Deciding on the best classical guitar under $300 to learn how to play guitar on isn’t easy. Most classical guitars in the $300 price range are perfect starter guitars for people who want to learn classical, flamenco, or simply just the guitar in general.
The nice thing about classical guitars is that they are easy to play. The nylon strings are easy on the fingers, so beginners and kids have a much easier time picking up the guitar and playing without having their fingers and hands getting sore.
Let’s take a look at some of the top-rated nylon string guitars under $300 and compare their features, so you can figure out which one is best for you.
Compare the Top Classical Guitars Below $300
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Classical Guitars Below $300
- 1.1 Yamaha CGX102 Classical Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- 1.2 Ovation Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED
- 1.3 Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar
- 1.4 Ibanez GA6CE Acoustic-Electric Classical Guitar
- 1.5 J. Navarro NC-60 Classical Guitar
- 1.6 Takamine GC1 Classical Acoustic Guitar
- 1.7 Stagg C546TCE-N Electric Classical Guitar
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here’s a list of the best $300 classical guitars that play great and won’t break your budget.
- Yamaha CGX102
- Ovation Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED
- Cordoba C3M
- Ibanez GA6CE
- J. Navarro NC-60
- Takamine GC1
- Stagg C546TCE-N
Yamaha CGX102 Classical Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
If there is a brand that can deliver good quality at a very affordable price it is the brand Yamaha. The brand has become so adept at offering musicians of all levels instruments that they can really be proud of.
The CGX102 is certainly an entry level instrument. This does not however mean that it is a toy. Coming from a brand like Yamaha, this guitar will serve beginners as well as intermediate players quite well.
The body design is the traditional classical body without any cutaway. The top is made of spruce laminates while the back and sides are made of nato laminates.
The neck is built from mahogany and has a rosewood fretboard that holds 19 frets. The neck is connected to the body on the 12th fret and with no cutaway, getting to those higher frets will be quite difficult.
Being an acoustic-electric, let us see the electronics department. It comes with a System 68N preamp, a system designed by Yamaha. It’s an okay system that comes with simple controls and a precise digital tuner.
Other hardware used in this guitar is also of good quality, contributing to the guitar’s lovely, sweet and warm tone.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Is sweet, mellow and warm.
- Appearance – Looks beautiful.
- Hardware – Good quality.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Build – You may find a few flaws
Bottom Line
This is a lovely beginner guitar which can also serve an intermediate player. It is a Yamaha product so you know what to expect.
Ovation Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED
Specs, features, and benefits
Two things have helped in establishing Ovation as a brand to watch out for in the guitar world. These are their innovative body design and their use of lyrachord.
With the Applause Balladeer AB24CII-CED, the brand attempts to combine quality with affordability. Let’s see how well they fared.
As you will expect, this guitar features the brand’s unique body shape design with a single cutaway. This body is also made of lyrachord for which the brand has become known. This material is known for its immense durability and ability to provide impressive projection.
The top is made of layered cedar. “Layered” refers to the fact that rather than the MDF or particle board that other manufacturers use for their laminates, only real wood is used in this case. The neck is made of mahogany while the fretboard that holds 19 frets is made of ovangkol.
This is an acoustic-electric so it comes with some electronics. It features a CE304T preamp and a Slimline under-saddle piezo pickup, both made by Ovation. The preamp comes with simple controls and an on-board tuner.
This guitar delivers a surprisingly good tone for an instrument with a synthetic body.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Clear and precise.
- Playability – Comfortable to hold and play.
- Hardware – Good quality.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Material – Synthetic body.
Bottom Line
This guitar is right for anyone who is not too fixated on the traditional requirements of a classical guitar. It may not look like one but, but it sounds great.
Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Cordoba is a brand that is relatively new in the guitar market. It however has created a niche for itself with its focus on the manufacture of top quality traditional guitars.
These guitars can be quite expensive but Cordoba is offering in the C3M Classical Guitar a very affordable guitar that also offers amazing qualities. It is a full size guitar and get this.. it is handcrafted. Who handcrafts a beginner guitar? Obviously Cordoba does.
It gets better… unlike most guitars within this price range, the C3M features a solid cedar top while the back and sides are made of natural mahogany. The neck on the other hand is made of nato while the fretboard which holds 19 frets is made of rosewood.
Providing solid support for the cedar top is a fan bracing construction and on the outside, the hand inlaid rosette that adorns the sound hole enhances its aesthetic value.
Quality hardware is also used. The saddle is made of bone while the bridge is made of rosewood. The tuning machines also hold their tune well. All these contribute to the warm, rich and clear tone that this guitar delivers.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Warm and rich.
- Built – Handcrafted.
- Playability – Highly playable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
Some users have reported some cases of fragility.
Bottom Line
This is a handmade guitar. That should already give you an idea of the quality you’ll get. You will hardly find something within this price range that will beat its overall quality.
Ibanez GA6CE Acoustic-Electric Classical Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Ibanez may not be your popular acoustic guitar brand but the GA6CE Acoustic-Electric from the brand has made our list. Let’s see what’s special about this guitar.
First, this is a compact guitar that’s designed for the beginner and intermediate player. It features a spruce top and a body and sides that are made of mahogany. The effect of this tonewood combination is clear in its tonal delivery.
The neck is made of mahogany while the fretboard is made of rosewood. The 19 frets on this fretboard are all easily accessible thanks to the single cutaway in the body.
Being an acoustic-electric guitar, it comes with an internal Piezo pickup system and an EQ system that allows you fine tune your amplified tone to your taste.
If you want a true sounding classical guitar, this guitar gives you just that tone. With the added electronics, you can create even more variations of the tone, adding increased versatility to your play.
This is one guitar that offers tremendous value in a small package and at an affordable price. Any beginner looking for something that offers versatility should check this out.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Great classical tone.
- Build – Well built.
- Electronics – Offers additional tonal options.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Digital tuner – The included electronics doesn’t include a digital tuner.
Bottom Line
This guitar offers double value – a great acoustic classical tone and other creative options provided by the included electronics. You will admire this guitar whether you use it acoustically or amplified.
Specs, features, and benefits
Saga Music has developed a wealth of experience in the manufacture of various string instruments. With its expertise, it has created about 22 different brands that develop different instruments targeted at musicians of different classifications.
One of its brands is J.Navarro which offers quality classical guitars inspired by the legendary Spanish quality but offered at affordable prices.
The NC-60 is a well-made classical guitar that offers impressive quality. It features a solid Englemann spruce top and rosewood laminate back and sides. The top is supported with a traditional bracing pattern that allows it vibrate securely.
The neck is made of mahogany while the 19 fret-bearing fretboard is made of rosewood. This neck offers good playability.
In the hardware department, the nut and saddle are both made from genuine bone while the bridge is made of rosewood. The tuning machines with their black tuning pegs and gold-plated finish offer a 12:1 tuning ratio that makes tuning easy while also holding the tune well.
This guitar offers you a tone that is richly luxurious.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Luxurious, rich and clear.
- Playability – Very playable.
- Build – It’s well-built.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Tonewood – You may get mahogany back and sides instead of rosewood.
Bottom Line
This guitar offers as much value as some guitars priced way higher than it. From tone to build, you will find it difficult to beat the quality it offers. This is one of the best beginner classical guitars you will get. Intermediate players can also use it.
Takamine GC1 Classical Acoustic Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Takamine guitars are usually known for their quality and their high cost. It should therefore be a thing of joy for beginners and those with low budgets to find that the brand has remembered them and offered something within this price range.
The GC1 is a guitar you won’t look at and regard as a low-priced instrument. It is beautifully put together with a laminated spruce top and sides and back made of laminated mahogany.
It is strictly designed to reflect traditional classical values. Underneath the spruce top you will find a traditional classical fan bracing.
The neck is made from mahogany and a laurel fingerboard that holds 19 frets. This is neck is joined to the body at the 12th fret with a dovetail joint. In the absence of a cutaway, only 12 frets are fully in the clear.
The GC1 also comes with hardware of good quality. Examples include: the chrome tuners with white pearl buttons and synthetic bone nut and saddle.
Thankfully, this guitar sounds as good as it looks with its warm and balanced tone.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Warm and balanced.
- Playability – Easy to play.
- Build – It is beautiful and well-built.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Electronics – It comes with none.
Bottom Line
Wanna get a top quality brand for a very low cost? The GC1 from Takamine offers just that. You get more than just the brand name; you get to enjoy the quality associated with the brand for far less than you normally would.
Stagg C546TCE-N Electric Classical Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Stagg as a brand is known for offering affordable guitars. They try to achieve this by focusing on the fundamentals and ignoring the non-essentials that can increase cost. The C546TCE-N is one of such offerings that allow you enjoy your music without emptying out your pocket and entire savings.
This guitar features a slim body profile that is quite comfortable. The top is made of spruce while the back and sides are made of catalpa. The neck is also made of catalpa while the fretboard is made of rosewood and holds 18 frets. This body is finished in natural high gloss, giving it a simple but classy look.
Helping maintain the guitar’s quality is a rosewood bridge, tuning machines with gold plated heads and of course the electronics. The electronics section features an EQ7545R preamp and an active under-saddle pickup system. These two combine to offer increased versatility and performance options.
This guitar is very beautiful and comfortable, offering enhanced playability and a tone you will fall in love with.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – It has a lovely.
- Playability – It is comfortable and easy to play.
- Build – It is beautiful and well-made.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Strings – You may need to replace the strings for improved performance.
Bottom Line
If you need an affordable guitar that combines comfort, playability and tone, then you have just found one. Aside from all of the above, it’s also lovely looking and provides additional tonal and performance options through its electronics section.
What We Recommend and Why
We have finally come to the end of this wonderful journey through the world of classical guitars priced under $300. Though most folks do not expect to get much quality at this price point, we have managed to unearth some guitars that are offering more value than most think possible.
After carefully reviewing the seven guitars on our list, it’s now time for us to reveal our pick of the day. Our pick for the Top Classical Guitar Under $300 is the Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar. Though others offer one value or the other, we feel that this guitar offers the best mix of affordability, value, aesthetics, playability and tone.