Folks may have previously misidentified a flamenco guitar as a classical guitar or vice – versa. That’s reasonable considering how similar the two guitars appear! They appear almost identical but are very divergent. The goal of this article is to differentiate between a Flamenco Vs classical guitar. This should help you tell the differences between these two guitars at a glimpse.
Difference between Flamenco vs classical guitar
The components, texture, action height, and tone of a classical and a Flamenco guitar differ. Classical guitars are mostly made of cedar, whereas flamenco guitars are made of spruce. Flamenco guitars are therefore lighter and produce a louder sound than classical guitars.
Main differences
Material of guitar
Flamenco guitars are made of different woods than classical guitars. These encompass the guitar’s top, rear, and edges. They differ due to the distinct play style among each guitar category. A flamenco guitar’s top or soundboard is generally made of spruce. The upper section of a classical guitar could also be created from spruce, but wood paneling materials like cedar are more commonly used.
Spruce is a light-colored wood, whereas cedar is a pitch-black wood. This color attribute can be used to visually distinguish classical and Flamenco guitars. Flamenco guitars typically have faded tops, whereas classical guitars have dark colors tops.
A flamenco guitar’s edges can be comprised of a mixture of woods, including Indian Rosewood, but the classical ones are created of cypress or sycamore. This timber is softer and can be seen through the guitar’s pale side part. Blanca guitars are flamenco guitars made from lighter colored sycamore or cypress.
Flamenco guitars created of non or sycamore back and edges are referred to as Negra guitars. The most popular type is Indian Rosewood. The use of cypress or sycamore as the wood material for flamenco guitars results in a brighter and more lively tone. The darker color produces a softer, more mild sound.
Weight
Flamenco guitars are light in weight than classical guitars because of the wood material used in them. A standard classical guitar averages about 4.17 pounds (1.9 kilograms), whereas a standard flamenco guitar feels about 3.31 pounds (1.5 kg). The distinction varies according to the prototype of the guitar. However, classical guitars are 35 % thicker on mean than flamenco guitars.
Heaviness
Flamenco guitars have a shallower body and denser woods than classical guitars. This backs up my previous point about the mass variations between these two guitars. Classical guitars are bulkier than flamenco guitars due to their thicker bodies.
Sound
The sound disparity among classical and Flamenco guitars can listen carefully. Flamenco guitars require a forceful, powerful, and punchy tone to play their music, whereas classical guitars require a gentle and smooth tone. we can also say that flamenco guitars have a loud noise than classical guitars.
The distinction in volume is definitely quite noticeable. Since both guitars are played in the same space, the noise of classical guitars could most likely be muffled. Flamenco guitars will still have a higher volume than classical guitars.
Playstyle
Flamenco vs classical guitar playstyle has some variations i.e. Classical guitars are played very differently than flamenco guitars
Classical guitars are primarily used to perform classical music, so they are suitable for gentle and smooth tones. Although classical music can be performed at a high tempo, slow and mellow tempos are equally, if not more, famous.
Flamenco guitars, on the other hand, are used to make songs that can endorse the tone of dancers gnashing their teeth. This implies that flamenco guitars necessitate a more assertive, combative, and strong tone, which again is perfect for the role.
Conclusion
You’ve discovered that there are numerous distinctions between classical and flamenco guitars. These involve the wooden material used, the manufacturing, the tone, the style of play, the retaining position, the chord height, and any additional characteristics such as pressing plates.
Classical guitars are generally denser than flamenco guitars. Classical guitars have a smooth and gentle sound, whereas flamenco guitars have a vibrant and strong sound. Tonewood for flamenco guitars is made from spruce, cypress, or sycamore. These woods give the guitar a softer whitish color and make it more delicate. Flamenco vs classical guitar can be distinguished easily by the readers after reading this article.
