Buying a new instrument can be a headache. You have to think about so many things, specifications, sound, the look and… PRICE. When you are on a budget, you have to reconsider your priorities and most of the times compromise some highly advanced specs of the instrument. But you definitely want to have a good sound and nice playability in order to enjoy long hours of rehearsal. We have made some research about the best cheap classical guitars for you, so after reading this article you will understand that combining good price with high quality is possible. Here is the result of our work, enjoy:
Top 5 Best Cheap Classical Guitars
| Image | Guitar Model | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar |  (4.9 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Ortega Guitars R122SN Family Series |  (4.8 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Yamaha C40 Full Size Nylon-String Classical Guitar |  (4.7 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Ovation Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED | (4.7 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Yamaha CGS104A Full-Size Classical Guitar |  (4.6 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar
Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar is one of the most popular products on the list. Its top is made of solid cedar. Back and sides material is mahogany. It has a rosewood neck and fingerboard. Even the look of this beautiful instrument delivers that classical Spanish vibe. It has matte finish, hand-inlaid wooden rosette and nickel-plated tuning machines with pearl buttons. The guitar is well made, has wonderful resonance, and intonation is spot on. It definitely is an excellent value for the money, with its exquisite sound and traditional craftsmanship.
Pros:
- Great tonewood
- Very affordable
- Good sound
Cons:
- Neck might be a bit thick for beginners
- Needs more tuning in the beginning
Ortega Guitars R122SN Family Series
This classical nylon string guitar will surely impress you with its performance, especially if you have in mind its price. It has a cedar top, mahogany back and sides with satin finish. The mahogany neck of the instrument is pretty thin, light and comfortable- 48 mm nut, with Sonokelin fretboard. It has a 12-Hole Sonokelin Bridge, 2-Way Truss Rod. It is not the loudest guitar, but very well built. The instrument is easy to play for a beginner. It rarely goes out of tune. Ortega Guitars R122SN Family Series will make your experience with music simple and wonderful.
Pros:
- Good strings
- Good quality
- Get more for what you pay
Cons:
- Not the best volume
- Not a gigging guitar
Yamaha C40 Full Size Nylon-String Classical Guitar
Yamaha usually does very good job in delivering high quality with low price, in all of their affordable instruments. That is what exactly happened C40. It has exquisite craftsmanship. The instrument designed for beginners. It has a spruce top and Indonesian mahogany back and sides. Yamaha C40 Full Size Nylon-String Classical Guitar has a Nato neck with Javanese Rosewood Fingerboard. It has that beautiful classical design, with melamine Gloss Finish. The sound that is has is clear and nice. It has a good craftsmanship. This guitar will definitely satisfy you with its performance and sound. It is a perfect entry-level instrument.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Good sound
- Comfortable for beginners
Cons:
- Bad strings
- No truss rod adjustment
Ovation Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED
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Cheap classical guitar doesn’t mean that it has to be cheap in quality as well. I’m sure you’ve heard this countless times, but I have to repeat it for you – price isn’t always indicative of the guitar’s worth. The models, such as Ovation Applause AB24CII-CED, prove that point perfectly. The body of this fella is built with Lyrachord – a synthetic material that is frequently used by the manufacturer (it’s their proprietary material). It is extremely durable and can withstand so much abuse that you won’t believe it’s a real guitar. This bad boy has a layered cedar soundboard, mahogany neck and ovangkol fretboard. Applause also features an on-board preamp and a tuner, which will keep your sound in perfect shape all the time. It’s CT-600A offers amazing projection and is capable of emitting beautiful tones. The design is extremely simple: it has a single-cutaway in the upper body and an inlaid abalone rosette. As you can see, Ovation Applause is a straightforward, yet a capable guitar.
Pros:
- Rich, mellow sound
- Amazing build quality
- Usable features and properties
Cons:
- Not a traditional classical guitar
Yamaha CGS104A Full-Size Classical Guitar
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Could we put together a list of cheap guitars without including an affordable model from Yamaha? Well, I don’t think so. Their inexpensive guitars always deserve some attention, since they offer quite a good experience for the price. CGS104A is an amazing option for beginners or budget-players equally. Even though it isn’t comparable to expensive, high-quality classical guitars, it can definitely do its job decently. This fella has a spruce top and meranti back and sides, as well as nato neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. One of the things that you’ll enjoy a great deal here is the lightweight body and comfortable neck. No matter how many hours you spend playing it, it won’t strain your muscles – trust me, you won’t feel tired at all. CGS104A yields great results in terms of sound, as well. You can’t expect sophisticated sonic qualities here, yet the tones this fella emits will definitely surprise you. Warm, defined notes will surround your playing as soon as you pick this one up. You can always go for certain updates, such as better strings and achieve even more inspiring results. Of course, it’s up to you!
Pros:
- Decent build quality
- Smooth neck
- Warm, defined tone
Cons:
- Requires frequent tuning
- Plastic tuning knobs
Still have not found your favorite guitar?
Not only have we looked up best classical guitars for the money, but we are here to give you some tips as well, that will be very useful for purchase. Keep in mind that most of the important things are pretty similar for classical and acoustic guitar. First and foremost, you need to know that one of the top affecting factors on the sound is guitar top quality. Make sure to purchase an instrument that has very high-top wood quality. The most common materials are:
- Spruce -This wood delivers strong tone and crisp sound. It can be played hard without losing the clarity of the sound but can lack character when played softly.
- Cedar – It produces sound with less clarity but more power. It has a warm tones and rich harmonics.
- Mahogany – It has a warm tone, but lacks a character a bit so will suit those who play blues, or who like natural sound.
- Maple -delivers bright sound, nice sustain and clear tones on high frequencies
Solid VS Laminated
Even though we know you are on budget, go for the solid wood. It makes a big difference. Solid wood is much better than cheap laminated wood. In laminated ones’ cheap wood layers are combined with one layer of nice wood. Solid is more expensive but price differs from its quality. We would advise you to go for the solid wood top and laminated back and sides, if you are on a really tight budget. That will be the best compromise possible.
Never Compromise Comfort
The most important tip for buying a guitar is not to forget that it should be comfortable. Your hand should perfectly fit the neck, glide easily on the fretboard, whilst body should feel nice when seated as well as standing. If you’re a bit of smaller body type or you are buying a guitar for a younger child, we would advise you to check out a 3/4 size guitar.
- Keep in mind that the higher the action is (the height between strings and guitar) the more difficult it is to play. Your fingers will easily get tired of playing on high action and you will not be able to get the most from this musical experience.
- Be careful with fret buzz or any unneeded noise. Sometimes it can be caused by loose machine head, which is easily fixed. But reason for this problem can be not that easy to find in some cases and that is a sign not to buy.
- The instrument should have a flat soundboard. In older guitars, a bit of rice can occur in the bridge area but usually rice is the sign of a dry guitar so avoid it.
- Make sure that bridge is no separating from the face of the guitar (as it is glued). That happens often in classical guitars.
- At the end we would like to advise you to check its playability yourself. If it is possible, better to try out how it fits and sounds for yourself to find the perfect match.
Conclusion
Getting a first classical guitar can be an unforgettable experience, especially if you have never played it before. You might think that the price range is a factor that might push you back. However, we hope that after reading this article you will change your mind. We proved that good quality and affordability can be combined. There are examples in the above list of the best cheap classical guitars. Keep in mind the tips we have given you, and pay attention to them while choosing an instrument and you will be okay. We hope this article was helpful to you and wish you all the best in your guitar hunt.
what about the Alverez ac 65 classical guitar ? does that give a crisp clear sound? and is it well built?