tonal balance between the trebles and the basses is excellent.
Here’s a good demo of what the CG142S sounds like. The discussion is in Russian (I think) but the guitar sounds great.
The guitar has 19 frets and the finish is glossy. It is a Yamaha build after all and so should last many years. For early stage students, the CG142 is a good introduction to a solid top classical guitar.
Check the price of Yamaha CG142CH at Amazon
Check the price of Yamaha CG142S at Sweetwater
Cordoba C3M: Popular choice for beginners
Cordoba, like Yamaha, is a respected name in beginner and intermediate classical guitars of exceptional quality. The C3M is a well regarded classical guitar in this price range and weighs in well.
With its solid cedar top, it is known for its ease of playing, lightness in construction and a lively sound. If you can reach for a slightly higher price than a regular beginner guitar, it is well worth your while and will last you through your advanced beginner stage as well.
Mahogany or Nato is used for the sides, back and neck. Rosewood is used for the fingerboard. The number of frets is 19 and the finish is Satin Matte.
A noteworthy feature of the C3M is that with guitars in this price range, both the saddle and the nut are generally made of plastic. The C3M uses bone, always the material of choice in higher-priced guitars. The Spanish classic fan type bracing under the top wood is an advanced feature as well.
The sound is brilliant and bright like all Cordobas. It is built to last the years.
Cordoba C3M at Amazon | Cordoba C3M at Sweetwater
Cordoba C5: Flagship model, perfect first guitar
One of Córdoba’s flagship models, the C5 is perfect as a first nylon-string guitar if you want to skip over the bread-and-butter beginner models. This lightweight model is built with a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides for a clear, powerful tone with beautiful sustain.
Handmade in the traditional Spanish style, the C5’s carved headstock, hand-inlaid wood rosette, Pau Ferro binding and Savarez strings result in a guitar that truly stands out from all other entry-level options. A lightweight adjustable truss rod is built into the neck for stability. The cedar top is a solid Western Red Cedar piece. It is also available in natural finish with solid Engelmann Spruce if you want a spruce top guitar.
Mahogany is used for back, sides and neck. And the fingerboard uses Pau Ferro, a South American tonewood with sonic characteristics similar to Rosewood. It is a full-size 650 mm guitar with a full-size nut of 52 mm width. It has 19 frets and the finish is glossy polyurethane.
The Cordoba C5 comes pre-fitted with Savarez Cristal Corum High Tension 500CJ strings. Check the price of the C5 at Sweetwater.
Cordoba Dolce 7/8: For adults with small hands
A 7/8 classical guitar is also known as a 630 mm guitar for its slightly shorter scale length (full size is 650 mm.)
The Cordoba Dolce 7/8 is a good choice for adult players with small hands.
The Dolce has a solid cedar top, not laminated. This has a direct bearing on the sound of a guitar.
Besides the top wood being solid Western Red Cedar, the back and sides are Mahogany, a solid, standard choice of wood. Like most Cordobas, the Dolce has a Spanish fan bracing which is the arrangement of wooden struts under the top wood. The bracing too has a bearing on resonance.
Again, unusual for a guitar in this price range, the Cordoba Dolce has a two-way truss rod to adjust the neck angle. You won’t be using it often but it’s great that it is there. As another indication of its quality build, the nut and saddle are made of bone, not plastic. This too is uncommon at this price range.
These are good features for the price and the guitar will keep a student good company for years. For the benefits it offers, the price is reasonable.
Just for the sake of clarity, the Cordoba Dolce is not the same as the Cordoba C9 Dolce (this is a confusing name given by some retailers to the popular Cordoba C9 Parlor) which is a far more expensive guitar.
Check the price of a Cordoba Dolce (Amazon link).
Godin Etude: AKA the La Patrie Etude
The Godin or La Patrie Etude is the most popular model from this Canadian brand. It is everything that a student might look for in a good guitar. The Etude has a light polished finish and a harmonically rich sound that you will find in a more expensive guitar. The thin polish protects the guitar but also allows it to breathe and vibrate freely.
The Etude has a solid cedar top with laminated wild cherry back and sides. This entry model has the same bracing pattern as the expensive models. And at this price level, the sound is really good. It is not a powerful booming instrument by any means but it is an even-sounding guitar. The neck is thinner and closer to a steel-string guitar in feel.
With a crossover player in mind, the Etude also has a radiused fretboard. Classical guitars generally have a flat fingerboard across the width of the frets.
Like all La Patrie (or Godin) guitars, the Etude’s solid cedar top is pressure tested and graded. The wood is from fallen cedar trees with an average age of 800 years. The quality of the wood is top-notch.
The neck of the Etude is carved from Honduras Mahogany and features a double-function truss rod system not usually found in traditional classical guitars. This system reduces the profile of the neck for greater comfort and stability.
All in all, for a laminated back and sides model, the Etude is very good for its price. And because of its sturdy build, it will for a long time remain your noodling guitar at the very least.
Check out the Godin Etude on Amazon.
Yamaha CG192: Top of the line
Within Yamaha’s intermediate range of classical guitars, this one is top of the line: the CG192. It is just one rung below the vaunted Grand Concert (GC) Series and is aimed at the experienced beginner, who is leaving behind their student guitar. It has a cedar top (CG192C) and spruce top variants (CG192S).
With rosewood back and sides and a mahogany neck, the CG192 introduces the player to a hallmark of what advanced players consider essential: an ebony fingerboard. For this and other reasons of build, a player moving from a student guitar will notice a huge jump in tonal quality, playability, touch and durability.
Here’s a Baroque composition for the classical guitar by S.L.Weiss played on the CG192C.
CG192C – Check the price at Amazon
CG192S – Check the price at Amazon
Cordoba C7: For the advanced beginner
The C7 is aimed at an advanced beginner or early intermediate guitarist.
Not just price, but in terms of tonal quality and general handling, the C7 will be more appreciated by a guitarist with some experience.
Its solid top of cedar is already a step up from the novice world. The C7’s traditional fan bracing under the top wood makes for great resonance and big sound. A two-way truss rod is a handy feature to take care of long-term neck orientation issues. And like every Cordoba guitar, the C7 is built light.
The Cordoba C7 is a quality instrument at a great price. It is a full size instrument (648 mm scale length) with 19 frets and a glossy polyurethane finish. The nut and saddle are made of bone, not plastic. And it comes pre-fitted with Savarez Cristal Corum High Tension 500CJ strings.
Cordoba C7 Cedar at Sweetwater
Cordoba C7 Spruce at Sweetwater
Alhambra 1C: The made-in-Spain alternative
The Alhambra brand of guitars are made in Spain in the time-honored, traditional ways of making a Spanish guitar. Although cheaper in Europe, the Alhambra 1C beginner’s model is pegged around the $500 mark in the US. It comes with a warmer Spanish sound and a solid reputation.
The widely respected Alhambra range of classical guitars starts with their Student Line, which includes the 1C, 2C and 3C models.
All the instruments made by Alhambra Guitarras are built with solid tops as against laminates.
The Alhambra 1C is a great choice for the novice classical guitar player “who wants to take things seriously.” Its sound is considered darker, mellow and sweet which are very much the characteristics of a Spanish-made classical guitar. As against, say, the brighter sparkle of a Cordoba C5 and the like.
Handmade with selected woods, the Alhambra 1C is made with a solid cedar top (or solid spruce top) with Mahogany back and sides. These are good wood choices found in costlier guitars too.
The Alhambra 1C has a good volume and a well-defined sound for an entry-level guitar. The 1C comes fitted with D’Addario EXP44 Extra-Hard Tension strings installed. High tension strings generally lend a crisper sound to the guitar with greater volume.
Check out the Alhambra 1C on Amazon.
$700-2,000: What is the best classical guitar for the money?
What makes a great classical guitar expensive? Primarily it has to do with the choice of tonewoods and the time spent in construction. The more care given to the choice of the actual pieces of wood and the more time it takes to build, the higher the price. You are, in effect, paying for the best materials and craftsmanship even when it is a factory-made guitar.
| Top wood/Back & sides | Neck wood/Fingerboard | Scale length/Nut width | Check price | |
| Cordoba C9 | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Mahogany/Rosewood | 650 mm/51 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Kremona Fiesta FC | Cedar/Rosewood | Cedar/Rosewood | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Yamaha GC22C | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba C10 | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 660 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Alhambra 5P | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Amazon |
| Yamaha GC32C | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Cordoba C12 | Cedar or Spruce/Mahogany | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Sweetwater |
| Alhambra 7P | Cedar or Spruce/Rosewood | Mahogany/Ebony | 650 mm/52 mm | Price at Guitar Center |
Cordoba C9: A classic with a fan base
Who is the C9 for really? The Cordoba C9 is part of the company’s Luthier Series aimed at intermediate and advanced players. It is an all-solid woods guitar with a cedar or spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides.
Most Cordoba models come with a Spanish-stye fan bracing. The fan bracing pattern allows the center of the soundboard more surface area to vibrate. When the soundboard is responsive, the guitar sounds louder.
The C9 comes across as a superior instrument although lightweight in construction (like most Cordoba guitars). Its sound has been described as something with a punchy midrange.
The aesthetic of the guitar is noteworthy. The 1920s-inspired pearloid rosette design adds a vintage touch. The red purfling and the gold-and-black tuning machine look tasteful and classic. The glossy polyurethane finish is quiet but noticeable.
Cordoba goes all out in the detailing of the C9 to tell you it’s a worthy, superior instrument. At the affordable price it is at, it’s easy to forget that it’s actually a highly acclaimed and admired guitar with a loyal fan base.
Cordoba C9 Cedar top at Sweetwater
Kremona Fiesta FC: A surprising beauty from Bulgaria
The Kremona Fiesta FC is a hand-made classical guitar with traditional choices of all-solid woods with a rosewood fingerboard. It is a popular guitar not just with intermediate classical guitarists but also with the jazz, rock, pop crowds.
And it is made – wait for this – in Bulgaria.
The Fiesta is built light and built for good volume. “The mids have great presence, and the bass notes are never muddy,” as one satisfied forum member says.
One happy user in an online forum went so far as to say: “One shocking note – the Kremona is loud. No, wait, let us say – the Kremona is LOUD! Very responsive, with a nice breathy, airy quality to it… “
On aesthetics, the Kremona Fiesta FC is a nicely finished, handsome guitar. The rosette is low-key and tasteful with hand-inlaid woodwork.
And there is something to be said about thoughtfulness and attention to detail when someone goes and makes the tuning pegs in wood. Not the usual metal or plastic, but proper rosewood. It is a fabulous touch, I think.
Yamaha GC22C: A gem from the Grand Concert Series
As part of Yamaha’s top-line Grand Concert Series, the GC22C is typical of higher quality guitars that promise nuanced sound and expression. As the tonewoods age with time, the tonal richness will improve.
The GC22 has solid Rosewood for its back and sides and the top is either solid American Red Cedar or solid European Spruce. You can expect a GC22 to sound big and sustained. Trebles are not overpowered by the bass. Even owners of the excellent CGS192 will find the GC22 a step up the ladder.
For many owners, the GC22, cedar top or spruce, is a stand-out guitar from their previous one. They love the expression they can get out of it and the nuances it brings to their playing. As with all high end Yamahas, the GC22 has a well rounded, balanced sound with no particular leaning towards the basses. The basses, in fact, sound pure and rich on a typical GC22.
This is a model (even though it’s not the most expensive in the Series) that reminds you how good “factory-made” can be.
Listen to the Yamaha GC22 on song.
Check the price of Yamaha GC22C at Sweetwater
Cordoba C10: The best seller
Aimed at the serious guitarist at the intermediate level, the Cordoba C10 is a high-quality instrument made of solid woods. It fits the recipe of a traditional classical guitar with its classic tonewood choices: cedar/spruce top, rosewood for sides and back, and ebony for the fingerboard.
The C10 is also one of the most striking guitars to look at: a well-crafted guitar, classy and elegant, with a remarkable degree of workmanship. It is also a popular choice with many intermediate to advanced players who have stopped short of a luthier-built guitar for whatever reason.
The Cordoba C10 is built to the traditional standards of a Spanish guitar. It has a Spanish fan bracing and Spanish heel construction where the top of the guitar is attached to the neck, the sides are added next, and the guitar’s body is sealed by the installation of the back. This construction feature “allows the entire instrument to vibrate as one unified piece.”
The C10 has a C-shape neck (as against, for instance, the D-shaped one found in comparable Yamaha models) which many users find easier to grasp. It has a flat fingerboard of a traditional classical guitar in ebony, the tonewood of choice in expensive guitars. See the price at Sweetwater.
The C10 is highly rated for its volume with almost every owner review making it a point to talk about it. The cedar version is known for its ‘sweet, warm tone.’ Here’s what our reviewer Roger Ramirez has to say about the C10 he owns and loves.
Alhambra 5P: Made in Spain for the next level player
The Alhambra 5P sits squarely in the market of classical guitar players who are looking to up their game.
All Alhambra guitars are proper Spanish guitars in the sense they are actually made in Alicante, Spain. The 5P belongs to the Conservatory Line and is a full-bodied guitar with a mature sound.
The body goes through as many as four layers of varnish. With an ebony fingerboard, better machine heads and Indian rosewood for the back and sides, the 5P is a handsome, well-crafted classical guitar from Spain at the end of the day. The ebony bracing in the neck prevents warping.
The saddle and nut are made of melamine instead of bone, considered the usual standard in any guitar over $500. Melamine, according to the company, is the chosen material for its sound transmission qualities.
The guitar comes fitted with D’Addario EXP 44 Extra Hard Tension strings, again an unusual choice. This is true of all Alhambra guitars. Hard tension strings are recommended as the default choice for them all.
Feature for feature, the 5P holds its own against any brand in the mid-price segment that aims at the intermediate guitarist or the advanced beginner.
Check the price of Alhambra 5P on Amazon.
Yamaha GC32C: Hand-chosen woods
The Yamaha GC32 is considered the start of the higher end of the GC line. It is a very Spanish-sounding guitar, produced in the Hamamatsu factory in Japan. (The GC12 and GC22 are reportedly made in China.)
In high-end guitars like the GC32, it’s not just the choice of the tonewoods. It’s the particular choice of the actual pieces of wood that go to make a classical guitar. No wood piece is ever identical to any other like no two fingerprints are the same. Care taken here by a master craftsman directly translates as the final quality of the instrument.
At less than $2,000, the Yamaha GC32C is an outstanding instrument. Solid rosewood back and sides. Ebony fingerboard. Solid American cedar top. Or European spruce top. It also sounds better as it ages. This is a class act.
In terms of sound, the mid and treble tones are super clear and bright. The GC32 has a bright, open and responsive sound with a bit more complexity in tone as is to be expected in an expensive guitar.
Check the price of Yamaha CG32C at Sweetwater.
Cordoba C12: Raised fretboard, top of the line
At the top end of the extensive Cordoba range, there’s the crowning glory: the C12. The handmade Cordoba C12 classical guitar “fuses modern elements with traditional design.”
It features a lattice-braced top. Lattice bracing increases a guitar’s projection and sensitivity. Natural lacquer finish will allow the cedar top to mature its tone over the years.
The C12’s raised fingerboard – a feature associated usually with modern, luthier-made guitars – gives easy access to the upper frets and increased playability.
It is a handsome guitar with fans all over the world that performs as good as it looks – from the detailed mother-of-pearl “Esteso” rosette inlay and maple binding to the gold tuners with ebony buttons.
It’s easy to love the rich, full tone of the Cordoba C12’s premium tonewoods well put together. The sound is big, no doubts about that. Cordoba’s humidified hard case is included (at the time of writing) in the price, which is a great accessory if you live in humid conditions.
Check the price of Cordoba C12 Spruce at Sweetwater.
Alhambra 7P: Great tone woods and made in Spain
The Alhambra 7P classical guitar is the high end of the Conservatory Line which also features the 4P, 5P and the 6P models. The Alhambra 7P is an all solid woods classical guitar for an intermediate guitarist.
With its superior craftsmanship, Spanish bracing, great choice of tonewoods, balanced sound and reasonable price, the 7P is a true all rounder and exceptional value for money.
The nut and the saddle are made from Melamine (not bone), which is an “excellent transmitter of sound and known to enhance projection.” With golden machine heads and an exquisite rosette, this guitar is a polished and refined Alhambra instrument. (I personally own a 7P and love it!)
The choice of Red Western Cedar or German Spruce for the top is up to the player. Both provide an excellent sound and will open and develop with use – the more you play the guitar, the better it will sound. Red Cedar develops more rapidly into a warm, rich tone, while Spruce provides added brilliance and top end, with a faster response.
This handmade Spanish nylon-string guitar also has a U profile neck that makes it easier to slide up and done the fingerboard easier.
Check price of Alhambra 7P at Guitar Center.
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Happy choosing!
You forgot Kazuo Yairi from Japan who makes fantastic classical guitars. The top of the line CYM75 goes for $2000 and is one of the most beautiful sounding instruments I have every heard. Cedar top, Indian rosewood back and sides, amazing finish. You might know Yairi guitars by the Alvarez name. Alvarez is a company based in St. Louis that imports Yairi guitars to the U.S.
Thanks for that, JDR. I haven’t any experience with Yairi guitars. Neither do the players I know. But, yes, I have read about them and come across the name. Didn’t know about the Alvarez connection either. Great to know.