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My name is Larry and I'm 72 years old. I've played guitar since high school when I took it up in the height of the folk music revival in the US. I began with simple folk tunes and later progressed to intermediate level classical pieces; later still, jazz.
Presently I don't have a guitar in playable condition so I'm looking for advice on purchasing an entry level instrument. Having never ventured into this genre, I'm also looking for encouragement learning this fascinating art.
Thanks for having me here. Hopefully an old dog can learn a new trick!
RE: Hello from Western Norh Carolina (in reply to Whistler)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Whistler My name is Larry and I'm 72 years old. I've played guitar since high school when I took it up in the height of the folk music revival in the US. I began with simple folk tunes and later progressed to intermediate level classical pieces; later still, jazz.
Presently I don't have a guitar in playable condition so I'm looking for advice on purchasing an entry level instrument. Having never ventured into this genre, I'm also looking for encouragement learning this fascinating art.
Thanks for having me here. Hopefully an old dog can learn a new trick!
Welcome Whistler. This is a great place to get inspired about flamenco - there really are players of all levels here. If you're new to flamenco then you should look at getting leasons so you can get into the good habits early on.
For a guitar, it would depend on budget. Life is too short to only have a mediocre guitar. You've many years of guitar behind you, so go for something with a great sound, a comfortable set up and a smell that will want you to take her to bed with you.
RE: Hello from Western Norh Carolina (in reply to Whistler)
Welcome to the foro! If you use the search bar you'll find plenty of threads on entry-level guitars. I started out myself with a Valeriano Bernal and was quite happy with it. Opinions diverge though and the problem with entry-level factory-made guitars is that it's always difficult to know what you're really going to get.
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RE: Hello from Western Norh Carolina (in reply to Whistler)
Hi Larry.
I'm new to Flamenco, but not new to guitars. I'll throw down a few ideas and then let the experienced guys come in to tell you why I'm wrong - that way you'll get more feedback.
1) Go for solid wood, not laminated/plywood, for a better sound.
2) Flamenco guitar bodies are normally 4" deep to give a different sound to the deeper Classical guitars
3) Spruce smells great and is a good wood for the top of a Flamenco guitar, as is Cypress
4) Cypress, and Sycamore make nice sides and back. Rosewood is on the endangered list now and may be harder to come by for fretboard and bridge.
5) The kind of tuning pegs is down to personal taste and what you're used to. The 'violin' type work well if you know how, otherwise stick with standard tuners like on classical guitars.
6) Many Flamenco players want a raw sound with less 'sustain', hence the shallow build depth, different bracings and woods used.
7) Always fit a tap plate (golpeador) so you don't damage the guitar when you play it percussively
RE: Hello from Western Norh Carolina (in reply to AllThumbs)
quote:
(Ducks and runs)
I thought it was called "Snakes and ladders".
badum ts.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Hello from Western Norh Carolina (in reply to Whistler)
Can't go wrong with the cheap Yamaha CG Flamenco's, wish I had spent $350 on one of those instead of $800 on a cheap Dean España when I started. I say keep it as cheap as possible till you've been playing a few years and know what you REALLY want out of a flamenco guitar.
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(Ducks and runs)
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