Best Classical Guitars With Mahogany Back in 2023
Here are the top Classical style guitars with Mahogany back. This is the type of wood found in many top-of-the-line guitars, so that's a positive point for the build quality. This red-looking wood Mahogany is found in Africa and Central America and has great sustain and a warm tone due to its high density. The downside about this type of wood is that it's relatively heavy.
Out of the more than 2000 guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
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1. Martin 000C12-16E Nylon

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: C (3 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (3 votes)
- From Martin's 2020 16-17 series
- Made in United States
- 6 strings
- 26.5"'' scale
- 18" Fretboard Radius
- Solid Spruce top
- Solid Mahogany back
- Solid Mahogany sides
- Select Hardwood neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT1 (Preamp/Active)
- Ebony bridge
- Acoustic Low Profile Set neck
- 20 Medium frets
- Gold Side Mount tuners
- Compare Specs >
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Ivory Tusq Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
2. Takamine GC3CE

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: Asymmetrical (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (1 vote)
- From Takamine's 2017 G series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.6"'' scale
- Flat Fretboard Radius
- Solid Cedar top
- Mahogany back
- Mahogany sides
- Mahogany neck
- Laurel fretboard
- Bridge pickup: TP-4T (Preamp/Active)
- Fixed bridge
- Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
- 19 Medium frets
- Takamine Chrome tuners
- Compare Specs >
Takamine GC3CE
- Expensive Wood
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Synthetic Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
3. Yamaha GC12C

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: C (9 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (9 votes)
- From Yamaha's 2014 GC / GCX series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.6"'' scale
- Flat Fretboard Radius
- Solid Western Redcedar top
- Solid Mahogany back
- Solid Mahogany sides
- African Mahogany neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: (/)
- Rosewood bridge
- Acoustic C Set neck
- 20 Medium frets
- Gold (YTM-81) tuners
- Compare Specs >
Yamaha GC12C
- Expensive Wood
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Low-Quality Material Saddle
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
4. Yamaha GC12S

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: C (9 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (9 votes)
- From Yamaha's 2014 GC / GCX series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.6"'' scale
- Flat Fretboard Radius
- Solid European Spruce top
- Solid Mahogany back
- Solid Mahogany sides
- African Mahogany neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: (/)
- Rosewood bridge
- Acoustic C Set neck
- 20 Medium frets
- Gold (YTM-81) tuners
- Compare Specs >
Yamaha GC12S
- Expensive Wood
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Low-Quality Material Saddle
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
5. Fender CN-60S

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: C (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Slightly chunky (1 vote)
- From Fender's 2017 Classic Design series
- Made in Indonesia
- 6 strings
- 25.3"'' scale
- 16" Fretboard Radius
- Solid Spruce top
- Laminated Mahogany back
- Laminated Mahogany sides
- Mahogany neck
- Walnut fretboard
- Bridge pickup: (/)
- Walnut bridge
- Acoustic Fender 'Easy-to-Play' shape with rolled fretboard edges Set neck
- 18 Vintage frets
- 3-In-Line with Amber Pearloid Buttons tuners
- Compare Specs >
Fender CN-60S
- Expensive Wood
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Low-Quality Material Saddle
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
6. Takamine GC3

Player Feedback
- Neck profile shape: Asymmetrical (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (1 vote)
- From Takamine's 2013 G series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.6"'' scale
- Flat Fretboard Radius
- Solid Cedar top
- Mahogany back
- Mahogany sides
- Mahogany neck
- Laurel fretboard
- Bridge pickup: (/)
- Fixed bridge
- Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
- 19 Medium frets
- Takamine Chrome tuners
- Compare Specs >
Takamine GC3
- Expensive Wood
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Synthetic Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
7. Epiphone Classical E1
- From Epiphone's 2018 Original Acoustic series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.6"'' scale
- Flat Fretboard Radius
- Select Cedar top
- Select Mahogany; Reduced body depth; 4/4 size back
- Select Mahogany; Reduced body depth; 4/4 size sides
- Mahogany neck
- Indian Laurel with PRO-Ease Lubricant fretboard
- Bridge pickup: (/)
- Indian Laurel bridge
- Acoustic EZ-Profile D Set neck
- 19 Jumbo frets
- Epiphone Deluxe Classical 16:1 ratio tuners
- Compare Specs >
Epiphone Classical E1
- Expensive Wood
- NuBone Nut
- NuBone Saddle
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Laminated Top Wood
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock