RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot

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Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to DavidT)

BTW..

This is about Lester de Voe... I normally dont talk about other builders, but since this is such a good example of what I just wrote, I will write this:

I´ve tested a De Voe Blanca with Pegs.. Workmanship.... Top notch. Problems with lacquer. Instrument: and here comes the thing with taste and capacity of the player.
If you were looking for a VERY traditional sounding flamenco guitar and you play with a strong heavy right hand, preferring Jerez style etc, the guitar is an absolutely top class instrument with a lot of power and projection and very little harmonics. Dry as the Sahara desert.
If you are playing a lot of big chords and do not have a very powerfull right hand, you might think its a poor instrument with a poor proyection, because you are simply not capable of digging out its character and the dryness of the guitar does not give you anything. You have to do all the work.

I´m sure that Lester makes guitars with other characteristics as well... and its just an example on how difficult this with judging guitars and builders is.

Its impossible to make all you guys happy, and we ALL have clients which have a different taste.....

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Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2007 7:37:43

RobJe

Posts: 731
Joined: Dec. 16 2006
From: UK

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Anders - you are right to remind us of these different characteristics. If I could take the best aspects of every guitar I have owned and put them into one guitar it would be wonderful - but I don't think this is possible. I don't think I would ever want a negra - I have enough complications just choosing the right blanca.
Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2007 15:17:43

Posts: 524
Joined: Jun. 15 2006

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Zorro02)

Zorro02,

Couple of months ago I played a Manuel Reyes against my Devoe and guess what the Devoe did much better than the Reyes. Does that mean that Devoe in general is better than Reyes? "No". but it means that particular Reyes was not good or not well played or ....or...or.

Let's face it, you may not like a particular maker's guitar for whatever reason but a good guitar is a good guitar. I have played about dozens of Devoes and did not like only one of them because it was made in the 80s with small body etc... They are very consistent with Dark, Dry and Lyrical sound. But they are all very loud.

TK

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2007 15:19:15

jrabbani

Posts: 192
Joined: Jun. 28 2006
From: Los Angeles

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Zorro02)

quote:

he takes with him his skills, (unless he has a son, not a daughter!!!!)

http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/files/espinosa.htm
so much for that arguement

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 28 2007 4:58:12

Ricardo

Posts: 14806
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Zorro02)

quote:

A true flamenco guitar should be handmade in Spain!!

No. A true flamenco guitar is built in some factory in Indonesia.

I think climate does affect a guitar, especially a young guitar. In that sense, it is important where a guitar is built. Rather, my Spain built guitar sounds better in Spain. Valancia is close to the ocean. So take your Sanchis near the beach and see if you notice a difference.

Anyway, Ramirez is one of my least favorite sounding classical or flamenco guitars. But I love his book! Man he was jelous of Hauser. And segovia pissed him off when he gave him a guitar for a concert tour, and saw a program that said "guitar by Fleta".

I am the type of guy who likes to have lots of guitars around. I don't like having only one sound. Weird thing for me is when I try some other folks "nice" flamenco guitars, they blow me away at first. And I think "wow, my Conde is just factory junk, this guitar is LOUD!!!". Or something like that, it depends on the qualities of the particular instrument. But when I go back to my Conde, this voice jumps out of the strings "man, what was i thinking????". I have thought a lot about it and compared guitars like crazy, but I don't know what it is really. They have a special clearity other guitars don't. I don't get why not. My mind forgets, but when the thing is in my hands it is so obvious.

I played Devoe, but I think it was more "classical" in style. It was a negra anyway. The guitar of Brune is pretty kickin. The best non spanish flamenco guitar I played was by Robert Ruck. I have not tried Green yet. To be honest, I would not mind owning even a Ramirez. I wish I had one of every guitar, like a harem. That is what my wife calls my modest guitar collection at present. The guitar I would buy for name and looks alone is "jeronimo Peña fernandez". The guitar I need to try that many claim to be the best is Arcangel Fernandez. But I have heard it is very delicate and light weight, not for the heavy hand. I don't get why the mad quest everyone has for the "loudest projecting guitar". The loudest guitar in the world will not be heard over palmas, stomping, talking, singing etc. Unless you just want to strum extra loud chords. For that, a yamaha does quite nicely.

Anyway, let's thank Zoro for stirring up such a nice hot topic.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 28 2007 8:23:52

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

I think climate does affect a guitar, especially a young guitar. In that sense, it is important where a guitar is built. Rather, my Spain built guitar sounds better in Spain. Valancia is close to the ocean. So take your Sanchis near the beach and see if you notice a difference.

Thats only because Sanchis (and many others) dont control humidity in their workshop or factory...
A guitar is most relaxed at the humidity at which is was build. I dont think latitudes or longitudes affaect anything. Guitars are not that mystical. Or maybe your Sanchis only likes the smell of mediteranean oranges

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Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 28 2007 11:09:43

Zorro02

Posts: 151
Joined: Feb. 23 2007

RE: Lester DeVoe Waiting List Spot (in reply to Ricardo)

Thankyou Ricardo.
I believe that at times what I originally wrote in my first post was misunderstood.
I was not saying that the DeVoe guitar was crap, I have never played one, so I would'nt know.
Flamenco is a Spanish tradition, it is part of Andalucian culture. I understand that there have been many influences that have contributed to what flamenco is today, but it is Spanish, it is as Spanish as bull-fighting, or paella.
I am sure that there are many luthiers out there who are more than capable of making a fine flamenco guitar. Mr DeVoe et al ; keep up the good work, but I continue to believe that a flamenco guitar should really be Spanish.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 28 2007 21:37:10