Solid top or laminate, and how to tell · review
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.
What it amounts to The right first guitar for classical and fingerstyle — and the wrong one if the plan is to strum chords loudly.
The C40II is Yamaha’s full-size classical, and it exists to answer a different question from the F310 rather than the same question more cheaply.
Nylon strings are softer under the fingertips, which is why the C40 is so often recommended for beginners. What is mentioned less often is the neck: a classical fingerboard is noticeably wider, giving each finger its own space for fingerstyle, and making a barre chord harder for a small hand.
The construction is Yamaha’s standard entry recipe — spruce top, meranti back and sides, chrome tuners — and the build consistency is the reason this model, like the F310, has stayed on recommendation lists for so long.
One rule with no exceptions: never fit steel strings to it. The instrument is not built for that tension, and the damage is not repairable at this price.
| Type | Classical, 4/4 |
|---|---|
| Strings | Six nylon |
| Top | Spruce |
| Back and sides | Meranti |
| Fingerboard | Wider than a steel-string neck |
| Tuners | Chrome |
| Amazon reference | B005LG2JN4 (identical on 6 markets) |
| EAN | 4957812482448 |
No. A classical guitar is not built for the tension of steel strings and fitting them can damage the neck and the bridge. The string type is a property of the instrument, not a preference.
The strings are, but the neck is wider than a steel-string neck, which small hands find harder. For a child, the size of the body and neck matters more than the string material.
7.8/ 10
The right first guitar for classical and fingerstyle — and the wrong one if the plan is to strum chords loudly.
Shown because the accessory names this instrument itself.
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on August 18, 2026.
Classical and fingerstyle, or anyone whose fingertips are the obstacle.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for musical instruments and gear and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
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