Buyers Guide Part 1: Basic Acoustic Guitar Features

Nylon or steel string guitar? The first question you would need to decide is whether you want a nylon string (also called ‘classical') or steel string (also called ‘acoustic', ‘folk' ‘western') guitar. Classical and steel string guitars are built somewhat differently and you cannot put steel strings on a classical guitar or vice versa. Players of classical music use nylon string guitars almost exclusively. Nylon strings guitars have a softer sound whereas steel string guitars are used more often for folk, country, and rock music and have a more metallic sound. Because nylon strings are softer then steel strings they are easier to play and are softer on delicate hands and fingers. This is an important consideration if you are looking for a guitar for a young child. On the other hand, nylon strings are thicker than steel strings and some people may find steel strings a little more comfortable in shorter scale guitars (3/8 size and smaller) were the tension of steel strings is not as pronounced. The conventional wisdom, however, is that nylon strings guitars are generally easier to play for beginners. It is also true that electric guitars are easier to play on than both acoustic and classical guitars.

Nut width. Apart from the overall size of the guitar the nut width and scale length are the most important in their effect on the playability of the guitar, especially for small hands. The nut width is the width of the fretboard at the zero position. The nut width should fit the size of the hand and fingers of the player. Some guitars have a neck that would be too wide for small hands. On the other hand if your fingers are think and your hand big you will find it difficult to play on a narrow neck. For very young children of ages 3-6 the ideal nut width is probably between 1 1/2″ and 1 10/16″. For older kids it shouldn't be more than 1 and 3/4 inches.

Scale length. The scale length is the length of the active vibrating part of the strings, from the nut to the bridge. The scale length determine the length of the spacing between the frets, so the shorter it is, the easier it is for smaller hands. It also determines the tension the strings would have, so the shorter the scale the more loose, and therefore easier to play, the strings would be.

Solid top. Some guitar boast solid (usually spruce) top, which means that the top of the body (where the echo hole is) is made by a solid sheet of wood (rather than laminated plied wood) for better sound. Bear in mind though, that whereas the improvement in sound can be anywhere between subtle and obvious, a solid top is a lot more fragile and sensitive to climate changes, and can crack more readily.

Truss rod. Truss rod is an adjustable metal rod that runs through the neck of the guitar. This is a desirable feature in steel strings guitars because it allows for adjusting the neck of the guitar to improve playability and suit the preferences of the player. Most steel strings guitars are equipped with a truss rod, but some of the cheaper and smaller guitars may not.

Acoustic/electric guitars. Some steel string guitars have built in pickups so they could be played both acoustically and through an amplifier. This feature is usefull espacially for performances where you want to use an acoustic sound. Bear in mind however that the built in electronics adds to the weight of the guitar, not to mention the price. Acoustic electric guitars should not be confused with electric guitars, whose sound and feel is very different.

Cutaway body. Cutaway guitars have one side of their body cut near the neck to enable a better access to the higher notes (in a way similar to electric guitars). It is useful for more advanced soloing, and some prefer the way it looks. Because the body is cutaway and is not symmetrical anymore there might be a (very) small reduction in sound.

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Originally posted at
Small Guitars Buyers Guide