FRETS.COM Illustrated Glossary


It's "the" thing for playing classical music
Classical Guitar
© Frank Ford, 9/1/99; Photos by FF

Classical guitars are almost always of medium size, with twelve frets clear of the body:

Classical guitar players always play with fingernails only, never with picks.

Classical guitars always have nylon rather than steel strings, and a slotted headstock:


The backs and sides of most concert grade classical guitars are made of rosewood:

Rosewood gives the most bass response and overall tonal power. Many players of classical guitars enjoy playing other kinds of music using classical technique. Nylon strung classical guitars have remarkable (and "mellow") tonal balance from string to string, and lack the "bright," "bell-like" or "steely" tones of steel string guitars.





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