La Patrie or Taylor
 

Hello all, Sadly I broke my classical guitar two weeks ago. Now I would like to buy a new one. I want a classical guitar with no electronics or cut-out. I did some research and I watched some video’s on YouTube. The La Patrie collection and the Taylor academy 12n caught my attention. Unfortunately the local shops here don’t sell either one of them, so I can’t test them. I did play on the Taylor 12e-n and I loved the sound. Does anyone of you have some experience with those guitars? Or does any of you have an alternative in the same pricerange?

In my experience, Godin products (La Patrie) play well above their price level in terms of sound, build quality, etc (I own Seagull, Art and Lutherie, and Simon and Patrick guitars made by Godin.) I used to own a Taylor, it was very nice but did not "fit" me. I cannot speak to that particular Taylor, though. I have played a La Patrie, it was very nice but I was looking for a Parlor size and it was full-scale.

Maybe take a look at Alvarez as well ... I'm not a classical player by any means but I picked up a little parlor (AP66) from them recently and I am really impressed with it.

~ Paul

...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record... what type of sound & expectations for sound are you looking for out of the guitar?

Do you want a classical sounding guitar?

Do you play plugged in all the time & don't care about the acoustic side?

The answers to the above questions will better lead folks to give you better recommendations.

If it's simply La Patrie or Taylor, then my vote is La Patrie

:)

Dave

I've never played a Taylor classical. I have a LaPatrie Concert classical that I really really like. Don't know if they still make the Concert model (one up from the Etude) without electronics and cutaway. Workmanship and finish quality are very good. The guitar sounds great (to me, of course) with any set of strings I have tried. Might be just a tad bass heavy, but overall, I would recommend LaPatrie as being exceptional at their price points.

I played many Taylor nylon strings over time, and just never found one that sounded right. I have an older LaPatrie Presentation that I have now passed on to my grandson. Fit, finish, and playability well above its price point, and genuine classical sound. I would also point out that there are some of the lower level Kenny Hill guitars that are also superb for the price.

Jon

Another vote for La Patrie... I owned an Etude for a short time, and only sold it because I needed a different "fit" for my needs. It was well built, well designed and produced remarkable tone for it's price range. I also valued having a truss rod too.

Given Godin/La Patrie's reputation for quality, I doubt you could go seriously wrong with one of their nylon string guitars.

I once owned a La Patrie Motif which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am a fan of Kremona / Orpheus Valley. I have 2 - Rosa Moreno semi-Flamenco and a Sofia SC. Both very nice for the low used priced I paid and prefect for a non-pro player like myself.

If you are in Europe, Alhambra guitars are good value, I really like the sound of my 8c (all solid, cedar, rosewood). They make the cheaper models for Ramirez also, I think.

I recommend the La Patrie Collection Nylon String guitar. It comes with a solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides. Given the modest price point this guitar is a solid deal (pun fully intended).

+1. I bought my Etude back in 1997 and I still have it. I don't play classical anymore so it gets played very infrequently but it's a keeper.

Thank you all. I think it is obvious. I’ll order the La Patrie today. Good to know everyone thinks that good about it.

I'll throw in another comment just to say I usually advise people to avoid the Taylor nylon series unless they're planning to play exclusively plugged in - Taylor makes some awesome instruments across their various lines, and they're usually a joy to play. But for the unplugged (or mic'd) acoustic context, I just don't think they've managed to build a very lively guitar in the nylon range - not compared to much less expensive guitars from LaPatrie and Cordoba and Kremona (to name a few). I'd recommend playing a few "traditional" classical guitars and a few crossovers before committing to a Taylor. FWIW, my advice is similar about the Yamahas - brilliant to play, plugged in. Unplugged, unexceptional. But at least they're a lot less expensive than a Taylor (if resale value matters to you, then this is a whole different conversation, because people will pay more for a "great brand" than for a great instrument, in my experience).

Another vote for La Patrie. I once owned a La Patrie Concert that I got on discount as a blem though it was seemingly flaw free. I regret selling it though I was pleased it was bought by a music teacher.

Looks like you wrote this when I was still writing my post (above). Congrats on your decision, I wish you very happy times with the new guitar - and a very painless wait for now!