RE: Myth's and Science (Full Version)

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jshelton5040 -> RE: Myth's and Science (Jul. 21 2010 14:43:19)

quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

The heel cap is usually that tall elegant drawn up piece integral to the back and Ramirez's builders always make a nice heel. Just my opinion. I've always looked to them as well drawn elegant guitars, best of the mass made guitars in my book.

I do very much like the Ramirez flamenco guitars and on rare occasion a Conde, I think there's a lot of hype and false market mystery built around those two houses.


Interesting how divergent our experience has been. I agree with you that Ramirez flamencos are very elegant to look at and the craftsmanship is impeccable. If only they sounded as good as they look. The confusing nature of the Esteso dynasty with the multiple shops all making guitars with similar head design has always been just a little to much for my old brain to handle and I suspect has led to their reputation for variability. Then a few years ago a couple of new guitars from the Filipe V shop were brought by my shop. What a surprise! They were beautifully crafted and played and sounded great (although Susan didn't like them as much as I did). Now I guess that shop has split...too bad.



Richard Jernigan -> RE: Myth's and Science (Jul. 21 2010 17:38:55)

In the early 1970s a good friend had a Madrid professional guitarist go by the Conde shop at Gravina 7 and pick out a media luna spruce/cypress blanca for him. I recognized the name of the professional at the time, but I don't remember it now. I do remember he was a classical guitarist.

When the guitar arrived in Austin, Texas it had all the sonority of a yellow pine 2 by 4. It was as dead as any guitar I ever played. A real clunker. My friend had paid good money for it. I felt sorry for him, but never said a word.

Two or three years later the guitar had completely changed. It was open, brilliant, had percussive rasgueos, had powerful bronze-voiced basses...in short it was one of the few guitars that I liked better than the blanca I had at the time! I also preferred it to another friend's Manuel Reyes, Sr. (In retrospect, I think the action was set so low on the Reyes that the buzz was too much for my taste.)

My friend with the Conde started concentrating on classical. I tried to buy the Conde from him more than once. He never even replied when I brought up the subject.

RNJ



Ron.M -> RE: Myth's and Science (Jul. 21 2010 18:11:31)

Yeah, but Richard..

That kind of implies that somehow the professional guitarist KNEW that this plank of wood would turn out to be an ace in 2 or 3 years time..[:-]

I must admit, I find that very difficult to get my head around, other than it was just pure chance.

(OK..If it were Pulpo Paulo...then, yes, sure I'd accept it. [;)])

cheers,

Ron



jshelton5040 -> RE: Myth's and Science (Jul. 21 2010 18:24:20)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Richard Jernigan

My friend with the Conde started concentrating on classical. I tried to buy the Conde from him more than once. He never even replied when I brought up the subject.

RNJ

I have a couple of wierd guitar stories like that. When I was working in a music store in Portland, Oregon a very elderly lady came in to ask about a Spanish guitar she had so the store owner sent her to me. She related that her son had bought the guitar in Spain and subsequently been killed and she wondered if it might be valuable. She referred to it as a Fleeeta. I told her it was indeed a valuable guitar and belonged in the hands of a classic guitarist. I asked if I could see it but she declined. Just wanted to know if it was valuable. I always wondered what happened to it.

Another: A guitar player and teacher friend had this magnificent Hernandez-Aguado that I absolutely coveted. I told him if he ever decided to sell it to call me first. A few years went by and I ran into him at a concert. He was ill and had quit teaching and playing guitar. I asked about the H-A and he said he had sold it and apologized for not callling me. He sold it for $1200. At that time H-A was going for around $40,000 in Japan. I felt like hitting him!



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