Does this guitar exist?

[RJVB]

Yes for the C-brand but after my experience with them I no longer make (positive) propaganda for them.

The also have barndoor preamps which are a great source for additional rattle effects if you're into that kind of thing.

I don't know what kind of preamp the current entry-level NTX but the more expensive ones have just the controls poking through the side.

You're right about the use of a cutaway for access to the lower strings on a full-depth guitar. It's probably a bit better, but the main point is access to (and return from!) those frets on the strings where you visit them more often. And maybe 1 or 2 more "barr'able" frets.

[engblom]

Originally Posted by RJVB

Yes for the C-brand but after my experience with them I no longer make (positive) propaganda for them.

What kind of experience did you have with them?

[RJVB]

In a nutshell: disastrous QC (on the Fusion 14 Maple, so the high end model). Most frets not seated properly so high spots all over the fretboard, and a bridge that was just visibly off from perpendicular to the centre seam. Buzzes everywhere, impossible to play in tune even around the 5th fret, and they didn't accept to make even a gesture to have her sorted (let alone correct under warranty).
Oh, and the store had already rejected the 1st one they received because the neck angle wasn't correct.

I still can't wrap my head around how a guitar company can train their Chinese workers to do almost flawless wood work and finish jobs but not something as simple as pushing frets down all the way. I mean, for me that boils down to the kind of skill and insight we learned in kindergarten when I was that age...

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by RJVB

In a nutshell: disastrous QC (on the Fusion 14 Maple, so the high end model). Most frets not seated properly so high spots all over the fretboard, and a bridge that was just visibly off from perpendicular to the centre seam. Buzzes everywhere, impossible to play in tune even around the 5th fret, and they didn't accept to make even a gesture to have her sorted (let alone correct under warranty).
Oh, and the store had already rejected the 1st one they received because the neck angle wasn't correct.

I still can't wrap my head around how a guitar company can train their Chinese workers to do almost flawless wood work and finish jobs but not something as simple as pushing frets down all the way. I mean, for me that boils down to the kind of skill and insight we learned in kindergarten when I was that age...

Yikes! Sorry to hear of your experience with Cordoba, although from my experience it does seem to be on the extreme opposite end of the quality spectrum.

They are certainly NOT perfect, and I'm the first to say that. When I wrote my reviews here of my Orchestra Fusion crossover and my Cadete I noted the end of fret board finish on both of them.

On the other hand, if I were looking for honest reviews from purchasers I'd look no further than the customer reviews at Sweetwater. They have a long history of publishing user reviews and comments EXACTLY as they are written, other than removing any reference to pricing. You'll find a few of the "junk!" reviews of Cordobas, but they are a very low percentage of the overall reviews.

They also have a long-standing reputation for customer satisfaction, and if anything is really problematic they will bend over backwards to fix any problem that comes up.

That might not be the case with other retailers, and I can only speak from my experiance with Cordoba and Sweetwater in general.

[RJVB]

I saw those, but relied even more on feedback from forum members. I don't know from when the reviews on Sweetwater date but those more personal recommendations I got were all about guitars bought several years ago. And then when I started posting about my own experiences there were comments from others who had also noticed similar QC issues in current production items of the Fusion serie (this episode started a bit over a year ago for me).

It's pretty easy to link these QC issues to the overall situation in China back then but it's also a pet hypothesis of mine that most if not all of the available (human) resources were attributed to (new) flagship models like the Stage.

BTW: those frets weren't properly seated but they were *very* properly glued, so it wasn't possible to hammer them down either.

[waterboy]

You could try to talk to Cremona. I one had a “custom” crossover from them that was based on a standard model, but without electronics and with a spruce top instead of the standard cedar. I think if they can make something out of standard parts then they will.
Or at least they did at the time. Not sure what it would cost now, but I believe this one was about list. I bought mine used and it was quite nice, but an experiment in short scale which I decided was too short, so it didn’t stay…

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by waterboy

You could try to talk to Cremona

You mean Kremona guitars, in (IIRC) Roumania?

[waterboy]

Yes, kremona (sorry- auto correct..)
https://www.kremona.com/

[Turp]

My 2 cents in response to the OP's argument about failed obsolete pickups leaving a hole in the instrument.

As it happens, I have a Yamaha APX5NA that had B-Band in it. I eventually had to remove the B-Band and installed a L R Baggs Anthem; thus leaving a nice square sound port.

There are guitar options with pickups that can be serviced or replaced without altering the guitar. L R Baggs, Fishman, and others, offer options that do not require the side preamp.

My Takemine TC135SC meets the criteria you stated except it has their proprietary pickup they've used for decades.

I would submit from my view on guitar construction and string energy, albeit untested, that any "perceived" dampening effect of a under saddle transducer is arguable. String energy is transferred through all the components of the bridge and while the saddle has an impact, it is not the only factor. Taylor guitars states:

"the saddle’s natural range of movement is more of a back-and-forth rocking motion as the strings vibrate. As a result, our behind-the-saddle placement enables the piezo crystals to capture much more output energy and produce a more natural, more linear acoustic sound."

Anyway, all this can be argued and likely has. I've been there and I'm glad to be in a good place on that stuff.

What the OP is looking for is available with the right amount of effort, patience, and/or money. Or, you change your mind.

[Aspiring]

Originally Posted by Turp

I would submit from my view on guitar construction and string energy, albeit untested, that any "perceived" dampening effect of a under saddle transducer is arguable. String energy is transferred through all the components of the bridge and while the saddle has an impact, it is not the only factor. Taylor guitars states:

"the saddle’s natural range of movement is more of a back-and-forth rocking motion as the strings vibrate. As a result, our behind-the-saddle placement enables the piezo crystals to capture much more output energy and produce a more natural, more linear acoustic sound."

Anyway, all this can be argued and likely has. I've been there and I'm glad to be in a good place on that stuff.

.

I had a nylon string guitar that came factory with an LR baggs element undersaddle and was on the quiet side. I used a sound meter at about 1m and took out the pickup putting shims in to gain equivalent saddle height. The shimmed setup read between 4-6 db higher.

Only one sample and I'm sure there are some challenges in guaranteeing I was playing the same way but given how much impact a saddle bottom that is not cut flush to the bridge slot can have on overall tone it didnt surprise me that the soft spongey piezo element reduced / impacted the acoustic tone.

[Turp]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

I had a nylon string guitar that came factory with an LR baggs element undersaddle and was on the quiet side. I used a sound meter at about 1m and took out the pickup putting shims in to gain equivalent saddle height. The shimmed setup read between 4-6 db higher.

Only one sample and I'm sure there are some challenges in guaranteeing I was playing the same way but given how much impact a saddle bottom that is not cut flush to the bridge slot can have on overall tone it didnt surprise me that the soft spongey piezo element reduced / impacted the acoustic tone.

Thanks for sharing your experience. BTW- I’ve never observed a soft spongey piezo material composition. I would submit the piezo being disconnected from the saddle as a spacer is less efficient than a glued on shim in a couple of ways. Still the perceptibility of the difference is up for debate without a scientific test. Conversations like this, like tone comparisons of bolt-on vs glued dovetail necks, can drift down a rabbit hole into oblivion with no definitive results. ;-)

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

I had a nylon string guitar that came factory with an LR baggs element undersaddle and was on the quiet side. I used a sound meter at about 1m and took out the pickup putting shims in to gain equivalent saddle height. The shimmed setup read between 4-6 db higher.

Only one sample and I'm sure there are some challenges in guaranteeing I was playing the same way but given how much impact a saddle bottom that is not cut flush to the bridge slot can have on overall tone it didnt surprise me that the soft spongey piezo element reduced / impacted the acoustic tone.

My experience with the Baggs Element does bear out that there is an effect on volume and tone of the instrument due to the Element's "soft" braided construction. I disliked the Element pickup in my steel strung guitars and shifted to K&K PM pickups in all my steel strung guitars.

That said, I'm presently experimenting with various undersaddle pickups for a few nylon strung guitars I presently playing and I find the Element / braided transducer imparts a much nicer tone for nylon strings.

In my case the acoustic volume doesn't matter a lot, and I'm much more concerned with the amplified tone. The Element has a much nicer tone than other types of piezo undersaddle pickups that I've tried. The Element GREATLY reduced the typical "quack" associated with USTs. I don't mind giving it a bit more boost in volume from the amp.

[Turp]

^^^That’s interesting and thank you. I like LR Baggs pickups in general for various reasons; mostly that I can get a workable amplified sound and they are not very invasive.

I’ve gained some insight for others observations and find these conversations very thought provoking. I hope the OP finds the guitar he’s looking for.