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vuduchyld -> string tension question--and more on beginner guitars... (Feb. 21 2011 3:37:19)
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First-time poster. Let me start by saying thank you for this awesome community. Been stalking it for a couple of weeks and I'm really happy to have found y'all.
I'm a beginner to flamenco, but I've been playing guitar for quite a while...lots of rock and blues for 15-20 years, then in the last 2-3 I've become a big bluegrass flatpicker. My wife is a flamenco dancer and she performs quite a bit, so I'm hoping to get better so I can accompany her eventually. She's got a great player who accompanies her now and he is giving me lessons.
Like many others, I'm searching for a guitar. I've really appreciated all the discussion about axes throughout the forum. Today, I was at a crappy Guitar Center and they had only two flamenco guitars. One was pseudo-flamenco...the Gypsy Kings model. The other was a Cordoba 30F. It was a LOT better than the $100 Eterna classical I've been learning on to date, but I wasn't moved. (The GK model isn't worth talking about. The model might be OK, but that guitar wasn't set up well and the strings were crappy.)
So it looks like I'll probably have to buy on line. Don't really have a strict budget, but I'd like to keep it under $1200. I'm more of a value buyer than a strict price buyer, though, so I could go up if necessary...I just think that is a good price to start with.
Sorry for the ramble, but my question is this. Playing the 30F was a MUCH different experience for me. Obviously, the sound was much more flamenco than what I get out of my guitar. The action was better, but my Eterna is set up with pretty low action. But the one thing that really stood out to me was that the tension on the strings seemed quite a bit tighter. This was GOOD...seemed to give me more response in my right fingertips. I liked it.
Is that typical for flamenco guitars? I've noticed that nylon strings have a tension rating. Do most flamenco guitars come with higher-tension strings? When I've strung mine, I get normal-tension.
Back to buying online...gotta say, I'm REALLY reluctant to buy a guitar I haven't played and heard. Scares me quite a bit, because I know from experience that there is a lot of variability.
Couple of guitars that are appealing to me right now:
1) Francisco Navarro blanco student model....e-bay for $750
2) Classifieds in this forum have a Sigurdson student model....looks gorgeous and I might be interested if a rental property I have under contract to sell actually goes through and sells
3) Considering ordering a Cordoba F7 or a Manuel Rodriguez C3 or a similar mid-range model with laminated sides/back
Would prefer all solid wood, but not hung up on it. I've got a Taylor 210CE that's got a solid top and laminated sapele sides/back and it is a gorgeous guitar.
So...in addition to my string tension question and any random advice about guitars that are available, if anybody has any thoughts on specific online vendors, I'd love to hear who is trustworthy and who sucks. The Francisco Navarro appears to be sold basically by one guy on e-bay, and it looks like he is the main US distributor?
Again, sorry for the filibuster. Appreciate your time!
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