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Old 06-28-2019, 09:00 AM
ssjk ssjk is offline
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Default Help me spend my money for my (likely) last good guitar….

I figure I owe myself one more while I can still play. I’m primarily a steel string player, but I have all the dreads I need and I’m hoping that my new-ish Emerald X20 has covered the smaller body steel string niche. I’m planning a direct side-by-side comparison to confirm with some OM/000 sized possibilities. Don’t need any help figuring out the options there.

But I go back and forth on the nylon string guitar issue. Started fifty years ago with a cheap classical. Bought and foolishly sold a Pono crossover a few years ago. Have a beater level crossover and a couple of virtually new Cordoba C7s (one cedar, one spruce) that I’ll be moving on due to incompatibility with 2 inch nut.

I know there are tradeoffs, but I don’t know enough about the nylon string market to know what my options are. Here’s my wish list in order of importance. I’d appreciate any suggestions on what to look at. I’d hope to play before I buy.

Only mandatory items are radiused fretboard and less than 2 inch nut.

Unamplified tone much more important than amplified

Really prefer something other than standard natural top. Have all of those I need. I’d like something similar to the Martin Ambertone or shadetop vibe. Not big on normal sunbursts.

Mild preference for some type of pickup, but no barn door and no obvious warts.

Cutaway preferred but not mandatory

Indifferent to tonewood. Solid tonewoods assumed. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Spruce or cedar top OK. No all hog (not even sure there are nylon all hog)

Don’t know enough to have a preference on bracing

Don’t care about brand unless it is pricey, in which case possible resale is a consideration

No preference on new or used. Don’t care about vintage.

Price limit is $2000. Might go up a hair for a perfect option but if it gets above $2500 I’ll likely go back and take a hard look again at the Emerald X20 Nylon. I have played one and know it fits the most of the criteria but didn’t want to take a flyer at $3500+.



Current guitar stable is 3 dreads including 1997 HD28, the Emerald X20, a decent beater 000, one cheap hollow-body electric, the two Cordoba C7s, and an entry level Ibanez crossover.

I play mostly as vocal accompaniment although I’m dabbling in alternative tuning Celtic type stuff.. Fingerstyle (no picks) if I’m alone. Flatpick or thumb pick and fingerpicks if playing in a group. Mostly bluegrass, classic country, acoustic blues, older rock/pop stuff.

Thanks for any suggestions.
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Old 06-28-2019, 09:19 AM
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fitness1 fitness1 is offline
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A quick look at your wants screams Cervantes Crossover....

You wont find many quality nylon strings with sunburst or shaded tops though.

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Last edited by fitness1; 06-28-2019 at 09:26 AM.
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Old 06-28-2019, 05:13 PM
lodi_55 lodi_55 is offline
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Look at some used Taylors (probably 4, 5 or 6 series). Meets your requirements if you can find one without electronics

I have a 414 FLTD Nylon which is my workhorse gigging guitar and a 712 Nylon (more expensive). You might even see the 7 series used for the $$$ you're looking to spend.
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Old 06-29-2019, 03:12 PM
ssjk ssjk is offline
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Default Thanks for the suggestions

I knew a non-natural top classical wasn't likely but was kind of hoping I might find one in a crossover. I guess not.

Hadn't thought of the Taylor mostly because in my head they all have obvious electronics (even though I actually knew that wasn't true). Thanks for the reminder. I can probably find one of those to try.

Don't see much in the way of Cervantes available except for used on Reverb. I'll see what I can find.

Maybe a custom, but I'm guessing the price would be up near the Emerald so I think I need to get used to the idea of a natural spruce or cedar top.

Thanks again.
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Old 06-29-2019, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssjk View Post

Don't see much in the way of Cervantes available except for used on Reverb. I'll see what I can find.

.
Not long ago there were several on Ebay and Reverb - not sure where they all went!

May want to consider posting a WTB in the classifieds......might be one in a closet somewhere
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Old 07-05-2019, 06:08 PM
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Sent you a PM
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Old 07-06-2019, 12:16 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is online now
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If you like Cordoba, the Cordoba Fusion features a thinner, radiuses neck, at a relatively low price point:

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/live-...fusion-series/
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Old 07-23-2019, 04:43 PM
PraisePicker PraisePicker is offline
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More than a few threads on nylon crossovers here. In those my standard advice is try a Cordoba C10 Crossover. I bought and traded a half dozen nylons before settling on the C10 Crossover and never looked back.

The neck profile is a slim c shape. Fret board is slightly radius and 48mm wide. This is narrower than the 2" classical standard, but string spacing is still wide enough to make sense on a nylon and is a joy to play fingerstyle. It doesn't have electronics, but I installed a Schatten HFN-C Passive Under-bridge Guitar Pickup that was recommended here and the sound is great.

I thought I would not miss a cutaway, or at least thought I could get along without one, but I was wrong. Not wanting to let go of the C10, I took a deep breath and routed out my own scoop-away/sound-port below the fretboard in the lower bout. (I tried the procedure out on a $20 swap meet Yamaha before committing). It gives increases access to the upper frets and lets more of that beautiful sound out. I don't regret it a bit, even though trade-in value is now next to zero. But hey, I've never seen another one.

Lastly; take the previous advice and play A LOT of Cordobas before grabbing the one that feels and sounds great to you. Don't know if I would chance mail ordering one. Al I know is the one I found at McCabes' in Santa Monica sounds simply stellar.

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Old 07-23-2019, 05:29 PM
ssjk ssjk is offline
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Default I now cannot resist posting a "so what did I do" update

So I took my cordobas, my HD 28 and a Collings MF5 in for an appraisal with the intent of consigning one or more of them and going for another small body steel or nylon string.

Alas, the numbers on the Martin and the Collings were less than the instruments are worth to me, so I kept them -so no ready cash available. And the two C7s were worth the very little on trade or resale that I expected.

Fortunately, I was staying with my friend who has made and sold 50 or 60 (very nice) guitars in his spare time, and he has all of the tools, so he and I also did an unauthorized mod. We reshaped the neck on the cedar C7. Cut it down to 1 3/4 inches at the nut and ran that width down to the 9th fret, at which point we tapered it to match the original width at the 12th.

Worked - sounds good. Doesn't look bad unless you know what to look for. Cost nothing and we had a great time.

Amazing the risks you will take with a guitar that doesn't have any resale value to speak of. If I actually play it a lot, maybe i will spring for that Cervantes that was suggested.

Thanks again to all who commented.
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Old 07-23-2019, 07:58 PM
casualmusic casualmusic is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssjk View Post
And the two C7s were worth the very little on trade or resale that I expected.

Fortunately, I was staying with my friend who has made and sold 50 or 60 (very nice) guitars in his spare time, and he has all of the tools, so he and I also did an unauthorized mod.

We reshaped the neck on the cedar C7. Cut it down to 1 3/4 inches at the nut and ran that width down to the 9th fret, at which point we tapered it to match the original width at the 12th.

Worked - sounds good. Doesn't look bad unless you know what to look for. Cost nothing and we had a great time.

Excellent experiment.


There's a long history of adapting instruments to musicians.

And not just inexpensive instruments.


Amongst famous 200-300 year old violins still being played in performances today, none have their original necks.

All have been replaced (some more than once) to address wear and tear, changing functional needs (neck angle etc), and changing tastes.

Cheers.
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