Wechter Florentine Elite Cutaway Nylon String

American made, 14 fret Nylon String guitar with a Florentine (sharp) Cutaway. The neck width (1.85?) is slightly narrower than a standard classical neck. It is extremely comfortable for fingerpicking.

The guitar came with a Fishman Natural pickup. This is a passive pick-up without any on-board controls. This pickup doesn't need batteries and there's no plastic plate to spoil the beauty of the rosewood body.
It does require you to be fussy about the tone control settings on your amp and/or pre-amp.

I score this a "10" not because it has tons of features, but it has a lot of features that are rarely found anyplace else.

I?m primarily a jazz player and I wanted a good nylon string for bossa nova and slow romantic tunes. I don?t think I could have done better if I had ordered a custom made instrument.

The Florentine?s construction is first rate. If it doesn?t last a lifetime, it will probably be because of some foolishness on my part. I had to make a minor repair to the guitar and I was amazed on how well it was constructed and at how easy it was to fix

I would not be afraid to play live with this guitar. It only has one strap button, so be prepared to play sitting down or tie your strap to the headstock.

The Florentine?s construction is first rate. If it doesn?t last a lifetime, it will probably be because of some foolishness on my part. I had to make a minor repair to the guitar and I was amazed on how well it was constructed and at how easy it was to fix

The guitar feels tight and the tuning is extremely stable for a nylon stringed instrument. The glossy finish is as good as it gets. The construction of at least the same quality as Martin or Taylor's best.

http://www.wechterguitars.com/models/model-9303c.htm

I don't like to give a "10" in every category, so I'll be picky and give it a "9" for not having a second strap pin.

I had minor problem with a loose wiring harness which was causing the guitar to rattle. I called the telephone number on their website and expected to be directed to authorized repair center. Instead, I talked to the owner, Abe Wechter, who told me how to fix the problem myself. He was extremely patient and friendly and offered to send me replacement harnesses.


I was also very happy with the dealer, Elderly Instruments. I had heard of this model from a friend of mine who owns a Wechter steel string. Unfortunately, I found two dealers who had this model in stock and Elderly had the better price. They also had a 48 hour return policy if the guitar was not satisfactory. This took a lot of nervousness out of buying an expensive instrument without playing it.

When I received the guitar, I was determined to find any possible flaw, before the trial period ran out. Fortunately, I didn't find any.

I've been playing for 8 years. I also own a Guild Mark II classical, a Guild X150 jazz box and a Taylor 314. If this guitar was stolen, I would be heart broken and would immediately try to replace it.

Before buying this one I checked out the nylon string Taylors. They are very nice guitars, but the Wechter outclasses them. In addition, the Wechter has a 14 fret neck vs a 12 fret neck on Taylor. I have heard that 14 fret classicals don?t sound as good as their traditional 12 fret counterparts, but this one actually sounds louder and fuller than the equivalent rosewood/cedar Taylor. It also sounds better than most of the traditional classicals that I?ve played.

Made in 2002. Custom order. Solid top, back and sides. L.R. Baggs pickup. Spruce, Rosewood & ebony. Natural finish. Case included.

I play jazz & classical. Excellent playability. As importantly, I am impressed with the sound. Given the reviews here (and by playing a couple of pathmakers in the music stores) I did not expect a satisfying bass response but I was pleasantly surprised with this guitar.

I used to go to music stores routinely and play a number of nylon string guitars... This is not fun anymore, I keep thinking "gee, my guitar is so much better than these".

Plugged in it sounds good too (through AER amplifier, with some reverb no other effects).

Perfect action/fit/finish.

I don't know about reliability. The same as other acoustic equipment, I guess.

Abe is nice and his standards are high.

I started playing classical guitar about 20 years ago, and jazz for about 5 years. I have another classical (so so...), and a gibson 135 with humbuckers (I am happy with that one, works for me but not necessarily the guitar of my life). The Wechter guitar is amazing. I play much more since I received that guitar. Need I say more?