Steel or nylon
What music do you want to play, and how much do your fingertips matter?
These two guitars are the most common first instruments in Europe, and choosing between them is a decision about repertoire, not about quality.
| Compared on | F310 | C40II |
|---|---|---|
| Strings | Steel | Nylon |
| Body shape | Dreadnought, 4/4 | Classical, 4/4 |
| Top | Spruce | Spruce |
| Back and sides | Meranti | Meranti |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood | Wider classical fingerboard |
| Tuners | Chrome, enclosed | Chrome |
| Comfort for new fingertips | Harder | Easier |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
Take the F310 for pop, folk, rock and anything strummed. It is louder and brighter, and steel strings are what that repertoire assumes.
Take the C40 for classical and fingerstyle, or if sore fingertips are what stops practice happening. The wider neck gives each finger more room, at the cost of being harder for small hands to barre.
No, and not the other way round either. The instruments are built for different tensions and use different bridges. Steel strings on a classical guitar can damage it beyond economic repair.
Nylon is kinder on the fingers, but the classical neck is wider, which small hands find harder. For a child, the body and neck size matter more than the string material — a smaller-bodied instrument is usually the better answer.
Dreadnought · spruce top · rosewood fingerboard · steel strings
The steel-string that turns up on every beginner list: spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, meranti back and sides, and chrome enclosed tuners.
Best for: A first steel-string for an adult or teenager who wants the classic strummed sound.
Classical · nylon strings · wider fingerboard · 4/4
The nylon-string counterpart: a full-size classical with a wider fingerboard, spruce top and meranti back and sides — softer on the fingers and a different instrument entirely.
Best for: Classical and fingerstyle, or anyone whose fingertips are the obstacle.
