Playing on a crossover guitar

 Like you, I am also a semi-beginning classical guitar student and my acoustic guitars prior to this were a Martin D35 and an Ovation acoustic - to name a few.  I just purchased the Fender CN-140SCE Thinline Concert Nylon String Acoustic Guitar for the same reason as you.  Unfortunately, I have had to send it back on several occasions for various reasons.  I think you are better served with the Cordoba C9 Crossover, which will be my choice if this Fender replacement is not good.  The Cross Over guitars are great when initially transitioning to Classical Music.  I also have a Calido Classical guitar, which sounds really great and I play both styles of guitar, so as not to lose the technique of playing either a wide neck or a regular neck guitar.  Luckily, my interest is in the Fingerpicking style because the musical tastes are what I prefer.  However, the Fingerpickers I love all have classical backgrounds.  "If you learn Classical, you can play any genre of music!" ~ Oscar Peterson.  Good luck.

I googled Cordoba C9 Crossoverguitar and it looks fine but I cannot tell what it may sound like. The main thing I would recommend is to have the neck and action inspected by an expert so that it will have good playability so that you do not get discouraged by a 'hand breaking' guitar while you are learning. My experience (60 years) is that many mass produced guitars arrive with excessive string height, making them difficult to play.

Hi, Laurie,

have been asking myself (and my guitar teacher, master in Classical guitar) a year ago, exactly the same question. Had been playing on a Classical Yamaha guitar (52 mm neck) for a few years, and was looking for a better sounding and easier to play guitar. Finally decided to go for a crossover, a Lowden Jazz guitar (48mm neck just like your Cordoba).

Happy ever since, what a difference, and playability is much better. Though, my standard Yamaha had also a high action to begin with. Though, even after a Luthier had it 'checked' and lowered the bridge, I was in a way still 'struggling' with it. 

Mostly playing now classical pieces (f.i. Tarrega) on it, and the 'crossover'' sound is indeed somewhat different then the typical classical guitar sound but very enjoyable. Even playing duets with my teacher playing on a 'real' classical guitar sounds great.

If one day, you want to play different styles (blues/ jazz/ fingerpicking) and you like more the sound of nylon strings, a crossover looks to me as the ideal fit. Playing chords on a crossover is much easier, too.

Of course, the spacing between the strings is narrower and asking for a bit more precision and control of your left hand fingers, but unless you have rather thick fingers that should not be such  a problem.

Not knowing the sound of your Cordoba C9, but if you love it, then that's what counts the most...but it helps for sure if it's also a bit more easy to play, especially in the beginning.

Many good guitar players are switching easily between acoustic, electric, classical, crossover...