Playability: Classical vs. crossover

[2toss]

While I know the answer to this question might be "what feels good to you," in a general sense, for someone relatively new to guitar, is a crossover easier to play than a standard classical guitar. I would think the 1 7/8" neck width and radiused fret board on a crossover might make it a little easier to play? Or would you consider the difference negligible?

[DJ in FL]

I think you nailed it...whatever feels good...do it!
All a matter of personal preference at that point.

I came down from steel strings to all nylon...from 2" nylon to crossover size and I can tell the difference. If you get to be a Senior, like moi, and the steel strings HURT to play, then your decision is easier.

Good luck finding your "right" answer.

Play in good health.

[Rudy4]

The difference is a huge factor in the playability, as well as a radused fret board.

My Cordoba Fusion review here:

http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageGuitarCrossover.html

[Bax Burgess]

There's also a third option: smaller sized Classical with thinner neck, flat fingerboard.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by 2toss

for someone relatively new to guitar,

For someone "relatively new to guitar", nothing is easy. The guitar is a difficult instrument to play well.

What becomes "easy" is partly what you get used to and what you try to do on the instrument.

The specifics of the instrument are based upon what players, generally, have found is best suited for the music they are playing and the technique they are using. I'd suggest you start there. If you are wanting a steel string guitar but with the lower tension of nylon strings, or perhaps the sound of nylon, then a "crossover" is likely what you want. If you are playing "hard core", un-amplified classical guitar music, you aren't likely to prefer the characteristics of the crossover.

In short, to some extent, the type of music and technique you use will determine the type of guitar you'd like.

[2toss]

Thanks for all the comments. The inspiration for my question, I guess, is due to some recent work I had done on my Cordoba C7. I had a setup done about a year ago, right around my 1 year anniversary of starting to play guitar. Recently my instructor mentioned the there was quite a bit of buzzing. The repair shop, which is well know and popular in my area, said the frets were level, and suggested raising the action to 4/32 and putting on high tension strings to eliminate the buzzing. There is quite a difference in the feel with these changes. I may go back to normal tension strings, but not sure yet. Anyway, since I was thinking about upgrading my guitar this year anyway, I started looking into crossovers and Parlors. There have been some good comments on the Cordoba Parlors on this board lately. Having only played two years, I barely know anything about what might make a guitar easier to play. But I figure at my age, 63, easier is better! I don't play classical music, mostly fingerstyle......folk, pop, rock, etc., and also like country and blues, although haven't ventured there yet. It would be nice to be able to play some other types of guitars for a week or so, but haven't figured out how to do that yet. I'll figure it out eventually.

Oh, and Rudy regarding your Cordoba Fusion review, I had the same sharp fret edges, and had those smoothed out. Much more comfortable now.

[Hillster]

The Cordoba C7 has a truss rod. If you are having string buzzing issues, I would adjust the truss rod first before raising the action. It probably just need more neck relief. Try turning it counter clockwise about a 1/4 turn and give it a few hours to settle, then see if the buzzing is lessened.

Goodluck

[menamestom]

I play crossover music so to speak, from Chet / Jerry stuff, Bosa, classical, Jazz etc, even blues. But I prefer a classical neck widh. I have a Yamaha SLG110N silent guitar, it's a 48mm nut, my classical is 52mm and I just prefer the space.

[2toss]

Originally Posted by menamestom

I play crossover music so to speak, from Chet / Jerry stuff, Bosa, classical, Jazz etc, even blues. But I prefer a classical neck widh. I have a Yamaha SLG110N silent guitar, it's a 48mm nut, my classical is 52mm and I just prefer the space.

I guess that's the trade-off.........on a crossover or parlor size guitar, some of the stretches might be a little easier, and I guess bar chords might be easier, but then having the extra space helps some times too.

[Rondoraymundo]

I thought I wanted a crossover having made the move from steel string to nylon classical. Played a bunch of crossovers, the ones that had narrower necks didn't work for me. The wider nylon strings made the fretting too tight for my hands. So I said, what the heck, go for a great sounding classical. So I did! "Crossover" gas cured.

[AlVal]

Playability
Really has nothing to do with scale length , neck width etc etc
Assuming the instrument is set up correctly ( a rare thing indeed with factory guitars hanging on the wall in your local music shop ) the rest lies solely with the player
There is no easy ....only what responds to the music you wish to play
Consider the history of the acoustic guitar and the magic created by the famous players ... Those old Ramirez , Martin and Maccaferri guitars weren't 'easy' - just the players actually practiced and worked hard to play them

Or
To put things in perspective
Think of a all the bass players out there ...


Try as many guitars as you can and forget about the dimensions - make your choice based on what feels,responds and sounds best - we all like and look for different things in an instrumrnt

[Mikeleric]

Originally Posted by 2toss

While I know the answer to this question might be "what feels good to you," in a general sense, for someone relatively new to guitar, is a crossover easier to play than a standard classical guitar. I would think the 1 7/8" neck width and radiused fret board on a crossover might make it a little easier to play? Or would you consider the difference negligible?

I have only been playing guitar for less than 2 years. I started on a typical sized steel stringed guitar and the people on this forum strongly recommended that I would most like a crossover guitar when I was asking questions about which classical or nylon stringed models to buy. I am currently practicing on a Washburn c5ce typical sized classical guitar than only cost just under $150 plus sales tax. I would guess that the wider the fretboard, the easier it is to do fingerpicking patterns and the narrower the fretboard the easier it would be to strum chords. The nylon strings of my guitar feel like they talk about the same effort to press as the steel stringed model but they are softer but it is only a subtle difference. I guess the classical nylon stringed model I have is not causing me a problem and I am a short man and who knows how my hand size compares to other people. Currently I practice sitting on the edge of my couch without a footrest and using the kind of guitar strap that has a hook that hooks onto the side of the sound hole.

[ewalling]

I have two Cordobas - a C10 Crossover and a C9 Parlor - and a Godin Multiac. They all have a 1 7/8" nut width, and the C10 Crossover and Multiac also have radiused frteboards. In the past, I've owned a number of standard classicals: Takamine T5, Raimundo, Orpheus Valley Sophia and Fiesta, La Patrie Motif (smallbody but standard neck. For me, there is a big difference in playability, and I definitely prefer the the slightly narrower nut width.

[wcap]

I love classical guitars.

But if the whole point here is that a steel string player wants a guitar that is easier to play (easier on the fretting hand) it would be worthwhile also checking out a short scale steel string guitar strung with light gauge strings.

[2toss]

Thanks to all for the thoughtful responses. I guess I'm back to my initial hunch, that I just need to find a way to try some different guitars and see what feels good. What I HAVE learned in the last couple weeks for sure, is that when I had the action raised to 4/32 and put on hard tension strings to get rid of some buzzing, the guitar is a little more difficult for me to play. Actually I'm surprised I can feel the difference, I guess that's a good thing that I can feel that......

P.S. wcap....... love your Prairie Wind!