Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Thinking of a new Conde FC28. I play a David Pene Vargas Blanca and a Gracilliano Perez Negra. Since the Conde will be the most expensive for me so far what other maker should I consider ? ..Marvi ? Jeronimo? Jimenez ?
There are so many good ones… It actually depends on your budget, the sound quality you are after, your preferences as a player… Take a look at the solera flamenca shop webpage: they have a good amount of videos of flamenco guitars, just to have an idea of the market. After that try to play the real thing (as many flamenco guitars as you possible can) before you commission a certain maker.
Ok.. i’ve never played a Conde but have heard many on video…they are close to $11,000 brand new.. Plus, the FC28 does not come up very often on the used market. My Graciliano Perez Negra has an exceptional sound but I made the mistake of ordering it in the 52 mm neck which is too narrow. All else fails I may sell the Graciliano and order a 53 mm Graciliano Perez Negra.
I normally direct newcomers to Conde to look at used ones via Dan Zeff guitars dot com. Used guitars won’t be as expensive and likely were used enough to have lost stiffness and already gone through humidity changes. A brand new guitar is for rich guys IMO, in which case I would recommend Felipe jr (crespo). I would not mind owning his guitar if I had the extra money. But for the most part you can find used instruments in the same caliber and can still be resold if someone doesn’t like it, without losing money. Brand new guitars always lose money unless you hold on to them for like a decade or two.
As of 10 years ago when I was able to compare them, yes. I have no idea if quality has changed since then, but considering you claim they are not coming up used, that means they are either just as good, or the owners are being forced to hold them to unload them when the value increases to new cost. Your best bet would be to interview some people that have them now. I noticed a while back one of my favorite players (Mercedes Lujan) started using a Felipe jr….and she has many great guitars already.
I am looking for an FC28 Negra with 53mm neck and 664mm scale.. so not many come up for sale used in this configuration
These are quite regularly for sale second hand. You may have to be patient for right guitar specs. Though right now you can get one with these measurements, it used to be Diego Morao's. It's about half the price of a new one and that price is through a dealer for a guitar of a famous player.
Ps Have you looked at the string spacing at the nut of your 52mm Graciliano Perez? What is the spacing? You may find a new nut may make it play better for you.
Ok .. looked at that FC28. It is beautiful. I don’t care for the autograph on the front but the price is excellent, and it is a guitar that Diego del Morao actually played. Also, your suggestion to put a new nut with wider spacing on my Graciliano is excellent, and I hadn’t thought about that. I will say that my Graciliano Perez Negra is a cutaway and sounds almost angelic at times the bracing is very special and the wood he uses old stock
Ok .. looked at that FC28. It is beautiful. I don’t care for the autograph on the front but the price is excellent, and it is a guitar that Diego del Morao actually played. Also, your suggestion to put a new nut with wider spacing on my Graciliano is excellent, and I hadn’t thought about that. I will say that my Graciliano Perez Negra is a cutaway and sounds almost angelic at times the bracing is very special and the wood he uses old stock
The nut width doesn’t matter…it is literally the way the string slots are cut. You can get a new nut and do it yourself, wide as you want. What happens is if the string slots are cut close together, due to a desire to maintain a large space outside of both E strings to the edge of the fingerboard, the guitar feels too cramped down in the first position.
I don’t post here regularly, I’m more of a lurker, but I feel like I have some input here. I have a 2007 conde Blanca from Felipe V, that I bought used. After many years of resisting buying another guitar, I was really craving a negra to go along with my Blanca. I Was looking at used conde Felipe V negras from the era of my guitar (in the US) and some cost as much as a new Felipe conde crespo. I remember seeing a post by Ricardo praising a crespo guitar he tried in Spain. I’ve taken lessons from Ricardo for a long time, played most of his guitars, and trust his opinion. I emailed Felipe crespo and ordered a guitar. At first, I was nervous as it seemed risky, but I can definitely say I’m glad I made the decision. It roared right out the box. I’m not a luthier, but it has a different feel than the Felipe V guitars I’ve played. He uses a different bracing system and there are a few other things I’ve noted, like neck shape, fretboard thickness, and bridge design. It’s a very enjoyable guitar to play. Wonderful sound. Great response and comfort on the right hand. I can’t wait to see how it develops in time.
I don’t post here regularly, I’m more of a lurker, but I feel like I have some input here. I have a 2007 conde Blanca from Felipe V, that I bought used. After many years of resisting buying another guitar, I was really craving a negra to go along with my Blanca. I Was looking at used conde Felipe V negras from the era of my guitar (in the US) and some cost as much as a new Felipe conde crespo. I remember seeing a post by Ricardo praising a crespo guitar he tried in Spain. I’ve taken lessons from Ricardo for a long time, played most of his guitars, and trust his opinion. I emailed Felipe crespo and ordered a guitar. At first, I was nervous as it seemed risky, but I can definitely say I’m glad I made the decision. It roared right out the box. I’m not a luthier, but it has a different feel than the Felipe V guitars I’ve played. He uses a different bracing system and there are a few other things I’ve noted, like neck shape, fretboard thickness, and bridge design. It’s a very enjoyable guitar to play. Wonderful sound. Great response and comfort on the right hand. I can’t wait to see how it develops in time.
I had not played one of these in a long time before Jack here brought it over to a lesson. It basically confirmed what I had remembered when I first got to hear a Crespo guitar in Sanlucar 10 years ago. Best guitar in the room, and I have to admit hearing it in my own studio here, same deal. Best guitar in my room. I was only jealous of one student’s guitar in the past, which was a nice 1974 Reyes, but now there is this Felipe Conde Jr. Crespo. So not a fluke, he is still making great instruments.
Printable Version
I was only jealous of one student’s guitar in the past, which was a nice 1974 Reyes, but now there is this Felipe Conde Jr. Crespo. So not a fluke, he is still making great instruments. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread