Guitar Recommendations ??
 

I'm looking at picking up a classical guitar mainly for finger picking, this would be my first classical guitar.

I want to get something that has good volume & depth.
I want spend somewhere in the range of $500 to a $1,000 since this is going to be a new venture for me

Anyone have any suggestions of make & models I should consider ?

I appreciate any input that you could give

Thanks

If you're coming to "classical guitar" via steel string you might give serious thought to purchasing a crossover guitar.

A bit of information about Crossover Guitar can be found HERE.

Happy crossover user here.

What is a crossover guitar? I hit “Here” but got nothing.

long story short, it's a nylon strung guitar with a smaller/thinner neck than what traditional classicals have.

Thanks, rmp.

The link should give you this, and more:

Crossover Guitar

The sweet and complex tone of a traditionally constructed classical guitar combined with the “soft velvet feel” of nylon are the main factors that attract those who are more familiar with steel to consider "crossover guitar", loosely defined as being constructed in a similar fashion to a standard classical guitar but incorporating a few unique defining characteristics borrowed from it's steel-strung brethren:

1. Narrower fret board... The most-often cited nut width is 48mm, or 1-7/8".

2. Radiused fret board... Crossover fretboards commonly use a 16" radius.

3. Adjustable truss rod...

Crossovers often sport an adjustable truss rod, not commonly found on classical guitars. With emphasis placed on ease of play the adjustable rod facilitates the slight neck relief (forward bow) that contributes greatly to low action with minimal string buzz. It IS easier to drive a string hard enough to create slight buzz on the frets, but it comes with the territory when playing nylon, and is even considered quite acceptable for styles such as flamenco. A slightly less heavy-handed technique will reward the crossover player with buzz-free complexity of tone coupled with the “soft velvet feel” of nylon.

4. Hard tension strings...

Crossovers are usually fitted with hard tension strings which may or may not have much of an effect on sound, but are used to create the string "feel" that steel string players will be more comfortable with. Excessive neck bow is a concern for nylon players when using hard tension strings, but the adjustable truss rod cited above makes the use of hard tension strings much less problematic. Most modern builders of crossovers assume players will be using hard tension strings and factor that into the design process.

Beyond the basics

Other design considerations such as a cutaway, electronics, wood types, shorter than "normal" scale length, side dots (a big YES for me...), etc. can be used to tailor the instrument for a particular desired use or personal preference.

What sparks an interest in crossover guitar

My own interest in crossover guitar as a result of playing a newly assembled tenor ukulele. There was something really appealing about the nylon tone that I liked, and after doing a bit of research I discovered the entire sub-culture of crossover guitar. For me it was all about the tone, but there are many who are playing crossover due to physical "limitations" such as onset arthritis or injury such as rotator cuff, collarbone break, bone spurs, etc. that impede playing a standard steel stung guitar.

We discussed the Yamaha NTX3 crossover in this topic.

There are other models from other manufacturers that can be considered.

This should check all your boxes:

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitar...c/academy-12-n

Are you okay with used?

As an "old" guy, I made this transition and went "full" classical with a 2" neck, which I really enjoy immensely for the roominess along the fretboard and the bridge. I purchased a used Cordoba Solista in excellent condition from Guitar Center for $100 over the top end of your budget.

Within your budget would lie a new or used Cordoba C7 or C9 or a used C10. My teacher, who plays a couple of luthier-built classicals, was impressed by Cordoba in general as a dependable factory guitar.

It all depends on what feels comfortable to the OP, but there have been many good sounding and easy playing Japanese guitars made with comfortable necks (around 50mm) over the years, often cedar-topped, like Takamine C132S, Hirade 5 or 7, and Alvarez Yairi models CY115-140. Horabe is another one-
model 20 or 30, maybe? All worth a look, anyway.

When I started classical guitar lessons with a teacher, he encouraged me to have a "regular" classical guitar, not the crossover Cordoba that I had. The radiused fingerboard being a major issue. I followed his advice. Note: This teacher also gigs on electric guitar, so for him it is obviously no big deal to adjust.
Standard at nut is 52 mm for classical but some, like my Alvarez-Yairi are 51mm. I also have a Cordoba at 52 mm.

To me it’s a simple question of do you want to play “classical” repertoire or “crossover”?

The main difference between classical and steel string playing is all in the right hand. And by using a crossover with a significantly thinner radius I would think you’d be making things harder, not easier.

The mere thought of trying to do rest strokes on a 47-48mm radius gives me anxiety. I’ve actually wondered if I shouldn’t ask a luthier to build me an old school guitar with a 54mm nut like all the 60s guitars had. Give me some breathing room. Im fine with the 650mm scale length though. But those 660s have some beefy bass.