Acoustic or Classical

Question:

For a beginner interested in playing a bit of pop and classical, which type of guitar would be easier to learn on? I am a female adult of average size.  I prefer the sound of the classical guitar but find both fingerboards large, especially on the classical.  I am sure this is partly a beginner`s impression. Thanks, Thuy

Response:

IMO classical guitars don’t lend themselves to strumming or playing with a pick.  They are designed, with their wide fingerboards, for fingerpicking techniques.  They put out more sound when played with the fingers compared to a steel string acoustic, and most, but not all players, use them for classical and Latin rhythms, and they are great for bossa nova type music. Since steel string acoustic guitars are geared more towards strumming and playing chords, not to say you can’t fingerpick a steel string acoustic, they are more suited to rock, pop, and modern music.  While often played with a pick, many people fingerpick them, and most "fingerstyle blues" are played on steel string guitars.  Also, you can get steel string acoustics with wider fingerboards, and while not as wide as a classical, are very versatile for all types of music. IMO many people mistakenly choose classical guitars over steel string guitars because the nylon strings are easier on the fingers.  If you don’t play much, and really don’t want to spend enough time practicing to develop some calluses (it’s not as bad as it sounds), you can try lighter gauge strings, or some strings called silk & steel.  While these strings don’t have as much "tone" as heavier gauge strings, some players find them to be a good compromise between sound and comfort. Finally, I think you should buy the guitar that sounds best to you and is best suited to the music you love to play.  Find out what your favorite artists play, and use that as a guide as to what style guitar to get. Personally, I think you’ll find a steel string acoustic to be a much more versatile instrument, but it’s all very subjective.  In the end, "you" have to love it.  And since there is no perfect guitar for every type of music, you may very well own more than one guitar as time goes by.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> For a beginner interested in playing a bit of pop and classical, which > type of guitar would be easier to learn on? I am a female adult of > average size.  I prefer the sound of the classical guitar but find > both fingerboards large, especially on the classical.  I am sure this > is partly a beginner`s impression. > Thanks, > Thuy

Response:

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