How to compare classical guitars

A useful comparison gives each guitar the same musical questions to answer. Begin with a small shortlist, play familiar material and make notes that describe what you actually heard and felt. You are looking for the instrument that supports your playing and priorities.

Write down two or three things you want to improve. “A melody that stays clear over the bass”, “less effort in first-position chords” and “more room for a crescendo” are more useful than “a better sound”. Add anything you already value in your present guitar so an improvement in one area does not distract you from losing something else.

Set a comfortable spending limit before you start. If you are still deciding whether to upgrade, read Are Concert Guitars Only for Professional Guitarists?. The existing spending guide discusses the budget question separately; check any historic price examples against current instruments.

Choose three short passages that you can play reliably: a melody with accompaniment, a sequence of chords or arpeggios, and something that moves between registers. Bring your current guitar if practical so you have a familiar reference.

• Tune each guitar before listening closely and check tuning again when you swap.
• Use the same chair, support where compatible, room position and musical passages.
• Ask which strings are fitted, their tension and approximate age. Record differences that cannot be controlled.
• Give yourself a brief settling-in period, then move between the guitars using the same passage. Reverse the order on a later round.
• Write a short observation after each comparison. Use “clearer upper melody in this phrase” rather than a score with no explanation.

Do not change several things at once in an attempt to make a guitar win. If a different string set or setup is proposed, treat that as a separate comparison whose result still needs to be heard and felt.

First hold the guitar quietly in your normal playing position. Notice the body against your arm, how far you reach and whether the instrument feels stable. Then play an easy scale, a few first-position chords and a familiar barré if it is part of your usual playing.

Try position changes and the upper register you actually use. Does the neck feel manageable from several positions? Can you place fingers without constantly correcting the hand? If the guitar makes you grip harder or change your posture to reach ordinary passages, record that observation and discuss it.

Neck shape varies between models, and its feel cannot be reduced to a single width measurement. Yamaha’s classical-guitar choosing guide recommends assessing the instrument in the hands. Treat scale length, neck width, neck depth, string spacing and body size as clues to investigate together.

Action also affects comfort and the space available for vibrating strings. The lowest measured action is not automatically the best choice for your touch. Alhambra explains this trade-off. For the measurement itself, see Classical Guitar Action Explained. Ask what adjustments are feasible on the specific instrument; do not base the decision on an untested promise that any discomfort can be fixed.

Ask the same person to play the same short passages on each guitar while you listen from the same place in front. This adds the listener’s perspective to the sound you hear while holding the instrument. An experienced player can also demonstrate musical possibilities you have not yet explored.

Tell the player which qualities matter to you. Ask for a quiet melody or a controlled crescendo rather than only their most impressive piece. If practical, listen without watching which guitar is being played and note a preference before learning its identity.

Keep your own experience in the decision. Someone else may produce a sound you admire on an instrument that does not yet feel comfortable to you. Use the demonstration to investigate, then play it again yourself.

Record the model, maker, scale length, neck dimensions where available, soundboard construction, finish, fitted strings and condition. These details help you identify the actual instrument and ask precise questions.

Use them to explain differences worth testing. A material name, bracing description, country of manufacture or price does not tell you how much you will enjoy one particular guitar. Avoid deciding first that a construction type must win and then listening only for evidence that confirms it.

Check practical compatibility too: your support, case, usual playing position and any finish-specific care. A feature matters when it helps you play or care for the guitar. Ask the seller to distinguish measured facts from a description of their listening impressions.

For a remote shortlist, request comparable recordings of the actual instruments where possible. Ask for the same player, passages, room, microphone position and recording settings, with any processing described. If those conditions differ, make a note of it.

Microphone position and distance can change the recorded balance. DPA’s acoustic-guitar recording guidance explains why placement matters. A recording is useful evidence of that performance and recording setup, but cannot establish how the neck feels in your hand.

Listen using the same headphones or speakers at a consistent comfortable playback setting. When recording gains differ, do not treat playback volume as proof of acoustic projection. Ask about the recording conditions before drawing that conclusion.

CGA’s Picado Model 62 and 62DT blind test offers a focused listening exercise. Note a preference and its reason before reading the reveal. It compares those examples; it does not predict the feel of every guitar with a similar construction.

Before buying, establish the exact instrument’s condition, what is included and the current buying arrangements. Read Buy with Confidence, Delivery and Returns and Exchanges, and ask for clarification about the specific purchase where needed.