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I discovered a shop with alot of Raimundo guitars. They seem to have the 128P and the 145P. Does anyone here have any experience with Raimundos? Any input will be appreciated.
I used to own the 128p model about 10 years ago. It was a decent starter guitar. I sold it before I moved to Spain when I upgraded to a Burgut 2f. I don't remember it being anything special but I also don't remember anything negative about it either.
OK but currently, I am practicing and playing all my flamenco or rather fakemenco on this guitar it does seem that guitars constructed for flamenco would be more inspiring?
I think you will do well to acquire a flamenco guitar. I've owned and played many Yamahas since my first classical guitar lessons on a fully laminated CG-100, or whatever it was, that was even smashed to bits and re-glued by my brother and still had perfect action. Yamaha have perfected mass production of really decent, durable, and inexpensive entry-level to intermediate guitars. I still own a A/E 150 cutaway similar to yours for performance convenience. But what is important to beginners is to have a good playing guitar with good intonation--tone is a secondary consideration. Yammys are durably constructed and are very reliable--even old ones can survive over the years with proper neck alignment. Some of the old laminated steel-string guitars sound exceptionally good for what they are--I own a couple of these.
But, as an advancing player, you are at a point where tone and perhaps other aesthetic concerns are becoming more important. A flamenco guitar is built much lighter than your Yamaha, produces more resonance, and is far more responsive--this will become immediately apparent to you when you acquire one. It will give you energy because it will produce a tone that you hear in your imagination that is flamenco, you will feel its vibrations, and you will play better. It will also inspire you to practice more. Also very important is that you will hear things in your playing on a good instrument that you did not hear before--lazy technique or execution suddenly becomes apparent in poor tone. A good instrument demands proper technique. One of the skills you develop as a guitarist, along with playing skills, is a sensitivity for the physical and sonic aesthetic qualities of the instrument.
I have tried several of the Yamaha CG-171Fs and, while they are very good for the money, IMO they are more like classical guitars than flamenco. They have a lack of vitality that you will hear in a better flamenco guitar. Like all Asian imports designed and manufactured for the beginner to intermediate market, these instruments are probably built more for durability and reliability--employing heavier bracings, heavier tops, thicker laquers--than for responsiveness.
Thank you very much for the input. I'm glad you warned me about the 171FS because I could order that in my country for comparatively little. There is a shop close to me with a Raimundo 125 and a Raimundo 160. Do you have any experience with these?
BTW I am working on a lute suite of Bach at the moment. I can't get enough of his compositions.
I"ve not played the 125. Raimundo enjoyed a reputation for comparitive quality--I cannot say that they are better or worse than comparable Alhambras, Rodriguez, Cordobas.
But, of the made in Spain entry-level guitars that I've played, I have not been impressed by any of them except for Esteve. Some of them are pretty rough--at least the fit and finish of the Yamaha are consistently produced. Frankly, it's difficult to choose between guitars at this point because, IMO, none of them are really very good-sounding. My choice would be to try to find a guitar that is reasonably responsive and has a flamenco "feel." But most of these should be suitable in that regard compared with your Yamaha.
Also, Aparicio was once touted as a good entry-level guitar.
Conrad, doesn't you guitar have a naroower nut width?... you'll definitely want a wider neck for flamenco and classical. I like my narrow width Yammy for jazz and bossa nova, though.
Thank you Randal. I did play a Ramirez fl2 yesterday and that was good but about R3000 which is more than $3000. I will try out the Raimundos this week.
Well, if you're playing 3K guitars and shopping around for a 125, prepare to be underwhelmed. You may just want to save up and get a really good guitar. Do you have a teacher?... and can the teacher steer you toward a guitar?
I now own a Raimundo flamenco guitar and I am extremely happy with it. A lot of the frustrations of not getting a flamenco sound from a Japanese classical guitar are gone now!
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