How to Choose Your Ideal Guitar

Choosing a guitar well is not about picking “the trendy brand” or focusing on a single detail. It is about making two decisions that make sense:

1- Choosing the right family (classical, flamenco or acoustic)  

2- Refining the character of the instrument (tonewoods, response and sound) so it fits you and what you are going to play.

1. Choose the right family

Think of this as choosing the instrument’s foundation. It is not just about string type: it changes the response, attack, projection and the feel when playing.

Classical guitar

Choose classical if you are looking for a balanced sound with a great capacity for nuance and control. It is usually the best option if you want to study, play fingerstyle, work on articulation and dynamics, and have every note heard with clarity.

Ideal for:

• Classical and contemporary guitar music (solo or accompaniment).
• Bossa nova, bolero, samba and Latin music with fingerstyle.
• Soft acoustic pop, intimate singer-songwriter, ballads and vocal accompaniment.
• Nylon fingerstyle, arpeggios, melody with bass and arrangements.
• Jazz in nylon format (coloured chords, soft comping, melodies).
• Anyone looking for a beautiful, controllable sound with many nuances.

Flamenco guitar

Choose flamenco if your priority is immediacy: a note that “fires” quickly, a drier character and a very strong rhythmic/percussive dimension. It is the guitar that calls for compás, rasgueado, alzapúa and clear articulation.

In flamenco there are two main families (and we stock both):

• White flamenco (cypress): the traditional approach. Lots of attack, dry brightness, fast response and a very direct feel.
• Black flamenco (rosewood or other dense woods on sides and back): keeps the flamenco character, but tends to add more body, more depth and a more pronounced note sustain than a white flamenco (without losing the flamenco intention).

Ideal for:

• Traditional flamenco (accompaniment for singing and dance) and modern/solo flamenco.
• Compás and accompaniment: clean rasgueados, closures, finishes, calls and fast changes.
• Flamenco techniques: picado, alzapúa, flamenco arpeggios, ligados, flamenco tremolo, strong thumb.
• Anyone who wants a guitar with fast attack and immediate response (the feeling of “not having to push”).
• Players who use a lot of right hand and want a guitar that marks the rhythm clearly without muddying.
• Classical guitarists who want a more direct response for flamenco and comfort.

Acoustic guitar

Choose acoustic if you want presence, brightness, defined attack and chords that fill the room. It is the typical instrument for singing with accompaniment, playing with a pick, broad strumming and modern fingerstyle.

Ideal for:

• Pop, rock, folk, country, singer-songwriter, etc.
• Open and rhythmic strumming with plenty of projection.
• Pick playing: riffs, intros, accompaniment with dynamics (from soft to loud without losing punch).
• Modern fingerstyle (melody + bass, percussive, alternating bass, arrangements).
• Band accompaniment
• Alternate tunings (Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, etc.) for textures and compositions.

2. Define your sound (this is where tonewoods come in)

Once you choose the family, the tonewoods help you refine the character. And here it is genuinely worth paying attention: in quality guitars, the selection and quality of the wood is not decoration; it is part of the result.

The soundboard: the most decisive point

If we had to simplify, it would go like this:

• Spruce: typically gives clarity, definition and a natural brightness; much appreciated when you want note separation and an “open” sound.
• Cedar: typically gives a warmer tone, with a sense of body and a rewarding response from the very first note; much sought after if you want a round, full sound.

In acoustic guitars, beyond spruce and cedar, there are more soundboard options depending on brand and model. The important idea is: soundboards oriented towards clarity/attack versus soundboards oriented towards warmth/body (and, above all, how the guitar is built as a whole).

Sides and back: the “body” and personality

This is where much of the character comes from:

• In classical guitars, woods like rosewood and other dense species tend to be associated with more depth, richness and presence.
• In flamenco, cypress defines the traditional character of the white flamenco; and in the black flamenco, rosewood or other dense woods add more body and a different colour without leaving flamenco territory.

The best way to use this as a buyer:

• If you want a direct, dry sound, look towards lighter/traditional box options in flamenco (white).
• If you want flamenco but with more depth and a “bigger” feel, look at black flamenco.
• If you want balance and nuance, a well-chosen classical (and here the woods make a big difference to the final colour).

3. Setup (and why guitars sometimes buzz)

The setup is the fine-tuning that defines how the guitar feels in your hands (comfort, speed and cleanliness). There is no need for technical jargon: the important thing is to understand that a more “comfortable” setup usually brings the strings closer to the frets and, in certain situations, some light buzzing may appear.

There is also the other extreme: a higher action usually gives more headroom to play hard without buzzing and, in many cases, is perceived as a cleaner and more “open” sound, with more string vibration. In return, it usually feels harder and less comfortable, and demands more effort from the left hand (especially in barre chords and long sessions).

When is it normal for a guitar to buzz?

• Low action (strings closer to the frets): aimed at comfort and speed; in return, if you play hard it is more likely that light buzzing appears.

• Hard playing or “aggressive” technique: powerful strumming, hard pick, heavy striking or picado with a lot of pressure cause the string to vibrate with greater amplitude and touch the frets.

• Flamenco with a fast setup: in flamenco it is common to look for an agile feel; a controlled “buzz” can be part of the character as long as it does not kill the note or make the guitar uncomfortable.

• String changes (tension/gauge/brand): this changes the vibration and buzzing may appear or disappear, even though the guitar is the same.

• Climate/humidity changes: the wood moves slightly with the seasons or sudden changes, which can alter behaviour. It is recommended to maintain stable humidity (ideally with a case humidifier if the environment is very dry), and if buzzing continues or the guitar feels “off” after a few days, the right course of action is a setup review for that climate (this is normal with wooden instruments).

4. Real quality (why a “better” guitar is noticeable)

Usually, a superior guitar is not “just a bit prettier”: you notice it in very specific things when playing.

• More richness of nuance: the instrument responds to small changes in your hand.
• Better useful projection: it does not just “sound”, it maintains the sound with shape and presence.
• Better balance: bass, mids and treble make musical sense, they do not go their own way.
• More feeling of a “living” instrument: it gives more back and asks less effort from you.

This is what makes a good guitar not only sound better, but make you want to play it more.

5. Budget (direct, honest and professional)

If you can afford it, our recommendation is simple: buy the highest-range guitar that fits you.

Why do we say it so plainly?

• Because in guitars, moving up a tier usually translates to better wood selection, better construction and a more complete sonic result.
• Because those who buy “just enough” often end up wanting to change sooner, and it ends up costing more.
• Because a quality guitar stays with you for more years: you grow and the instrument grows alongside you.

This does not mean “buying expensive for the sake of it”. It means investing in what truly matters: sound, response and quality.

And this is where we want to be very transparent: on our website we do not put “everything”. We choose models and brands personally, with the judgement of guitarists and luthiers, looking for instruments that make musical sense and have real quality.

Decision tables (to choose without getting lost)

1) What you are looking for → recommended guitar

If you are looking for…	Recommendation
Nuance, balance, fingerstyle study, note separation	Classical
Immediate response, rhythm, dry attack, compás	Flamenco (white or black depending on the colour you want)
Brightness, presence, big chords, singing with accompaniment	Steel-string acoustic

2) Within flamenco: white vs black

If you want…	Choose…
Very direct, dry, traditional sound, very clear rhythm	White flamenco (cypress)
Flamenco with more body, depth and sound “weight”	Black flamenco (rosewood or other dense woods)

3) Character by soundboard (quick guide)

If you like a… sound	Usual tendency
Brighter/more defined with clarity	Spruce
Warmer/rounder with body	Cedar