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Posts: 370
Joined: May 23 2007
From: Frederick, MD
Guitar shops in Madrid
Hey guys
Which guitar shops are worth going to in Madrid?
Looks like there are 2 or 3 Conde stores, one Bernal store and a Ramirez store. There are probably more but these are the ones I know of. Are all of these worth the visit?
Tezanos and Perez split up amicably more than 5 years ago.
Mariano Tezanos is at C. Vicente Camaron 19, Perez is at C. del Peru 4, last i knew.
Pablo "Manuel Contreras II" sadly passed away months ago. I understand the shop in C. Mayor was to be closed. Guitars with the Contreras label are still to be produced by former employees.
Arcangel Fernandez retired several months ago.
Vicente Perez Camacho died years ago.
I don't know whether Rodriguez still has the shop in C. Hortaleza. Since I visited there more than 30 years ago the company has expanded greatly into a manufacturing organization headquartered in Esquivias, south of Madrid.
The Conde shop at Gravina 7 was run by the widow of Faustino, one of the original Sobrinos de Esteso, last I knew.
There is a Conde shop at Calle Atocha 53, under the direction of the sons and granddaughter of Julio, one of the original three Sobrinos de Esteso.
The most prestigious--and expensive--of the three Conde shops in Madrid is that of Felipe Conde, C. Arrieta 4. Felipe is the son of Mariano, one of the original Sobrinos de Esteso, but is supposed to have learned guitar making from Faustino, the senior one of the three Sobrinos.
Who actually makes the various Conde guitars is the subject of considerable debate and speculation, but notable artists continue to use them.
Mariano Conde, Junior's shop is at C. de Amnistia 1. On Youtube you will find a video which shows him and his son Mariano III making guitars. I don't know whether all the guitars sold at this shop are made there.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Guitar shops in Madrid (in reply to Bogdan1980)
Well we saw and aruged about Felipe Conde's new guitars. A friend played a Mariano Conde and said it was great when he visited spain. Personally I would make a point to try and compare the two brother's guitars to see what's really up with those two. One of the best guitars I have played was kind of unique, a walnut back and sides Conde from Gravina late 80's and it was signed, oddly, "Felipe Conde".
Posts: 3487
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: Guitar shops in Madrid (in reply to Bogdan1980)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Bogdan1980
So the different Conde shops are essentially run by different people that make guitars with differing approach? Or is it all just one big family?
Some question whether the people running the Atocha, Gravina and Felipe Conde shops make any guitars at all, or just have guitars made to their specifications by other organizations. Personally I don't know, nor do I know of any one who claims to have a definitive answer.
Yes, they are one big family, all related by blood or marriage. But the businesses began to diverge quite a while back. The split between Mariano Jr. and Felipe is more recent.
Given all that, more prominent flamencos play Condes than any other brand.
RE: Guitar shops in Madrid (in reply to Bogdan1980)
Bogdan can I ask how long you are going for and have you been to Spain or Madrid before ? I only ask becausre dispite going to Spain regularly for 25 years I got caught out by the different pace of life in Madrid compared to London when I went to buy a name brand guitar from thier shop a couple of years ago.
I would,nt criticize any one on an open forum with out them beinging able to defend them selves so I won,t name names but safe to say the three different shops I went to had the same attitude.
I would recommend you have a clear idea of what you want and then ring ahead to the shop of choice and make an appointment with your requirements. Also give yourself plenty of time ,I found along weekend nowhere near long enough.
Dispite the problems I will be back to up grade the guitar I bought , but just remember in Spain at the weekend siesta is king not money.Even in a recession.
Allow your self a full week to try various guitars, multiple visits, build a relationship with the guys in the shop and sleep on your choices.
Of course if you,ve been before you,ll know all this .
I love the place and will be back there next year to up grade my instument having learned from the expirience.
Good luck and I hope you get the guitar your looking for and please let us know how you get on.
_____________________________
"Now Im retired I,ve got my practise time down to 4 hours aday".................Julian Bream
Well we saw and aruged about Felipe Conde's new guitars. A friend played a Mariano Conde and said it was great when he visited spain. Personally I would make a point to try and compare the two brother's guitars to see what's really up with those two. One of the best guitars I have played was kind of unique, a walnut back and sides Conde from Gravina late 80's and it was signed, oddly, "Felipe Conde".
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Guitar shops in Madrid (in reply to Bogdan1980)
If for any reason a trip to the Conde stores could provide fodder for some entertaining stories. You have family skulldullgery, Chinese guitars, factory guitars disguised as "hand made Conde", Royal Spanish Cypress, etc. etc.
Well we saw and aruged about Felipe Conde's new guitars. A friend played a Mariano Conde and said it was great when he visited spain. Personally I would make a point to try and compare the two brother's guitars to see what's really up with those two. One of the best guitars I have played was kind of unique, a walnut back and sides Conde from Gravina late 80's and it was signed, oddly, "Felipe Conde".
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