New nylon player

[DjangoTango]

I've been playing steel string guitars for years (both electric and acoustic) but would like to add a nylon string. Never owned one so I have no familiarity with them. I would like to stay away from the wider necks, so something < 2" would be preferred. I really like baroque, flamenco, jazz and looking for a tone close to Sting's "Fragile" or "Shape Of My Heart". He plays a Guild Paloma but I've been looking for one forever and haven't located one.

In the overall tone scheme, are brand and type of strings for nylon a big factor in tone? I would think so but wanted to ask.

Any recommendations? Budget would probably be under $2000.

Thanks!

[rmp]

Sounds like you probably want some kind of hybrid or cross over style

I have a Taylor 514NY that is very comfortable to play, neck is not traditional but it's not the typical Taylor neck either. The intonation on this one is the best nylon I've ever owned for tuning stability. I really like the guitar a lot.

Cordoba makes some of these two c5??? not sure someone will offer that model up it's pretty popular.

I think they are excellent instruments to own. you probably wont play it every day, but when you do, you'll appreciate having one available.

In the overall tone scheme, are brand and type of strings for nylon a big factor in tone? I would think so but wanted to ask.

Not really, not in my experience anyway

there are some variations, Like for example, a Wound G isntead of the standard plain G seems to work better for me. So I buy Savarez sets that include a wound G

The also last a long time, so you wont be changing them as often.

String changes on a nylon does take a little bit of time to get right.

[DjangoTango]

Thanks a lot Ray for the advice.

[Ken Carr]

I've been enjoying my Cordoba GK Pro Negra. 50 mm nut width. Very comfortable. Sounds good to me. A lot of fun to play. I got mine used on Reverb. I'm well pleased with it.

[ssjk]

I asked a similar question a couple of years ago and someone (fitness1?) sugGested a Cervantes. I bought one and he was right. Very nice guitar and easily played by a long time steel string player. Recommend high tension strings.

A big step up from the cordoba C5 it replaced

There’s oNe in the classifieds now at 1600. Less than I paid and in better shape as well. Take a look


https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=644694

NFI

[CoastStrings]

The Cervantes is a good option.

My vote goes to the Yamaha NTX5 which has the Atmosfeel pickup system. But this guitar is out-of-stock at almost every retailer right now.






Mundo is demonstrating the Atmosfeel on an NCX model in this video but it will give you a better idea of the pickup's capabilities.

[Jamolay]

I have been intrigued by these Yamahas, but I don’t really want or need the electronics and that is what makes them stand out.

I guess I would rather put my money into more guitar.

[gmr]

I imagine you will have some good options within your targeted budget. If you don’t have much exposure to nylon strings, it might be good, if possible, to go sample a variety of types. The crossover type nylon string guitars do have necks that are a bit under two inches. But those nylon strings are quite large diameter and initially will feel very slinky. Thinner necks can make it very difficult to avoid muting adjacent strings. I had a Yamaha NTX. I came to not enjoy the neck, and while the electronics were great, the pure acoustic tone was not, due the the thin body and robust construction. The wide neck is relatively easy to become comfortable with and really does make sense for nylon strings. The best sounding guitar I have ever had the chance to play that is near your price range is the Ramirez Del Tiempo. But with prices being what they have become in the last couple years, it may be close to 2,500 US these days. It was somewhere in the vicinity of 2,200 when I played one, maybe four years back.
I have a Cordoba Esteso, small body spruce top model which I really enjoy playing. It was, at the time I got mine, made by Francisco Navarro for Cordoba. No aero is a reasonably well regarded Paracho Mexico based family of guitar luthiers. When I chose my guitar, I could have chosen the Ramirez as well since both were similar in price. The Ramirez was a powerful sounding guitar , mush more potential than my simplistic fingerstyle noodling would adequately exploit. So I chose the small Esteso for it’s sweet, yet substantial tone when played with a light touch….. not unlike Sting’s guitarist on the songs you
mentioned. Much luck in your nylon string quest!

[Jamolay]

This thread got me scanning through the reverb classical guitars between $500 and $1500.

Soooo many varieties. How would you know what is good or not?

I think that there will be a lot of options for one in the OPs price range, but I imagine it is hard to buy a small name classical without playing it.

[Feste]

You can’t go wrong with a Cervantes Crossover.

[ruger9]

I recently went through this research phase, and settled on (haven't purchased yet) the Cordoba C12 Cedar. Electronics did not enter into the equation, this guitar is just for playing at home. If electronics WERE a requirement, that Yamaha looks great. But all the demos I listened to, I liked the tone of the Cordoba the best. It's on my "buy next" list.

[Jamolay]

What made you choose the C12 over the C10 or C9?

Was it just that your budget allows you to move up or are there some specific differences?

I do think that Cordoba seems like a solid choice, especially if you aren’t choosing a guitar in person.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by Jamolay

What made you choose the C12 over the C10 or C9?

Was it just that your budget allows you to move up or are there some specific differences?

I do think that Cordoba seems like a solid choice, especially if you aren’t choosing a guitar in person.

My budget does allow me to move up, but basically it based on 2 things:

Video demos (because I will not be able to play any of them here)
Price point in relation to quality. It's been my experience the most affordable models, while good guitars, ARE usually lacking a bit compared to more expensive models. And at $630, the C12 isn't expensive anyway.

That being said, if I saw a bunch of videos of the cheaper models and I liked their sounds better, I would have gone with a cheaper one. There were 2-3 C12 demos that really sold me. And even tho most people seem to like the CE Orchestra model (rosewood B&S, better pickups) better, again... I liked what I HEARD out of the cedar/mahogany C12. The tone is what I want.

[Jamolay]

Where did you find a C12 for $630? When I google them, they are about $2k new.

I would buy it right now if I could get one at that price!

[ruger9]

My apologies. It's a FUSION 12. The early posts were talking about "hybrids" (fusions), so my mind just went right there. It's a Fusion 12. I wanted the fusion/crossover/hybrid geometries.