[neon_black88]

Hey guys im gana buy a classical guitar but don't really know much about them. Can you guys give me all the info you can that could help me out. I was thinking about the monterey MC-983SCE

Solid Cedar Top Classic guitar, Mahogany back and sides, gold plated machine heads, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, multiple binding. Natural high gloss finish. with cutaway and active pickup with 3 band EQ.

its around 350 bucks australian for me which is what im looking at paying. Would you guys go for a cutaway and pickup or is that not tr00 to the classical world

[Naren]

Pickups? Don't you mean a microphone? Classical guitars use nylon strings. Guitar pickups are magnetic and, since nylon strings aren't metal, you need microphones if you want to amplify the sound, but then it really isn't a classical guitar anymore, I guess...

What I really want is a classical guitar with a cutaway.

[Loserchief]

it all depends on how classical you wanna be. If you want a practical stage classical then go for the pup. Imo classicals sound better mic'd but that's a matter of taste.
A cutaway will result in an a little less full and a little brighter sound(because of the smaller body). It's kind of a preference thing also and a question of how often you really need the high registers.
As for the woods, mahogany imo isn't the best for classical guitar. Every full sized accoustic is already rather warm and thick sounding and mahog with it's natural warmth can lead to inarticulate notes, especially on the faster,more complex stuff you do on classical.The darker tone might also make it sound quieter in comparison. Imo it's better to use brighter more articulate woods for classical, like cypress,cherry or maple. I have a 1978 höfner classical which has solid flame maple sides and back and the notes literally explode out of it and are super articulate even on the fastest flamenco playing.

[rummy]

If you want something cheap and fun, get the Epiphone SST!

$300

http://www.music123.com/Epiphone-SST...-i756210.music

[newfinator]

I’d say one of the best bangs for the buck is my Almansa 436. I find all of their models to be pretty good and decently priced. I’ve also been pretty impressed with my Yamaha SLG120NW. It’s one of their ‘silent’ models and plays and sounds MUCH better than I expected. It still prefer purely acoustic classicals but it’s worth a look if there is any desire whatsoever for amplification or travel.

[Metal Ken]

Originally Posted by Naren

Pickups? Don't you mean a microphone? Classical guitars use nylon strings. Guitar pickups are magnetic and, since nylon strings aren't metal, you need microphones if you want to amplify the sound, but then it really isn't a classical guitar anymore, I guess...

What I really want is a classical guitar with a cutaway.

Most acoustic guitar and classical guitar pickups are Peizo, actually. those rely on the vibration of the strings as opposed to magnetic fields for the sound.

[Desecrated]

benton ???

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw5_harley_..._prodinfo.html


I have played these, and they are not to bad.

[Durero]

Originally Posted by neon_black88

Would you guys go for a cutaway and pickup or is that not tr00 to the classical world

If your intension is to play authentic finger-style classical guitar pieces, then no, I absolutely wouldn't consider a pickup & cutaway design unless it was a handmade high-end one that somehow managed to sound decent despite the cutaway & pickup. I couldn't care less about following the 'tradition' of classical guitar, but I do absolutely love the very deep & bass-heavy tone of a traditional high quality classical guitar. I've been playing classical guitar for > 20 years and when I was starting out I really wanted the flexibility of the cutaway/pickup design. So I bought a very inexpensive one, and as my experience grew I realized how poor it sounded and upgraded to a mid-range model (same features). But after trying some higher-end models and realizing what a beautiful tone I could get with them I finally traded up for a decent non-cutaway non-pickup model, and I'll never go back. Even for recording or live performance, I'd way rather play into a mic that use a pickup, although a combination of the two might work.

However, if your not super serious about classical guitar music & tone, and especially if you're playing with a pick, then by all means go for it. I'd expect such a guitar to have quite a thin & quiet tone, and a lot of 'piezo quack' when amplified. Personally I can't freakin stand that type of tone, but as I say I'm fixated on the heavy-bass traditional tone.

btw I play a mid-range ($1500cdn list) Raimundo as my main classical.

[dpm]

Sam, I'm a little out of touch with what's around in that price range, but I can tell you that Monterey's quality isn't particularly good. Your choices are limited unless you can afford to spend another couple of hundred bucks.
Avoid the pickup if there is an option - cheap piezos suck and add to the price. Likewise, the cutaway won't be a huge benefit if you're looking at playing classical. Yes, definitely get a solid top, and cedar is probably going to give a better tone in that price range (it's not as stiff as spruce so will vibrate more).
Personally I'd be looking towards Yamaha for a trustworthy, good bang for the buck classical. You might find an entry level Spanish made guitar for a little more (like this), but the quality can be variable and it might take some searching for a good one.

[neon_black88]

Hmm thanks for the advice guys, I think I might just go for a standard classical and mic it up for performences, I dont really want to spend to much, about 400 AU, I found a shop that will do Almansa, but I could only afford the cheaper ones that are mahogany sides and back, do you think it would be worth checking one of them out? Im thinking this one

https://www.billyhydemusic.com.au/sh...n=view&id=2412