[rjajr]

Jake:

If you are really serious about classical I would not buy a Taylor NS series unless you need the amplification. The unamplified sound difference is just too great. Don't get me wrong: the Taylor is really nice, and the 74 (I tried them all.) is the best of the series, in my opinion. I love the sound. However, side by side most of the better made classical guitars will have a better sound. For example, my Taylor NS74 (unamplified) just does not compare with the sound of my old Yamaha.

The Taylor has one advantage, as I am sure you already know: it has the narrower neck, which makes the transition from steel to classical easy. Also, when you amplify the Taylor playing, especially playing subtle sounds you would not normally hear, makes it a lot of fun.

The Taylor also has one major disadvantage: Every NS series that I have played has a high E string that is located too close to the edge of the neck. When playing fast and on frets above the 3rd the string will actually shift off the fretboard. If you inspect an NS series, just look at the high E string at the nut and you will be able to see the problem. Everyone I know that owns an NS has had the same problem, some worse than others or, more likely, some do not care as much as others. It is an easy fix, and Taylor will fix it for you, but you will have to go through the shipping and all the potential problems this entails.

As far as I know, Taylor has not corrected this problem even on their new guitars, but I have not checked on this in at least two months.

Back to the classicals: if you play Bach you must be a fairly accomplished player; I have a number of Philip Hii's CDs. He released one with about a dozen or so of Chopin's Nocturnes. If you do not have this CD, this is one you should buy. I play a few of Chopin's nocturnes on the piano, and I am astounded by how well he transposed them. In particular, I play 48/1, and his classical guitar version is absolutely wonderful. It makes you re-think the old saying that "you cannot play Beethoven on a banjo."

Rob