Classical Guitar - Physical Characteristics

Physical Characteristics

The classical guitar is distinguished by a number of characteristics:

• It is an acoustic instrument. The sound of the plucked string is amplified by the soundboard and resonant cavity of the guitar.
• It has six strings, though some classical guitars have seven or more strings.
• All six strings are made from nylon, or nylon wrapped with metal, as opposed to the metal strings found on other acoustic guitars. Nylon strings also have a much lower tension than steel strings, as do the predecessors to nylon strings, gut strings (made from ox or sheep gut). The lower three strings ('bass strings') are wound with metal, commonly silver plated copper.
• Because of the low string tension
  • The neck can be entirely of wood without a steel truss rod
  • The interior bracing can be lighter
• Typical modern six-string classical guitars are 48–54 mm wide at the nut, compared to around 42 mm for electric guitars.
• Classical fingerboards are normally flat and without inlaid fret markers, or just have dot inlays on the side of the neck—steel string fingerboards usually have a slight radius and inlays.
• Classical guitarists use their right hand to pluck the strings. Players shape their fingernails for ideal tone and feel against the strings.
• Strumming is a less common technique in classical guitar, and is often referred to by the Spanish term "rasgueo," or for strumming patterns "rasgueado," and uses the backs of the fingernails. Rasgueado is integral to Flamenco guitar.
• Machine heads at the headstock of a classical guitar point backwards—in contrast to most steel-string guitars, which have machine heads that point outward.
• The overall design of a Classical Guitar is very similar to the slightly lighter and smaller Flamenco guitar.