A different guitar

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A different guitar

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bluesbuster

Posts: 56
Joined: Mar. 9 2011
From: Los Angeles

A different guitar

Is there a flamenco guitar that sounds flamenco but plays electric? I'm not talking about an amplified or otherwise modified with an added pickup guitar. My interest is more towards an acoustic flamenco guitar with an electric guitar neck shape: 635mm scale length, 12"-16" radius and a slightly narrower fret-board. The hybrid guitars that I have played are not really satisfying (Taylor & Yamaha). Every hybrid seems to be aimed at a steel string or an electric player that needs a nylon strings sound but retains the electric setup. In other words, their acoustic is horrendous.

Maybe this issue has been already discussed on this excellent forum, and in that case I offer my apologies.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 15 2014 23:17:06

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

There is a reason why nylon string guitars have longer scales and wider necks than what you think is ideal and it has to do with playability and sound.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 16 2014 7:35:51

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

quote:

Is there a flamenco guitar that sounds flamenco but plays electric?

No

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 16 2014 8:08:28

bluesbuster

Posts: 56
Joined: Mar. 9 2011
From: Los Angeles

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

There is a reason why nylon string guitars have longer scales and wider necks than what you think is ideal and it has to do with playability and sound.

I agree about the sound since the neck shape and scale clearly can influence the guitar sound. As far as playability, that's mostly in the hand and mind of the player and thus much more subjective. For my playing I would prefer a neck that is a little narrower, not Fender Strat narrow but maybe a 48mm nut would work great.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 16 2014 20:35:40

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluesbuster

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

There is a reason why nylon string guitars have longer scales and wider necks than what you think is ideal and it has to do with playability and sound.

I agree about the sound since the neck shape and scale clearly can influence the guitar sound. As far as playability, that's mostly in the hand and mind of the player and thus much more subjective. For my playing I would prefer a neck that is a little narrower, not Fender Strat narrow but maybe a 48mm nut would work great.

The neck deal stops becoming subjective once you start playing with the proper right hand technique and all top level players gravitate to more or less the same design. Maybe you want to play it with a pick? In which case it's understandable, but already that's why the crossover guitars are a touch wider than an electric or steel string and not as wide as a concert classical.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 16 2014 21:16:44

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 11:09:02

bluesbuster

Posts: 56
Joined: Mar. 9 2011
From: Los Angeles

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

The neck deal stops becoming subjective once you start playing with the proper right hand technique and all top level players gravitate to more or less the same design. Maybe you want to play it with a pick? In which case it's understandable, but already that's why the crossover guitars are a touch wider than an electric or steel string and not as wide as a concert classical.

Ricardo, thanks for clarifying, I could have formulated the question better as "what crossover guitar can be recommended?". You've hit the nail on the head, I'm playing often with a pick and my right hand technique sucks. Old habits die hard, I have been playing electric for over 30 years but growing older I tend to set aside the Marshalls, Boogies and drive pedals for a more mellow - and I would argue more primordial - sound. I acquired an entry level flamenco guitar a few years ago and I feel it's time to look for something new.

thanks

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 17:43:08

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

You're looking for "more mellow"?

Wrong forum.

Joking

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 18:11:16

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

i believe the cordoba "cross over" guitars were made for the gyspy kings or made and the gypsy kings were paid to endorse them. you might want to try them. they usually can be found at a guitar center.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 18:22:35

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluesbuster

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

The neck deal stops becoming subjective once you start playing with the proper right hand technique and all top level players gravitate to more or less the same design. Maybe you want to play it with a pick? In which case it's understandable, but already that's why the crossover guitars are a touch wider than an electric or steel string and not as wide as a concert classical.

Ricardo, thanks for clarifying, I could have formulated the question better as "what crossover guitar can be recommended?". You've hit the nail on the head, I'm playing often with a pick and my right hand technique sucks. Old habits die hard, I have been playing electric for over 30 years but growing older I tend to set aside the Marshalls, Boogies and drive pedals for a more mellow - and I would argue more primordial - sound. I acquired an entry level flamenco guitar a few years ago and I feel it's time to look for something new.

thanks

Thought so As mentioned Cordoba has had some skinny neck models for years and don't sound so bad. Not so bad to pick on but arpegios feel very awkward and take lots of getting used to. But understand, the superior acoustic sound is simply NOT going to be found on crossover guitars. Luthiers figure if you gonna use a pick then you probably plug in via piezo too. Al Dimeola for one got used to the wide spacing of the Conde and plays it with a pick. Sometimes the simple trick of a nut with slots cut very close together make the feel more like you want so that alternate picking doesn't feel like jumping over a gorge when you cross strings.

Ricardo

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 20:47:17

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Ricardo)

@Ricardo

I like my electric guitars with 57mm spacing at the bridge, maybe there are more people who prefer wide string spacing when using a pick.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 21:20:40

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

I actually played one of the high end GK's by cordoba and hated it as a flamenco due to the string spacing but thinking of it as a crossover, it's probably the best you can get......

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 17 2014 22:23:41

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Sr. Martins)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rui Martins

@Ricardo

I like my electric guitars with 57mm spacing at the bridge, maybe there are more people who prefer wide string spacing when using a pick.

lol no

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 18 2014 6:20:34

El Burro Flamencuro

Posts: 118
Joined: Nov. 28 2012

RE: A different guitar (in reply to bluesbuster)

technically...you can add a pickup that will allow you to use midi patches / effects. but as soon as you do that...it's not really flamenco anymore. i believe they install it under the bridge and you might have to have a hole drilled in your guitar to fit a 1/4 plug....the pickup/plug and all this junk in your guitar will definitely affect the sonic qualities acoustically... by a margin of debatable quantities. So basically i wouldn't modify your nice concert guitar for this...instead i'd buy a whole new one for this purpose or buy a cheaper one and modify that. The extra distortion/ feedback would add a lot of sustain...killing the flamenco! So i wouldn't recommend it for flamenco, but you can play other genres like jazz, fakemenco, and maybe even classical with some less distortion patches. either way you'd be pissing off a lot of sound purists but the general public doesn't give a crap.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 18 2014 7:22:47

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Ricardo)

@Ricardo

A quick search reveals that Fender has many 57mm guitars so Iam not crazy here.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 18 2014 10:54:35

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: A different guitar (in reply to Sr. Martins)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rui Martins

@Ricardo

A quick search reveals that Fender has many 57mm guitars so Iam not crazy here.

sorry man read that as acoustic electric and was thinking nut spacing. My bad. LOL.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 18 2014 19:47:39