Reyes models

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Reyes models

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Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

Reyes models

Driving from Lafayette Louisiana to Austin yesterday (383 miles=617 km) I stopped off in Houston to check out some of Francisco Navarro's "Reyes Model" guitars at Ron Hudson's Memorial Music.

Having driven for a few hours before enduring the ever-expanding nightmare of Houston traffic (4 lanes in each direction, dense traffic traveling 80 miles/hour=130 km/hour, 18 miles=30 km through most of the Houston megapolis) my fingers were stiff from a death grip on the steering wheel, but I found Navarro's guitars interesting.

I played a used cocobolo/spruce negra, and two cypress/spruce blancas, one with the Reyes headstock and Navarro's standard label, one with a slightly different headstock and the Vicente Amigo/Navarro label, with a signature, presumably Vicente's, on it.

All were strung with Savarez Alliance "carbon" trebles, which I don't particularly like. I had my trusty '67 Ramirez blanca along, with well broken in Savarez "red card" 520-R strings. The basses on the Navarros, looking pretty new, equalled the power and brilliance of the Ramirez's well broken in ones. The trebles of the Navarros seemed to me overbalanced just a little by the basses, but when Ron played for me they seemed a little louder than the Ramirez trebles. My touch was calibrated to the Ramirez, since it was the guitar I had been playing for several days. I commented that the Ramirez nylon trebles had a fuller sound, while the "carbons" on the Navarros were loud, but a little shrill to my taste.

The workmanship, setup and prices of the Navarros were all excellent. I might go back some time soon, if I could persuade Hudson to string up one or more of the Navarros with nylon trebles and let them settle for a week or so. I might even take along the '82 Arcangel blanca to compare.

Hudson also mentioned that Navarro is making some guitars for the Cordoba brand.

The last time I was in Paracho, Mexico at the end of 2006 I visited Navarro's shop. It is on the main street of the town. The only place to try a guitar was by the door opening onto the street, with so much traffic noise it was impossible to tell much about a guitar. Hudson says that since then Navarro has built a house and no longer lives behind the shop, which has expanded. Maybe there is some hope for a quiet place to try out a guitar.

Speaking of the Arcangel, I plan to take it to San Antonio on Tuesday. Tom Blackshear wants to compare it with his latest Reyes style build.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 7 2018 20:54:03

NewPlayer

Posts: 141
Joined: Nov. 29 2012
From: San Francisco

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

Thanks for the post Richard. Please keep us updated on your next visit.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 8 2018 17:15:36

Ricardo

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

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

I’ve known about the ridiculous price to quality going on with some Paracho guitars for a while now. Navarro is quite good, even better is Salvador Castillo blancas...at least was the case a few years back. Instruments like these balance the market I guess, or rather, keep it from getting out of control.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 8 2018 19:32:34

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Ricardo)

As is the case with many makers when you drop in on their shop, encountering their best guitars in Paracho is hit or miss. Mostly miss, since the top models of the best makers ship out as soon as they are finished.

The only finished guitar Abel Garcia had when I went to his shop was the one he made for his daughter. It was about the size of the smaller ones Torres made, maybe 635mm scale. But it was so good I ordered a spruce/Brazilian classical from him, 655mm scale, 54mm nut. When it showed up in Austin nearly 3 years later it turned out to be 650mm, but I have enjoyed it ever since.

When I was in Paracho in 2006 I visited Salvador Castillo. His shop is on the main street too, with the attendant noise. There was a young man from Chicago there to pick up his instrument, a spruce blanca. He said he was going to put electronics in it to gig with. He was a good player, and had his cajon man along with him. We played for a while. Again, I couldn't tell much because of the street noise, but the Chicago man sounded good on it.

Navarro seems to be doing well with his "Reyes" models, which made a good impression on me at Hudson's shop in Houston.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2018 3:32:19

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

Speaking of Abel Garcia, George Katechis the owner of Berkeley Musical Instrument Exchange has been bringing Paracho guitars to his shop for almost 30 years now.

George has a relationship with a small collective of makers who where trained under Garcia directly, and he has a shop that always has 20 to 50 guitars on hand to play, compare and contrast. George will even phone up local known guitarists to drop over and demo guitars for those who want to hear someone else play them. This is particularly helpful to beginners.

If looking at many guitars at once is difficult to arrange there's no better place in all of North America to see 30 high quality Paracho classical and flamenco guitars in one sitting than BMIE. They usually have at least 30 guitars, but in the 25 years I've known George personally I've seen 60 guitars at once in his shop.

He's also got the goods and will send internationally. So if you can make it to Berkeley California, you can see more good guitars in one afternoon than you can in Paracho.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2018 0:22:46

JasonM

Posts: 2052
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

Thanks for the info.

When I first listened to Vicente amigos latest album I thought something sounded off in a couple of the tracks. Like he recorded them outside a studio or something. Then I realized they were Played on his Navarro guitar.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2018 13:49:32

NewPlayer

Posts: 141
Joined: Nov. 29 2012
From: San Francisco

RE: Reyes models (in reply to estebanana)

I can also attest to Stephen's comments on Berkeley Music Instrument Exchange (BMIE).
Interestingly, I was there last week and was able to tryout many flamencos ranging from a 76' Manuel Bellido to a $500 Paracho guitar that sounded very good. Obviously, the Bellido had superior playability and tone, but the low-end paracho guitars were a bargain at the asking price and were comparable to guitars in the $2500 range. You can't go wrong with the one'e he had on display.
William helped me out, was very patient and made no sales pitch.
A very unique guitar flamenco guitar shop indeed. I should really go more often.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2018 15:34:28

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

Another thing I would add about George and William, George's grown son who works the floor these days. They're a sincere and honest family. They've supported Paracho makers for a long time. And at one time we're in the store together with blues historian and fine player Marc Silber.

Before the current visibility of Paracho on the US side or internationally, George, who is from Puerto Rico, and Marc visited Paracho often, buying, but also bringing them power tools and other tools and plans that were difficult to acquire in Mexico at the time. George himself began his long relationship and encouragement of Paracho makers in the first couple of years of the 90's.

A combination of Paracho self-determination and George's input about the professional standards of the US market got the baseline of production in the town to move up. Since I've known George to bring guitars from Mexico I've seen the baseline of quality go up. 1997's guitars were pretty good, but the curve changed in the last 20 years and 2017 guitars are really sharp in relationship to price. And price off the table, blind tested, as with all batch made guitars, it's not uncommon to find individual guitars that far exceed the normal envelope of sound interest and play.

One example is the Fleta model that George and William commissioned to be built. I've seen several in the a shop and being played out that were like guns on a destroyer. They have a robust sound, but are responsive be and able to give voice to incredible detail in the music. And Marc worked with them to develop a Weissenborn style lap guitar. I've seen many of them as well and I can't think of other makers who can make them better than the Paracho collective, outside if getting a vintage W-born.

So if you like Paracho and what comes out of there, give George a nod and thanks for being a long time patron of the work and also for having a hand in the modern cultivation of the style and work quality. It's clear the relationship is a business, but as a model for factory to consumer process can effect a good product to a great product look no further.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 11 2018 1:16:38

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Reyes models (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

quote:

Navarro seems to be doing well with his "Reyes" models, which made a good impression on me at Hudson's shop in Houston.

I recently ordered a Reyes model from Ron Hudson for Juan Cadena to practice with. The flamenco guitar was impressive but I found it would have been better if the finish was given a little more time to dry before Poncho had the top polished out.

As to the voicing: One nice thing I noticed was the even pulsation of the strings when pulgar was used. But one thing I noticed was the softer sound, perhaps due to a thicker top, which I haven't checked yet, or that age is going to be needed for the top to open up.

Time will tell.

But the main down side to this is that the bridge is not a Reyes style, which I think detracts from the over-all operation and appearance of the guitar..........which are small issues, otherwise I like it.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 17 2018 23:33:39