What is the difference between an Alto classical and a 1/2 size classical?

ToneControl

Is it just the quality and price?

ICBM

Pretty much. An alto guitar is designed to be tuned higher, usually to G or A I think, whereas a 1/2-size is meant for children and tuned normally... which results in floppy strings and a too-high action to try to stop them rattling, even if the quality of the guitar is OK - which it mostly isn't. The quality of average half-size kids' classicals is appalling, much worse than equivalent 3/4 sizes ones usually. But if you can find a half-decent one and tune it up higher it should be OK.

ToneControl

ICBM said:

Pretty much. An alto guitar is designed to be tuned higher, usually to G or A I think, whereas a 1/2-size is meant for children and tuned normally... which results in floppy strings and a too-high action to try to stop them rattling, even if the quality of the guitar is OK - which it mostly isn't. The quality of average half-size kids' classicals is appalling, much worse than equivalent 3/4 sizes ones usually. But if you can find a half-decent one and tune it up higher it should be OK.

I have an Alto guitar already, but just wondered about why people would not use 1/2 guitars instead
Mine is an Aria AC85A, pretty good quality. Alto tuning is B-B

When I bought it, it was fitted with Requinto strings, tuned G-G (Requinto should be A-A)
It sounds very good

Back in the 80s my first decent classical was a 3/4 spanish made I bought from Forsythes in Manchester. It was quite good for the money

ICBM

ToneControl said:

I have an Alto guitar already, but just wondered about why people would not use 1/2 guitars instead

Mine is an Aria AC85A, pretty good quality.

I work for a mail-order company, and one of the things we sell are typical Chinese-made half-size classicals...

They're shit . Even the 3/4-size ones aren't great in the standard model, although the 'deluxe' model - which is not actually that much more expensive - is pretty nice.

What's the neck like on yours? A 1/2-size generally has a very narrow neck (for small hands) too.

ToneControl

ICBM said:

What's the neck like on yours? A 1/2-size generally has a very narrow neck (for small hands) too.

standard classical nut width

bloody top B was snapped when I just went to it. Strangely, the Daddario alto set has the top string at almost double the tension of the other strings