From traditional classical guitars to the world’s wild acoustic-electric crossover nylon creations, Sweetwater is home to the best nylon-string guitars and the best classical guitars on the market today. But with so many models, how do you narrow it down to find what nylon-string guitar perfectly fits your style, technique, and musical motivations?
It can be a challenge — especially if you’re picking out your first 6-string or seeking an inspiring instrument for a younger student. To make it easy on you, Sweetwater’s guitar experts have convened and collaborated to produce our list of the best nylon-string guitars that cost under $1,000. These 15 guitars run the gamut of nylon-string applications, from scaled-down 3/4-size instruments for the young student to travel guitars to guitars that exemplify the centuries-old tradition of classical guitar building. So, if you want to narrow the playing field and find your next (or first) nylon-string guitar, then join Sweetwater as we take on 15 of our best nylon-string guitars under $1,000!
Note: At Sweetwater, we know there’s no such thing as “best” when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater’s massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!
- Epiphone Classical E1
- Fender FA-15 3/4-scale Nylon Acoustic Guitar
- Yamaha C40II Full-scale Classical
- Kala Cedar Top Mahogany 3/4-size Classical Guitar
- Washburn C5CE Classical Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Luna Woodland Cedar Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Takamine GC1-NAT Nylon-string Acoustic Guitar
- Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Nylon
- Ovation Applause AB24CC-4S Mid-depth Classical Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Cordoba C5 Nylon-string Acoustic Guitar
- Breedlove ECO Discovery S Concert CE Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Ibanez TOD10N Tim Henson Signature Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Taylor Academy 12e-N Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Alhambra 4 P Conservatory Nylon-string Classical Guitar
- Cordoba Stage Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
Epiphone Classical E1
A rock-solid beginner classical backed by Epiphone excellence
Epiphone instruments, from electric to classical guitars and beyond, are responsible for starting countless Sweetwater musicians on their musical journeys. The Epiphone Classical E1 perfectly fits that mold with a design built from the ground up to provide a comfortable learning experience, including a shorter nut width and slim EZ-PRO neck profile to accommodate players with smaller hands. And while the Classical E1 appeals to the beginner, its lush-sounding cedar top and mahogany body provide players with a tone that’s sure to inspire them to stick with the 6-string for good.
Fender FA-15 3/4-scale Nylon Acoustic Guitar
A small-scale guitar with a full-size tone
For the most motivated students, the love of the 6-string starts early. Unfortunately, it’s often early enough that the student’s hands aren’t quite large enough to maneuver around a full-size fingerboard — the Fender FA-15 3/4-scale nylon acoustic guitar offers a far more comfortable solution to the growing player. This guitar sports a reduced scale, slim nato neck, and diminished Agathis-topped sapele body that’s perfect for young musicians or even adult learners with smaller hands. Start your student off on the 6-string with the FA-15, an instrument backed by one of the most renowned manufacturers in the guitar world.
Yamaha C40II Full-scale Classical
Take on the classical guitar tradition
Whether stepping up from a 3/4-size guitar or diving headfirst into the nylon-string world, trust Yamaha to start you off right with the Yamaha C40II full-scale classical. This guitar is a full-size instrument through and through, introducing players to the 2-inch nut width, standard scale length, and traditional classical body shape they’ll play for their nylon-string tenure. What’s more, the C40II also comes equipped with Yamaha’s Player Port app — one of the best classical guitar learning resources for aspiring players looking to sharpen their skills.
Kala Cedar Top Mahogany 3/4-size Classical Guitar
3/4-size classical guitar with a lush, cedar-topped tone
The Kala cedar top mahogany 3/4-size classical guitar is another slightly scaled-down, 3/4-size nylon string with a solid build and impressive tone, making it one of our best classical guitars for students and classroom instruction. As its name suggests, the core of this guitar is a cedar-topped mahogany body. This formidable tonewood combination rewards practice with stout projection and wonderfully full-bodied tone. If you’re after a 3/4-size, nylon-string guitar with charming traditional looks, easy playability for growing students, and an inspiring sound, then look no further than this Kala cedar top mahogany.
Washburn C5CE Classical Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
Ready for the stage
As a crossover nylon-string guitar purpose-built for the aspiring performer, the Washburn C5CE classical nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar takes the nylon-string formula to the 21st century with a high-performance cutaway and stage-ready electronics. This instrument is a top Sweetwater choice for students or developing players for its mellow tone and comfortable crossover features. Moreover, it’s an excellent pick for nontraditional nylon-string players or singer/songwriters hunting for a performance-grade instrument with a warmer and deeper tone than a comparable steel-string guitar.
Luna Woodland Cedar Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
Inspiring aesthetics meet inspiring tone
The Luna Woodland Cedar Nylon acoustic-electric guitar is a stunning nylon-string guitar sporting an understated autumnal aesthetic and a rich cedar tone. This guitar’s full-size, 25-1/2-inch scale length is paired with a comfortably compact cutaway Grand Concert shape and finished off with a mahogany body and a touch-sensitive cedar top. Are you looking to take your tone to the stage? Plug into the Woodland Cedar Nylon’s EQ- and tuner-equipped SL3 preamp to unlock eminently expressive acoustic-electric tones. The Luna Woodland Cedar Nylon is undoubtedly one of our best nylon-string guitars, and it’s also one of our best-looking nylon-string guitars!
Takamine GC1 NAT Nylon-string Acoustic Guitar
Dive into the world of classical guitar
Another excellent option for first-time classical guitarists is the Takamine GC1 NAT nylon-string acoustic guitar. This instrument’s dynamic spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide a balanced and full-bodied tone for students of all skill levels. You get a time-tested tonewood combination of a mahogany neck and a smooth rosewood fingerboard, complete with a full-size, 2-inch nut width and 25.59-inch scale length. And while it’s geared toward the musician starting on their classical guitar journey, the Takamine GC1 NAT’s inherent warmth and responsive tone take it far beyond strictly classical applications.
Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Nylon
Meet your new 6-string travel companion
By far, the most compact instrument on our list is the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Nylon is a must-have instrument for traveling guitarists requiring a carry-on-friendly 6-string. From the thin mahogany body to the unique in-body tuning system, every bit of the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Nylon is purpose-built for maximum portability. However, it doesn’t skimp on full-size tone or playability — a 24-3/4-inch scale length gives you the same full-scale feel of a standard guitar, while the under-saddle piezo pickup provides a beautiful acoustic-electric tone when you plug in.
Ovation Applause AB24CC-4S Mid-depth Classical Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Composite acoustic-electric with top-class plugged-in tones
From the front, the Ovation Applause AB24CC-4S mid-depth classical acoustic-electric guitar may look like a standard cedar-topped crossover nylon-string guitar; however, a glance at the back’s composite Lyrachord body proves otherwise! While this unique construction produces a rich unplugged tone, the star of the show is arguably the CE304T Preamp system with an onboard tuner and full 3-band EQ to sculpt your sound. Finish it all off with a thin, electric guitar–like mahogany neck and smooth ovangkol fingerboard, and the Ovation Applause AB24CC-4S is all but guaranteed to become the centerpiece of your performance and practice setup.
Cordoba C5 Nylon-string Acoustic Guitar
A student-level classical that punches well above its weight
The Cordoba C5 nylon-string acoustic guitar is a longtime heavyweight of the nylon-string guitar world, giving advancing players a rock-solid platform to hone their skills. The solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, and traditional Spanish-style fan bracing provide such a deep and resonant tone that the Cordoba C5 defies any strict “student” designation — it’s a guitar that punches well above its weight in both sound and feel. And, as a very traditionally built classical nylon-string guitar, the Cordoba C5 is one of the best classical guitars for steel-string players looking to expand their tonal repertoire.
Breedlove ECO Discovery S Concert CE Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
Eco-conscious acoustic-electric with warm cedar tone
Besides its wonderfully modern take on traditional tone, Breedlove is renowned at Sweetwater for one admirable quality: its dedication to environmental sustainability. Luckily for all of us, the sustainably sourced solid cedar top, EcoTonewood mahogany body, and ovangkol-on-mahogany neck of the Breedlove ECO Discovery S Concert CE nylon Acoustic-electric guitar more than deliver on both tonal and eco-conscious considerations! Moreover, the ECO Discover S Concert CE gives you stage-ready electronics via the Fishman Presys I, capturing every sonic detail of the guitar’s unplugged acoustic excellence.
Ibanez TOD10N Tim Henson Signature Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
Ultra-thin hybrid nylon-string guitar built for performance
So, you’re after a nylon-string guitar but don’t want to be tied down to a traditional classical guitar? The design of the Ibanez TOD10N Tim Henson Signature nylon acoustic-electric guitar comes courtesy of modern 6-string master Tim Henson of Polyphia. This guitar is constructed with a solid spruce top and sapele body in an ultra-thin 50mm cutaway body for the utmost playing comfort. From the slimmed-down 1.8-inch nut width on the nyatoh neck to the flat 15-3/4-inch radius on the walnut fingerboard, every facet of this guitar is primed for optimum 6-string performance. Finally, the TOD10N’s Ibanez AEQ210TF preamp and Fishman Sonicore pickup give you stage-ready tones right out of the box.
Taylor Academy 12e-N Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
Backed by a long-standing legacy of Taylor tone
Scores of Sweetwater guitarists trust Taylor to provide them with a rich, balanced, and easy-to-play steel-string guitar — the Taylor Academy 12e-N Nylon-string Acoustic-electric guitar takes that tradition to the world of the nylon string. This guitar’s slim Grand Concert body shape — constructed with a genuine Lutz spruce top and layered koa back and sides — is paired with a reduced 1.875-inch nut width to make for a seamless transition for the steel-string guitarist entering the nylon realm. A high-performance armrest and fast-playing ebony-topped mahogany neck finish it all off with a comfortable feel that allows playing for hours.
Alhambra 4 P Conservatory Nylon-string Classical Guitar
Ideal for the serious classical guitar student
While we love our cutaways and acoustic-electric guitars, the Alhambra 4 P Conservatory nylon-string classical guitar is one of our best classical guitars for the classical guitarist seeking an entirely traditional instrument to embolden their performance and studies. If this guitar’s solid red cedar top, Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony-topped mahogany neck, and Spanish heel neck joint don’t prove its provenance, then its country of origin certainly will. The 4 P Conservatory is handcrafted in Spain by Alhambra’s expert team of luthiers. It is one of Sweetwater’s foremost recommendations for the advancing classical student and is sure to inspire their playing and practice for years to come.
Cordoba Stage Nylon-string Acoustic-electric Guitar
A classical guitar built for the stage
Playing a classical guitar has never looked as cool and sounded as good as it has until the Cordoba Stage Nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar came to be. This classical brings warm, round tones to the table with a body crafted and chambered from mahogany. A spruce top capped with a ziricote veneer, available only at Sweetwater, brings articulate tones and note separation while catching the eyes of your audience wherever you gig. If you are looking to plug into an amp, you’ll be happy to know that the Cordoba Stage comes fully loaded with a Stage Pickup Stysten preamp. Lastly, a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard leave your hands feeling great after a session full of stretching your fingers for those complex chords.
Shop Sweetwater’s Full Selection of Nylon-string Guitars
Whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool classical guitar traditionalist or a modern acoustic-electric songwriter extraordinaire, Sweetwater has the perfect nylon-string guitar for you! While our list covers some of the best nylon-string guitars and classical guitars under $1,000, it’s just a primer — our site offers countless other top-class nylon-string guitars. If you’re looking for expert advice on how to pick out your or your student’s next (or first!) nylon-string guitar, then reach out to one of our highly trained Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700 for expert-level advice on all things nylon string.
