Classical Guitars

Choosing a classical guitar might seem daunting at first, however, at GSI it’s our pleasure and duty to ensure that the selection process is a very satisfying experience thanks to the advice of our guitar experts. Our classical guitar store features guitars made by carefully chosen luthiers from around the world and our staff knows each instrument very well. Our experts are able to help you narrow your top picks to just a few guitars which you might want to try by yourself with no commitment to purchase.

Classical guitar, in the form as we know it today, was largely developed by Spanish guitar maker, Antonio de Torres Jurando (1817-1892). Torres introduced many new innovations to his guitars. Most notably, he increased the size of the body of the guitar, and introduced a fan-strut bracing system, and in his later guitars he started using machine heads. His guitars also had separated saddles which allowed minute adjustments of string heights.

We should look for:

1. Establish a budget
2. Identify what type of sound you like the most. You can also ask our experts for advice.
3. Decide whether you want a used or new instrument.
4. Check for ‘wolf’ notes and buzzes. Playability is also very important.
5. We recommend testing the sound from the perspective of a player and a listener.

Read more Frequently Asked Questions

The differences between classical and flamenco guitars lie in their materials, construction and sound.

It is also important to mention that many of these "differences" are finessed to different degrees by different luthiers, depending on their personal taste. Miguel Rodriguez classical guitars for example have always famously had a fast, flamenco-like attack. There are also numerous hybrid-type guitars where the luthier intends for the same instrument to be playable convincingly by both flamenco and classical performers.