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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWrO0UMe9rM
I've played a few classicals over the past few days. I'm sort of surprised at how I've reacted. My Martin 0-16 NY clearly doesn't have a classical guitar neck width and string spacing, despite being quite wide compared to the other acoustics I own. All the classicals were much wider and had a much higher action than I remembered. To the point of being unpleasant. But some lovely nylon-string tones, all the same.
So I'm going to have a look at some crossovers to see if I find them more acceptable than a traditional Spanish classical guitar.
But it really has come as a bit of a surprise.
standard classicals are 2 inches
High action is normal on classicals, the strings are lower tension, and I think vibrate more, and also don't sound as out of tune as you'd expect when fretted with the high action.
Probably best to go for a crossover if you would prefer not to adapt your style
I saw a high end crossover for £1500 last week, mostly geared to plugged-in playing, but I think your budget is lower.
Does your Martin have a flat fingerboard, or a slight radius like steel strung acoustics?
I had one, acoustic sound was not as loud as £6k classicals (since it has stiffer bracing to reduce feedback),
played lovely as a crossover, but decided not my thing, prefer 2 inch nuts with higher action ;-)
I had the base Etude classical model and was mightily impressed with the tone, build quality and appearance. The nut width is 2" but the neck profile and the slightly (24") radiussed fretboard make them feel much more comfortable for a steel-strung player than a conventional classical. I liked the neck profile so much that I got Brook to do something very similar with a custom classical Cary model which I collected from Devon yesterday (NGD coming soon).
I've heard other forum members praise the Faith Lyra crossover. Alas, they don't do left-handed models so I've never tried one.
I love my Taw. If I had the money, I'd ask Brook to build me a nylon-strung guitar - but I don't!
TBH, it wasn't the nut width that I've found an unpleasant surprise, more the high action. I need to remind myself that I had stopped playing classical before I started playing steel-strung acoustics or electrics, so I'd never been able to compare them. If you go up the neck on a classical, then a full or partial barre will bring the action down - but I also play open strings with high-fretted notes on some tunes and can't barre to do that. It feels weird.
I much preferred the much cheaper La Patrie Etude to the considerably more expensive luthier series Cordoba C10 I once had. I've also had two Cordoba crossover guitars and found them unbalanced in tone and very "boomy" on the lower strings.
Again, very helpful, thanks. I'm going to play the Cordobas as a comparison. They stock 'em, so why not?
If you are going to Project Music then it is worth also looking at a Furch Grand Nylon. They appear to have at least one in stock. They are a good example of how good a properly designed crossover can sound. It might be a little above your budget, it isn't the loudest guitar and it has a narrow (for a nylon strung) 45mm nut width with (I think) a 16" fretboard radius - but the sweet clear balanced tone is better than any other crossover I've played.
They stock them and you are going there -so why not?
Cheers Simon
https://www.windmillguitars.com/collections/frontpage/products/norman-coates-hybrid-classical
how wide is the nut?
A lattice-braced 1973 Jose Ramirez - sounded really nice, Despite needing new strings, decent volume, but not that nice to actually play.
Project Music tomorrow to try out some Cordobas and La Patries.