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Recently, I played this 1990 Conde. IT WAS SIMPLY AMAZING....compared to the new Condes, this was very different. I know we have talked about Condes on the forum, but I thought it was worth mentioning it here for all the Conde lovers. I found the trebles to be much “meatier” than the newer Condes. Also, the basses had more depth.
Whoever made this Conde, is not the same maker as the one who made the most recent ones.
Agreed. Old in the sense that it is very hard to find <94 Condes specially Negras. I know it is easy to find Blancas from the 70s to the 90s but Negras, I would love to see them.
I live in California, in driving distance from the main dealers located in this state and I can hardly remember anything as old as this Conde Negra.
Whoever made this Conde, is not the same maker as the one who made the most recent ones.
"Whoever" has always been an issue. Unless you watched it bing made there is little chance of knowing. Beware of the "my guitar was made by Faustino" claims.
The Conde dynasty has been associated with guitar making since Faustino and Mariano apprenticed with their uncle Domingo Esteso in the 1930’s. The name goes on but along the way the designs and people making the guitars have changed although there is plenty of secrecy and speculation surrounding the whole enterprise.
After the death of Esteso in 1937 the brothers probably started out making guitars (with the widow and nephews label “Viuda y sobrinos de Domingo Esteso “) with no, or limited help. This changed over the years and from 1957 until at least 1968 they had a factory in Calle Santiago Maganto 4, Pozuelo de Alarcón, turning out cheap unsigned and undated guitars whose label bore this address. This factory was probably producing the cheaper guitars with the Gravina and Attocha (Julio Conde’s shop) addresses as well.
Who made the signed guitars in the 60’s and 70’s is a matter of speculation but Mario and Faustino were still actively involved in the production.
The picture in the 1980’s is even less clear. Faustino died in 1988 and Mariano in 1989. Guitars from this period have considerable variation in design and cosmetic detail supporting the rumours that many were being made elsewhere Spain (Granada is often mentioned). Mariano had opened his own shop in Calle Felipe V and I have seen pictures of a 1985 guitar in walnut bearing this address and the signature “M Conde” and some others signatures (which might be those his sons Mariano Jnr and Felipe) - a prototype for a new generation of guitars?
So we come to the date in question – the 1990 guitar bearing the Felipe V address. Mariano’s sons have started out on their own. Are they up to the job? Who is helping them or even making their guitars? We don’t really know the answer. And over at Attocha and Gravina, the production attributed to the other branches of the Conde family. Is similarly surrounded in mystery.
I don't know about guitar types, but based on a description I just read on Wikipedia, I'd say it's a blanca. It's all cypress, orange, with a white golpeador.
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The universe is indeed expanding - to get away from this planet.
So 12,000 dollars for a guitar and you don't even know who made it?
For 12,000 you could buy two excellent guitars by modern makers who are top builders or one old guitar, pre-1960's with a name like Barbero or Rodriguez-
It' blows my mind what passes for 12,000- just because it's anon. and Conde'. Past a certain year point Conde' just means a brand priced like a BMW, Porche or Mercedes, but with performance like a Ford Pinto.
Stephan, who cares who made it? you see Reyeses sold for more than $25,000, do you feel any better that you know the guitar was made by Reyes? does it justify that price?
What makes your guitar worth $4,600? if someone likes it, would pay for it right? and if they don't like it, they might find the $4,600 very expensive.
Price is a subjective matter. For some, that might not be an issue, for others, might.
Anyway, the purpose of this thread was to let the foro members know about an old conde Negra which, in my opinion, was very very good and very different than the newer Condes.
I always feel a lot of ignorance in this forum when people talk like they dont give a f u k about the fact that certain guitars that are thousands of euros. like it's nothing. it just makes me angry.
besides that, you posh guys: you think you gonna play better with an expensive guitar? think again
Relax dude. don't lose your temper on this subject. One day you will have enough money and be able to buy one nice guitar. Who knows, you may sound better on it
Once uppon a time there was a nice media luna. Despite of quite a crack in the top its price remained what I consider disproportional; and as the store owners weren´t willing to discount, yours truly passed without regrets.
Many years before that there was that very one, maybe finest nylon guitar I have ever come accross ( which today I suspect to have been a Hermanos Conde too ), lent to me for a couple of weeks and to my final request unwillingly offered for what used to be the equivalent of less than 350 USD.
Yet, I couldn´t raise that money at that time, and the passed at opportunity haunts me to this day.
Had I only known how rare such inspired items are, I would had found a way to dig up the cash.
And all this BS about the newer Condes been bad guitars: i played a Felipe Conde Negra 2011 (my friend bought it in music fair in Germany) and it was an awesome guitar. One of the best Negras i have ever played.