Classical style guitar for classical and jazz......

[rabbit]

Try using Thomastik Infeld KR116 "Rope Core" strings.

They are pricey but you get a "new guitar."

If you've never tried them you should give it a whirl anyway, they're entirely different.

Of course, I never want to dissuade anyone from getting a new guitar.

[stringmaster]

While I'm not really a jazz or classical player, I'm really smitten with my recently acquired nylon string Dupont MCC50 (solid rosewood/spruce) Maccaferri style guitar. This is built like the original Maccaferri, that is fan braced and lightly built like a classical. The neck width is just shy of a typical classical guitar, and the fingerboard is flat (unlike most crossover guitars that have a narrower nut and fingerboard radius). I find the guitar to be very responsive and versatile. I can hit it with a pick, or bare fingers and it sounds great. It is very sensitive to different strings which I'm still experimenting with. I use it primarily for folk, western, and swing. I think it would be a very nice jazz/bossa/classical instrument--the cutaway could be a plus for jazz. They are kind of hard to find but you might see if you can try one out. Here's an example of one similar to mine (I believe this one is laminated):

[lumena]

Each guitar is isolated by LR channel mix is a bit off but is great example of making it work.

[Woody Sound]

I recently found a 1981 Alvarez Yairi model CY 125 that I converted to a flamenco guitar. If you can find one of these, I highly recommend it asa great classical guitar for jazz. It has a solid cedar top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, nitro finish, ebony fretboard, wood bindings. It is loud and rich sounding. It has aged beautifully.

I thought the CY's had solid tops but lammie backs & sides. ICBW. (Nonetheless, they ARE nice guitars.)

[DS71]

I have a friend selling a 1999 CY140. I should check it out.
I think he's asking $1299.

[Mark M.]

I thought the CY's had solid tops but lammie backs & sides. ICBW. (Nonetheless, they ARE nice guitars.)

Woody, it's possible that I'm making an incorrect assumption about the back & sides. I'll have to investigate. None the less, It's a very nice guitar and perfect for my purposes.

[ronjazz]

DS71, try a Kremona pickup in your current guitar. At $70, and with no alterations needed, it may be just what you're looking for.

[WillMbCdn5]

I've been using the Kremona NG-1 on my Yamaha GC31C . I was surprised by the very transparent tone despite the very low cost.

Will

[CP40Carl]

You don’t have to buy a ‘jazz guitar’ to play jazz. Jazz is a style not an instrument. I play jazz on a classical guitar as do plenty of other guitarists. Ralph Towner doesn’t seem to struggle playing jazz on a classical guitar. In fact, it makes a refreshing change hearing him play standards on a classical guitar over the regular jazz boxes. I’m not sure if labelling styles of music is helpful anyhow, there is just good and bad music in my book. Historically, labels were utilised by early radio broadcasters as a way to define audiences for different channels.

A lot of people say they don’t like classical although like modern orchestral film scores. Some don’t like jazz although probably like a number of II-V-I structure songs in which the musicians may well have improvised a solo or comping (who doesn’t like the theme tunes to The Flintstones!).

My advice is play an instrument you like the sound of and listen to a wide range of music. You will learn bits from all over the place and will hopefully develop your own style of playing from this. Focus on ‘jazz’ if you want to but don’t become preoccupied with common expectations.

[PB+J]

While I'm not really a jazz or classical player, I'm really smitten with my recently acquired nylon string Dupont MCC50 (solid rosewood/spruce) Maccaferri style guitar. This is built like the original Maccaferri, that is fan braced and lightly built like a classical. The neck width is just shy of a typical classical guitar, and the fingerboard is flat (unlike most crossover guitars that have a narrower nut and fingerboard radius). I find the guitar to be very responsive and versatile. I can hit it with a pick, or bare fingers and it sounds great. It is very sensitive to different strings which I'm still experimenting with. I use it primarily for folk, western, and swing. I think it would be a very nice jazz/bossa/classical instrument--the cutaway could be a plus for jazz. They are kind of hard to find but you might see if you can try one out. Here's an example of one similar to mine (I believe this one is laminated):

I have D hole sel-mac the's just great for finger style jazz. It has a wide neck and a tone somewhere between an arch top and a nylon string. It also sounds good with a pick. I use Savarez Argentines on it. It's just a Saga/Gitane, but it's a good one.

Django kind of gave Sel-mac guitars a bad name. They're really versatile and can do a lot more than the gypsy thing

[DS71]

You don’t have to buy a ‘jazz guitar’ to play jazz. Jazz is a style not an instrument. I play jazz on a classical guitar as do plenty of other guitarists. Ralph Towner doesn’t seem to struggle playing jazz on a classical guitar. In fact, it makes a refreshing change hearing him play standards on a classical guitar over the regular jazz boxes. I’m not sure if labelling styles of music is helpful anyhow, there is just good and bad music in my book. Historically, labels were utilised by early radio broadcasters as a way to define audiences for different channels.

A lot of people say they don’t like classical although like modern orchestral film scores. Some don’t like jazz although probably like a number of II-V-I structure songs in which the musicians may well have improvised a solo or comping (who doesn’t like the theme tunes to The Flintstones!).

My advice is play an instrument you like the sound of and listen to a wide range of music. You will learn bits from all over the place and will hopefully develop your own style of playing from this. Focus on ‘jazz’ if you want to but don’t become preoccupied with common expectations.

I think you missed the point.

I want to upgrade my classical guitar . Something nicer than what I have at the moment.

I play all styles on all types of guitars.

[CP40Carl]

I think you missed the point.

I want to upgrade my classical guitar . Something nicer than what I have at the moment.

I play all styles on all types of guitars.

Oh good! (Sorry, late night post here in UK and intended response was to other general discussion points). First post in a while - think I’d better use my time practising the guitar!

[Papawooly]

DS71,

Please search for Robert Garcia guitars.

Robert lives in San Jose and has been making classical guitars in his home workshop for many years, he keeps a very low profile.
I only found him by a happy accident, but he makes simply incredible guitars that sound and play fantastically.

These are concert quality guitars, but they can be had for $2500 used.

Playing just 1 chord on a Robert Garcia guitar will hook you.
The Ruck style ports allow for a tremendous output of volume, however, touching
the strings as gently as you can, still will deliver a sweet full sound.

Here is a couple of photos of one of Robert's Guitars:

[Shay]

Hirade TH-90 is what you're looking for. Check them out on Reverb. It's basically an all solid woods classical guitar (with classical neck and string spacing) but it also has a cataway and a pick up and a D shaped sound hole. They have some acoustic tones and also sound great amplified. Check them out.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[zcostilla]

I would look at the Córdoba fusion line. I have a GK Studio (cypress sides/spruce top) that is really fun to play. It has a built in fishman system with internal mic and saddle piezo. It also has a slightly radiused fingerboard and a slightly narrower than classical neck at the nut. It has a bell-like tone to it that really sings, and I use it for fingerstyle playing as well.

I’m new to jazz guitar, but I’d love to hear someone play some Django on this thing.

[ronjazz]

For jazz playing, I can recommend a flamenco negra (rosewood back and sides); the response is quick, but with a warmer sound than traditional cypress-back flamencos. also lighter and with lower action, great jazz instruments. generally a little less low-mid ringing, thus less feedback.

[Rob MacKillop]

+1 on the flamenco suggestion. Lighter, quicker response, good projection.

[seaguitar]

There are different construction techniques in use now. I recommend looking at double tops also. From a good builder they have a good combination of volume, tone and projection with much more volume and projection than a single top. You can also pair Spruce and Cedar in one guitar. I have one and I'll never go back to to a traditional single top. Critics say it sacrifices the tonal color range for volume, but this is no longer the case - builders have figured out how to keep tonal color. I own one and can attest to this.

[2bornot2bop]

I've owned an Alhambra 9P, as well as a Cordoba Fusion 12. Recently I purchased a custom made instrument from an American luthier. But for anyone looking for a solid wood hand made custom classical with a lacquer finish, for less than the price of a Cordoba C10, reach out. I'd be happy to put you in touch with my contact.

[hoosier1981]

I have a Cordoba Fusion. The spacing is wide, but not as wide as a traditional classical guitar, and it does have a slight radius on the fretboard. I love using it for jazz, fingerstyle, and can still dabble in classical with it. If I truly wanted to play Classical guitar I'd probably get one geared for it, but I'm learning some entry level classical on it and it works great.
Also, I have the action set up much lower than most classical guitars and it seems to work fairly well. They have different versions (which fret meets the body, wood material, different pre-amps). I got the model with fewer frets so I can play it like a classical guitar, along with cedar for a darker tone, and the fishman blend pre-amp with piezo/mic.
If I were using it strictly for jazz, I'd probably have gotten the longer version and used higher tension strings.
I will say the Godin multiac series are pretty nice for jazz. I had one (slim) but sold it as I didn't find it comfortable without a strap...seemed top-heavy.

[Marinero]

I do mostly solo gigs. I prefer my CG played through a mic rather than my '66 Gibson ES 125 when doing instrumental Jazz Ballads and Bossa. I believe I get a warmer, rounded, more expressive sound than I do(now) on the Gibson. However, if I accompany a vocalist, I default to the Gibson for expediency. But, in all fairness, I am reworking my Gibson back into the daily routine after a long sleep and am still experimenting with sound potentials and settings to get the sound I hear in my head. I also do some "old school" R@B on occasion and always use the Gibson. Why be limited? Good playing . . . Marinero