If you’re looking for some of the best flamenco guitars under $1000, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article, I’m going to highlight 10 fantastic and most affordable instruments suitable for this style of music.
A lot of lovers of traditional Spanish culture are struggling to find a good and reliable guitar for flamenco music. The truth is that there are a lot of great guitars out there and what’s important, it is totally possible to find a solid instrument at a reasonable price. That being said, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get a perfect guitar!
That’s why I decided to create a list of 10 best guitars that will be perfect for playing flamenco. Feel free to check it out below and in the next section, we’re going to take a close look on each one of them. There will be sound demos too, so you’ll be able to hear how they all sound.
10 Best Flamenco Guitars Under $1000 – List
| 1. | Cordoba C5 CD | See on Amazon |
| 2. | Yamaha GC12 | See on Amazon |
| 3. | Takamine GC5 | See on Amazon |
| 4. | Cordoba GK Studio Negra | See on Amazon |
| 5. | Yamaha NCX1 | See on Amazon |
| 6. | Kremona Verea Performer | See on Amazon |
| 7. | Fender CN-140SCE | See on Amazon |
| 8. | Godin Arena | See on Amazon |
| 9. | Cordoba Fusion 12 | See on Amazon |
| 10. | Ovation Applause Balladeer | See on Amazon |
1. Cordoba C5 CD
For those who don’t know, Cordoba is an absolute leader when it comes to classical guitars and instruments suitable for flamenco. Undoubtedly, if you’re looking for the best kind of gear for this type of music, choosing this guitar brand is a safe bet.
The C5 CD model features a solid Wester Red Cedar top with mahogany back and sides. Thanks to these materials, the guitar sounds really warm, resonant and balanced. In addition, it’s really lightweight. It has a comfortable neck, which enhances comfortability and playability.
Overall, this classical guitar will be ideal for both beginners and more advanced players. Considering its relatively low price, it’s definitely one of the best flamenco guitars under $1000 available on the market right now. I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s the sound demo.
2. Yamaha GC12
Another amazing guitar suitable for flamenco. Yamaha GC12 features even better tone and quality than the previous guitar, but on the other hand, it’s a bit more expensive. Still, it definitely deserves to be on today’s list of best flamenco guitars under $1000.
The GC12 is really unique because it’s fully made of solid wood. Yamaha decided to use a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. For those who are not aware, good guitars generally feature solid tops, but only the greatest ones also feature solid backs and sides.
As you can imagine, thanks to the solid wood construction, the guitar sounds absolutely amazing. This model is suitable for the most demanding guitarists who make a living with playing music. Undoubtedly, it will work perfectly during live performances and studio recordings.
Although it’s not a cheap instrument, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Here’s the demo. Sounds good, right?
3. Takamine GC5
Takamine GC5 is another example of a great classical guitar suitable for playing flamenco music. It’s affordable and it features an amazing quality and attention to detail. For those who don’t know, Takamine is a Japanese manufacturer of stringed instruments. I have to admit that I’m totally in love in their instruments and I recently wrote an article about their best acoustic models.
The GC5 model also proves why Takamine is a leading guitar brand in the world. The guitar is made with an amazing precision and it sounds fantastic. In addition, it looks absolutely beautiful. Just wow!
The guitar features a solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides. It also has a really comfortable mahogany neck, which feels great and enhances playability. Other features include gold tuners, synthetic bone nut and pretty inlaid mosaic rosette.
If you’re looking for a reliable classical guitar, choosing Takamine is definitely one of the safest bets out there. I highly recommend checking out this guitar as well as other models produced by this brand.
Here’s the sound demo of GC5.
4. Cordoba GK Studio Negra
Another amazing classical guitar offered by Cordoba. The GK Studio Negra model is designed specifically flamenco guitarists, so you can be sure that it will be a great fit for this type of music.
In comparison with the previous Cordoba model, this is an acoustic-electric guitar, which means that it has a built-in Fishman preamp system. As a result, you can easily plug it in to an amp and use it for live performances. So if you’re planning on playing flamenco live, this guitar should be an excellent choice.
The guitar features a solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides. In addition, there’s a really comfortable neck with the low string action, that improves the comfortability and playability.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best flamenco guitars under $1000. I’m sure that both amateurs and more advanced players are going to love it!
Here’s the demo. Well done, Cordoba!
5. Yamaha NCX1
Yamaha NCX1 is a great and reliable classical guitar with a built-in preamp, which means that it’s perfect for live performances. If you’re looking for a new instrument to play flamenco in front of an audience, this guitar is the way to go.
The guitar features a solid spruce top with nato back and sides. What’s important, these materials really improve the look and resonance of this guitar. In addition, the guitar features a really comfortable neck suitable for the most demanding guitar players.
Considering the relatively low price, it’s definitely one of the best mid-level classical guitars out there. Anyone who’s searching for a solid instrument for flamenco should be definitely satisfied with its quality.
I highly recommend checking out the demo below.
6. Kremona Verea Performer
For those who don’t know, Kremona is a small guitar brand that comes from Bulgaria. They manufacture really good mid-level and high-level classical guitars suitable for intermediate and professional players.
The Verea model comes from their Performer Series, which is specifically designed for the most demanding guitar players. The guitar features a Fishman preamp system, which allows you to easily plug in the guitar into an amp and play live in front of an audience. This is extremely important, especially for artists who perform flamenco on a daily basis.
The guitar features a solid western cedar top with rosewood back and sides. It has a really nice, balanced and versatile tone. In addition, it looks beautiful from the outside!
I highly recommend checking this guitar out. I have to admit that I really like the less known manufacturers of guitars – very often they create even better guitars than the major brands which are known all around the world.
Here’s the demo. Sounds awesome!
7. Fender CN-140SCE
A lot of guitarists (including me) love Fender because of their iconic electric guitars. Still, not many people are aware that they actually manufacture really good acoustic and classical guitars too! The CN-140SCE model is a great example of that and in fact, it’s not expensive at all.
The guitar features a solid cedar top with ovangkol back and sides. This unusual combination results with a really resonant and warm tone, which will be perfect for playing flamenco music.
Similarly as a few previous guitars on today’s list, this Fender guitar is equipped with a preamp system which allows you to plug it into an amp. If you’re planning on playing shows, this is extremely important.
Undoubtedly, considering the relatively low price, the CN-140SCE model is one of the best guitars for flamenco. It looks good, it sounds good and it’s not too expensive – who needs anything else?
Here’s the sound demo.
8. Godin Arena
Just wow! Another amazing classical guitar suitable for both beginners and more intermediate guitarists. If you’re not familiar with Godin, you should know that they’re a reputable Canadian manufacturer of stringed instruments. Out of my experience, their guitars are made with an incredible precision and attention to detail.
The guitar visible above features a solid spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides. As I mentioned earlier, the use of solid wood for the whole guitar body significantly improves its sound and worth. In general, these kind of guitars are usually way more expensive than the rest of guitars that feature laminated backs and sides.
Of course, Godin Arena is also equipped with electronics that allow you to amplify your guitar and perform on stage. Undoubtedly, this guitar will be an excellent choice for playing flamenco music.
I highly recommend checking this guitar out as well as other guitars manufactured by this brand. Here’s my article about the best Godin guitars in case you’re interested.
Feel free to check out the sound demo below. Sounds good, right?
9. Cordoba Fusion 12
Just wow! This is an incredible and beautiful guitar manufactured by one of the best classical guitar brands in the world – Cordoba. Although it’s not a cheap option, it’s definitely one of the best and most interesting guitars for flamenco under $1000.
Why is it so special? Well, the guitar features a solid spruce top with flamed maple back and sides. This material is very rarely used for classical guitars, so it definitely makes this guitar one-of-a-kind. In addition, this combination of woods results with a really nice, bright and resonant tone.
The guitar comes from the Fusion Series, which includes unusual and modern guitars. This particular model features a really slim neck, which feels almost the same as in necks used in acoustic guitars. Having that kind of neck on a classical guitar is a really unique solution.
Undoubtedly, this guitar will be an excellent choice for the most demanding musicians. I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s the demo.
10. Ovation Applause Balladeer
Another really cool, affordable and great sounding classical guitar suitable for playing flamenco. Although it’s one of the cheapest guitars on today’s list, it still features an excellent quality.
The guitar features a spruce top and a really comfortable neck. In addition, similarly as some other guitars mentioned earlier, it has a preamp system with a built-in tuner. This is extremely useful for all musicians who are playing shows in front of an audience. If you’re planning to play some flamenco gigs, this guitar will be a perfect choice.
Considering the relatively low price and high quality of this instrument, it’s definitely one of the best flamenco guitars under $500. Great look, awesome tone and inexpensive cost – who needs anything else?
I highly recommend checking this guitar out. You won’t be disappointed!
FAQ
Do you need a flamenco guitar to play flamenco?
Not necessarily. Any classical guitar will work just fine for playing flamenco. This type of music is often associated with guitars with nylon strings, so that’s why classical guitars are the best choice for this genre.
Are flamenco guitars tuned differently?
In general, the vast majority of flamenco songs are played in standard tuning (EADGBE).
Can a beginner learn flamenco guitar?
Absolutely! Just like in all other genres, there are a lot of songs that you can learn. Some of them are easy and some of them are difficult, but overall it’s totally possible to start learning flamenco from scratch.
Just be aware that the success won’t come overnight and you won’t become an amazing player overnight. These things take a lot of time, practice and commitment. Stay patient and you’ll see the results!
Who makes flamenco guitars?
There are a lot of brands that manufacture classical guitars suitable for flamenco music. That includes such brands as Takamine, Cordoba, Ovation, Godin and many, many more. If you’re planning on getting a new flamenco guitar, it is worth it to trust the brands that are reputable and well-known in the flamenco community.
What is flamenco?
Flamenco is a really unique art form based on folkloric Spanish traditions. In short, you can refer to it as the Spanish folk music. But the truth is that it’s a way more complex type of art that includes particular dancing, music, clothing and many, many more. If you’d like to learn more about flamenco, here’s a really good article about it.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of really cool and affordable guitars suitable for playing flamenco music. Whether you’re a beginner or a more intermediate player, you should be definitely able to find the right guitar on the list above.
Which guitar would I choose? Personally, I really like the quality of Cordoba guitars, so I’d probably stick with them. Still, all of the other classical guitars are really good anyway!
Thanks for checking out today’s article. I really appreciate it. If you enjoyed this list of top recommendations, you may also like:
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