The 10 Best Flamenco Guitars of 2023: The Complete Buyer's Guide (2023)

The best flamenco guitars aren't just the ones that sound great. It's about how they feel in your hands and how you feel when you touch them. You always want to find an instrument that is comfortable and as natural as possible to play...

Are you a beginner guitarist interested in learning the flamenco style? Or maybe an experienced guitarist who wants to explore flamenco music?

Either way, choosing the best flamenco guitar for you can be challenging. After all, there are many options on the market, with the most diverse brands and styles to choose from.

Without a guide you could end updazed and confused(huge Led Zeppelin fan here) what to buy. That's why I'm here to help you with my ultimate list of the best flamenco guitars on the market today!

I'll help you decide between some of the more reliable options. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, there's something on my list for you.

I'll briefly touch on what makes each instrument special, I'll also show you the aspects to look for in a quality flamenco guitar, and the videos will help you hear the best flamenco guitars in action!

Regardless of your budget, any flamenco guitar I suggest is of good build quality and will last you a long time.

The 10 best flamenco guitars

1.CordobaGK Studio Schwarz- Best overall

Cordoba Guitars makes some of the best flamenco guitars on the market today. Cordoba intends to combine modern technology with the tradition of the first luthiers, creating guitars that respect the purity of Spanish tradition.

They offer excellent quality guitars and ukuleles in different price ranges for all types of budgets. You'll find that many of my picks are Córdoba guitars simply because of their quality workmanship and wonderful tone.

If you're familiar with the popular flamenco band Gipsy Kings, Cordoba Guitars has a connection with the group and even collaborates on some of their guitars, such as their B. GK series.

ANDCordobaGK Studio SchwarzIt is the best option for its reliability and sound quality.

It has a fine European spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and a high-gloss finish. The body is clean cut to fit comfortably for playing the highest frets.

The tone produced by this guitar is unique and is best described as chunky and bassy. This contrasts with the usual brighter tones found on other flamenco guitars. It's virtually inevitable that you'll grab your audience's attention.

The neck, body and nut width are slightly thinner than most traditional guitars, making this the best flamenco guitar for the stage.

The neck also has minimal to no relief, allowing for effortless playability. All these qualities make the guitar comfortable to play and offer fast playability.

Any guitarist will appreciate how easy it is to play and keep playing for hours.

It comes with a Fishman Presys Blend electronic pickup. This makes it a great choice for anyone looking to hook up or hook up amps in their gigs.

Like all Cordovan guitars, thisGK StudioschwarzIt has a two-way truss rod integrated into the neck. It has a rosewood fretboard and bridge, a high-gloss finish, transparent pickguards (flamenco touch plates) and high-quality Savarez Cristal Corum strings.

All in all, the comfortable design and choice of materials give this guitar a premium feel and distinctive tone. The tone it produces is powerful and agile, making it perfect for traditional Spanish music and dance.

If you're a serious musician looking for a reliable guitar to travel with and impress your audience with, then this model is perfect thanks to its built-in electronics, gaming experience and included high-quality bag.

Finally, you can't beat the price of this guitar, which is why it's my favorite flamenco guitar by far.

2.Córdoba GK Pro Black– Best for experts

If you are a serious flamenco guitarist willing to buy a professional guitar with excellent workmanship, then you better spend your money on it.Cordoba GK Pro Black Modellfirma Gipsy Kings.

The "Pro" in the name is well deserved. The body is constructed from a premium European Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides with a smooth cut. There's also a mahogany neck and ebony fretboard for that high-end feel and maximum energy transfer from the strings.

The neck has little or no relief, resulting in too low an action. Your fingers can easily rest and move across the frets.

The guitar is light and thin. As with the GK Studio, the dimensions are slightly narrower than the standard flamenco guitar. Therefore, gamers will find the gameplay of this model to be an enjoyable experience.

The tone is absolutely glorious. As with the GK Studio model, the sound is deep and dark. Between the two, if you want the best flamenco guitar in terms of sound quality, this is undoubtedly the best option.

Of course, you also get the best electronics when a Fishman Prefix ProBlend pickup is installed. All its sonic nuances are perfectly transmitted to any amp you connect it to.

It's just a great guitar. All the aesthetic details make this flamenco guitar a real asset. From the detailed binding in hand-encrusted rosette and Indian rosewood to the high-quality gold-plated mechanics.

The glossy finish beautifully highlights the rosewood body and European spruce top. But don't let its appearance fool you.GK Pro ThereforeIt was designed with playability in mind and high quality tonewoods combine to make the best sounding flamenco guitar on my list.

Fortunately, a humidified hard case is included, ensuring that the guitar's beauty and functionality are preserved and protected.

Simply put, you won't find a better professional flamenco guitar than this one.GK Pro Therefore, unless you travel to Spain of course!

3.Cordoba F7 Paco- Best for a full tone

ANDCordoba F7 PacoIt was built in honor of Spanish flamenco virtuoso Paco de Lucía.

This F7 Paco model differs from previous models in that it uses a Canadian cedar top instead of solid spruce, while the back and sides are made of laminated rosewood.

Cedar is softer than spruce and therefore more sensitive. Heavy fingering won't work as well on this guitar, but a softer, more refined touch will.

The tone isn't as bright as some of the others on my list of the best flamenco guitars, but the tone is still full-bodied, but generally warmer and darker. This is not a disadvantage, as some prefer this sound more.

The solid mahogany neck provides excellent sustain and detail and is set at a shallow angle to give you low string action for excellent flamenco playing.

4. Cordoba 55FCE Body Slim

Played by respected flamenco guitarist Tonino Baliardo of the Gipsy Kings, the Cordoba 55FCE is one of the best sounding and most expensive flamenco guitars on my list. It has a European spruce top and flamed zirikote back and sides with a high-gloss finish.

The tonewoods combine to create a brilliant sound full of depth and nuance. In combination with the Indian Rosewood binding and bridge, they ensure that a tonally balanced sound is created.

It comes with a built-in Fishman Prefix ProBlend pickup system, which is superior to the usual Fishman Presys system. There are more EQ controls and better pickup quality, making this a must-have for professionals who rely heavily on amps for gigs.

As the name suggests, the 55FCE has a slimmer body and narrower neck design that prioritize comfort and faster gameplay.

The neck is Spanish cedar with an ebony fretboard, creating a comfortable feel yet capable of driving a percussive attack.

There's also a low cut to hit those high notes. Whether you're playing at home or on stage, you won't get bored easily with this guitar.

It even comes with a slim HumiCase Protege hard case for superior storage and portability.

If you're a rock guitarist looking for a nylon string instrument, the Cordoba 55FCE Flamenco Electro Acoustic Guitar is a great choice, especially if you want to hit the stage.

4. Córdoba Flamenco-Gitarrensolist

This model, the Cordoba Soloista Flamenca Nylon String Flamenco Guitar, is handcrafted in the classic Spanish flamenco tradition to provide an incredibly dynamic and tonal playing experience.

The top of the guitar is made from fantastic solid European spruce, while the cypress back and sides produce a deep bass that combines with the spruce top to create a sound full of color and tonality.

The Flamenco Soloist's Spanish cedar neck is reinforced with ebony for excellent vibration and stability. Plus, the neck has the same shallow angle found on some of the greatest flamenco guitars of all time.

Combined with Indian rosewood for the bridge and binding, no matter how dynamic your playing style, every aspect is built into this guitar.

The Córdoba Solista Flamenca proves that the best way to make a guitar sing is to honor classic craftsmanship and techniques that have been performed and perfected over the years.

If you're looking for a flamenco guitar you can play for a lifetime, the elegant and lively Cordoba Soloista Flamenca is for you!

6. Flamenco guitar Yamaha CG172SF

This guitar is an excellent choice for the more budget-conscious guitarist, while representing the quality and reliability of Yamaha guitars.

If you used a classical guitar for your flamenco style of playing, you might not get the desired effect. If you want to get your hands on a real flamenco guitar but aren't sure you want to spend a lot of money, then this guitar is for you.

The top is made of solid spruce, the back and sides are made of cypress. These materials provide solid tone and volume. The neck is made of nato, and the bridge and fretboard are made of rosewood, which gives your hand a smooth and comfortable playing experience.

For those who are taking their first steps into the world of flamenco music and looking for their first flamenco guitar, the Yamaha CG172SF is a great option.

7. Alhambra 3F CT Flamenco Acoustic Electric Guitar

If you prefer to connect your guitar to an amplifier, this Alhambra flamenco acoustic-electric guitar comes with a built-in Fishman electronic pickup and tuner. Fishman is known for his incredible electronics on acoustic and classical guitars.

The Fishman Classic II integrated system is designed specifically for nylon-string guitars, but the 3F CT is also built for the steel-string player due to the slightly narrower neck width compared to typical vintage models.

The combination of a solid German spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fretboard means the guitar sounds acoustically rich, bright, and fast.

When played through a quality "acoustic" amplifier, the 3F CT, with its built-in Fishman preamp, produces a sound you wouldn't expect from an inexpensive classical electric guitar - in a good way. Naturally!

The body also has a cutout so you can hit the high notes with ease, but there are no strap pegs making the guitar more suitable for sitting down.

I like this flamenco guitar for its built-in preamp and affordability. So if you think you want that extra versatility, consider the Alhambra acoustic-electric model!

8. Prudêncio Saez PS-15-S

Although the PS-15-S is Prudencio's most affordable model, nearly half the price of its most popular model, the PS-22, it shares many of the same high-end features.

The main difference is that the PS-22-S has an African ebony fretboard compared to the PS-15-S's Indian rosewood fretboard. But both share the same great tone and build quality.

Like the PS-22, the PS-15-S uses a solid spruce top with Torres-style fan support, producing a warm yet powerful tone. The cypress back and sides produce an immediate, rich bass response, and the cedar neck offers excellent resonance without sacrificing comfort.

For many players looking for a Prudencio Saez guitar, a brand that's been around since 1963 but a slightly more affordable option, the PS-15-S combines tradition and technology in an excellent flamenco guitar.

9. Engel Lopez CF1246 S

The Angel Lopez CF1246 S is another great, inexpensive flamenco guitar option; this time it will be done by Ángel López.

It has a solid spruce top, cypress back and sides, and a rosewood fretboard that rivals other more expensive options. There are also design touches to give it a more refined feel, like the body coated in a beautiful high-gloss finish to keep it protected and shiny.

Setup is perfect right out of the box, allowing beginners to pick up and play this guitar quickly while expecting reliable sound quality.

Intermediate players may notice nuances compared to a more expensive flamenco guitar, such as the narrower string spacing and slightly thicker neck, but this model will serve beginners and intermediates very well for a long time to come.

For a quality, easily accessible choice that looks a little better than the Yamaha, in my opinion, this model is another great flamenco guitar for beginners!

10. Braun-Cremona pink

You may have never heard of the Kremona brand. They have been in business since 1924 and manufacture their guitars in Bulgaria. This beautiful Rosa Morena is one of the models under $1000.

It's constructed with a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides for that great, dependable tone. It also comes with a cedar fingerboard and ebony fretboard that feels good in your fingers.

Since flamenco players use their fingernails to pluck the strings, the body is likely to be scratched and hit. That's why this guitar's body is protected with dual pickguards to ensure it stays as protected and cool as possible.

Choosing the best flamenco guitar for you

Here it is. Whether you are a beginner looking to break into the world of flamenco or a professional looking for a flamenco guitar for the stage, these are the best flamenco guitars on the market today!

Much of the list consists of flamenco guitars from Cordoba and this is simply because I believe they are the best flamenco guitar makers that are easy to find right now.

They have workshops in the flamenco quarter of Madrid, with the likes of Pedro De Miguel and Mariano Conde making Spanish guitars by hand for some of them.best flamenco guitaristsin Spain.

The latter, Mariano Conde, even built flamenco guitars for music legends Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

But I would reserve them for very experienced players and those looking for something really special, especially if you have the opportunity to visit their workshops in Madrid and order one made to measure!

For the rest of us, the best flamenco guitar is one you can afford and get your hands on. Set a budget and narrow down your options based on your playing style, whether you're performing live and want a built-in electric pickup, and what body shape you prefer.

Overall I would highly recommend them.CordobaGK Studio Black Flamenco-Gitarreas it is the best option in terms of reliability and overall sound quality.

Rest assured you can't go wrong with any of these flamenco guitars and remember that the best musician is always the one having the most fun!