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I'll never forget a traumatised Manolo Sanlucar asking me if he had seen anyone take his fabulous Ramirez guitar, at a course I attended in Cordoba. It turned out some nutter had had the bright idea of nicking it during a coffee break. That same nutter, probably realising it would be kind of hard to sell on, eventually dumped it in a wheelie bin and it was found after a full Cordoba police search, flashing lights, sirens and everything. I think that police response was fitting, considering this was a national emergency. That is the same instrument he's playing here in this magnificent Rondena. I've played it! He let me! Can you believe that?
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
my god, that's a horrible story
two years ago they broke into the house of a friend who is a bass player and took three high quality bases. they realized the same thing, that they are too specific to sell, they dumbed them in a park. later they were found... DEAD.... the bass guitars I mean....
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
What a story, and what a performance.
For every note, he inspected it, shaped it, rounded it, smoothed it, cleaned it, polished it, waxed it, dipped in gold, then projected it with super efficient minimalist hand movements and effort into our consciousness.
Posts: 14806
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Turron
I'll never forget a traumatised Manolo Sanlucar asking me if he had seen anyone take his fabulous Ramirez guitar, at a course I attended in Cordoba. It turned out some nutter had had the bright idea of nicking it during a coffee break. That same nutter, probably realising it would be kind of hard to sell on, eventually dumped it in a wheelie bin and it was found after a full Cordoba police search, flashing lights, sirens and everything. I think that police response was fitting, considering this was a national emergency. That is the same instrument he's playing here in this magnificent Rondena. I've played it! He let me! Can you believe that?
Close but not exact story. The guy from DC actually dumped HIS OWN guitar in the dump, so that's how they knew which student snatched it. he put Manolo's in his case and headed for airport eventually making back to DC. I know the dancer who was asked by police to check if the guitar was in the guy's possession (it was)...from there the story is foggy. Either, the cops took the guitar back and have it on hold all these years, (the guy wrongly accused a mutual friend of giving the police his address and was irate as they had taken the guitar) or, the crazy guy still has it. Either way, manolo never got the instrument back....yet.
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
Woah, where have all these juicy stories been hidden? Sounds like an idea for flamenco detective novel. man how could this student do that! that is so respectless... I'm more sorry to hear this for Manolo now that I know it was his own student who stole his guitar
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Ricardo)
That's right. I didn't know the guitar is still lost :( I did notice him playing other instruments but thought he'd just dusted off some of his others to give them some air. Thanks for filling me in. Were you there that year, Ricardo, or is this a story that's done the rounds? It might have been a good thing for some ears, though, because boy was that Ramirez buzzy. My ears always screamed 'bring the action up a bit, Manolo, pleeeeez...'
man how could this student do that! that is so respectless...
I suppose such must be the wondering of decency, pointing precisely at what makes low-life. Low-life indeed has no respect for anything. In fact it won´t conisder any being of value except the own. It is free of considerations regarding past ( what has been preceding / whether the victims might even have helped out the criminal or similar, etc.) or the future ( what may come of the crime / possibly causing much further damage to persons concerned than being of benefit to the crook).
The criminal spirit was left to himself from early on ( often from baby age) and thus due to taking over the common parental part of comforting and soothing, which again results in him being the subjective superiour and only relevant instance in life.
That is how come that the criminal spirit can commit whatever thinkable without reconsideration or regrets.
I think this to be a background detail that should become common knowledge. I think it could help a bit for prevention; but the least it could do would be to help answering the fathomlessness of decent minds who may wonder about bottomless shabbiness. It can really leave you behind helpless.
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
The 70s was the hey days of Ramirez and since then they seem to have fallen out of favor with classical players those who still play them use instruments they obtained in the 70s. Sp does Manelo play later year models?
Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to aeolus)
quote:
The 70s was the hey days of Ramirez and since then they seem to have fallen out of favor with classical players those who still play them use instruments they obtained in the 70s.
The heyday of Ramirez reaches back further than the 70s. Ramirez was very much a guitar of choice in the 60s as well. I think the brand has been mediocre for a long time now, and lives on its earlier reputation. Ramirez lost its cachet after Jose Ramirez III no longer was around.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
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: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
quote:
The heyday of Ramirez reaches back further than the 70s. Ramirez was very much a guitar of choice in the 60s as well. I think the brand has been mediocre for a long time now, and lives on its earlier reputation. Ramirez lost its cachet after Jose Ramirez III no longer was around.
Cheers,
Checking GSI in LA who seem to be the Ramirez distributors in the US, the 1a has been miscounted from $16500 to $11,500. So they are not selling like hot cakes. George Conor guitars in Boston as well as Dammann in Germany seem to be the favorites now. That's why I am curious as to what guitars Sanlucar plays.
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to aeolus)
quote:
ORIGINAL: aeolus
The 70s was the hey days of Ramirez and since then they seem to have fallen out of favor with classical players those who still play them use instruments they obtained in the 70s. Sp does Manelo play later year models?
If players´ preferences stated on internet forums count, and if my corresponding encounters in guitars stores be reflecting the mainsteram as well, then your observation is somehow surprising. Staff in better stores were personally taken by the `indescribable and unique sonority´ ( including the sincere mates among sales people) and in guitar forums like AG the brand of Ramirez was celebrated like the shizznizz as such.
In fact about 7 years or so ago, when I started describing my disappointment about a batch then sent to a store in Berlin by Ramirez on behalf of their anniversary, I was fanatically sh!t stormed like Quasimodo on the cathedrale.
Yet, after me fending off the mob, gradually would a few chaps raise their humble voice and confirm the unheard in that they had encountered overpriced mediocres and duds as well. Then over time the follower consensus decreased while critical reviews and opinions increased, until todays state, which appears to have not left over much from Ramirez former halo.
Until mid of last decade this make appeared to still represent the holy cow to the classical guitar community. Ramirez seemed THE synonym for finest classical guitar, and known even to the people like say Ferrari to fellow men who otherwise have no info on brands of racing cars.
Me at least hadn´t noticed noticable sceptisism before that point in time.
- Not to reject your claim of early objections among guitar players, but instead explain my curiousity about public critics that you wittnessed already decades before the year ~ 2006 ( when I think that turmoil took place on AG).
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to aeolus)
quote:
ORIGINAL: aeolus
Checking GSI in LA who seem to be the Ramirez distributors in the US, the 1a has been miscounted from $16500 to $11,500.
Still "humble" pricing. With the anniversary batch in Berlin 1As were offered for very close to 18 000€. ( -Asides badly kicked ass by the guitar that I picked instead for almost 1/4 the price.)
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Ruphus)
Well Manolo's kinda retired right now so I guess it's a moot point. For me, personally, it's always been Condes. I have a wonderful 1994 blanca that just shouts every note like a burning bear with a sore throat wearing a silk negligee. Nothing else comes close for playability and sound, for me. I guess I was lucky with the year and the workshop (Felipe V)
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
quote:
ORIGINAL: tele
So did the guitar get back to manolo? Since they basically know(i suppose) who took it how hard can it be to return it to the legendary owner?
not yet
Que pena...
Playing a guitar for 30 years and making everybody happy with it then it gets stolen and can't even be returned quickly... Basically it should be enough to see who's guitar it was in the trash and then go get the fool and give him some stoning.
He was "caught". The guitar could have 3 possible fates based on info I have.
1. He turned it over to authorities who have it in storage in definantly, as international legal people decided it was not worth to pursue and prosecute further as costs go above the guitar price tag.
2. He got scared after police questioned him and unloaded the instrument via pawn shop etc.
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to aeolus)
quote:
quote:
The heyday of Ramirez reaches back further than the 70s. Ramirez was very much a guitar of choice in the 60s as well. I think the brand has been mediocre for a long time now, and lives on its earlier reputation. Ramirez lost its cachet after Jose Ramirez III no longer was around.
Cheers,
Checking GSI in LA who seem to be the Ramirez distributors in the US, the 1a has been miscounted from $16500 to $11,500. So they are not selling like hot cakes.
Strictly speaking, GSI was never the US distributor for Ramirez. It was the Cordoba Music Group, but of course GSI is owned by them, so it doesn’t make that much difference.
However, Cordoba is no longer the US distributor for Ramirez. Because of that, Cordoba is liquidating its Ramirez stock, and to do that they are discounting Ramirez. That’s the real reason the 1A has been discounted, and not because “they are not selling like hotcakes.”
It’s become fashionable to say about Ramirez “the brand has been mediocre for a long time now, and lives on its earlier reputation.” I can’t agree. I sell and play Ramirez classical guitars, and I find them extremely fine instruments. I consider the Ramirez 130 Anos to be the best factory classical guitar in its price range.
Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
That dumb "student" deserves to be cursed with some serious gypsy curses. Like : "may you always play over the soundhole" or "may your guitars always have a high action".
Seriously how can someone interested in this art, going from DC to cordoba to have a class with the maestro, suddenly come up with such an idea.
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Turron)
quote:
However, Cordoba is no longer the US distributor for Ramirez. Because of that, Cordoba is liquidating its Ramirez stock, and to do that they are discounting Ramirez. That’s the real reason the 1A has been discounted, and not because “they are not selling like hotcakes.”
Well Sherry-Brener who lost the franchise just after The Flood still offers Ramirez guitars from the "golden age, 1969 to 1978, instruments he describes as having tops of old Spanish pine aka western red cedar. And he did sell them like hot cakes during the '70s.
Checking Google, it looks like Ramirez will be their own distributor in the US.
.
And here I thought Amigo was going to sell his own brand of guitars made by Navarro.
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Posts: 14806
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to aeolus)
quote:
ORIGINAL: aeolus
quote:
However, Cordoba is no longer the US distributor for Ramirez. Because of that, Cordoba is liquidating its Ramirez stock, and to do that they are discounting Ramirez. That’s the real reason the 1A has been discounted, and not because “they are not selling like hotcakes.”
Well Sherry-Brener who lost the franchise just after The Flood still offers Ramirez guitars from the "golden age, 1969 to 1978, instruments he describes as having tops of old Spanish pine aka western red cedar. And he did sell them like hot cakes during the '70s.
Checking Google, it looks like Ramirez will be their own distributor in the US.
.
And here I thought Amigo was going to sell his own brand of guitars made by Navarro.
gosh he really is into this marketing thing lately. in the end we all know he will be with Reyes.
Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
Checking Google, it looks like Ramirez will be their own distributor in the US.
No, they won’t. They have already selected a new distributor, and the company is already distributing. It is Gold Tone, in Florida. It’s really baffling how on earth Ramirez picked this company. They are banjo dealers! Honest.
They don’t know the first thing about classical or flamenco guitars. You could have guessed that anyway, but one conversation with them made it obvious to me.
It’s really weird. I think Amalia has been drinking too much vino.
No. Manolo has offered a reward (under the table) for it's return, saying "he has not played as himself since". Based on my info the guy was named "Jose Ferrer" and he used to own a restaurant in Alexandria VA called Barcelona, long gone (pre-1996). By all accounts he was a nut case. Haven't been able to dig up much more about the guy.
RE: Manolo Sanlucar's Ramirez (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
quote:
ORIGINAL: tele
Has the guitar been returned to Manolo yet?
No. Manolo has offered a reward (under the table) for it's return, saying "he has not played as himself since". Based on my info the guy was named "Jose Ferrer" and he used to own a restaurant in Alexandria VA called Barcelona, long gone (pre-1996). By all accounts he was a nut case. Haven't been able to dig up much more about the guy.
I wonder how difficult can it be to return it when they even know who took it? I guess police are equally ineffective worldwide.
No. Manolo has offered a reward (under the table) for it's return, saying "he has not played as himself since". Based on my info the guy was named "Jose Ferrer" and he used to own a restaurant in Alexandria VA called Barcelona, long gone (pre-1996). By all accounts he was a nut case. Haven't been able to dig up much more about the guy.
I wonder how difficult can it be to return it when they even know who took it? I guess police are equally ineffective worldwide.
God forbid they find out it has Brazilian rosewood on it!
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