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.
New price for an A26 at Guitar Salon International : 7000$ !! For sure, you could find cheaper second-hands.
But I feel I must make a comment from my personal experience : I've came accross 3 conde blanca "media luna" in the past years, when I was searching for a guitar. At the begning, in my mind, Condes were the "graal" of guitars. Final results :
- First one : bad (tested for one week, at home) - Second one : almost crap (The seller, a pro player, managed to get some good sounds out of it, but when he changed to play his German Perez Barranco in front of me, I realized how much the conde was bad...) - Third one : not-so-bad, but no-so-good either (in a shop)
Compared to my 2 actual guitars : Compared to my Raimundo 145, the ones I've tried were really at the same level, or even lower. Compared to my DeVoe, there is absolutely...no comparison (or perhaps, the fact that the conde where a bit more "vibrating" or "juergas" guitars than my DeVoe (a negra))
There had been lots of debates on several foros about conde's so I will not make a general statement just from my own (bad) experiences, but I will strongly advice everyone searching for a conde to play it first (It's true with all makers, but perhaps even more with "industrial scale" makers). It is well known that some of these conde are "fantastic". And it is true, without a doubt, hearing some of these (like the one in the vid and many others).
PS : I must add that the "reselling" value seems to be lower and lower for conde (I'm speaking for Europe). This year, I've seen approx. 30 conde for sale just on the few european second-hand guitars websites. I think a lot of people still buy Condes "on label", are deceived by the guitars and put them back for sale. Some of these condes must have had a bunch of owners, passing the "dug" to each others...I think there is a lot of "inertia" when it comes about guitar brands fame. But people are begining to question why there is such a huge amount of second-hand condes...
I have never seen Chicuelo play any other guitar besides that Conde. must be a really good one. Who knows, mabey its a Filipe V model.
But like Legrec said, I would definitely play an A26 before dropping 4-7K on one. I havn't played too many, but I have seen 1 or 2 that are on the dull side.
Condes have their own sound, just like a Dovoe or A. Green does, so It all depends on what you like. The Conde sound is part of Chicuelos overall sound.
Hey, you're not a traditionalist, Bihkiyal ! I was waiting for some disgusted comments about this "tattoed guitar" ! For my own taste, I think it's really "modern", and I like it. 99,9% of flamenco guitars are "plain wood". For sure, one main argue that "plain wood" bear all the beauty we ever need. But this builder, Matthew Morello (USA), felt that a little "change" could be possible in the classical/flamenco guitar world. And, besides, for him it's not much a "change" that some sort of "return" to all the wood inlay work that had been lost in Europe since the 19th century...
And what about the sound (I hear you asking) ? So, I haven't got a first hand experience of his guitars. I've got the second-hand experience of a friend of mine in California, who played a negra from Morello. He is used to "world class guitars". And couldn't stop making very good comments on that particular negra he played. He was comparing it to a Devoe...and saying it was "more vibrant" than the Devoe. (Personaly, if I can make a down comment on my Devoe negra, it would be this "vibrating" thing. Perhaps I'm not enought in "harmony" with it because I have it for a short time and that the original string action was best suited for classical than flamenco, but it feels a little bit "sturdy" in my hands...) Edit : I've just got back my Devoe from my luthier, he lowered the string action and did a fret polishing and NOW the guitar is really vibrating and have this flamenco voice I've been after since several years... I'm totally amazed by the impact of a much better setting on the guitar.
Well don't know what traditionalist think ...and don't know about the sound.....but i love how this "Flamenco Rosa" looks like. Such nice wood inlay work! Amazing...thanks for posting the pics
I've been in DeVoe's waiting list for about 2 years now. I just bought a guitar for myself and I want sell my spot. Any one interested in the spot? Please email me: trinha49@gmail.com
Well I just got a Devoe myself, but just wanted to say that I recommand with absolute confidence and passion his guitars to someone who is searching for a stunning guitar...
In my experience, the only guitar which could be on par with the Devoe is a guitar from a french luthier, Michel Donadey. The 30+ other guitars I've tried were not as good as these two guitars...
Printable Version
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