Nylon-strung *non* classicals?

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Is this a thing? I’ve always loved the tone of classicals but have no interest at all in playing that style. Is there something out there that feels more like a western-guitar, but is nylon strung? I’ve seen some cordoba (?) crossovers, but haven’t had chance to try any. I wouldn’t mind adding something like this to the stable in the sub-£500 range one day
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    there are some, typically they have a radiused fretboard, and a narrower nut, and have a cutaway and pickup
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  • MrTeeMrTee Frets: 499
    edited April 2021
     I owned a Yamaha ntx700c a while back, meets your exact specs! Paid £400 used. They don't seem to come up often but can highly recommend one if you spot one
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  • mgawmgaw Frets: 5239
    +1 for the Yamaha ntx700c  
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  • stickersticker Frets: 869
    I have a Crafter CT125n , regular acoustic type neck and profile , Tele shaped hollow body and on board fishman pre-amp . Well worth keeping an eye out for one ! 
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  • I used to own a Taylor nylon string crossover guitar which was quite good. You might be able to find a second hand one for £500.
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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    I bought a new classical guitar last summer. I  played several crossover guitars along the way before selecting a standard Concert classical. The truth for me was none of the crossovers sounded very good "in the room" compared to the concert guitars I tried. That doesn't mean you will feel the same way, We're all different. And so are crossovers compared to traditional classicals. 
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  • Macaferri style nylon strung acoustics tend to be used for Django Rheinhardt style playing. They're also very distinctive.
    If you must have sex with a frog, wear a condom. If you want the frog to have fun, rib it.
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  • elkayelkay Frets: 77
    edited April 2021
    Check out the Taylor Academy 12e-N, which might be just what you're looking for. Unfortunately, I've only just sold mine on eBay. No fault of the guitar, just that I got bored with nylon strings. Retail price is over your budget, but you can pick up a used one for much less. Mine went for £460.
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 5268
    There are many variants. Apart from those mentioned above there are the Yamaha Silent Guitar nylon variants (which I gather are oriented towards electric players), all those Godin nylon-strung stage guitars which are sort of a "nylon semi-acoustic" (various other brands do something similar, I mention Godin because they are fairly common, decently priced, said to be well-made, and it seems to be their specialty), and of course flamenco guitars, which look like classical ones but sound quite different. 

    I'll watch this thread with interest as I've been toying with the idea of a nylon-strung guitar recently and don't think I'd adapt too easily to a traditional flamenco (not enough sustain) or classical (very high action) instrument. 
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  • TDubsTDubs Frets: 706
    edited April 2021
    Is this a thing? I’ve always loved the tone of classicals but have no interest at all in playing that style. Is there something out there that feels more like a western-guitar, but is nylon strung? I’ve seen some cordoba (?) crossovers, but haven’t had chance to try any. I wouldn’t mind adding something like this to the stable in the sub-£500 range one day
    I started this same journey at the end of last year. Cordoba, Camps, Alhambra, Martin, Taylor, Yamaha all have crossovers with a smaller nut. Then you have brands like Takamine, Raimundo, Godin, Ortega, Esteve that make traditional style nylon strings with a cutaway but not necessarily a smaller nut.

    The secondhand market on these is decent and you can get a guitar at sometimes half the retail value, they just don’t surface very often. The cutaway models usually have a built in pickup and therefore the cost of the build is spent on this rather than the timber. The sides and back can tend to be laminate on the cutaway and crossovers rather than being an all solid wood guitar.

    This was first listed on here in November and got bumped in February so may still be around. 

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  • droflufdrofluf Frets: 3614
    You could also add the Faith Lyra to your list; but perhaps out of your budget
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    Tannin said:
    There are many variants. Apart from those mentioned above there are the Yamaha Silent Guitar nylon variants (which I gather are oriented towards electric players), all those Godin nylon-strung stage guitars which are sort of a "nylon semi-acoustic" (various other brands do something similar, I mention Godin because they are fairly common, decently priced, said to be well-made, and it seems to be their specialty), and of course flamenco guitars, which look like classical ones but sound quite different. 

    I'll watch this thread with interest as I've been toying with the idea of a nylon-strung guitar recently and don't think I'd adapt too easily to a traditional flamenco (not enough sustain) or classical (very high action) instrument. 
    The one I have is a standard 2 inch flat fretboard
    They may do other specs, I have not seen them
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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    As has been said, there are many options. The "standard" for a crossover seems to be a 48mm nut width with a slight fretboard radius of around 600mm. However, there are some with a narrower nut width and smaller radius to better suit someone accustomed to steel string guitars.

    I've had a few of the 48mm options in the past and have not been impressed. Taylor - unexciting. Cordoba Fusion - unblanced and boomy. The best I've found by far is in the Furch Grand Nylon series (45mm nut width and 400mm radius). However, these start at over double your budget and rarely appear second-hand. Another option would be from the LAG range which has a 46mm nut  - and sound surprisingly good for the money.

    I have a rare FRAMEworks silent guitar with a 45mm nut width and 600mm radius and that plays beautifully. However, after trying a lot of different crossovers I've found I prefer standard classicals with a 50mm or 52mm nut and flat fretboard.
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  • vizviz Frets: 10646
    edited February 2022
    I have an Ibanez AE450 and an Alvarez rc20sc, both of which have deep Florentine cutaways, slim necks and decent electronics. 
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
    edited April 2021
    Thanks all, it's mostly the nut width that I'd want to reduce I guess. I'm not fussed at all about having cutaways, silent guitars, or pickup options as it would purely be for acoustic use at home anyway.

    I was hoping there'd be something akin to a nylon-strung parlour guitar out there but it seems that's a relatively non-existent offering! I guess I could settle for a ⅞ size classical too, some of those seem to have 48-50mm nuts
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23949
    Thanks all, it's mostly the nut width that I'd want to reduce I guess. I'm not fussed at all about having cutaways, silent guitars, or pickup options as it would purely be for acoustic use at home anyway.

    I was hoping there'd be something akin to a nylon-strung parlour guitar out there but it seems that's a relatively non-existent offering! I guess I could settle for a ⅞ size classical too, some of those seem to have 48-50mm nuts
    I had a 3/4 kids classical for home use.

    Sounded far better than it should have done. Slightly shorter scale and a narrower nut.
    It was a no-name starter special and was about £50 when I got it a good 20 years ago.


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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    Thanks all, it's mostly the nut width that I'd want to reduce I guess. I'm not fussed at all about having cutaways, silent guitars, or pickup options as it would purely be for acoustic use at home anyway.

    I was hoping there'd be something akin to a nylon-strung parlour guitar out there but it seems that's a relatively non-existent offering! I guess I could settle for a ⅞ size classical too, some of those seem to have 48-50mm nuts
    Nylon-strung parlours do exist (but aren't common). I've messaged you about a Pepe Romero Sr. Signature Parlour which I'm likely to be selling shortly, in case you might be interested.

    Aria and Martinez both have had Torres-style nylon-strung parlours (19C replicas) with 48mm nut width and 630mm scale. These are hard to find in the Uk though.
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  • I have a Fender, Nylon string guitar. It has a 43 mm nut, A solid top and Fishman electrics. It came in a hardcase and was about 270 quid new, I think the model number is 

    Fender CN-140SCE,Hope that helps

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  • meltedbuzzboxmeltedbuzzbox Frets: 10337
    Another +1 for the yamaha ntx700


    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    If a parlour-sized body is the most important thing then there is the La Patrie (Godin) Motif. I've tried one of these and they are very nice. They are currently discontinued but there is one currently for sale on eBay (BIN £250).

    The La Patrie neck is one of the most comfortable I've come across - with a 50mm nut width and 600mm fretboard radius. I got Brook to copy this neck profile in a custom Cary they made for me.

    The light oiled finish on the La Patrie is a refreshing change from the normal heavy gloss lacquer.
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