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Posts: 17
Joined: Jun. 15 2007
From: New Mexico, USA
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
I have guitars from Manuel Adalid, Vicente Sanchiz, Hermanos Sanchiz Lopez and Pedro de Miguel. The Adalid (Viviana) is the best sounding of them all. I selected the guitar from Zavaletas. James is a great guy. We spent several hours looking/playing his many guitars. If you have the opportunity, go to Tucson.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
I strongly recommend the Manuel Adalid Viviana, and I equally recommend that you get it from Zavaleta's. A couple of years ago I made arrangements to visit Zavaleta's in Tucson to try several of his guitars. James Greenberg, the owner is first-rate. I went out to dinner with James and his wife, and then we went back to his place and tried several flamenco guitars. I was prepared to spend much more than the $2,500 that the Viviana cost. After trying several, however, I concluded that the Manuel Adalid Viviana had the best playability and sounded great--muy flamenco! The Manuel Adalid Viviana flamenca blanca I bought at Zavaleta's is the finest of the three flamenco guitars I own, the other two of which each cost more than the Viviana.
Cheers,
Bill
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And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
I own the Viviana blanca (listed as #3 at Zavaletas site) in late January of 2012. I had a Vicente Carrillo blanca in the past, had a Francisco Navarro negra, and have played a couple of concert caliber guitars built by Thomas Rodriguez for Marija Temo as well as played a Marin Montero owned by my guitar teacher. My Rodriguez is almost in the same class as the Marin, as my guitar teacher agreed and he knows his guitars (as well as David Russel and Manuel Barrueco).
The Viviana I got, I selected from the sound clips because it had a more lyrical tone that could serve as a classical guitar or crossover guitar (somewhat like a negra). It has good sustain and is well balanced with a strong growly bass and clear, pretty trebles. I find the tuners are good, smooth and positive. The guitar is well made inside and out with solid lining (not kerfed), tight grained spruce top, and a very nice fretboard with the edge eased a bit. Setup is quite good and can be lowered just a bit more. It plays easily and the laquer finish is well shot and has that nice 'dry' feel though it is glossy.
For the cost new, with a nice Esteve case, it's a very good value. It's not a Marin or Contreras, but most players are not near a level to require a 6-9000 dollar instrument. At $2500, the Viviana is a lot of guitar and I feel Jim Greenberg is a decent fellow who deals honestly.
Posts: 271
Joined: Sep. 19 2011
From: Louisville KY
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
I haven't owned an Adalid flamenco but am sure they are well worth the money. I had one of his classicals which I played for about 4 years. Great construction, playability and quite loud. When I went to sell it though, it was another matter. I had given around $3000 for it, (not from James), and I think I let it go for $1200/$1300... Either way I took a hard hit... I had some medical bills that needed to be paid, and that forced the sale. Even though I had it on the market for almost 2 months, I couldn't get an offer at $2000, which was $1000 less than I had paid. After that I got a little leery on the resale value of his instruments. I'm sure you can't go wrong and his flamencos are great. Just make sure that you are going to want to keep it before sinking the money into it. Don't forget about Andy and a few other of these makers on here which still have low prices. Also you can still get a Castillo for that money. Judging by what you like about the Adalid, you may be well off with a negra if you don't go with the Adalid blanca.
Posts: 143
Joined: Jan. 23 2005
From: New York, New York
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
If you can try the guitar before you buy, or if you can get hands-on feedback from someone you trust, Adalid guitars can be really great. I have a very nice negra he built just as he was starting his own shop. He didn't even have shop labels when he built the guitar, so he sent one along after he had them printed.
Mine is set up and tuned more as a cross-over guitar. It has big basses, sweet trebles, decent sustain, and lots of harmonics, and rewards a heavy right hand. If I had been a more experienced player when I bought it, I probaby would have gone for something a little more "puro." The Adalid guitar was a lot of guitar for the buck, though, and cheapest guitar that I like better cost $2,000 more.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Reviews on Manuel Adalid guitars... (in reply to darylcrisp)
A friend owned one that was personalized with his name on the label. But he sold it. I thought it sounded great for a negra, and the set up was perfect. ONly thing I did not like was the head design was all spiky, different then the torres style pictured. Anyway surprising good quality for Valencia guitar.
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I thought it sounded great for a negra, and the set up was perfect. ONly thing I did not like was the head design was all spiky, different then the torres style pictured. Anyway surprising good quality for Valencia guitar. 
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