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Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

Yay!

After much discussion and skepticism on behalf of my wife and daughter, I have managed to persuaude them to go to Jerez for a week!!
Only thing is, it will have to be during the Easter school holidays so I wont see y'all there

Still, hopefully I can pick up a decent second hand guitar!!
My own one is really getting me down as there are certain frets I've got to avoid as there is so much buzzing.
Puts me in mind of a Stephen Wright joke that went:
"I have no 9 on my telephone. That button doesn't work. So I have no friends with a phone number that includes 9" LOL!
I had to promise my 10 year old daughter that she could ride a Palomino.
(Jeez....you've gotta throw in everything and hope it works out!!)
Feeling so happy!
Tiri tiri tiri.....tiri tiri ....
I'm now extremely worried about my playing and making a total fool of myself there.
But how do you try out a guitar without playing it?

LOL!

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 15 2003 21:38:42

Phil

Posts: 382
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Rota, Spain

RE: Yay! (in reply to Ron.M)

Ron,
Keep in mind that a lot of things shut down or have reduced hours in Spain during Holy Week. Especially Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Maybe Melchor could elaborate on this. So make sure you start looking for a guitar on Monday or Tuesday.

Other than that it's a good week to come. The daily processions are interesting to witness and inspirational even if you're not a religious person. Be sure to book your hotel rooms well in advance. If you're interested in a few lessons with El Carbonero let me know. He will almost certainly be closed on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, but maybe you could squeeze in a few hours Monday-Wednesday. I also might be able to help you find a reasonably priced guitar, send me a private email.

I certainly I hope I get a chance to meet you when you come.
Phil

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 15 2003 23:24:31

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Yay! (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

But how do you try out a guitar without playing it?

Ron;

I remember reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle back around 1968 about the nephew of Manuel de la Chica, who’s name I cannot remember or find. It seemed that the author of the article (several pages long in the Sunday edition) went to Paracho to buy a guitar, and met the nephew. The author said that not one set of strings could be found in the entire town! So he did not buy a guitar.

I met some people from Paracho, Mexico. In all likelyhood this is a true story as the town is so poor that in 1968 I doubt if anyone had a set of strings!

Buying a guitar can be interesting!

_____________________________

Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 1:29:07

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Yay! (in reply to Phil)

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the advice. Obviously I'll have to fit the week in during the school holidays (which I think are a couple of weeks long at Easter), so I'll try to maybe fit in the week before Semana Santa or leave it till the beginning of the summer hols.
The main thing is that I've got their (slightly reluctant) approval.
Their main complaint is that I will drag them round all the guitar shops and flamenco peñas etc and they'll be bored stiff.
And I can't go off and leave them to their own devices since they speak zero Spanish.
So I'll have to compromise here by going to the Zoo and other attractions, so suggestions of any "family type" things to do/see would be much appreciated!

My main purpose of the visit is to buy a good guitar.
The trouble with the UK is that there is only really London and the few shops there have a limited range at a very marked up price.
Jim has suggested having one made by Stephen Hill or Colin Morrison, but I'm a bit worried that there's the chance I may not like the guitar and would feel terrible having to explain this to the luthier, so would probably end up buying it! LOL!

This is the only chance I'll have to get the guitar I like, as I'll never have the dough again, so I really want to try some out and choose one I really like.

A couple of weeks ago I worked out that it wouldn't be much more expensive to get a cheap fight to say Madrid for a couple of days where I'd have a better choice at a better price.

Would I have a reasonable choice of "top end" guitars to try in Jerez?

Also can anybody recommend any cheap flights from the UK?

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 10:52:40

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Yay! (in reply to Ron.M)

For flights try http://www.easyjet.co.uk/en/book/index.asp
or http://www.flightline.co.uk/flights-to/malaga.htm
or http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/index.aspx

Semana Santa is a wonderful time to visit Spain, and see another side to the country when the religious come out of their churches and take over the streets. As Phil said you need to book hotels early. Here in Granada the whole rhythm of the town changes to accomodate the processions, whole streets, shops and bars close up. Its an amazing and very moving event to witness.

Saludos
kate

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 14:18:29

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Yay! (in reply to Ron.M)

Ron,
I know there's always the thought that it would be fantastic to walk into a shop somewhere in Spain and try out a selection of great guitars and pick the one you like, so when it comes to buying the one from the guy round the corner, it's always a worry but, and I don't know if this would be of interest to you, I would part with my Bernal at a reasonable price! I've said before that we'll need to meet up, so if you wanted to think about that, we could arrange something and you could try her out.
Just a thought.
Would give me a chance to learn some good Buleria!
cheers
Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 14:32:02

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Yay! (in reply to Ron.M)

Ron;

Buying a guitar in Spain can be problematic. You should know someone who can assist you with your selection.

Antonio Jose is a Spaniard who lives in Santa Clara, near me. He owned the Casa Madrid in San Francisco, which was a flamenco hangout. Juan Serrano played there as did I. At least once a year Antonio goes to Spain and brings back goodies related to flamenco. Guitars, dance accessories, etc. Antonio knew and knows all the great flamenco artists of yesterday as well as today. Here is a story that Antonio told me about one of the things you should be careful of in purchasing a guitar in Spain.

Some guitar shops will hire one or two gitano’s who act as “customers”. You walk in and ask to see and play a guitar. As you begin to play the “customers” approach you and tell you “what a great flamenco player you are” and “that guitar is perfect for you”. “You sound great and should purchase that guitar”! It has a label of a well-known Spanish Luither and a very low price. You purchase the instrument to find out later that it is a forgery and not a good instrument.

Next!

Do be careful and do your homework!

_____________________________

Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 15:29:18

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Yay! (in reply to Thomas Whiteley)

LOL! Tom,
That's a good scam!
I've been many places all over the world now, and on occasions been the target of some would-be swindler.
Usually I can get a hint of a scam going on, but what really gets me is the dexterity of these pickpockets you get from time to time.
I've caught enough of them now in "mid pickpocket" to work out how it's done.
Very ingenious actually.....

But nothing as so brash and audacious as the Sierre Leone (W. Africa) "watch lifting scam".
It's absolutely brilliant!
What most people don't know (and knowledge is the thing!) is that a wristwatch's weakest points are the two pin links holding the clasp to the actual watch.
So an "innocent" bystander asks you the time.
You expose your watch, and in an instant, he thrusts his hand between the watch and your wrist (takes practise to get it right) and then clenches his hand, thus exerting maximum force on the wrist band, which breaks instantly at the points I have mentioned.
Then he is gone, fleet footed into the night!
Bit annoying if it's a Timex.
Bit more annoying if it's a Rolex!
Had a few colleagues miffed about that one!

LOL!

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 21:39:57

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Yay! (in reply to Kate)

Thanks Kate,
There is an absolute myriad, of filght times and prices out there.
Of what I looked at today (on the Internet). I can get one flight via BA and another flight an hour later (Air France) only the Air France one cost's twice the price to get to the same place!
(Come quite a way since the storming of the Bastlle, haven't they?)

Thanks for the info Kate!

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 16 2003 21:52:19

bailoro2000

Posts: 93
Joined: Jul. 7 2003

RE: Yay! (in reply to Thomas Whiteley)

Hello Tom.

Your "Gypsy scam" mention made me smile a little ruefully because I believe I was inadvertantly the victim of just such a one. About 15 0r 16 years ago I had a small windfall and decided to use it on a decent guitar. Being just a little less than PDL standard of knowlege I went on tour around Malaga with high hopes that I would find a magical instrument that would make me a star overnight.

Eventually, after much walking on a very hot August day I found a shop that looked to be a flamenco's dream. A bunch of Gitanos were trying out keyboards and an electric base and sounding very professionaly rumba experts. To cut it short, I found what I thought had to be a good guitar (£340 pounds 15 years ago wasn't peanuts to a working guy ) and played a few tentative twitches on it. (Sort of "House of the Rising Sun" in compass with a couple of golpes for effect) An old wanut skinned guy immediately began to follow me around staring wide eyed at my precious find and nodding his head approvingly. Under the mistaken impression that he wanted it for himself I clutched it
defensively and asked my wife how it sounded. Knowing as much about flamenco guitars as I know about...well..., flamenco guitars, she said it sounded okay. I became paranoid about putting it down, convinced I would lose it immediately I did so, and eventually carried it over to the counter and said I'd take it.

When I left the with a grin of triumph, the old guy retired back to his crowd smilingly,( I thought ruefully) and in reality to probably wait for the next unsuspecting victim. The guitar turned out to be so good that I took up flamenco dance within the year (-:

Maybe it isn't really too bad as a non-pro guitar, because my "playing" would make a Gypsy take harp lessons, but I was definitely "conned " into buying it by what I later had to admit was a clever scam. Such is life for the inexperienced ((-:

Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 17 2003 7:20:40