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Old 10-28-2020, 02:51 PM
Newbflat Newbflat is offline
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Default Need help with crossover understanding.

I have looks some but can’t really find what I’m looking for.

Me, steel string guy for 40 years who wants a “classical” so he can play Bossa Nova, Mexican/ Latin American folk. Having never owned a classical I’m not sure of the doos and don’ts. I’m leaning towards a crossover for the narrower steel string like neck... etc. it’s going to be hard to teach an old dog new tricks so narrower is better. But at what point is this a problem and why? I’m looking for pointers to discussions or wed sites that can help inform me so I can make the right choices. Looking for something in the quality student guitar category, or in the steel string world, in the Eastman kind of bang for the buck range.
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Old 10-28-2020, 04:15 PM
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Skip Ellis Skip Ellis is offline
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Most crossover guitars have a 1-7/8" nut width and a slight arch to the fingerboard - lots of them out there to choose from. I had a Cordoba GK Studio for several years and it was perfect for what you want to do and the pickup system wasn't too bad, either - lots of videos on You Tube. Around $500 more or less. If you're going to amplify it, there's no point in getting a fine classical guitar as they're usually hardest to amplify successfully. Stick to solid top with laminate back and sides - the GK Studio may even be solid cypress - I don't remember. Kenny Hill's New World guitars are also a decent choice. As I said, there's a bunch out there.
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Old 10-28-2020, 05:22 PM
Newbflat Newbflat is offline
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I was looking at the Cordoba GK studio but at least now they have a 2” nut. I don’t think I can go over 1 7/8 inch. I have no interest in amplifying.
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Old 10-28-2020, 05:26 PM
Gordon Currie Gordon Currie is offline
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What Skip posted is right on.

If you are used to steel string action, feel and response, then a 'true' classical guitar is going to feel very alien. Super wide and FLAT fingerboard.

Crossovers are for people who want the general 'sound' of a classical, but don't intend to play actual classical repertoire.

Of all the friends who have asked me for advice on this over the years, NONE have ended up getting a 'true' classical.
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Old 10-28-2020, 06:26 PM
Gcunplugged Gcunplugged is offline
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“But at what point is this a problem and why?”

I’m going to go metric here:

Many Classical guitars have a 52mm nut. The GK Studio has a 50mm nut, and I have one. Most hybrid/crossover guitars have a 48mm nut. I have a Córdoba Fusion as well as the GK Studio, and it Classifies as hybrid with the 48mm nut.

And for me, that is the point where it becomes a problem, or stated differently, I would not go less than 48mm. The reason being that since nylons strings are fatter, I struggle to fret the 48mm cleanly down near the nut. Imagine a standard D-major chord on the 2nd and 3rd frets...

The 4th string is played open, and I fret the 3rd string on the second fret with my pointer finger. In this case, I have to be very careful to not have the 4th string vibrate and hit the top of my fingernail fretting the 3rd string.

So bottom line, 48mm will feel cramped on nylon for some players, especially if you have sausage fingers like me.

Hope that helps,
Gary
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Old 10-28-2020, 07:15 PM
Newbflat Newbflat is offline
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Thanks Gary, that makes sense and kind of what I was expecting. I’ve had my eye on the Fusion line and have been doing some looking. I’m curious if anyone has experience with the 14 and 12 fret fret options and the maple and rosewood sound difference?
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Old 10-28-2020, 08:13 PM
Gcunplugged Gcunplugged is offline
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Here is a vid of my Fusion Orchestra Pro SP/IN. It is 12-fret Spruce over Indian Rosewood.

The guitar has an onboard pickup, but this was recorded with the iRig Acoustic clipped to the sound hole. After recording, I added reverb, but nothing else.

Hope that helps,
Gary


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Old 10-29-2020, 02:52 PM
Newbflat Newbflat is offline
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Thanks Gary....

I think I have settled on a Cordoba C9 crossover in cedar/hog.. I don’t need a cutaway and the solid wood back and sides are appealing.
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Old 10-29-2020, 03:05 PM
DownUpDave DownUpDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Newbflat View Post
Thanks Gary....

I think I have settled on a Cordoba C9 crossover in cedar/hog.. I don’t need a cutaway and the solid wood back and sides are appealing.
Those are excellent instruments. I have the C10 crossover, same dimensions but spruce and rosewood instead of the C9s cedar and mahogany
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  #10  
Old 10-30-2020, 01:35 AM
Always Learning Always Learning is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Newbflat View Post
I think I have settled on a Cordoba C9 crossover in cedar/hog.. I don’t need a cutaway and the solid wood back and sides are appealing.
Hey Newb....

Curious about the C9 "crossover" you are looking at. It is the "C9 Crossover" and not the Cordoba C9 - Parlor? They are two different breeds. The C9-Parlor or "Dolce" is a 7/8 sized as where the "Crossover" is a 4/4 full size. The "Dolce" of course is a shorter scale 630mm and the C9 Crossover is 650mm nut to saddle. Also the C9-Parlor "Dolce" nut width is a tad wider and the fretboard is flat versus the Crossovers slightly curved fretboard.

Have you compared and played both models?
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Old 10-30-2020, 09:05 AM
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Gary;

Thank you for the music. You have a gentle touch and obviously bond well with the guitar. I will most likely never obtain your level of play, but I can appreciate the years of practice and discipline that it took to reach what you demonstrate here.
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Old 10-30-2020, 12:16 PM
Newbflat Newbflat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Always Learning View Post
Hey Newb....

Curious about the C9 "crossover" you are looking at. It is the "C9 Crossover" and not the Cordoba C9 - Parlor? They are two different breeds. The C9-Parlor or "Dolce" is a 7/8 sized as where the "Crossover" is a 4/4 full size. The "Dolce" of course is a shorter scale 630mm and the C9 Crossover is 650mm nut to saddle. Also the C9-Parlor "Dolce" nut width is a tad wider and the fretboard is flat versus the Crossovers slightly curved fretboard.

Have you compared and played both models?
I haven’t played ether, no one around me has them. But I’m looking for a full size 650mm guitar. I’m just going buy word on the street about sound and playability. If at some point I decide I really like playing a nylon string guitar and have all the woman around me swooning with my bossa nova chops I might invest in something better. But I’m looking for something that as close to playing a steel string and still sound like a classical
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Old 10-30-2020, 05:02 PM
Gcunplugged Gcunplugged is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
Gary;

Thank you for the music. You have a gentle touch and obviously bond well with the guitar. I will most likely never obtain your level of play, but I can appreciate the years of practice and discipline that it took to reach what you demonstrate here.
Thank you Evan for the very kind words. And not to hijack the thread, but you prompted a point that might be worthwhile to the OP.

As mentioned earlier, that guitar is a challenge for me with first position chords at the nut. As soon as I got it (2nd hand), I replaced the old strings with standard tension nylons. That just didn’t work for me because the strings just moved too much under my fingers. As a last resort before selling it, I took a suggestion from the forum here and put on a set of high-tensions.

That made all the difference in the world, and the guitar is a permanent member of the fleet now.

Hope that is useful information,
Gary
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