Altamira N100 Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Altamira N100 is an affordable nylon-string classical guitar made in China by Altamira Guitars. Part of Altamira's student model lineup, the N100 aims to deliver solid construction, rich sound and easy playability suitable for beginners and students on a budget.

With its spruce top and mahogany back and sides, the N100 features a tried-and-true combination of tonewoods found on many classical guitars. This lends the N100 a balanced, well-rounded sound across the tonal spectrum. The slim neck and low action facilitate comfortable playing for smaller hands. While the hardware and electronics are basic, they perform reliably. Overall, the Altamira N100 hits the sweet spot of price and performance for an introductory classical guitar.

Construction

The Altamira N100 has a solid Canadian cedar top, which is a soft, lightweight wood that provides good resonance and responsiveness. The back and sides are made of ovangkol wood, which comes from Southeast Asia. Ovangkol has excellent tone projection and gives the guitar a balanced, focused sound.

The neck is made of mahogany with a truss rod for stability. The fingerboard is rosewood, which has a dense grain that helps produce full bass tones and crisp trebles. Overall, the tonewood combination results in an instrument that is well-suited for both students and more advanced classical guitarists looking for a quality instrument without paying premium prices.

The bindings and trim are made of high-quality ABS material rather than wood. While some purists may prefer all wood appointments, the synthetic bindings help keep costs down while still providing an elegant look. The body and neck have multiple layers of hand-applied gloss finish.

For those seeking an affordable classical guitar from a well-known brand, the Fender 0971170521 is worth considering. This model has a spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The neck is also mahogany for smooth playability. Fender includes lightweight nylon strings and a padded gig bag for protection and easy transport.

While it doesn't use solid wood throughout like the Altamira N100, the Fender offers great bang for your buck. The tone is balanced and clear. The playability makes it a smart choice for new classical guitarists. Advanced players may want something more specialized, but the 0971170521 works well for more casual playing and practicing. It's an excellent entry-level instrument from a trusted brand.

Sound

The Altamira N100 features a solid Engelmann spruce top with Indian rosewood back and sides. This tonewood combination produces a nicely balanced tone that offers warmth and richness in the low end, along with brightness and clarity in the high end. The spruce top brings out the treble tones, adding sparkle and articulation, while the rosewood back and sides boost the bass and midrange frequencies. The result is an evenly balanced sound across the tonal spectrum.

Strummed rhythmic passages have nice punch and separation between the notes. The rosewood provides a solid low-end foundation that brings out the bass notes with resonance. Fingerstyle playing is also nicely supported, allowing both the highs and lows to be heard clearly. The dynamic range is good, capable of soft and delicate tones while also projecting nicely when playing more forcefully. Overall the N100 delivers a versatile balanced tone suitable for various classical guitar repertoire from Renaissance to modern eras. Players looking for an affordable classical model with professional-grade tone should find the Altamira N100 to be an excellent option.

For those seeking a nylon-string guitar with a slightly different tonal character, the Yamaha APX600 OVS is worth considering. It has a solid ovangkol back and sides which add warmth and sweetness to the midrange frequencies. The ovangkol's smooth and refined tone complements the bright spruce top nicely. The APX600 OVS is capable of rich low-end tones but with a bit more focus in the mids compared to rosewood models. It excels at intimate fingerstyle playing where the ovangkol's nuanced overtones come through beautifully. The APX600 OVS projects well when needed but maintains a refined and balanced character even when played forcefully. Players who find rosewood models to sometimes sound a bit too robust at times may appreciate the APX600 OVS for its warm yet delicate tonal profile. While not as affordable as the Altamira N100, the APX600 OVS delivers pro-level features and tone at a reasonable price point for intermediate players looking to upgrade.

Playability

The Altamira N100 classical guitar offers excellent playability right out of the box. The neck width measures 52mm at the nut, which is a comfortable width for most players' hands. Many affordable classical guitars have nut widths in the 55-58mm range, which can feel too wide for some. The Altamira's narrower neck promotes great comfort and reduces hand tension during long practice sessions.

The action height is also set very well from the factory. Action refers to the distance between the strings and the fretboard. If the action is too high it makes the guitar difficult to play, especially when fretting notes high up on the neck. However, the Altamira N100 has low action that makes chords and scales very easy to play. The guitar has just enough clearance for the strings to vibrate freely without buzzing, while remaining comfortable on the fingers. Players can dig into fast passages without having to press down hard on the strings.

Overall the Altamira N100's neck width and low action height result in excellent playability right out of the box. It feels great to play across the entire fingerboard thanks to the comfortable neck and optimized action height.

Hardware

The Altamira N100 features quality hardware that enables smooth and stable tuning. The tuning machines are sealed die-cast chrome with Pearl buttons, providing 18:1 gear ratio for precise tuning. The nut and saddle are rosewood, which is an ideal material that promotes clearer treble and balanced overtones. The nut width of 52mm gives comfortable room for fingering while the compensated saddle enables proper intonation across the fretboard. Overall, the hardware components are thoughtfully designed for a classical guitar at this price point. The tuning machines hold well and offer a nice upgrade from open gear tuners. While the nut and saddle are not bone, the rosewood performs admirably with a smooth feel. This hardware delivers the functionality and reliability needed for an enjoyable playing experience without driving up the cost.

Electronics

As an acoustic nylon-string classical guitar, the Altamira N100 does not have any electronics built-in. It produces sound entirely through the vibration of the strings transmitted via the bridge to the top wood of the guitar body.

Without electronics, the N100 offers a pure unplugged acoustic sound that many classical guitarists prefer. However, those wanting to amplify or record with the guitar will need to purchase and install an external pickup.

The lack of electronics helps keep costs down and allows the N100 to focus on optimal acoustic tone and playability. But it limits the versatility of the guitar compared to electro-acoustic models with built-in pickups and preamps.

Overall, the electronics - or lack thereof - target the N100 squarely at traditional classical guitarists rather than those needing amplified sound. It excels as an entirely acoustic instrument.

Comfort and Ergonomics

The Altamira N100 has a traditional classical guitar body shape with a cedar top and mahogany back and sides. This combination of tonewoods results in a lightweight and comfortable guitar.

The cedar top contributes to the guitar's overall lightweight feel, as cedar is a relatively soft and lightweight wood. The mahogany back and sides also don't add a significant amount of weight.

The N100 weighs just over 2 lbs, which is on the lighter side for a classical guitar. This makes it comfortable for extended playing sessions, whether seated or with a strap.

The body shape features smooth and beveled edges that fit nicely against your body. The neck also has a slim taper that is easy and comfortable to grip.

Overall, the Altamira N100 offers a high level of comfort and ergonomics for most players. The lightweight build and contoured body shape allow you to play for long periods without fatigue. This makes it a great choice for practice and performance.

Value for Money

The Altamira N100 classical guitar provides excellent value considering its quality materials and construction. The solid Canadian cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides are the same woods used on professional classical guitars costing twice as much. The hand-carved neck and attention to detail in the rosette and purfling also help justify the price for a guitar made in China.

While not an inexpensive beginner's model, the Altamira N100 is priced competitively among other nylon string guitars with solid wood construction. Given the quality materials and impressive sound, this guitar would be considered a very good deal up to about $500-600. The current Amazon price puts it at an excellent value for intermediate players or those looking to upgrade without breaking the bank.

The Altamira N100 gives buyers a lot of guitar for the money. Beginners may find it still out of reach, but for serious classical guitarists the quality and tone make it well worth the investment. Overall, it provides professional sound and playability at a mid-range price point.

Pros

There are several positive features that stand out with the Altamira N100 Classical Guitar.

• High Quality Construction: The Altamira N100 has superior build quality and craftsmanship, with a solid red cedar top, mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard. The quality materials and construction allow for pleasant vibration, balanced resonance and clearer, better-sounding notes.

• Lovely Sound: Reviewers praise the Altamira N100 for its rich, nuanced classical guitar tone that is clear, lyrical, and sweet across all registers from bass to treble. It achieves a bright yet warm tone suitable for any style.

• Easy to Play: With its slim neck, low action and comfortable feel, the Altamira N100 Classical guitar provides effortless playability right out of the box. Even demanding techniques like legato runs, hammer-ons, and string-skipping come easily on this very playable instrument.

Cons

• The guitar has a thicker neck profile that some find less comfortable and harder to play, especially for those with smaller hands. The neck is also not tapered, so the thickness remains consistent along its length.

• The fretboard edges are quite sharp and can feel abrasive. Some sanding and rounding of the edges could improve comfort.

• The nut width is around 2 inches, which is on the wider side. Those used to more narrow nut widths may find this less comfortable for chord shapes and stretches.

• The tuners are basic open gear tuners. Upgraded tuners could provide smoother and more precise tuning ability.

• The guitar comes with nylon strings, but some players may want to experiment with other string materials like fluorocarbon to tweak the sound.

• The included gig bag is very thin and offers minimal protection. Purchasing a hard case is recommended for proper storage and transport.

• There are some reports of minor cosmetic blemishes out of the box like scratches and dings. Quality control could be improved.

• The guitar is made with laminated woods rather than solid woods, so the tone may lack richness, complexity, and projection compared to solid wood guitars.

• The pickup and preamp system is fairly basic and may not satisfy players who want more sophisticated electronics and tone shaping ability. An aftermarket pickup or preamp upgrade could be beneficial.