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Posts: 271
Joined: Sep. 19 2011
From: Louisville KY
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to HolyEvil)
quote:
ORIGINAL: HolyEvil
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
Sound wise Castillo was closer to Reyes than any Reyes copies I have ever played. Except the neck.
now you've done it.. everyone would be wanting to buy castillo now.. push prices up for the common man.. damn you ricardo.. damn you..
There you go... That's why I own 2 Castillos, and undoubtedly will own more over my lifetime hopefully.
My experience with the Navarro Reyes wasn't quite as good as I hoped for. Granted, I have only played 1, but it just wasn't my bag. Nothing in the world wrong with it, but it seemed to be on the warmer side, not as percussive as I like, and over all seemed to have a little more of a classical voice and lots of tone color. These are things that don't suit my playing style. These seem to be atributes of lots of Navarros, and as I said, nothing wrong with that.
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to Shawn Brock)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Shawn Brock
quote:
ORIGINAL: HolyEvil
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
Sound wise Castillo was closer to Reyes than any Reyes copies I have ever played. Except the neck.
now you've done it.. everyone would be wanting to buy castillo now.. push prices up for the common man.. damn you ricardo.. damn you..
There you go... That's why I own 2 Castillos, and undoubtedly will own more over my lifetime hopefully.
My experience with the Navarro Reyes wasn't quite as good as I hoped for. Granted, I have only played 1, but it just wasn't my bag. Nothing in the world wrong with it, but it seemed to be on the warmer side, not as percussive as I like, and over all seemed to have a little more of a classical voice and lots of tone color. These are things that don't suit my playing style. These seem to be atributes of lots of Navarros, and as I said, nothing wrong with that.
The 2003 plan that Navarro works with is a sweeter style than the 80's style Reyes; more bell like quality, which if tuned right, goes more toward the side of Nino Ricardo's old 55 Conde style.
But make no mistake, Navarro's Santos style is quite different, not better, just different.
Also, Navarro recently started building the Reyes style with flat tops, which adds more percussive value, but with a sweet edge. This is what I've experienced with his latest build.
The Mexico trend was to build with slightly domed tops and it took Navarro over a year to settle into a flat top, which works better for that style; giving better articulation and snap for the picado and rasgueado.
"Repairs: $50/ hour; $75/hour if you watch; $100/hour if you help."
I need this sign.
The Castillo guitars I have repaired and played were really nice. They reminded me more of Manuel de la Chica's guitars than Reyes'. That's not a bad place to be.
They seem to be soft under the left hand with sure voices, but not aggressive. They are nice guitars that are easy to play.
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to estebanana)
quote:
ORIGINAL: estebanana
quote:
"Repairs: $50/ hour; $75/hour if you watch; $100/hour if you help."
I need this sign.
The Castillo guitars I have repaired and played were really nice. They reminded me more of Manuel de la Chica's guitars than Reyes'. That's not a bad place to be.
They seem to be soft under the left hand with sure voices, but not aggressive. They are nice guitars that are easy to play.
I have personally seen these guitars to be very soft in action, as well as being very hard to play, as they came across my bench for repair. I think all factory guitars will give a wider variance of adjustments needed than independent Luthier built guitars. But the greater truth is that all guitars made out of wood, will move with the weather, to some extent.
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to HolyEvil)
quote:
ORIGINAL: HolyEvil
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tom Blackshear
I have personally seen these guitars to be very soft in action, as well as being very hard to play, as they came across my bench for repair.
Can you clarify what does sentence mean? Does it mean that it is easy on left hand and hard on the right hand?
cheers
One of the guitars had soft action and one had a hard action to play but both guitars were playable. The soft action had a better over-all dynamic in tone but was weak in its 4th string. The other had a harder action with strong delivery but lacked certain elements in its voicing. This was quite a few years ago, and I would imagine that all makers grow in their art over time.
Posts: 271
Joined: Sep. 19 2011
From: Louisville KY
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
[/quote]
One of the guitars had soft action and one had a hard action to play but both guitars were playable. The soft action had a better over-all dynamic in tone but was weak in its 4th string. The other had a harder action with strong delivery but lacked certain elements in its voicing. This was quite a few years ago, and I would imagine that all makers grow in their art over time. [/quote] Tom, its also possible that the players had the wrong strings on for these guitars don't you think?
Of all of Castillos guitars that I have played they all played great for both hands. That's not to say that I don't have to work a little harder on my negra which he made, than I do on the blanca he made which I also own. For one thing, the blanca is a cedar top, and I have always found it easier to get the most out of cedar without digging in.
I know that both of my Castillos sound best with J46C, though normally he voices his guitars with J45C.
RE: 2004 Tom Blackshear 'Reyes' (in reply to Shawn Brock)
This is not a discussion on his current models and I'm trying to be fair with it. No two guitars are going to set model quality. Perhaps two different string brands caused some difference but what I experienced was that they were both tuned differently; most likely top thickness or other things came into play.
For that matter no two Ramirez guitars are the same.
If they were, it would be called a science rather than art.
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