I majored in classical guitar and can tell you it is a dicipline.

If you want to really know music,understand the guitar, geta classical guitar and learn that.

If you want to just play some music and have agood laid back time, get a steel-string acoustic guitar and take the beginner acoustic guitar course.
References :

A classical guitar is shorter, with a wider neck. It uses nylon strings rather than steel strings, which give it a warmer, more intimate sound. The shorter, wider fretboard allow for more complicated fingerings. For a beginner, the wider fretboard allows the fingers to "space out" a bit more, making it somewhat easier to learn the various chord shapes, and the nylon strings are a lot easier on non-calloused fingers.

The differences in style are as follows:

Classical guitar technique is much more based on individual notes (melodies and counter-melodies), and rhythms as opposed to chords. A classical guitar is rarely strummed; rather each individual note is picked by placing the right and left hands very precisely. Acoustic technique will concentrate on chords, and on possibly on single note melody lines.

All that being said, for a beginner I would recommend an introductory acoustic guitar class, but I would recommend that you buy a low cost classical guitar to take the course. The acoustic class will teach you all the basics, such as the location of the notes on the fret board, the chord shapes, and how to coordinate your left and right hands.

With this basis, you can then decide to move forward with more advanced acoustic techniques, or to move to classical.
References :
Me: 30 yrs experience as a guitarist (both classical and acoustic)

It would help to take some ear training somewhere along the way, but that can wait til later.

This will appear to be the slow road to playing, but one of the things classical guitar teaches you is how to play without straining your muscles–I’ve know heavy metal players who gave themselves carpel tunnel and had to stop playing–
And the theory part will help you understand why some chord patterns work better than other ones.

After you’ve been studying for a while, you might be able to arrange for your teacher to give you some instruction in other methods.

As well, you can then join with some of the other students and have practice sessions at somebody’s house…or garage.
"We are genetically predisposed to forming garage bands," as it turns out.

In addition to formal lessons, there are a lot of tools available today, either on the internet or on cd’s, dvd’s, books, etc., to help you learn.

When I play, I use finger picking techniques I developed from some simple classical instructions, and play a kind of Scruggs banjo roll on the acoustic with three fingers and my thumb or by holding a pick and using the two free fingers.

One fun activity for the years to come is to spend some time at music camps like the Puget Sound Guitar Workshops, The B.C. Bluegrass Workshops, and at local ones in your area. There are workshops like this for every style of playing you can imagine.

A really useful tool to pick up is a small digital recorder, or ‘field recorder,’ which can play WAV format or MP3’s at reduced speeds without changing the pitch so you can hear exactly what notes are being played.
You can also load in MP3 or WAV recordings and play along.
One such recorder is the Boss BR recorder shown here:
http://www.bossus.com/?pg=1&tmp=157

Another small one like this is the Edirol R-09, but I don’t yet know if it has the time stretch feature:
http://www.edirol.net/products/en/R-09/

BTW, you can get under-saddle pick-ups installed in both classical/ nylon stringed guitars and steel string acoustics. Or buy them already done.

In practicing, slow is fast. Play the piece slowly until you get the fingering right, then play it at the right speed.

How long should you practice each day?
Until you fingers bleed. At least that’s what I did…
References :
Guitar player for 40 years.
Member, Canadian Guitar Players Association, former pro musician.
Guitar builder, collector.

Sight-reading will come in extremely handy in the classical guitar class–but if you don’t sight-read, don’t let that stop you . . . talk to the teacher first and find out whether they require it.

Actually, that would be a good strategy in general–talk with the two teachers beforehand and see if that makes you lean towards one class or the other.

Classical and pop guitar techniques are different–in classical, the thumb of the fretting hand stays on the center of the back of the neck at all times, while the strumming hand uses no picks, just long fingernails.

This differs from blues guitar, where the thumb of the fretting hand often loops around the upper edge of the neck to help fret notes on the bottom string. As for the strumming hand, in popular styles, it’s usually holding a pick.

The actual instruments are different, too. A classical guitar uses nylon strings and has a wide neck (to help play individual notes). A country/folk/blues guitar uses steel strings (for increased volume) and has a narrow neck (to make playing chords easier).

This sounds like an argument to stick to one class or another–but actually, taking both classes may help you appreciate and enjoy the differences! All depends on what you’re up for
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1) The necks are different. Different number of frets, bigger frets on bass. Your hand might have trouble adjusting back and forth.

2) Strings are different. Guitar, 6. Bass, 4. That can get in the way.

3) If you are looking for real shredding or "sick" licks (depending on what genre you prefer) I’d stick with guitar. I mean it’s not that you can’t shred on bass like John Entwistle or Mike Gordon but usually you will be playing single notes with maybe some fills.

THEY ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS. Just because they are both made of wood and both have frets and strings doesn’t mean anything.
References :
I’m a guitarist and have been playing for 8 years.

My suggestions is, if you are really into those classical thing, just go ahead with it, but it will really involve a lot of practising……or if u are learning for the sake of playing it, just go for the acoustic…….
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ps… Whatever you get. Make sure you get a hard case for it. A gig bag is for travel not for storage and not very good protection even then. I wouldn’t have one.
Lot’s of places online will sell you a guitar with a case and free shipping so if you buy online shop around. Because those two things can be expensive and make the difference.
References :
http://instruments.shop.ebay.com/items/Electric__W0QQLHQ5fPriceZ300Q2eQ2e700Q40cQQBrandZGibsonQQ_catrefZ1QQ_dmptZGuitarQQ_flnZ1QQ_mPrRngCbxZ1QQ_sacatZ33034QQ_scZ1QQ_sopZ3QQ_ssnZ35redluvrQQ_ssovZ1QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em282