Suggestions please - £300 Budget

[ledzepploid]

Hi,

I am looking for my first classical. My budget is around £300. I am not new to guitar, I have been playing acoustic for several years.

After listening to a spruce/cedar comparison video on youtube, I think I prefer the sound of spruce.

A few which I am currently looking at are the Alhambra Iberia, Hofner HF125 and the Hofner HF14.

The HF14 is spruce with a cedar wedge which I thought looked a bit odd, but after hearing it on youtube I'm quite interested in it.

Both Hofners feature a 50mm nut which I hear makes for easier playing.

Thanks.

[AC5]

If I were you, I'd also check some Yamahas, they are often better than other more expensive guitars.
I've been playing classical guitar for a couple of years and I've got a Yamaha C40, which costs around £100. It has been said by different people to sound better than a £500 guitar.

[dosland]

In that price range you're going to want to get your hands on the instruments to inspect them individually - yamahas can be very good in the entry level, and that Alhambra is quite good at that price point as well (I've never played the Hofners). But at that price point there are likely to be differences from one instrument to the next, even in the same model/brand. I don't think the 50mm nut will make much difference from the 52mm nut that is standard on "traditional" classicals - in my experience, 2mm means very little when dealing with the relatively fat nylon strings and their much greater movement (as compared with steel strings), and my fat and careless fingers like any extra space they can get to reduce buzzing. Buying from a good shop will be your best guarantee of relatively good quality and setup in any price range, but it's especially useful at the lower end, in my view. Good luck!

[The Old Anglo]

Check out Cordoba, I have a C5ce,Very Nice and reasonable too. http://www.cordobaguitars.com/p/c5-ce

[dosland]

Cordoba make some great instruments, but I don't think the C5 is available with a spruce top (but it has been a while since I did my research on these). The next model up, the C7, is also a fantastic instrument, but in a different price range. If you happen to be in a shop that carries Alhambra, you may also run into similarly-priced Almansa and Admira guitars, and I'd say those are just as good a bet (even though I'm an Alhambra owner): just compare the specific instruments you can get your hands on, I think quality control is pretty hit-or-miss at c. £300, and you really should try before you buy.

I don't know if you can get your hands on Cordoba or Kremona guitars in the UK (I'm assuming that's the market), but you might get luck and find an all solid model on close out - the only way you might be able to vary the quality of your options in that range.

[AlVal]

hi
i think it may depend on the action you like
the Alahambra generally have a spanish action ..good if your serious about classical
from recollection the Hofners have a more even action...good if your more interested in the nylon sound..

Azahar, Yamaha, Cordoba
2nd hand market K Yairi, Matsouka,

Francisco Navarro guitars are fantastic instruments, not sure they fall in that price range, a few hundred extra maybe...maybe a second hand one

either way check the string break Angle at the saddle
this will enable you see how much room you have for adjustments
and neck relief

i might be favouring the Alhambra out of your choice...purely for the sound...
only familiar with cordoba flamenco guitars...good product

with that budget theres along way to go so much of a muchness in some ways.


Though they seem to be selling alot of Katoh's here