new guitar design advice

[MC5C]

I posted this in Acoustic Guitars, but I think this sub-forum might have players with more experience in my questions. I am honing in on the design for my next project. For those who like and play cross-over guitars, I am planning this:

Archtop, fan-braced light build per Benedetto nylon string design.
Nylon string, floating bridge, wood tailpiece.
Top - fully carved Alaskan cedar.
Mahogany or other interesting hardwood back and sides, carved arch.
Neck - possibly cypress,, or mahogany.
1.9" or thereabouts nut width - advice appreciated.
Fretboard - 25.4" classical scale, around a 20" radius or flat - advice appreciated.
Some kind of high end piezio pickup in the saddle, Benedetto uses what I think I will probably use, but advice appreciated.

The guitar is intended to be highly jazz fingerstyle oriented, for performance and recording. The player uses both a Guild traditional steel string archtop and a high end classical guitar. This should merge and meld those ideals.

Ideas appreciated!

Brian

[Ned Milburn]

Build and Repair section will likely get many responses. What you describe isn't what many would consider a classical guitar.

[dosland]

It's a very interesting build project! I haven't seen many with a carved cedar top, so that's one feature that I'd really like to hear more about. The nut width and fingerboard seem like issues that the individual player would have to decide on - if they're used to a standard classical with flat fretboard, then I think your 1.9" nut and 20" radius might be appropriate for a jazz fingerstyle setup, but you could probably safely go a bit wider and a bit flatter without losing anything important. As for the floating bridge and tailpiece setup, that's just too foreign a concept for me, but again, I'd be very interested to hear the final result, as I know some luthiers are producing good results in a certain style with that setup. Keep us posted on the build development - either here or maybe in the Custom Shop forum?

[Truckjohn]

For a nylon build... I think I would prefer top wood that's as light and soft as possible. Alaskan yellow cedar may not fit the bill there - I hear it's harder.... As its a type of cypress.

I think my top wood choice would run towards the super light end as much as possible... Good split billet Red cedar or spruce that runs toward the soft and "punky" end of the spectrum. Engleman is also a widely appreciated choice for nylon builds. I would save the yellow cedar for a steel string of maybe use it for a back and sides.

Thanks