Good acoustics: Folk VS Classical
A lot of people ask me what kind of guitar I play, the answer that most of them are looking for is either “electric” or “acoustic”. Not surprisingly, a lot of them look puzzled when I say “folk”. The real kicker was that some of them were guitarists too.
The difference
What’s the difference you may ask? Acoustic is acoustic right? Well… yes and no. While folk guitars and classical guitars are both acoustic, they are still fundamentally different kinds of instrument (keep in mind that a ukulele and the banjo are also considered different kinds of acoustic guitar).
There are two main differences between folk and classical guitars; the strings, and the fret board.
Strings
As notes on a classical guitar are usually picked individually, the strings are usually medium tension and medium gauged to give a more mellow and resonant sound. The top 3 strings on a classical (or the bass notes) are usually wire wound nylons while the bottom strings (or treble strings) are usually just nylons (early guitars were strung with catgut or filaments made from intestines of other animals).
The strings on a folk guitar, on the other hand, are usually all metal (the folk is also referred to in some circles as a steel-string after the material which most folk guitar strings are made). Like the classical though, the bass strings are usually wire wound for better tone, but usually have a steel core too. Folk guitar strings are more geared toward strumming and fast blues style finger picking and produce a brighter brassier sound.
Fret board
The fret board on a classical guitar is traditionally wider than the fret board on a folk guitar. This allows the individual strings to be fretted and picked more easily. The fret board on a folk, on the other hand is narrower, allowing bar chords to be played more easily and to facilitate strumming. The fret board on a folk guitar is also usually longer (allows access to more frets) usually extending up to the 15th or 17th fret, while the classical fret board traditionally ends at the 12th fret.
Other than that, small differences include the size and composition of the sound box, and the materials from which the guitars are usually made (classical guitars are usually larger and have soundboxes made from softer woods to capture the proper tone).
When it comes to picking what kind of acoustic you want to invest in, it’s a good idea to first decide what kind of music you want to play (or rather, what kind of sound you'd like). That’s not saying that the kind of music you play is limited by the type of guitar you own, but certain guitars just suit certain play styles(eg; blues just sound better on a folk and flamenco just sounds better on a classical). Needless to say, the only limiting factor should be your own imagination, so experiment with your sound and see what you can come up with.
Keep on rocking,
Sixer | 
regmike
