Sometimes buying a guitar online can be a little worrying, as you may want to feel for the type of guitar that you want. Our advice is to borrow someone else’s and begin to identify your playing style and musical tastes; there are certainly some differences between classical guitars with nylon strings and acoustic guitars with steel strings. If you feel like you prefer finger plucking to using a pick and you enjoy the unique mellow sound that nylon strings produce, then a classical guitar is probably more suited to you. However, comparing the two is a bit of an apples and oranges situation and as a result, a lot of people own both and play each one based on their mood and musical requirements, as if they were an entirely different instrument. We have the perfect selection of Yamaha classical guitars for beginners and kids, check out our 3/4 Yamaha Classical Guitar CS40, at only $149 it makes buying a guitar less stressful. For those that require a superior sound and finish we also have a selection of intermediate Yamaha classical guitars and beautiful Alhambra and Cort classical guitars. When you make a purchase online from Music Mart you can feel safe in knowing that if your classical guitar doesn’t have the features you were looking for, then you can return it.
Classical Guitar History
Classical guitars are quite arguably the most popular instruments in the world. Guitars have been recorded in text and art since the ancient Egyptian times, but it was the ancient Greeks who can claim the credit for designing the acoustic soundboard and hollow body. In those days it was called a cithara or kithara and it was kind of like a harp mixed with a guitar. Eventually it was modified and turned in to what was called a Barbiton, which looked similar to a medieval lute. Although the history of the many forms of guitars is somewhat obscure, the popularity of guitar like instruments is undeniable, and none could be more popular than the ‘modern’ classical guitar, which was re engineered in Spain by Antonio Torres Jurado in 1852. Today, only 90 of Torres’s original guitars are known to exist and they can cost upward of $150,000, fortunately his pioneering ingenuity has lasted and a modern classical guitar is very similar to that of a Torres, but much less expensive.
The Difference Between Classical Guitars & Acoustic
A modern day classical guitar is strung with nylon strings, which gives it a softer more mellow sound when compared with what is commonly referred to as an acoustic guitar with steel strings. The difference between a nylon stringed classical guitar and a steel stringed acoustic guitar simply comes down to preference and playing style – this 2.30min video helps explain the differences. Classical guitars with nylon strings are typically played with a lot of finger plucking (without a pick), furthermore a classical guitar has a flatter face along the neck, which makes it easier to play and hold bars, this also suits the playing style typical of a nylon string classical guitar.
If you would like to learn more about nylon stringed classical guitars and the different models available, including our Yamaha classical guitars please don’t hesitate to contact us today. Call 0 8 9250 2015 or send an email for a prompt email reply here.
