The players you listed aren't the most technical in the world. Classical players are.
Well that I didnt know...What are some of the best classical players then? I quite like classical guitar, but dont know anything about it
the late andres segovia was the man responsible for popularising classical guitar and having it taken seriously by academia. i think cristopher parkening is still kicking. those are generally considered the two best.
You might also check out Julian Bream, John Williams, and Sharon Isbin.
As far as thumb position goes, thumb over the neck gives you a pivot for bending, which is why you'll see many rock and blues guitarists use it. It also limits your reach, which is why classical and jazz guitarists don't use it.
I teach thumb behind, because if you learn that way it's easy to shift to thumb over... but if you learn thumb over, it's hard to shift to thumb behind. Thumb behind requires some fine muscle development - thumb over doesn't (it really is like gripping a baseball bat, which most of us have done).
When I play, I use both. The pics below are from a solo acoustic gig I did recently (the better lit one is from the sound check). When I'm playing chords, it's behind - when I'm doing single note runs I shift the thumb up a bit, but not really hooking over... just enough to get support from the 'top' side of the neck. I think in the soundcheck one I was sliding into a note, and in the live thumb over one I was doing a bend.
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Tom , i cannot wrap my thumb while playing my classical guitar.The wide neck you know ..... :oops:
Then again Jason Becker was a more than able at classical guitarist too, (eg Air)
