As I started to play more classical guitar music on my Yamaha FG830 acoustic (metal-string) guitar, I ran into difficulties with the narrow string spacing common on most metal-string acoustics. Unlike modern acoustics, classical guitars are strung with nylon strings, with strings further apart, to allow for more space for string plucking.
I decided that to perfect the classical guitar technique, I really needed to learn on a Classical, nylon-string guitar and started my search online.
At first, I looked at new instruments only, focusing on the following classical guitars:
- Yamaha CG192C Classical Guitar ($679 on Amazon.com). Made in China
- Yamaha CG172SF Flamenco Guitar ($439 at Starving Musician Made in China
- Cordoba C7 CD Classical Acoustic ($599 on Amazon.com or Sweetwater) Made in China
I really liked the Yamaha CG172SF Flamenco guitar with its low action and beautiful tone, and I was ready to purchase it if I could not find a better used guitar.
I was a bit hesitant about the Cordoba brand, as there were mixed reviews regarding quality issues, particularly since all guitars are made in China.
I looked at some used classical guitars on the local, SF Bay Craigslist and found the following:
- 2020 Cordoba C10 ($699) at Starving Musician. (Sold before I could consider it)
- 2021 Cordoba C9 CD Luthier Series ($700) Made in China
- 1975 Suzuki Violin No. 34 ($250) Made in Japan
Both the Cordoba C9 and the Suzuki Violin No. 34 looked and sounded excellent. I decided to purchase the Suzuki, as it was extremely light, sounded beautiful, and was made in Japan (specifically in Nagoya). Japanese luthiers are well known to be some of the best in the world.
After purchasing the Suzuki, I took it into my local Music Village (Union Ave.) to have the guitar examined and re-strung with new strings.
Luis Gonzalez (the shop's luthier) looked at the guitar and installed D'Addario Pro-Arte Classical Carbon Strings (EJ45FF) with normal tension. The guitar sounds beautiful with these strings, and I look forward to playing it.
Suzuki No. 34 Classical Guitar Review
Highlights
- Extremely light (solid woods)
- Like-new condition (well taken care of)
- Made by the Suzuki Violin Company in Nagoya, Japan, in 1975, Serial: 750417
- Used price of $250 (very reasonable)
- Leather case included
Lowlights
- Original nylon strings were a bit rusty, needed to be replaced
Classical Guitar Learning
| Name | Focus / What Makes It Good | Notes / Cost & Feedback |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Guitar Corner (CGC) | Very structured curriculum (grades 1–8), video lessons + PDF downloads + community & live workshops | Paid membership, but good mix of free lessons too (Classical Guitar Corner) |
| This Is Classical Guitar (Bradford Werner’s site) | Free lessons, good for beginners and intermediate players — technique, repertoire, etc. | A strong “always available” resource. (Classical Guitar) |
| Classical Guitar Shed | Practical tutorials, tips on technique, strategies for learning pieces, etc. | Some free content, more with “premium” plans. (Classical Guitar Shed) |
| ArtistWorks – Jason Vieaux Course | Video‐based lessons + video submissions & feedback from a master guitarist | More expensive, but valuable for personal feedback. (ArtistWorks) |
| Berklee Online – Classical Guitar 101 | A formal course from a respected institution covering basics, repertoire, and technique | Has deadlines and structure (more “course-like”) (Berklee Online) |
| Tonebase | Hundreds of tutorials + courses from top classical guitarists | Especially good for intermediate/advanced players; paid subscription. (tonebase) |
| LAGA Classical (Los Angeles Guitar Academy Online) | Structured lessons from beginner → advanced, with faculty feedback | Good for students who want guided growth. (onlineguitaracademy.net) |
| EliteGuitaristClassical.com | Extensive video library, piece-by-piece tutorials, technique modules | Useful for picking specific repertoire and detailed breakdowns. (ELITE GUITARIST) |
| iClassical Academy | Focuses on masterclasses and advanced-level courses | Good for when you want to learn from big names in classical guitar. (Wikipedia) |
