classical guitar vs. acoustic guitar

[steve]

I was just wondering what the difference between a classical guitar and a normal acoustic guitar. If you have any pictures of a classical guitar that would be cool too.....

[Andrew]

The main difference is that a classical has nylon strings, rather than metal. Theres a picture on www.guitarsite.com but for some reason I cant seem to be able to get a link to it. Go to the site, click on the classical link at the left, then click the classical link at the bottom, then the classical guitar anatomy link.

[steve]

thanks

[Coffee]

As well as having nylon strings they have other significant difference. First they must be miked, you can't use a magnetic pickup in the soundhole since nylon strings do not induce a electrical current. Second the structure is entirely different. Steel string accoustics are much more sturdy. I knew a fellow once who decided he didn't want his classical to have nylon strings any more. So he bought some steel strings. He kept tuning it higher and higher and while tuning it he found it needed to be retuned and retuned until the bridge tore right off the face of the guitar.

Classical strings are further apart and are fatter. This makes them at once easier and harder to play. Your fingers must reach laterally a little further, but nylon strings are easier to depress and generally easier on the fingers since they have more surface area.

Steel string accoustic is in my thinking the way to go as it makes it much easier to make the switch to electric in the future if you choose to.

[Andrew]

Youre right, dont put steel strings on a classical guitar, or even nylons on a steel string accoustic. I suppose steel string accoustic is the one to learn on, because it is easier to move to electric or classical later depending on what you want to do.

Classicals dont have to be miked though. As you said, magnetic pickups wont work, but piezo pickups will. I prefer these for steel acoustic anyway, it makes it sound more "acuosticey".

[Coffee]

Oops your right. I just am kind of biased to steel string. Nothing personal, just my style.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I actually find most classical stuff kinda boring too.

[Coffee]

Hmm. Not sure that's what I meant. I used to play classical and learned a lot. To me, where a person is currently able to best express themselves is where they should be whether grunge classical jazz rock or whatever. Nothing is boring to the person who loves it.

[Andrew]

Yeah.... I was just saying that I dont really enjoy playing, or listening to classical guitar just now. It is true that you can learn a lot from classical and maybe I shouldnt say this but I dont really think the guitar is suited to playing classical music. Maybe its just me, just my taste, but when I go to a classical concert, and I have been to many and enjoyed them, I would much rather see a normal orchestra with string instruments, different types of keyboards, harps, etc playing the melody, than a nylon string guitar. I do have a couple of John Williams (the classical guitarist, not the composer) CDs, and when I listen to his version of Air on a G string, by Bach, then the same song on one of my other CDs, 'String masterpieces', the difference is amazing. Even me, a guitarist, would much prefer to hear the string masterpieces version.

By the way, If flamenco or celtic music counts as classical, I love these. As you said, nothing personal, just my style :cool:

[jdjuice]

one thing else that is different, classical guitars have different tuning machines. They kind of go thru the headstock of the guitar instead of on pegs. That was the way i was able to easily differentiate between classical and regular acoustic guitars in catalogues. Also the bridge looks different. I've never played a classical guitar, so i dont know what, if any, influence the tuning machines have on the sound of a classical, maybe they work better with nylon or they are that way because the strings are spaced out farther. Oreo. Just two cosmetic things so that you can look at a guitar from a distance and tell which is which.

[BluesPulp]

I have a Yamaha APX-9NA.
It's a nylon electric, actually it has a very good mic in side.
The neck is no larger than a finely built steelstring acoustic.

Since it doesn't have the tension on the neck that a steel string has, it doesn't need all that extra support. Thus, it's one of the lightest acoustics I've ever played. I picked it up for $725 about a year ago.

I've found that by double micing an nylon acoustic (not talking about the internal mic) you can get a more fuller sound. If you do recording, this is a must.

You can still play classical on a regular guitar. The sound will not be the same, but for theory and a change in your routine too. I use to use my Gibson J30 E when I played some classical.
Now I do Zepplin, Deep Purple, Ten Years After with my APX. Granted, it'd take some doing on a true classical to pop out some Hendrix, but that narrow neck makes a world of difference.
Git's are very veratile, especially when amped.