Quote:
Originally Posted by 220volt
Ihe only thing that might be a deal breaker is that 1 7/8 nut. I wanted a true classical 2mm nut, but we'll see, I'm not making any judgments until I play it.
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220volt...
I've been down the nylon string route 4 times, both with straight classicals and crossovers. I've had two Yairis (one classical & one crossover), an Alhambra classical, and a Kenny Hill New World crossover. As a steel string player, I was never able to really bond with a straight classical. The neck shape, wide fingerboard, and no radius were just too difficult for me to play as I had been accustomed. The Yairi was a nice sounding guitar, the Alhambra less so but neither had a chance for me because of playability issues. The Yairi crossover also had a 2 inch fingerboard so likewise, I didn't keep it long. The Hill stayed with me longest. It was a wonderful sounding guitar with 1 7/8 fingerboard and less classical like neck. Playability was fine. Eventually I decided that other nylon string issues didn't work for me - the difference in response & sustain. I was not trying to learn classical repertoire on it.
So... it looks like you play steel string and electric, why do you want the 2 inch fingerboard and classical neck? Play a bunch and look at that issue seriously.
I've only heard good things about the Kremonas but have never played one. I can't recommend the Kenny Hills highly enough. The Guild GADs are very nice for the price in either a true classical or a crossover. The Taylors are less "classical" in sound but you still might like one. They do feel comfortable to a steel string player.
Crossovers tend to be very good buys on the used market. Lots of steel string players, like me, buy them thinking they love the sound and then don't bond and sell them. True classical players don't like them because of neck size/shape/fingerboard, so the market is smaller. If you watch, you can probably find a good one for a very reasonable price. When I sold mine, it went for about 60% of the price of a new one. True classicals hold their value a little better I think.