RE: Early birthday present

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Guest

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Escribano)

Thats right Simon. It was set up as a classical, but we changed the bones and put on a golpeador.

Sean

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 4:58:11

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

What I don't understand is why they would even use Brazilian Rosewood,

MdM,

No question about it, Brazilian Rosewood is unique and produces a very solid, clean and big sound.
Indian Rosewood's sound is not as bright and a bit grainy or chewey (voice like) a characteristic which some believe is good for making flamenco guitars.

Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 14:58:59

Escribano

Posts: 6418
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Guest)

Good choice, I nearly bought it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 15:20:19

Guest

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Miguel

Brazilian rosewood used to be cheap. Now it is very expensive due to controls and a Brazilian guitar, especially of jacaranda, would reflect the rise. People like it because it is pretty. Indian rosewood, which is just as good as Brazilian, but without the fancy figuring, costs about the same as cypress, which has become much more expensive. But materials only play a small part in the cost of a guitar, though jacaranda and hand made machine heads certainly would add a lot.

The common view is that cypress is very bright and that rosewood gives greater sonority and depth to the basses. There is a grain of truth in this. But a guitar in which the bass predominates in neither a good classical nor a good flamenco. I have played many flamenco negras with this problem.

But I have played a few which were properly balanced between treble and bass.

A good Reyes blanca is all treble, even the basses

My Gerundino blanca has much more weight to each note and more matices. Played by a friend who is a classical concert player, it is a great classical, but he does not want to use it because blancas are a no no in the classical world. But it sounds very flamenco, when played by a flamenco: I would not change it for a Reyes. The good flamenco negras that I have played have a roughly similar sound.

A great deal depends on the thicknessing of the wood and the internal volume of the guitar. On the other forum, there is a strong opinion that Spanish makers are too traditional and that American makers are much more open to experiment. I am inclined to believe this, having played a Pedro de Miguel negra and a Conde Felipe V negra, both of which suffered from this imbalance.

So I am convinced that a good constructor can make a blanca or a negra with similar sound characteristics. The only proviso is that I have never heard a guitar more treble than a good Reyes blanca. Whether this is good or bad is for each to decide.

Suerte

Sean

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 15:27:19

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Guest)

quote:

The only proviso is that I have never heard a guitar more treble than a good Reyes blanca.

I wish you could hear my Ramirez 69' cypress/spruce peghead. Just for comparison sake.

Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 17:18:30

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Early birthday present (in reply to Guest)

Sean,
thanks for taking the time to explain that. It makes me want to get one of those great blancas that you have. My guitar is a Vicente Carillo blanca, which is nice but no one would mistake it for a classical guitar I don't think. Also, the fretboard is a bit wide at the lower positions, perhaps because it is meant to be played with a capo. I love the idea of a guitar that sounds great for flamenco as well as classical. What a find that would be !

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2004 21:49:49