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  #46  
Old 09-23-2010, 01:49 PM
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Brent Hutto Brent Hutto is offline
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Put more bluntly, fat singing trebles with nylon strings cost serious money. Handmade, whatever, the only classical guitars I've ever heard with really good trebles were upwards of a couple thousand bucks, new. Obviously somewhat more affordable used.
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  #47  
Old 09-24-2010, 04:18 AM
JMAGFG JMAGFG is offline
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Default Ovation 2073LX-4

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Originally Posted by ewalling View Post
After much searching - 3 Taylor NS's, a Godin ACS SA, Takamine TC135SC, and a coupla classicals - I finally settled on the Ovation 2073LX Classic. I know, I know, the back's not made of wood ... but seriously this is a quality guitar from top to bottom. It has the 1 7/8" nut width that we steel string players prefer, it has 12 frets to the neck (with cutaway) which I prefer, a solid cedar top, relatively low action for a nylon string, one of the best preamps on the market, and ... it sounds really good unplugged. For me, the unplugged sound is where many crossovers, particularly Taylor, fall short. In fact, although the guitar is hailed for its electric capabilities, 99% of the time I play it unplugged.

The cost is less than your maximum, and, oh yes, and it looks great, too!
I totally agree. It sounds well unplugged but my daughter´s cheap Alhambra sounds much louder. The 2073´s cedar top is the best I´ve seen so far. However I have ordered an Alhambra Luthier India 50 mm nut ( this guitar is totally made by two luthiers) that will be made by mid december.
Two pics of my Ovation 2073LX-4


From old Europe JMAGFG
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  #48  
Old 09-24-2010, 05:43 AM
Play2PraiseHim Play2PraiseHim is offline
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Those ovations are beautiful. I have always liked that style rosette. The all Koa Cordoba has a similiar rosette.
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  #49  
Old 09-26-2010, 06:14 AM
Kohnodude Kohnodude is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hutto View Post
Put more bluntly, fat singing trebles with nylon strings cost serious money. Handmade, whatever, the only classical guitars I've ever heard with really good trebles were upwards of a couple thousand bucks, new. Obviously somewhat more affordable used.
Its been my experience that one's right hand technique with a classical guitar has a far greater impact on the tone of the trebles than the quality/price range of the guitar thats being played. A person with a well trained right hand technique can make the trebles on a >$500 guitar sing, while someone with undeveloped RH technique can make the trebles on a <$5000 sound like crap
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  #50  
Old 09-27-2010, 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Kohnodude View Post
Its been my experience that one's right hand technique with a classical guitar has a far greater impact on the tone of the trebles than the quality/price range of the guitar thats being played. A person with a well trained right hand technique can make the trebles on a >$500 guitar sing, while someone with undeveloped RH technique can make the trebles on a <$5000 sound like crap
Very true, but I never heard a person with great technique make a 500,00 guitar sound like a 5000,00 beeing played with equal greatness of technique.

For any sort of comparison you've got to keep some things equal, or there are no therms of comparison.
In this case, I guess, we have to supose that all guitars are beeing properly played.
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  #51  
Old 09-29-2010, 04:31 PM
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I have one for sale in your budget...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=188515

Kindly,
Danny
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  #52  
Old 09-29-2010, 04:56 PM
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I have one for sale in your budget...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=188515

Kindly,
Danny
Thanks but I decided that I'm not ready for classical guitar just yet as I stated above.
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  #53  
Old 09-29-2010, 07:21 PM
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Brent Hutto Brent Hutto is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kohnodude View Post
Its been my experience that one's right hand technique with a classical guitar has a far greater impact on the tone of the trebles than the quality/price range of the guitar thats being played. A person with a well trained right hand technique can make the trebles on a >$500 guitar sing, while someone with undeveloped RH technique can make the trebles on a <$5000 sound like crap
I probably have picky ears, especially with trebles. I'm thinking in large part about the afternoon I spent in Maple Street Guitars with Mr. Petsch demo'ing guitars in all price ranges for me.

His right hand technique is indeed a big factor but for tone in that top octave there was (to me) an instantly noticeable quality that the very-expensive guitars had which the lower priced ones lacked. There was one guitar in the $1,500-ish range that I really liked and it sounded awesome but didn't quite have those big, round, sustaining trebles.

My guitar teacher is actually a classical-guitar guy by training and still gives a few classical recitals on occasion. Exemplary right-hand technique but his fairly nice Yairi just doesn't quite get the sound I'm talking about. Nor does my M. Sakurai. Close but no cigar.

One day I'll find an under-$2,000 guitar that sings like an expensive one in that upper register but so far, no go. Doesn't matter anyway, my nails are always in poor shape and my technique stinks so it wouldn't sound all that great in my hands anyway.
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  #54  
Old 10-09-2010, 06:46 PM
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Default Try Takamine

EP-50, Beautiful guitar.
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  #55  
Old 10-15-2010, 09:35 AM
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Check out Micheal Collins in Argyle, NY. Specializes in nylon and small-bodied steel.
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  #56  
Old 01-19-2011, 06:33 PM
GuitarVlog GuitarVlog is offline
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220v, I know that you've put your purchase on hold since your last message. If you're back in the market, there's a Kenny Hill Miguel Rodriguez on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130475025510

This guitar is one of the "dreadnaughts" of the classical guitar world; larger soundboard, deeper body, bigger sound yet lots of clarity. Pepe Romero plays an original Miguel Rodriguez. Kenny Hill makes one of the best copies.

As of 5:00pm in CA, it's selling at only 48% of its street price. You can read a bit more about it on Delcamp.us here:

http://www.delcamp.us/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55886

I have no connection with the seller but I am biased towards Kenny Hill's guitars (I own one of his student models and have played many of his other high-end guitars). I'd buy this one if I didn't have to raid our daughter's college funds to do it.
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  #57  
Old 01-19-2011, 06:40 PM
220volt 220volt is offline
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Originally Posted by GuitarVlog View Post
220v, I know that you've put your purchase on hold since your last message. If you're back in the market, there's a Kenny Hill Miguel Rodriguez on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130475025510

This guitar is one of the "dreadnaughts" of the classical guitar world; larger soundboard, deeper body, bigger sound yet lots of clarity. Pepe Romero plays an original Miguel Rodriguez. Kenny Hill makes one of the best copies.

As of 5:00pm in CA, it's selling at only 48% of its street price. You can read a bit more about it on Delcamp.us here:

http://www.delcamp.us/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55886

I have no connection with the seller but I am biased towards Kenny Hill's guitars (I own one of his student models and have played many of his other high-end guitars). I'd buy this one if I didn't have to raid our daughter's college funds to do it.
Thanks for the link, but I'm now in the market for a nice strat now. My old band reformed so I need something lighter than my Les Paul. Even though I would love to get me a nice nylon but I have to have priorities.

Thanks anyway
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  #58  
Old 01-21-2011, 10:17 AM
Kabalan Kabalan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hutto View Post
Put more bluntly, fat singing trebles with nylon strings cost serious money. Handmade, whatever, the only classical guitars I've ever heard with really good trebles were upwards of a couple thousand bucks, new. Obviously somewhat more affordable used.
yes, i agree good classical guitars are very expensive! perfect intonation and
overtones all over the instrument. once i played a wonderful Romanillos.
my classical are ok, but for the same price my steel strings it is superior!
Eblen
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  #59  
Old 01-22-2011, 07:37 AM
dosland dosland is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JMAGFG View Post
I totally agree. It sounds well unplugged but my daughter´s cheap Alhambra sounds much louder. The 2073´s cedar top is the best I´ve seen so far. However I have ordered an Alhambra Luthier India 50 mm nut ( this guitar is totally made by two luthiers) that will be made by mid december.
From old Europe JMAGFG
It's nice to see that some people are able to get their hands on the Alhambras, I suppose you can get after them for a much lower price than we can in the US, since you're in Europe. Mine in Spain cost about 1/3 what the same instrument lists for here in the US. I'm curious to know what shop in Louisville had 6 different Alhambras on hand for the OP to try out (if I read that right), I have had quite a time trying to track these things down in my area. I did try out an Orpheus Valley at the local GC, and was impressed mainly by the very low price, compared to other all-solid classicals. It wasn't a great guitar, but decent, for the price. I do not like the Taylor crossovers at all, maybe they sound great plugged in, but unplugged they sound worse than my Yamaha all-plywood APX6 does, and that's not very good at all. Plus, the Taylors all come with spruce tops, which just don't sound right to me with nylon strings - thin and shallow is all I can call it.

Sounds like the OP made the right decision in the end - better to take some time and really decide what you want before being stuck with a guitar you're not quite sure about. Plus, when you have an R. Taylor, you probably don't NEED a new guitar right away!
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  #60  
Old 01-22-2011, 08:56 AM
220volt 220volt is offline
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Quote:
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It's nice to see that some people are able to get their hands on the Alhambras, I suppose you can get after them for a much lower price than we can in the US, since you're in Europe. Mine in Spain cost about 1/3 what the same instrument lists for here in the US. I'm curious to know what shop in Louisville had 6 different Alhambras on hand for the OP to try out (if I read that right), I have had quite a time trying to track these things down in my area. I did try out an Orpheus Valley at the local GC, and was impressed mainly by the very low price, compared to other all-solid classicals. It wasn't a great guitar, but decent, for the price. I do not like the Taylor crossovers at all, maybe they sound great plugged in, but unplugged they sound worse than my Yamaha all-plywood APX6 does, and that's not very good at all. Plus, the Taylors all come with spruce tops, which just don't sound right to me with nylon strings - thin and shallow is all I can call it.

Sounds like the OP made the right decision in the end - better to take some time and really decide what you want before being stuck with a guitar you're not quite sure about. Plus, when you have an R. Taylor, you probably don't NEED a new guitar right away!
Steilberg instruments had few Alhambras in stock when I was there. I think they still might.

You're right. I'm enjoying my R Taylor too much
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