Ebony fingerboard and bridge
 

I want to purchase a classical with an ebony fingerboard and bridge. My budget is around $600. Any recommendations? (new or used)

I've been looking, too and you probably won't find much. From what I've seen, you have to get up to around $1000 to start getting into ebony fingerboards (Cordoba) and then, they may be dyed. As to bridges, most are rosewood, traditionally, even on guitars with ebony fingerboards and it may have something to do with the weight. I think I saw a Kremona advertised as having an ebony bridge but that's the only one that comes to mind. I refuse to own an instrument with a rosewood fingerboard as I think it makes a cheaper looking instrument.....picky, I know, and maybe unfounded, but after playing for 60+ years, I like what I like. Don't mind a RW bridge, though.

Keep us posted on your search.

You don't see ebony used for bridges much because of it's damping qualities, something you definitely don't want on a classical guitar. Rosewood is a better choice for a bridge. Though I have indeed played some classical guitars taht were really nice with ebony bridges too.

Skip Ellis I will state this as a fact:
My Cordoba C10 has a real ebony fingerboard...It's a smidge on the brown side, nearly black, with some orange streaks here and there...In fact mine has a very faint orange "M" in it near the 2-3rd fret !!..If it were dyed it'd be jet black I'd think. I did once return one to GC because the ink was getting all over my fingers !! No lie.
It wasn't a C10 tho..... M

I read somewhere of a C9 with that problem but NOT the C10

Skip I can't believe it ! I WAS going to say that as that was the reason I'd returned the laminate C9 and at same time bought up a notch to the C10 solid. Ink was all over my fingers and you could smell it when you oped the case !! Not good for this guy !! ..'ebonizing' they call it !

Curious why those two parts being ebony feels important to you?

I don't want to yuck your yum but it sounds like a kinda arbitrary preference. As other posted, an excellent classical bridge will likely never be ebony (outside of historical reproductions).

People's preference for ebony fingerboards have driven the quality of ebony down dramatically. You're basically asking for worse shrinkage or long-term issues that another well-picked option, even including Rocklite.

I'm sounding like a jerk here, probably, but I am really interested in why the species of those two parts are your search criteria?

In my case, I don't care one way or the other about the bridge, but a rosewood fingerboard is a deal killer for me because I think it makes for a cheap looking guitar - I'll even accept Richlite before rosewood. I think it has something to do with my artistic sense wanting to see that contrast between the black fretboard and spruce or cedar top. I'm sure there are some wonderful sounding guitars with RW fingerboards but they're just not for me. Even my Teles have to be ebony or maple. Purely a visual thing to me - can't tell the difference when I'm playing it. Stupid, maybe, but I'm old and set in my ways.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion. No arguments there.
But I think rosewood fingerboards and bridges have a place, both playing and aesthetic wise. Here a couple of pics of my Martin 00-18G. She's an old gal (1947), but she has looks! Not cheap looking imo :)
http://www.fototime.com/074E53E0975972D/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/D116932E1345613/standard.jpg
And sounds great too.

I'd sure like to try a OO-18G. I had the use of a 00-28G for several years,
liked some things about it *a lot*, but thought I'd like one with softer back
and side wood better. The overtones in the lower range could be too much
at times, kind of taking over the sound unless you damped the bass strings
all the time.

Yes Carey, I understand what you mean. Although the 00-18G is a “lowly” cousin to the 28G spec wise, it has a unique tone that can be quite pleasing to the ear. It doesn’t have the projection that a true classical needs to have, or maybe even what the 28G has, but its sweet and mellow tone, and easy playability, make it a nice guitar to have around.