This is an independent guide to the classical guitar: how to choose a concert or student instrument, how a guitar is built, and what sets different guitar models apart. This site is not a workshop and does not sell instruments.
The guide covers practical questions many players ask: what makes a good first instrument, how to store a guitar safely through changing indoor humidity, and what to check before buying a used guitar.
It also grew out of an interest in the history of Finnish guitar making, a small but distinctive craft tradition that we cover in more detail on its own page.
This site is an independent, editorial guide to the classical guitar. We do not build, sell, or repair instruments here. Instead, we gather practical information for anyone trying to understand what sets a classical guitar apart, how one is put together, and what actually matters when shopping for a concert instrument, a student model, or a used guitar found through a private listing.
We write for several kinds of readers at once: complete beginners picking their first instrument, intermediate players comparing scale length and tonewood options, parents trying to figure out which size guitar suits a child's hands and reach, and anyone evaluating a second hand guitar before committing to it. Many visitors arrive here after searching for a classical guitar guide or a concert classical guitar, and some specifically look up the liikanen guitar name while researching Finnish made instruments. Whatever brought you here, the aim is the same, clear and honest information rather than a sales pitch.
A classical guitar is strung with nylon strings, sometimes nylon wrapped in fine metal winding for the lower strings, which produces a warmer and softer tone than the steel strings used on a typical acoustic or electric guitar. The neck is usually wider, built to accommodate right hand fingerstyle technique rather than a pick, and the repertoire stretches from lute music arrangements of the renaissance and baroque periods through to twentieth century Spanish and Latin American composers. Many students take up the instrument formally through a music school or conservatory program, which is part of why build quality and consistent intonation matter so much to serious players.
The body of a concert guitar is made from a curved side, a back, and the single most acoustically important part, the soundboard. Underneath that soundboard sits a system of internal braces that both reinforce the thin wood and shape its vibration pattern, which in turn shapes the tone. If you want the fuller picture, including how bracing patterns differ and how builders choose their materials, we cover that in detail on our page about guitar construction.
Finland has a small but genuinely interesting tradition of classical guitar making. A Helsinki workshop known simply as Liikanen built handmade concert and student instruments for decades, and another name that comes up often among Finnish players is the Kantare brand. Neither workshop is connected to this site, and we are not affiliated with either of them. We simply think their history is worth telling accurately, and we go into more depth on our dedicated history page.
Classical guitars come in a range of sizes, from small 1/4 and 1/2 scale instruments built for children through to full size concert guitars. Choosing the right size has a real effect on comfort and, especially for younger players, on whether they stick with the instrument at all. Our overview of guitar models walks through the typical differences between sizes and body shapes so you have a baseline before comparing specific instruments.
Wood responds constantly to humidity and temperature, and a classical guitar is no exception. Air that is too dry can crack a soundboard over time, while excess humidity can swell the wood and dull the tone. A suitable case, a stable storage spot, and the occasional check for changes in the action or the fit of the bridge will keep an instrument in good shape for decades. We have put together practical advice on guitar care for anyone who wants to get this right.
A great number of good instruments change hands secondhand, and the used market includes older handmade Finnish guitars as well as factory models. If you are considering a used purchase, it helps to know what to inspect before you commit. We cover general guidance on this, along with links to relevant secondhand listings, on a separate page. To be clear, this site does not sell or broker instruments itself. We are a resource, not a shop.
We hope this guide helps you make a more informed choice, understand your instrument a little better, and look after it properly for years to come.
