20 Best Classical Guitar Under 500$ 2023 – Detailed Guide

 

A fairly common question we’ve encountered in the guitar community is how exactly do I find the best classical guitars? Because purchasing the best classical guitar under $500 can be a fascinating journey, especially if you are buying your first guitar ever.

There was a time in the past when you had to spend thousands of dollars to get a good classical guitar. However technological improvements have allowed brands to reduce the price to under 500 dollars. It is an appropriate amount to spend on a classical guitar.

This ensures that you will get a quality product that will play nice, but you won’t break the bank by spending a ton of money on a guitar.

If you have different options and don’t know where to go, you’ll find yourself wondering how you can decide on what classical guitar is best for you. I have combined a list of guitars that can optimistically solve all of your problems!

Best classical guitar has to feel good, look perfect, perform best, fun to pick up, and will last you a long while. So, this can be overwhelming for any beginner or even experienced player; making choices that require you to commit to one product for years can be very intimidating.

Since, I know how frustrating and scary it can be to go through this search phase alone, without any recommendations, so that I decided to provide the entire future guitarist a list of the products which are the best on the market in this category!

Make sure you will have the best quality guitar to get off to a flying start. So let’s jump in.  

1. Cordoba C5-CE classical guitar

 

The Cordoba C5-CE is a nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar. The C5-CE Iberia series is mahogany back and sides with a soft cutaway. Features with a solid Canadian red cedar top, with rich tone and a lively presence. The solid mahogany rosewood bridge provides excellent withstand and a good shape.

Features

The structure is based on the Spanish classical guitar with a cutaway and a slightly thinner neck than a full-sized classical guitar. The guitar is equipped with a Fishman Isys +2-band pickup system and produces a natural sound when amplified, perfect for gigging and recording.

Further features include rosewood binding bridge, fingerboard, wood inlaid rosette, stylish gold, and pearl tuning machine. You’ll also appreciate the playability of the slightly thinner neck and cutaway design for easy access to the upper frets.

Whether you’re a beginner or skilled player, the C5-CE is a great deal. The Cordoba C5-CE looks as good as it plays.

Traditional Design

The Cordoba C5-CE guitar features a traditional handmade classical guitar design, including the solid red cedar top and Spanish-style fan bracing. Fan bracing is favored for classical guitars as it allows the guitar’s top to vibrate more easily while still delivering a balanced tone.

Quality Tone-Wood

While the Cordoba nylon-string guitar is affordable and did not sacrifice quality materials. The mahogany back and sides set a powerful tonal foundation for the solid cedar top, giving you the right richness and brilliance.

The neck is also solid mahogany for the finest transmission of string energy to the cedar top. A rosewood bridge and fingerboard complete the elegant look.

Whether you’re playing live or just want an easy way to record, you’ll love how the Fishman Isys+ system picks up every tone of your performance. It also has a built-in tuner for easy fine-tuning anytime.

 

2. Kremona 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right-Handed (S65C)

 

Soft playing action and great tone are the trademarks of Kremona’s handcrafted series guitars. Kremona’s solid red cedar top offers richness, while Sapele back and sides keep tonal balance and superb projection.

Features

Compare these features of this kremona series with the guitars of more price, Indian rosewood fingerboard, and bridge, wood fiber edging, classics strings, wooden purling, and rosette, thin polyurethane finish, with surety u will find the best in kremona series.

For students of any age, this S65C guitar also features with Van Gent gold-plated machine heads, long-lasting dovetail neck joint, and finished off with a review to assure good quality.

Traditional Design

The Soloist S65C is the best classical guitar for the money. It is a great all-purpose instrument for every day playing and with traditional design. The left-handed Kremona S65C is one of the best values on the market for Classical players.

The solid red cedar top and beautiful Sapele back and sides, African mahogany neck give it a great tone, and the standard 2-inch nut and 25.6-inch scale length give the neck a great feel. It also includes a branded, dual-pocketed padded gig bag with neck beef up.

Quality Tone-Wood

This instrument has quality tone-wood comparable to much more expensive models on the market at an affordable price. Kremona has too many years of guitar-making experience and is dedicated to making the best quality instruments possible.

A very interesting eco-minded guitar made with supportable woods for great musical tone and a striking appearance. So, it is worth admiring that Kremona is dedicated to the highest level of quality.

 

3. Cordoba Dolce Classical Guitar

One of the original models of the Iberia series styled in a high-gloss finish, the Cordobais a 7/8-size, nylon-string classical guitar with a solid, Canadian cedar top, and mahogany back and sides.

Features

The Dolce also features with aesthetic touches such as Indian rosewood binding and an inlaid wood mosaic rosette around the soundhole. Cardoba Dolce is packed into a more compact size, lightweight, 7/8 size classical with 50mm nut width, and SavareseCristalcorum strings.

The neck, measuring 24.8” in scale, is constructed out of mahogany and a rosewood fingerboard with 19 frets, and mother-of-pearl side dot marker inlays at the fifth, seventh, and ninth frets for easier visual orientation.

A two-way adjustable truss rod is also provided. An Indian rosewood bridge anchors the strings to the body, while a set of Cordoba gold tuning machines with pearl buttons secure the strings at the headstock and a string roller spacing of 35mm.

Traditional Design

The Dolce is a suitable choice for players who seek an instrument only slightly smaller than a standard classical guitar. And anyone who is looking for a lightweight, comfortable, and easy playing instrument. 

Its body is built handmade in the traditional Spanish fan bracing style, to adjust the string height on this guitar, use the truss rod that is included in the neck.

Quality Tone-wood

The Cordoba Dolce solid mahogany back and sides set a powerful tonal foundation for the solid cedar top, giving you the right balance of warmth and brightness. The neck is for maximum transfer of string energy to the cedar top.

A rosewood fingerboard and an Indian rosewood bridge complete the elegant look. So, get the finest quality tone-woods at an affordable price with the Cordoba nylon-string classical guitar!

If you want the top classical guitar brand and you don’t know what is the best brand of classical guitar? so here I’m mentioning the best brand for you the Cordoba.

Cordoba has already made a name for itself both in the affordable as well as in the premium market, I also mention many other models in my list, however, do feel free to check out a few more that will suit your playing style and other requirements.

 

4. Yamaha CG102 Classical Guitar

 

The Yamaha CG102 Classical guitar is reasonably priced friendly-guitar meant towards beginner and intermediate guitar players who want to polish up their skills.

Features

Yamaha’s most classical guitar offers a rich tone that beginners will find inspiring, and deliver top-level sound quality, performance, and playability which helps beginners pick up the guitar much faster.

Yamaha CG102 is a full-size classical guitar with a spruce top back and sides. With features of rosewood fingerboard and a 52 mm nut width for traditional classical play.

This would make an excellent choice for the young guitarist seeking to improve his or her nylon-string skills or even for the seasoned player looking for an inexpensive guitar to always have within reach.

Traditional Design

This right-handed, 6 stringed guitars are incredibly lightweight (5.5 lbs.) and come in three different traditional styles Solid Cedar Top, Solid Spruce Top, and Spruce Top.

Well, the Spruce usually has a bright tone for beginner instruments. It helps give an excellent, traditional tone more focused on brighter sounding when you play a song.

The Cedar Top, on the other hand, is more focused on creating a warmer sound and does not have as “tight” of a sounding to it compared to the spruce.

This means that beginners are usually recommended the cedar and it is incredibly more forgiving tonally when they play the guitar.

Quality Tone-Wood

This guitar is a full-size classical with a full-body gloss and the best quality tone-wood. It is beautifully crafted from good quality materials. Now if you are considering getting this guitar, it usually comes ready to play.

Its design enhances playability, which is great for beginners. Because it is a full-size, you might find it difficult to play if you have small hands due to the larger neck size.

Nowadays the most frequently asked question is what is the best classical guitar for the money? so this one is pretty cool considering an excellent option for anyone who needs an affordable classical guitar.

 

5. Cordoba C3M classical guitar

 

The Cordoba classical guitars are introduced with handcrafted quality. The ‘M’ in its model name expresses its light matte finish. The guitars offer you more responsive soundboards that make the guitar louder. It is one of the most popular models of guitars in the Iberia series.  

Features

It is made with the solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides. It also has a hand-decorated wooden badge. It contains a rosewood fingerboard and nickel-plated modification machine having the pearl buttons with it. 

The guitars are more lightly in design than the steel-string guitars. The features allow you to vibrate and reverberate more freely. The pattern of fan bracing offers the middle of soundboard more zones to vibrate.  

The responsive soundboard makes the guitar louder and provides a better tone. The lightweight and two-way truss rod of the guitars give you the facility to adjust the amount of release in the neck of the guitar. 

Traditional Design

The Indian rose-wood is applied on the sides and back of the guitar. This makes the guitars more beautiful and amazing in look. Either you are looking for a student model, traditional classical or stage ready nylon string guitar, you will this guitar best in all senses. 

The guitars are handmade that is lightweight and warm. It provides you a resonant tone and comfortable playing action. These guitars are inspired by the organic beauty and morality of auditory instrument.

Quality Tone-Wood

Meranti and rosewood material is used in the construction of these guitars. The sides and back are situated with meranti. The rose-wood fingerboards and bridges are used in it. The scale and compact body offer you excellent playing comfort. 

 The Cordoba guitars are the best guitars for professional musicians under $500. The guitar provides you the best sound and playing experience. 

 

6. Alhambra 6 String Guitar Red Cedar

 

The Alhambra 6 string guitars are made of lightweight beautiful wood. The very good surface and texture are applied in the finishing of this guitar. This feature allows the guitar to vibrate freely having no restriction.  

Features

The guitar is made of the rosewood fingerboard. The radius of this guitar is 650mm. It is consisting of the gold-plated machine heads. It is constructed with entirely solid wood offering you ease while using. 

Its simple controls deliver an augmented sound to you. The design and style speak for itself with the cedar top.

Traditional Design 

The quality of this guitar offers you more lively results, balanced with a reasonable frequency range. It is bind with the solid cedar top on it. It looks like the good wine that becomes better and better over time. That means the sound of this guitar will keep improving as time pass.

This guitar offers you the practical solution to fit properly and hold your strap on the knave of your instrument. It is compatible with any guitar band. It provides you a friendly jack connection.

Quality Tone-Wood

In these guitars, the wood used in the back and sides is Indian rosewood. The best quality of wood is used in these guitars. The quality material used in these guitars provides their users comfort and relief. The elegant guitar boasts a quality of tone-wood and beautiful detailing.

What is the best classical guitar for beginners? This is the frequently asked question about the guitars. The Alhambra top red cedar is the best guitars for beginners. I strongly recommend the model 3C of these guitars This will offers you permission to take your first step in this art. 

You will face no tuning problem using this guitar. It will let to achieve progress while playing with different techniques. Your performance depends upon the quality of the guitar you are using. So, the Alhambra top red cedar guitars are the best classical guitars for the beginners.

 

7. Yamaha CG122MCH Classical guitar

 

The Yamaha CG series classical guitars are constructed with experience and technology gained from the periods of hand-making classical guitars. The classical guitars offer you fine quality and texture.

The Yamaha classical guitars provide you the improved volume and superior playability. You will feel comfortable and easy while using it.

Features

It has easy to hold feature that offers you to hold neck design and comfortable string height. It gives you an elegant appearance with a simple design. These guitars present the highest satisfaction in sound quality. 

The neck construction is applied to improve sturdiness against the neck. It’s natural matte ultimate provides its user smooth touch. It offers you an ironic tone with an upgraded volume.

Traditional Design

The vast knowledge and techniques are used in the construction and design of these guitars. It is designed with the features that give you calm and peaceful joy. It is very shinny and gives more durability to you.

The mahogany neck and ebony fingerboards make these guitars different from others. These guitars are intended to attain classical guitar perfection and exactness. The design of the GC series guitars is most attractive and unique.

Quality Tone-Wood

The very good quality of wood is used in these guitars. It has a dense clear coat on the top of the wood. These guitars have rose-wood quality. You can bring the guitars at the concerts. The traditional body structure of classical guitar with cutaway offers you a plugged and unplugged facility.

These guitars are introduced to provide you the top-level sound quality and performance at a reasonable budget. These guitars are extremely affordable. You can enjoy the satisfaction of years by using these guitars.

The guitars provide you the sincere and deep sound quality that you might expect from the more expensive guitars. With the low string action, you can get a feel of the super and wonderful playability. The reasonable guitars are highly recommended to you if you are a student or professional.

 

8. Takamine acoustic-electric classical guitar

 

The Takamine electric guitars are built to bring your music center stage. They are always ready for any performance situation. These guitars are constructed with a solid top and offer you great performance. 

If you are in the market, you will look there a wide range of guitars. These Takamine electric guitars are the best for beginners and professionals as well.

Features

It has the feature of the digital tuner. Its great fabrication quality offers you amazing pick up the sound quality. It is structured with a fan-braced solid neat top. It produces deep and splendid nylon-string sound. 

The preamp system of onboard Takamine offers you a built-in tuner with three-band EQ. You can get control for rock-solid amplified performance and flexibility.

Traditional Design

The inflection down the neck is very comfortable and good in these guitars. While fingerpicking, it gives you a lot of volume for classical. Its classical design provides you versatility.  

The merge neck joint and beautiful inlaid variety decoration offers you a more realistic touch and feel. The synthetic bone nut and bridge saddle are included in its features. It has the gold tuners with white treasure buttons and luxurious texture.

The solid top of the guitar improves its volume and sound level.  

Quality Tone-Wood

The back and sides of the guitar are made of the rosewood that generates a highly tuned sound. They produce the rich nylon filament sound for you. The rose-wood finger-board gives you the smooth feel that you enjoy for longer. 

The wood quality used in these guitars is full and responsive. They provide you a much broader tonal response. The rosewood head-cap and artificial bone nut extend its quality and surface. They contain high frequencies along with close-fitting focused output. 

The quality of wood used in these guitars makes them a more popular choice among guitars. 

The cheaper guitars are the best for entry-level. You can get the chance to discover that the guitar is either a good instrument or not. You can enjoy the better sound production on these guitars. 

 

9. Ibanez right, natural classical guitar

 

Ibanez right classical guitars are produced to provide you great-sounding effects that are more affordable. The Ibanez guitars are the best traditional classical-sized instrument and comfortable for beginners. They offer you the experience and texture of highly expensive guitars. 

Features

The features are so smooth that you can enjoy them while playing. The wide nuts used in it give you adequate room to make each cord. It has a tuning rod on the neck that improves your action. It is constructed with the mahogany back and sides. This gives you a more fine and accurate touch. 

They feature 24 fusses and use a thin neck that provides you the ease of faster playing. The jumbo fret wires give you the ease of playing. The fingerboards of these guitars have multiple radii that help to tapers at the edge. The strings A and B are flat in features.

Traditional Design

The guitars are intended with consistent quality material. The design of Ibanez guitars facilitates the lower string action than the other guitars. They are more capable of achieving the overall playability. 

The wizard neck design is made for speed. The slim profile of these guitars makes it much easier and relaxed when you play with it. It allows your fingers to align properly when you are playing in a faster way. The guitars have the best higher fret contact among bolt-on neck guitars.

Quality Tone-Wood

 The Ibanez guitars are made up of mahogany wood. The quality gives a warm resonance with a lot of bottom end. The guitars are versatile as you can carry them with you anywhere. The guitars are lightweight and have a beautiful scrap pattern. 

They offer you plenty of highs and firm bass tones. The guitars have unique characteristics that give you more satisfaction when playing. The mahogany back has a sculptured foundation with a carved maple cap. 

The Ibanez guitars pickup to reduce the noise level when playing the back natural and pickup. Moreover, you can change the tones when playing at the same time.

 

 10. Yamaha C40II classical guitars

 

The Yamaha C4011 classical guitars are designed to provide you exceptional playability and superb sound in a very reasonable budget. The guitars are more affordable with high-quality construction. 

These guitars are best for both beginners and students. They can get more experience of high-quality sound using these instruments.  

Features

The nylon-string Yamaha guitars present excellent cost performance and superb tone quality. It is built with meranti wood material insides and back. They are produced in the full-size classical model with outstanding sound class. 

The guitars have an elegant top and polish finish that enhances their appearance. The guitars are best in quality and budget offering you high bass and tone.

Traditional Design

These guitars are designed with the best quality material. The high level of expertise and techniques used in these guitars make it more advance in quality. The great attention to detail results in instruments provides you outstanding superiority. 

The beautiful design of this guitar makes it more significant among the other guitars. For the pro seasoned musicians, these guitars are perfect to keep around. You can carry it with you because of its lightweight.

Quality Tone-Wood

The back and sides of these guitars are made with meranti material. The fingerboards and bridges have used rosewood. The quality offers a more expensive experience to its users. The meranti fingerboards have more strength than tonal property. 

This quality material has worldwide commercial importance. The guitar is made with the light structural framing with meranti fingerboards. It offers you more durability as well. You will appreciate the level of quality after using it. 

How much does a good classical guitar cost? The question encountered when you are going to buy a guitar. The best quality of guitars is available in the market starting from $40 to $5000. The guitars at a cheaper price are best for beginners and students. They can get a good experience using cheaper guitars. 

By using these guitars, you can gain the experience of high quality of sound and learn more. It is childish while buying a costly guitar in the beginning. 

Hence, the cost of good classical and decent guitars is between $200 to $800. You can get the best quality guitar in this range. 

 

Conclusion

I have researched the different types and models of guitars. These are the best classical guitar for under $500. The purpose of this article is to provide you different and best models of guitars. 

If you are a beginner and want to get learning on guitars. After my research, I suggest that “Alhambra 6 string guitar red cedar” is the best for you. The guitars provide you the excellent detailed sound quality. The guitars are very lightweight and easy to carry.

If you are looking for a guitar that has full-sized sound and solid construction, I recommend you “Yamaha C40II classical guitars”. These guitars provide you the best experience of playing and learning. 

I think it is interesting to analyze the different ideas about guitars. If you are budget conscious and searching for the best guitar, I suggest that “Yamaha CG102 classical guitar” will be the best for you. 

I hope this information will help you out to find the finest classical guitar for you. Don’t forget to leave your comment below. 

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