The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 09-28-2020, 05:57 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default The One

I've talked about trying to get it down to one guitar. That's a long way from when I spent 5 years going through more than 40 nylon strung guitars. That's also a long run from my subsequent search through CF nylon string guitars.

I've enjoyed the CF run. Been through several Rainsongs, 3 Blackbirds, 6 Emeralds, and tried some from Germany and Spain. I've particularly like Joe's and Alistair's work because they're exceptionally creative.

But I can't afford them all and so I've been buying and trying them all and trying to get it down to one.

So, I recently sold my beautiful Rainsong marine burst parlor and my incredible Emerald thin-bodied electric 10. I'm down to a slot-headed Emerald X10 acoustic with a K&K passive pickup and a thin-bodied X7 electric guitar with an active Barbera pickup.

I'm thinking I'm keeping the ten. Electrics have been an occasional fascination, but I've always returned to a fuller sense of body.

All that doesn't mean I'm done. Alistair could come up with a significant change that would draw my attention. And Joe has suggested that he may have an Ekoa nylon string coming shortly.

In the meantime my 10 is a 10 and I'm holding it close.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-29-2020, 07:03 AM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,316
Default

The 2018 X-10 nylon string has the perfect neck for me! Alistair made it to my exact specs. Unfortunately the body of the guitar doesn’t work for me. I play standing up with a strap. Despite experimenting with 4 different strap button locations, the guitar will not center properly when I hold it. I think this is due to two things: the upper bout meets the neck too high up the neck, and the guitar is too thick. While I love the cutaway, if I were to do it over again (and I don’t expect to try a third time), I would specify an upper bout meeting the neck at the 12th fret, 22 frets on the Fretboard for the higher 3 strings And 19 frets on the fretboard for the lower 3 strings, and a thinner body. I specified a thinner body for this guitar, then let Alistair talk me in to going with the new X-10 body, not knowing that it would be even thicker-bodied than the old X-10 body.

Meanwhile, I have become quite happy with Córdobas.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-29-2020, 09:10 AM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cecil;

Which is your favorite Cordoba? Also, have you tried any of the Kremona guitars? There are a number of models but I have sort of focused on the Verea.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-29-2020, 09:22 AM
jdinco jdinco is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,398
Default

I recently picked up a used Taylor 312ce-N, and I notice you rarely see the Taylor nylons mentioned. Is this because it is a crossover and not a pure classical or something else? The 312 sounds wonderful, it was a major step up from my Cordoba GK Studio. I'm very happy with it.
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-29-2020, 12:19 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

jd;

I gave the Taylor 312 a try and thought it was a great guitar. I did not buy one because of the horror stories in my area regarding the effects of extreme heat. I need something more durable which is one reason I headed toward CF.

Cecil; have you tried any of the Martin nylons?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-29-2020, 01:13 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,398
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
jd;

I gave the Taylor 312 a try and thought it was a great guitar. I did not buy one because of the horror stories in my area regarding the effects of extreme heat. I need something more durable which is one reason I headed toward CF.
Oh, I'm just glad I don't live in Arizona or any place hot. Thanks for the heads up, not a CF topic, but are you saying they are worse than others? If you find a CF that plays and sounds like the 312, please let me know !!
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-29-2020, 02:59 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

jd;

I should be more clear. What I've found is that the better the wooden instrument the more fragile it seems to be.

A village friend purchased an expensive new Martin and took it with him to a beach in California, then went to a mountain area, and his guitar cracked.

I know that some wooden guitars last a long time, even without obsessive care. I suspect those guitars are not designed to the same level of finesse as the better instruments.

That was one of my confoundments as I worked toward better and better guitars--and one of the reasons that I moved toward carbon fiber.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-29-2020, 07:35 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Arizona (from island boy to desert dweller)
Posts: 6,970
Default

During my short look for a nylon, I played a 312ce-N - I was impressed with the sound and playability. In the end, I found nylon wasn't for me. I do enjoy the discussion of looking for "the one", though.
__________________
Some CF, some wood.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-29-2020, 07:42 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,316
Default

Evan, I have seen positive comments about Kremona here and on the Delcamp forum. I have never tried a Kremona guitar, though.

From Córdoba, I like the C12 and the Solista. My usual favorite though is the GK Pro.

I think that you might like the Orchestra CE, since it is a crossover.

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/orchestra-ce-cd/
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-30-2020, 09:18 AM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cecil;

The 12 is a beautiful guitar--do you have the spruce or cedar top?

The C10 is very appealing. While I like the hybrid with the cut-a-way, I find the electronics to be off-putting. I believe that adding the full complement of electronics alters and diminishes the sound. I think the same of the cut-a-way; together the two additions result (in my estimation) in a duller and somewhat muted sound.

I do like being able to amp up and could see a hybrid with an active Barbera pickup which is light and fairly unobtrusive. I've thought about contacting Cordoba and Kremona and asking if it would be possible to order a hybrid with the less obtrusive electronics.

Thank you, by the way, for your continual contributions regarding CF and wooden nylon string guitars.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-30-2020, 09:48 AM
rmp rmp is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 6,897
Default

I feel the heat of this discussion... At present, I have 6 acoustics,... 4 steel sixers, one is a 12, and the 6th one is a Taylor 512N.

WRT to the 512N, I burned through 4 nylon strings, starting with a $500 Yamaha, and ending with the Taylor 512N, that journey took close to 20 years (with the two middle choices being a Tak and a Manuel Rodriguez.)

The Tak and the MR were decent guitars but the necks were MASSIVE and the intonation was spotty at best. The Taylor "for me"... blows the rest out of the water. It plays great, it sounds really good, and the intonation is just about spot on.

I can't abide playing a guitar that doesn't not sound even close to in tune above the 5th fret. Ergo the issue with all the others.

WRT to the others, the sixers anyway... the money axes are the J200 and the 815CE DLX Vclass.

I have a 2006 Taylor Grand Symphony that I can't bring myself to part with, same goes for my 78 Alvarez DY74, that has been with me thru thick and thin. The odd man out is the Guild 12,, cuz.. you "have to have at least one 12".. I believe this to be true..

Is 6 too many acoustics? Is that a question I can even answer?

If I can, then what do I do about the 12 electrics I own.

I guess I'm one who can't help themselves when it comes to things with strings..

I wish I could get it down to 2 or 3... it'd make things easier,, like where to store them, string changes, humidification in the winter, what to play today...

ahh,, these, small fees to pay considering the amount of fun I actually have with all of these, and I do use all of them. I'm a 50+ year player, gigged quite a lot.. been to a bunch of rodeos..
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-30-2020, 10:59 AM
esimms86 esimms86 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 240
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
jd;

I should be more clear. What I've found is that the better the wooden instrument the more fragile it seems to be.

A village friend purchased an expensive new Martin and took it with him to a beach in California, then went to a mountain area, and his guitar cracked.

I know that some wooden guitars last a long time, even without obsessive care. I suspect those guitars are not designed to the same level of finesse as the better instruments.

That was one of my confoundments as I worked toward better and better guitars--and one of the reasons that I moved toward carbon fiber.
Higher end wooden guitars, as a rule, are lightly built, focusing on sound rather than durability. A number of builders also have a preference for French polish, resulting in an instrument more susceptible to scratches in the finish. The upside, of course, is that the top can breathe more, generally resulting in a more open sound.

I don't own any classical guitars but I do happen to like crossover nylons, i.e., those nylon string guitars built for people who prefer the neck of a steel string. Lowden makes a couple of such models, the S25J and the S32J, but they are expensive. The "J" in each case, of course, stands for "jazz." Obviously, you are looking for more traditional classical guitar fretboard/neck dimensions so the crossover models would not work for you.

I'm happy to hear that you continue to enjoy your X10, even though it is not the "perfect guitar" for you. Of course, as others have said, the search for the perfect guitar is like a search for a unicorn.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-30-2020, 12:59 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,316
Default

Evan, the past few years I have preferred the sound of spruce over cedar. All the Córdobas that I have tried are spruce tops. My C12 has a spruce top. Great full tone! I wish it had a cutaway. Since my C12 does not have a cutaway, and since the bass strings sound so full, I keep it tuned CGDGBE (6th string to 1st string) and use it for playing Bach’s cello suite #3 (with lots of warts

I really like the GK Pro because it has a 50 mm nut width, a thin neck profile, a cutaway, a thin body, and is very lightweight due to the cypress sides and back.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-30-2020, 05:33 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cecil;

Which Pro do you have? I am looking at the Cordoba 12 and thinking of looking into whether I can have one with an active Barbara pickup.

Last edited by Guest 928; 09-30-2020 at 05:46 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-30-2020, 08:05 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,316
Default

Evan,

My overall favorite Córdoba is the GK Pro Blanca:

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/gk-pro/

The GK Pro Negra has a sweeter sound, and better basses than the Blanca:

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/gk-pro-negra/

I still think that you might like the Orchestra CE better, since it has a neck with a radius, which I seem to recall is your preference. It’s also considerably lower priced than the GK Pro series, and still has good tone. (I bought one for my Dad)

Don’t let the MSRP fool you. Street price is much less, and you can usually find b stock and used instruments at a much lower price easily. All mine are b stock or used.

Last edited by ceciltguitar; 09-30-2020 at 08:15 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=