Strumming in a classical guitar.?

Question

So i got a guitar a few years ago. Back then, I really didn't know much about guitars.... and ended up getting a classical guitar, though i had no idea at the time. Is there anyway for me to play it like an acoustic guitar? It seems like it's really hard to play chords and the strumming, as well as the sound doesn't come out near as well as an acoustic guitar. Sometimes it buzzes and it just doesn't sound that great. Is there anyway to strum fast (chords) like an acoustic guitar?

Answer 1

Well, a classical guitar IS an acoustic guitar, just with nylon strings instead of steel strings, and a wider neck.

The wide fretboard is what makes it harder to reach the chords;  and you're starting to notice that nylon strings don't give you the same clear, crisp, loud sound you would get from steel strings, that's probably why you're not too happy with the sound.  But DO NOT -- I repeat -- DO NOT -- try to put steel strings on your classical guitar!!! You will end up with a broken guitar if you do.  Classical guitars are built for nylon strings, which exert much less tension on the neck and body of the guitar than steel strings do.  If you attempt to put steel strings on your classical guitar, it will sound GREAT for a short while, until the neck and body give way under the greater string tension -- the neck will warp irreparably, or the bridge will be torn off, or the top will collapse or some combination of the three.  It won't be pretty.

The buzzing is most likely from the strings rattling against the frets when you strum hard; the action on your guitar is set up for gentle fingerpicking, not vigorous folk-rock strumming, so the strings are a bit too close to the fingerboard and that causes the buzzing.  You can take your guitar to a repair person and have the action raised; that will solve the buzzing problem.

The wide neck is something you'll just have to get used to, you can't change that.

Eventually you may want to consider buying yourself a new steel-string acoustic in order to get the narrower neck and the sound that you want.