When buying a guitar, many people do not know whether to choose an acoustic guitar or a Spanish guitar. Therefore, in this post we will see what are the differences between an acoustic guitar and a Spanish guitar so you can decide.
First of all, at first glance these guitars are similar: they both have 6 strings, a neck, a soundboard, bridge, headstock, etc. In addition, both guitars are acoustic, i.e. they do not need amplification. Therefore, to distinguish them easily and in a simple way, it is necessary to look first at the strings:
If you look at the first three strings of the Spanish guitar on the right, they seem to be made of plastic, this material is called nylon, while the acoustic guitar, on the left, has metal strings (nickel or steel):
Key Characteristics Of A Spanish Flamenco Guitar
On the other hand, in the Spanish or classical guitar, the next 3 strings have very thin nylon threads that are wrapped in copper. On the other hand, the acoustic guitar also has strings that are wound but inside they are made of metal:
First of all, the word “acoustic” is a very broad word that means that the guitar does not need amplification, as we said above. That is, the guitar uses only its soundboard to generate sound.
For this reason, we would say that the Spanish guitar is also acoustic. However, the word “acoustic” is used to refer to a guitar with metal strings only.
Acoustic Guitar Archives
Within the category of acoustic guitars we also have different types of guitars if we refer to the shape, the size or the amount of strings. All of them are acoustic guitars because they have metal strings.
Strings: Acoustic strings are made of metal and Spanish/classical or flamenco strings are made of nylon. Sound: The sound is softer on the Spanish and brighter on the acoustic.
Size: It is smaller in Spanish or classical guitars, although there are some acoustic guitar models that have the same size as the Spanish guitar.
Vangoa Classical Guitar, 36 Inch Nylon String Acoustic Guitar For Beginners, Spanish Guitar In 3/4 Size With Spruce Top And Sapel, With Gig Bag, Pedal, Tuner, Strap, Capo, Replacement Strings
The neck: It is wider in the Spanish guitar, the space between the strings is wider and the frets are flat compared to the acoustic guitar which has a narrower neck, closer strings and more curved frets.
The peg box and spade: the way in which the strings are attached to the peg box also changes, therefore, when changing the strings we will do it in a different way.
The truss rods: The truss rods inside the soundboard can also vary between acoustic guitar and Spanish guitar. In fact, in the Spanish guitar there are different types of strings. This is a very broad topic that could be the subject of a whole book. Here is an example of different designs according to some guitar models:
Best Classical Guitars 2023
The core: It is a metal bar that runs along the neck of the acoustic guitar. This is mostly found in acoustic guitars since metal strings exert more tension and an internal structure like the core is necessary for the neck to stay straight and not bend. As I said, classical guitars do not have a core although some do.
The 12th fret and the cutaway: Spanish/classical guitars also usually have the 12th fret as the last fret before reaching the body of the guitar. In acoustic guitars this is not the case since we usually have the cutaway which makes it easier for us to play the higher notes. However, there are some Spanish guitars that have cutaway as well as acoustic guitars that do not.
The price: There are really cheap Spanish guitars, so cheap that they are really bad. The good thing about it is that a really cheap Spanish guitar sounds better than a really cheap acoustic guitar. At least you will be able to play something.
The Guitar And Its Woods
I have played very bad acoustic guitars that go out of tune and it is impossible to do anything with them, on the other hand a cheap Spanish guitar will sound bad but at least you will be able to play.
The technique: On both guitars you can play chords, melodies, arpeggios, etc. However, depending on the technique we use, we will have some limitations. For example it is easier to arpegiar en la guitarra española.
I started playing the guitar with a Spanish guitar, then the electric and finally the acoustic. Whichever one you play you will have advantages and disadvantages since both require practice and with both you will get calluses and it will hurt at the beginning.
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In other words, you could have the best acoustic guitar in the world or the best Spanish guitar but if you don’t practice it will sound bad anyway.
I recommend that you think about what are your reasons for wanting to learn to play the guitar, do you want to play the songs of an artist that you like a lot and he plays the acoustic? then buy an acoustic, if you prefer to start with classical music or you don’t know it, buy a Spanish one. Aquí te dejo unas guitarras que recomiendo.
Another important aspect to keep in mind is that if you decide to start playing with any of the two, you will end up trying them all (acoustic, Spanish or electric). So you don’t have to worry about it.
Different Types Of Acoustic Guitar
The most important thing is not to overthink it and comprar una guitarra barata. Because if in the end you decide that playing guitar is not your thing, you won’t have spent a lot of money. On the other hand, if you decide to continue, you will end up buying a better guitar.
Buy yourself a cheap guitar or play with an old second hand one. Then, when a year has passed and you see that you are still motivated and your hands are asking for something better, you can look for another one.
For acoustic guitars my recommendation is not the same. As I said above, I have tried really bad cheap acoustic guitars. If you start by buying an acoustic don’t risk buying the cheapest one.
Guitar History: From Spanish And Classical To Electric Guitar
Some guitars have the strings very far apart from the neck and this can be frustrating because your fingers will need more force to step on it and more time to make it sound. However, if you really want an acoustic, it is preferable that it is made by una marca conocida.
I wouldn’t pay attention to this. There are guitarists with small fingers or even children with small hands who play with standard size Spanish guitars.
Don’t let your hands be an excuse to be able to play. In the end it is cuestión de práctica and of getting your hand used to a certain flexibility.
Classical Guitars: Many Different Types
On the other side are those who say “I have big hands. The Spanish guitar is better”. My recommendation is that you start playing, looking for solutions about which guitar is better or worse depending on the hands you have is a waste of time.
Finally, there is also the difference between acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars. An electroacoustic guitar is also acoustic, the only difference is that it is also amplified. This is achieved thanks to a microphone inside the guitar.
Finally, there are also Spanish/classical guitars that can be amplified and are called electroacoustic classical guitars. I hope this post has helped you to recognize the differences between an acoustic guitar and a Spanish guitar.The classical guitar (also called Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wood string instrumt with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor of the modern steel-string acoustic and electric guitars, both of which use metal strings. Classical guitars derive from the Spanish vihuela and gittern of the 15th and 16th ctury. Those instrumts evolved into the 17th and 18th-ctury baroque guitar—and by the mid-19th ctury, early forms of the modern classical guitar. Today's modern classical guitar was established by the late designs of the 19th-ctury Spanish luthier, Antonio Torres Jurado.
What Are The Parts Of A Guitar?
For a right-handed player, the traditional classical guitar has 12 frets clear of the body and is properly held up by the left leg, so that the hand that plucks or strums the strings does so near the back of the sound hole (this is called the classical position). However, the right-hand may move closer to the fretboard to achieve differt tonal qualities. The player typically holds the left leg higher by the use of a foot rest. The modern steel string guitar, on the other hand, usually has 14 frets clear of the body (see Dreadnought) and is commonly held with a strap around the neck and shoulder.
The term modern classical guitar sometimes distinguishes the classical guitar from older forms of guitar, which are in their broadest sse also called classical, or more specifically, early guitars. Examples of early guitars include the six-string early romantic guitar (
The materials and the methods of classical guitar construction may vary, but the typical shape is either modern classical guitar or that historic classical guitar similar to the early romantic guitars of France and Italy. Classical guitar strings once made of gut are now made of materials such as nylon or fluoropolymers, typically with silver-plated copper fine wire wound about the acoustically lower (d-A-E
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